Romans 8:26 (ANIV)
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

Watch the news on TV with two other people. Pray aloud during the news for the situations mentioned. Just let it be conversational. The false temporal split between speaking to humans and speaking to God is often a major obstacle to our prayer lives developing. There is nothing wrong with alternately speaking to each other and God. I think he enjoys being part of a real conversation.

Be prepared to listen out for God's heart on various issues. Let him lead you to an area that you will focus on. Sometimes it will be anger, sometimes tears, and sometimes celebration. Be encouraged that in those situations that seem too "far gone", where hope is a distant memory, and we don't know what to pray for, that the Spirit is present literally making up the gap between the spiritual and the physical with groaning.

How often do we believe that being able to pray long articulate prayers is a sign of being "spiritual"? If you took a definition of "spiritual" as being "like the Spirit", then being "spiritual" is probably more accurately conveyed by someone feeling God's heart in their guts and simply groaning and crying, with few words. He wants our hearts more than he wants impressive grammar.

Attempt to develop trusting, interceding relationships with people, where you don't always have to impress each other with long sentences, but which provide the freedom to just listen for and share God's heart.

We sometimes leave this sort of activity up to "the intercessors", but there is no specific "gift of intercession" or a group of people called "intercessors" mentioned in my Bible. This is something we are all called to.  

From God 360°, written and copyright © 2006 Andy Flannagan
Reproduced with permission from Andy Flannagan.

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