Day 14: Praying for 15 Minutes 

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up,
 left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
 Mark 1:35 

Prayerwork, Part 1: Set your timer on your phone for 3-minute increments. You are going to pray for three minutes, five different times as you work through some of the prayers we already practiced the last two weeks. 

  1.  To begin, open your Bible to Psalm 145, and start your first three-minute timer. 
  2. Prayer number 1: Praise Prayer: Read Psalm 145 once and notice your underlined words of praise. Start praising God for who He is using the words you have already underlined during a previous lesson. Each prayer of praise for God’s character can sound something like this:

+God, I praise You for Your mighty acts (Psalm 145:4).
 
 
+Father, I praise You for Your abundant goodness (Psalm 145:7).
 
 
+Lord, I praise You because You are righteous (Psalm 145:7).
 
 
+Yahweh (that’s God’s name), I praise You because You are a gracious God (Psalm 145:8). 

 
+God, I praise You because You are __________________.
 
 
Repeat these types of prayers all the way through Psalm 145. 

When the three minutes are up, repeat the timer and move to the next prayer prompt and pray another three minutes. Do this for each prayer prompt. 


3.   Prayer number 2: Confession Prayer: Start with the Jesus Prayer we started praying at the beginning of our lessons during your time of confession. Then use this list of sins found in Scripture and pray prayers of confession. 
 
+Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
 
 

+Father, I confess to you that I lied. Please forgive me.
 


+God, I confess to you that I am very worried about __________. Please forgive me and help me to trust in Your timing.
 
 


+Lord, I confess to you __________. Please forgive me and help me overcome this sin.



Keep praying these prayers of confession like this until the timer goes off. 

 

4. Prayer number 3: Asking Prayer: Now that you’ve prayed your prayer of confession and continue to trust that God has and is forgiving you because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, begin to ask God to send you more of the Holy Spirit. Ask God to put His favor on you in upcoming conversations or events. Ask God to guide your thoughts. Ask God to bless you spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, and physically. Pray a prayer from our lessons from Day 11 or Day 12. Keep praying for yourself and the areas you need God’s favor until the alarm goes off. 

 

5. Prayer number 4: Intercession Prayer: Now pray for your friends and family members, and even world leaders. Pray for world peace, for your church, for a friend. If you need some help filling in the blanks below, use people, places, and events you want God to bless. Then pray for Jesus to intervene in the lives mentioned below, according to His will. Pray specific prayers over your list. 

  1. _______________________________
  2. _______________________________
  3. _______________________________
  4. _______________________________
  5. _______________________________
  6. _______________________________

6. Prayer number 5: Thanks Prayer: Finally, end your last three minutes thanking God. Thank Him for hearing your prayers. Thank Him for answering your prayers. Thank Him for being wise and good and patient. Use Psalm 121, if you need a list of things you can thank God for in prayer. 

 

7. You did it! You prayed for fifteen minutes, straight! For many of you, this is the first time you have ever prayed that long in one sitting. For others, three minutes per section was not enough time. Today, as you praise God throughout the day, and during set times, praise and thank Him that He helped you pray for fifteen minutes. 

 

8. Finally, be looking for God’s answers to prayer. God responds to our prayers. In my life God answers my prayers, but most often in ways that I did not expect. His responses to my prayers have always been better than my desires! 

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations,
for ever and ever!
Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21