Prayer Triggers by Worship Pastor, Lori Willey

Philippians 1:3-6 MSG we notice one of Paul’s beginning statements says

“Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer.” 

Did you know that we even need to choose life in our prayers?  So often we make our prayers a dumping ground of complaint and grumbling.  A place where we unload all the dirt and grime of unharnessed thoughts and out of control emotions. 

Think about the good things in life … Let’s say you have a great marriage and it is easy to break open a thankful monologue of how blessed you are that God has shown his grace to you by giving you the spouse of your dreams and you want God to shower them with blessings and beautiful things.  One thankful statement leads to another and the next thing you know you have prayed the most faith filled, God minded prayer over them.  However, suppose you are dealing with a co-worker that is working your last nerve, a boss who takes advantage of your loyalty, friends who have disappointed you, children who have made poor choices, family who aren’t there for you or have hurt you.  Often our grumblings create cursing opportunities.  None of us want to speak over our lives in this way.

Deuteronomy 30:29 NIV says “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” 

When our prayers are molded around a thankful & God centered meditation they will bring about a God centered result!  However, in the same way, if our minds are thankless vats of complaint the only thing we have the ingredients to make are curses on our situations.  

We’ve all heard the saying “stir the pot” .  We usually associate this with negativity but let’s dedicate ourselves to “stirring the pot” of a thankful heart.  Making one batch after another of life prayers that have stewed in a grateful heart.

Meditate on these scriptures.  Each time you feel complaint begin to rise, quote these scriptures and break the chain of death and cursing in your life!

• Psalm 30:11-12 (NAS) Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness; That [my] soul may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to Thee forever.
•  Colossians 4:2 (NAS) Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving 
• 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NAS) in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.