How to Jumpstart Your Prayer Life

Copyright © 2006 by Mike Smalley

All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or any other – except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior written permission of the author.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are from the King James version of the Bible (KJV).

ISBN: 0-9712249-6-X

Cover Design: Peter Roark, Roark Creative: www.roarkcreative.com

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Honor Roll

The following individuals made the prnting of this book possible. I encourage all who are benefited by this book to

call their names in prayer.

John and Pam Asbell

Billy and Rachel Benavidez and Family

Faye Garza

Pastor and Mrs. Allen and Dena Gregory

Tim and Elisa Gregory and Family

Deryl and Christy Peoples and Family

Norman, Tammy and Brandon Simpson

Joe and Pam Ward and Family

C Jay Anderson and Rick, Stephanie,

Ricky, Isabel, Isiah, Katrina, and Isaac.

“You Cannot “Faith Into” Your Life, Anything You Feel Guilty Asking For.”

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I N T R O D U C T I O N

The Prayer Life.

It is impossible to overestimate the importance of your “prayer life”.

Prayer is not thinking about God. Prayer is talking to God.

You have been given the gift of access to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords through your prayer life.

What a privilege!Many have no idea of the personal benefits and

power God has made available to them through a prayer life...

8 Master Benefits To A Prayer Life

1. Fellowship With God Himself Is Guaranteed! “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)

2. Answers To Life’s Great Questions Are Answered. “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” (Jeremiah. 33:3)

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3. Wisdom Is Imparted. “If any of you lack Wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5) “For the LORD giveth Wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6) Why do you need Wisdom? “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:7)

4. Sickness and Disease Can Be Driven From Our Bodies. “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have com-mitted sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

(James 5:15-16).

5. Asking Is The Scriptural Way To Get Answers.“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” (Matthew 21:22)

6. Mercy And Grace Are Deposited Inside You. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrew 4:16)

7. The Holy Spirit Introduces You To His Strength. “Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.” (1 Chronicles 16:27)

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8. Joy Is Birthed And Maintained. “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalms 16:11)

Prayer for the Christian must go beyond a casual

observance before a meal or an occasional urgent request we throw towards God when an emergency strikes.

Prayer is our lifeline with our Creator...our source of power. . .our portal into heaven itself!

Thomas Watson, the great Puritan preacher, described prayer as “the soul’s breathing itself into the lap of its heavenly Father.” Leonard Ravenhill used to say, “Christians were either praying or playing.” John Bunyan said, “Prayer will make a man cease from sin or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer.”

If you, as a believer, will Pursue God, Pursue His Wisdom, His Presence...His Person...your life will change dramatically!

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unreachable things you do not know,’ says the Lord” (Jeremiah 33:3)

The following are 10 practical keys you can begin incorporating into your life today...to equip you in this most necessary of Christian disciplines.

Remember, saying occasional prayers does not mean you have a prayer life! Satan tries desperately to keep you from a daily prayer time...shut in with God.

Often when we fail to live up to the “prayer goals”

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we set for ourselves, guilt and condemnation swell up inside us, almost paralyzing us from feeling worthy to approach God at a later time.

There is not a Christian on the earth whose natural mind loves the presence of God. That’s one of the reasons for the warfare over your daily prayer life. Your spirit is the only part of you that wants to pray.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1)

The Holy Spirit is waiting with excitement and love to meet with you. I wrote this book to equip you to move into the greatest experiences of your life...meeting daily with God!

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C H A P T E R O N E

Recognize Jesus Assumed Those Who Love Him Would

Have A Prayer Life.

“And when you pray, you should not be like the hypocrites for they love to pray, standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets that they may be seen be men. Assuredly I say to you they have their reward. But you when you pray go into your room and when you have shut your door, pray to your father who is in the secret place. And your father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matthew 6:5-6).

Jesus’ words were “...and when you pray...” Notice Jesus assumed those who were His disciples would pray. Jesus assumed those who said they loved Him would pray. He didn’t say “if you decide to pray,” “if you have time to pray”, “once you’ve had proper training to pray,” He simply said “...and when you pray...”

Jesus’ prayer life was so magnificent that even His disciples never asked Him to teach them to preach, but their request was “Lord, teach us to pray.”

There was something profound about the seasons

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of prayer they had spent with Him. . .something life-changing, something contagious, and soul-stirring.

Their heart cry was, “Lord, we want what you have...we want what you and the Father enjoy...Lord, teach us to pray!” As a child of God, prayer is not an option for you...it is a divine command. Your life and future, is too precious not to have a prayer life.

Christian Classics

One of the greatest resources for studying the lives of great men and women of God is Christian biographies.

Since my teenage years I have read the life stories of Christians who changed their generation, and left a legacy with their life, millions seek to duplicate even to this day.

I have never read the life story of an uncommon achiever without noticing that without exception they have an above average daily habit of meeting alone with God.

Leonard Ravenhill once said In my presence; “Great birds fly alone, great fish swim alone, and great men meet alone with God.” Friend, if the great believers of the past could not accomplish all God wanted to them to do without a prayer life, you and I cannot either.

What’s the first step to developing a prayer life? Understanding the proper way to approach God in the first place.

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Prayer’s Divine Protocol.

Protocol has become a dying concept today. However, every atmosphere has a “protocol”...

certain established rules for entering and being allowed to remain in that environment.

You would not walk into the office of a King, Prime Minister or President in a pair of shorts, no shoes and scream “What’s Up”? Security Agents would quickly and permanently escort you out. No matter how badly you wanted to be heard, you would not be allowed to stay because you didn’t enter the environment properly.

How you are received is always determined by how you enter an environment.

Every environment has protocol for entry and for remaining.

Prayer and the presence of God are no different. What is the protocol for entering the presence of God? The answer is in Psalm 100:2b: “...Come before His presence with singing.”

The Holy Spirit loves singing. He requires it.The Holy Spirit loves music...He invented it.The protocol for entering your private prayer time

is singing! You may sing quietly, or with a loud joyful song.

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You may not feel qualified to sing. Others around you may agree! But the fact remains God’s Word commands every child of God to sing!

Many have discovered there is great anointing when you enter His presence singing His Word!

Sing verses from the book of Psalms, or your favorite choruses and hymns from church.

You might just break out into a song you have written spontaneously yourself.

I keep a Digital Recorder handy when I am in my prayer room so I can record the songs the Lord gives me.

Singing is the door that takes you to the room of His Presence. Stop the silent treatment!

Sing with expectation.Sing passionately.Sing loud.Sing often.Sing first!

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Set a Specific Time to Pray.

The death song of the Non-Achiever is: “I’ll get around to it later”

I’m too busy...whenever I feel lead...or God understands my busy schedule, are all excuses that if believed will drain the faith life out of you.

We make specific time appointments with people we do not even want to see!

How often have we scheduled our entire day around doctors, lawyers, hair stylists or others?

How much more important is it to set aside a time to pray and to work our schedule around our appointment with the Lord Jesus Christ?!

You might be a morning person or a night owl. Whatever your particular personality is, set a time

and keep it. Commit to coming before God each day at your set time. . .He will be waiting on you!

“Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; The Lord will hear when I call to him” (1 Peter 3:12).

“People Without A Dream, Never Understand Why Those That Do, Do

Not Easily Abandon It.”

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C H A P T E R F O U R

Militantly Guard Your Established Prayer Time.

Family is a wonderful thing!Family Is a divine Institution given to us by God.However your family will be one of the greatest

hindrances to your daily prayer life!Children, grandchildren and even your spouse will

need to be educated when your prayer time is and to respect it! (Never use your “prayer time” as an excuse to avoid responsibilities to those in authority over you).

Announce your new prayer time to your family and friends. Ask them to respect those moments with God, by not telephoning, visiting, or disturbing you.

Allow a militancy to rise in your spirit when you see Satan try to steal your time with God. Satan knows if he can build up a wall of isolation between you and God, that you are vulnerable to sin...sickness...and to depression.

Your spiritual health and those around you depend on your regular time with God.

“I urge...that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

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”And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve;. . .whether the gods which your fathers served. . . but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)

Remind those close to you of the wonderful benefits to them and your home life when daily private prayer is the top priority.

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Establish A “Holy Place.”

Praying in the same place every day is powerful.If at all possible, have your prayer time in the same

geographical location every day. Places matter to God. The scriptures document instances where God

told His people to be at a certain place at a certain time, and there the power of God would fall...God would speak.

The most powerful example of this is the Upper Room in Acts 2. Jesus followers were commanded to wait for the promised Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit fell in the upper room...a place. The rest is history.

When Solomon dedicated the temple, it was at a particular place, God’s glory fell.

“And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims. And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD. (I Kings 8:6, 11)

Do you have “a set apart place”, to meet with the

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Holy Spirit?Years ago, Dr. Mike Murdock challenged me to

build a “Secret Place” in my home. I greatly respected his habit of praying from 9:00 AM to 1:00PM in his Secret Place each day he was home. The anointing that’s on his life is obvious. Simply put, I wanted what he had.

My wife and I spent $2,000.00 to construct a room just off our garage. That was many years ago, and I believe to this day it is the greatest investment I have ever made in my home.

The presence of the Holy Spiritis always priceless!

Give your place of prayer a name. Whether you call it “The Secret Place”, or the “The

Holy Place” establish an area within your home and go there at your established time each day. If it is not possible for you to dedicate an entire room, make a place within a room, such as a chair in the corner.

Treat your prayer time and location as the Holiest part of your day and home. Don’t allow the mundane and the ordinary to take place in this area. If possible, you should keep music playing constantly. Cultivate an atmosphere where the person of the Holy Spirit is welcome.

He always comes where He Is welcomed!

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C H A P T E R S I X

Go In With Thanksgiving.

Even a wicked man runs from the unthankful!“Enter into His gates with Thanksgiving and into His

courts with praise” (Psalm 100:4). Consider all that is good in your life and remember

God’s hand of mercy and grace make it all possible. No matter what you have gone through...He is still

there! He deserves to be thanked!Many years ago, my wife was diagnosed with

Multiple Sclerosis. There have been many days since I then I have not felt like being thankful.

“Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever” (Psalms 106:1).

“Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made” (Psalms 145:13 NIV).

Count your blessings and be grateful. We all have so much to be thankful about...starting with the gift of hope and love that God has given each one of us through His Son Jesus Christ!

Enter your prayer time with thanksgiving. It’s one of the Secrets of Jumpstarting Your Prayer

life!

“A Seed Sown In Faith, Creates A Harvest That Down Plays Your Doubt.”

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Leave With Expectation.

Many prayer requests are dead the moment they are uttered because God cannot respond to our doubt.

Hebrews 11:6 says that “without faith it is impossible to please God for He that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Do you see the expectation that is required? We must believe He is. . . a rewarder.

1 John 5:14 & 15 teaches if we pray in the will of God, we will be heard of God. . . and to be heard of God is to receive an answer from God!

What a promise to know if you align your prayers with God’s will, you have a guaranteed reception in the ears of Almighty God. He has promised if He hears you. . . He will answer!

Never exit your prayer time until you have stayed long enough to leave with a spirit of expectation. Your emotions will change day by day. Your physical body will be have it’s up’s and down’s. Some days you will be more tired than others... more sleepy.

Never judge the effectiveness and impact of your prayer time, by simply how you feel physically.

Your emotions will change day by day. No matter how you feel, leave with expectation!

Feelings can be deceptive. Faith moves mountains!

“What You Hear And Say InHis Presence Today, Is More

Important Than What You WillHear Today From Anyone Else.”

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Get Up Early.

I believe mornings are the best time for private prayer. I recommend you rise early and allow God to have

first place in your morning. Consider it your first fruits of the day. When you give God your best, He will give you His best. Give your spirit a chance to be stirred by the Holy Spirit...Early. Get into the Word of God. Begin every morning with singing, prayer, and the Word.

Listen...to the Word of God on cd or cassette.Remember how faith is birthed: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the

word of God.” Rom. 10Of course the Psalmist did not stop with morning

prayer time: “As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save

me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice” (Psalm 55:16-17).

“Always Investigate, Pursue, And Meditate On What The Majority Of People Say Is Too Good To Be true.”

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Go To Bed Early.

Almost no one teaches this. For years I felt condemnation after repeated attempts

to rise early for prayer, only to fall asleep kneeling on my couch a few moments later. How guilty I felt when I woke up! How unspiritual. How unholy.

How could others I respected and love rise at 4 A.M. for prayer and I am unable to do so? The simple answer was, they never told me they went to bed at 9:00 P.M. the night before!

If you are going to be rise for morning prayer, you must adjust your schedule in the evening.

In order to get up 30 minutes earlier, you have to go to bed 30 minutes earlier. Your body is still bound by time and weakness. So, allow yourself the proper amount of rest to get up when you need to. Never allow yourself to feel condemnation for a so-called failed attempt of prayer. This covers not only our prayer life, but also every other area of our Christian walk.

Master 5 minutes with God each day consistently, before you set goals so large, you cannot keep. If you do not pray 15 minutes a day yet, don’t set a daily goal of one hour. Start small, and let the Holy Spirit bring increase.

God will honor, respect and reward any attempt you make to pursue Him!

Always Remember God Loves You, But Your Not The Only Thing God Loves.

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Pray In The Spirit.

“...but you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit...” (Jude 1:20)

Praying in the Holy Spirit is perhaps the most unused privilege in the body of Christ.

I strongly believe in the prayer language.A fresh baptism in the Holy Spirit is one of the

greatest needs today in the body of Christ.As you study God’s Word and pray each day, you

will begin to grow closer to Him through your spirit as it is strengthened through the Comforter...the Holy Spirit.

On some occasions, you may not even know what to pray for, but God does. Pray in your prayer language daily.

“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” (Romans 8:26).

If you were raised in a church that taught praying in the Spirit...speaking in tongues, is not for today...please revisit the scriptures on this most important subject.

If it has been years since you have experienced the Baptism In The Holy Spirit, ask the Father to fill you

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afresh. Stir up the gift within you.One well known Pastor for more than 20 years has

prayed in tongues from 5:30A.M. to 6:30A.M. each day.Beloved, you have an amazing treasure just waiting

to be opened...the gift of access to ALL WISDOM.I am asking you to put the principles in this book

to work. Start today to jumpstart your prayer life! Commit to meeting with God using these 10 keys for

the next 30 days and see what He will do in your life! Pray With Me Now...

Holy Spirit, unlock within my friend reading this now a new passion for the prayer life. Make the next 30 days the greatest days of their life. . .in your presence! In Jesus name. . .Amen.

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W I L L Y O U I N V I T E

Christ into your life today?

Will You Invite Christ into Your Life Today?The Bible says, “All have sinned and come short of the

glory of God” (Romans 3:23).Sin is breaking God’s law—breaking His

commandments. Have you ever lied, lusted or disobeyed your

parents?Man’s standard is very different from God’s.

Consider the following verse from Scripture:“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at

just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” ( James 2:10 NIV).

No matter how hard we try, we cannot erase our past sins against God.

The good news is, Jesus promised, “Whoever comes to me, I will not cast out” (John 6:7).

Will you turn from sin and ask Jesus Christ into your life right now?

Pray this prayer:“Jesus, I’ve known right from wrong all my life. I

have chosen wrong. I have sinned. I need a savior. I repent and turn from a life of disobeying you. I invite

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you to come into my life and forgive me of all my sins. I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. Fill me with your Spirit. I will read your Word daily and obey what I read. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

If you have prayed this prayer and truly desire to learn more about being saved and submitting every area of your life to Christ, please write me so I can send you information that will teach you what to do next, and how to follow Him.

attn: mike SmalleyWorldreach MinistriesP.O. Box 99Rockwall, TX 75087www.mikesmalley.com(1-888-900-7625)

About Mike SmalleyCalled to preach at age 14, Mike Smalley has a burden for lost

people. Mike is the founder of Worldreach Ministries near Dallas, Texas,

which plants churches and conducts evangelistic crusades worldwide,

in addition to training Christians in evangelism. Mike has travelled

to over 15 nations and has started numerous churches throughout

various parts of Africa. His ministry crosses denominational lines and

boundaries to take the Gospel where it is needed most.

Mike Smalley has also authored the books:

•The Young Evangelist’s Handbook

•7 Lies Christians Believe About the Lost

•Saved Soul...Wasted Life: Life Lessons from the Thief Next to Jesus

•Don’t Go There: 21 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Having an Affair

If you would like more information about Mike Smalley and

Worldreach Ministries and its other ministry resources, or to invite

Mike to speak in your area, write to:

Worldreach Ministries

P.O. Box 99

Rockwall, TX 75087

Or, call:

(972)771-3339

Or, you can visit Mike on the web:

www.mikesmalley.com

These powerful teaching articles from Mike Smalley are sent out once

each month – free of charge. You can be added to the growing list

of readers and receive these challenging articles on a regular basis.

Simply send your request to:

Worldreach Ministries

P.O. Box 99

Rockwall, TX 75087

Or Call:

(972)771-3339

Or visit us online at:

www.mikesmalley.com