“… I will also pray with the understanding…” (1 Corinthians 14:15- NKJ).
“The greatest answer to prayer is that I am brought into a perfect understanding with God, and that alters my view of actual things.” – Oswald Chambers
Paul said to pray in tongues and to pray with understanding. Praying with understanding means that you “understand what you are praying for.” Let me give you an example of how we pray with understanding.
Every birthday, we have a tradition in our family. I think our tradition is better then the normal traditions of blowing out candles, having a birthday cake, or giving presents. Our tradition on birthdays is to have each member of the family pray for the birthday person.
As we pray for our family member who is having a birthday, we pray for many specific things. Here are some of the things we pray for:
- We pray for their HEALTH in the coming year. We ask God to keep them healthy and whole. We ask that they would have good eating habits and exercise regularly.
- We pray for their GOALS to be met in the coming year. We ask God to give them a clear vision for the future and the wisdom to know what steps to take.
- We pray for their SPOUSE and CHILDREN. If they do not happen to be married yet, we pray for God to protect their future spouse and to bring him or her at the right time. If the family member is married, we ask God to bless them with a loving marriage.
- We pray for their RELATIONSHIPS. We ask God to provide godly friends. We ask for God’s blessing on them in their role as a son or daughter, father or mother, and sister or brother.
- We pray for God to give them MINISTRY opportunities. We ask God to make them a shining light in the midst of a dark world. We pray that they would walk in all the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit.
- We pray for their SPIRITUAL WALK. We ask God to give them a hunger for God’s word, for prayer, and for praise and worship.
- We pray for their FINANCES. We ask God to provide for every need. We ask God to provide them with fulfilling work. We ask God that all the work of their hands would prosper.
- We pray for their MIND. We ask God to keep them mentally alert and to give them good grades in school. We pray for their education.
- We pray for their PROTECTION. We assign angels to watch over them. We ask God to keep them from harm and to protect them from anyone who would want to injure them.
- We pray for FAVOR over their lives. We pray for them to have open doors.
- We pray for them to receive the DESIRES of their hearts.
- We pray for them to have a year of HARVEST. We ask God to give them an abundant harvest on every seed they have sown into the kingdom of heaven.
Finally, we pray that the coming year would be the birthday person’s best year ever!
I encourage you to make this a tradition in your family. When someone you know has a birthday, turn it into a significant spiritual occasion by speaking blessing over his or her life. Pray for them on their birthday as a way to set the tone for the entire coming year of their life.
Read Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer
