How to Spend a Day in Prayer

Spending your time with God is the most productive thing you’ll ever do. To be in His presence is to be in the most important place, more than anything else the world can offer. Psalm 84:10 says, For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. Spending a day in prayer with God is your way of choosing to be in the right place. So, how do you spend a day in prayer? Here are some ways:

1. Find a space in nature where you can reflect, talk to God, thank Him for all the things He has done in your life, and give back all the glory to Him. Appreciating God’s natural wonders is one of the ways to connect with God, contemplate, and even meditate on His Word as the Holy Spirit puts it in your mind. You can wander through nature for an entire day while appreciating God for the beauty of His creations.
2. Find a favorite spot in your home, if you plan to stay indoors to spend time with God. Read the Bible, write in your devotional journal, meditate on God’s Word, and commune with His Spirit. Asking God about the revelations of His Word is more satisfying than watching a movie or eating your favorite meal. It’s wonderful to get to know God through Christ and to discover the richness of His Word.
3. If you have a prayer room at home, you can dedicate the day to intercede for the people, nations, governments, ministries, pastors, or revival events that the Holy Spirit will put in your mind. Spending a day in intercession is empowering and fulfilling as you do God’s will to intercede for others.
4. If you don’t have a prayer room at home, but wish to dedicate the day to pray and intercede for others, you can check your church’s schedule for prayer meetings and intercessions, and then dedicate that day to pray along with other believers. It is incredibly powerful when believers unite together in prayer and intercession.

These are just some of the ideas you can apply as you spend your day with God. Let the Holy Spirit lead you through it. He can show you more ways that God can spend the day with you. Your goal when you spend time with God is to do what He wants. It’s His day with you!

How can you spend a day with God?

You can spend your day with God differently each day, because it is the Holy Spirit who guides you, instructs you and shows you the will of God on such a day. For instance, God may want you to spend time with a friend for the day and minister to them. Sometimes, the Holy Spirit leads you to simply stay home and spend quality time with your kids or your spouse, in order to let them feel the presence of God through you. Other times, God wants you present in the ministry works for the Kingdom of God. He wants you to be involved in your church, doing your God-given ministry, and serving His people. It is important that your goal in spending your day with God is to do what He wants. Doing what God wants means doing His perfect will. 

In the Bible, we see how men and women of God spent their life on earth with God. They lived a surrendered and obedient life. They were consistent in their walk with Him, even if they stumbled at times. Jesus Christ showed us a perfect example of how to live every day in the presence of the Father. Many times, He did the will of God by serving people, healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead, or setting captives free; in those moments, He would go away by Himself to pray (see Luke 5:16). He was obedient to the Father and only did what He saw the Father was doing (John 5:19).

However the Holy Spirit may lead you to spend the day with God, reading the Word of God each day and making devotion a part of your lifestyle are keys toward getting to know Him more deeply. The more you know God, the more you’ll find Him irresistible, satisfying, and like nothing else in this world. The more you know about His word and His promises, the more effective you’ll be in your calling. It will cause you to walk according to your identity and authority in Christ Jesus. If you want to know more about how to walk according to your authority in Christ, you may want to check out this article, “How to Pray with Authority.”

How do you put God first in all things?

Putting God first in all things means running to Him first for your decision making and wisdom application. It means prioritizing His voice and His will above your choices and other people’s voices. To put God first is to prioritize Him above all else. In short, He gets the top spot in your heart and mind more than anyone and anything else. When you prioritize God, your life automatically falls into its right place, and even if you may face challenges throughout the day, it won’t be as difficult, because you put your trust in Him. Matthew 6:33 says, 

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

Moreover, to put God first in all things can mean saying “no” to some things, while saying “yes” to God. For instance, there may be weekends when your friends invite you out for an adventure trip, but you sense in your heart that God is longing for your time. Saying no to your friends shows that you are putting God first in your life. Don’t worry, as there’s no regret in choosing God over temporary fun in this world. There is plenty of time to have fun, but it’s very satisfying and special when God invites you to share a moment with Him. A day in His court is better than a thousand days spent elsewhere (Psalm 84:10).

Know that prioritizing God has a cost, because the anointing and revelation He pours out in people’s lives are not cheap. Jesus said, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me (Luke 9:23).

When you put God first, you will experience persecution, mockery, insults, and sometimes suffering, because the world does not know Jesus Christ, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. They won’t understand the passion you have for God, and when you prioritize Him, they won’t be able to fathom such a choice, so they will criticize you. However, as the Lord promised, your reward in heaven will be great when you are persecuted because of Him (see Matthew 5:10-12). Plus, it is a great opportunity to intercede for those people. Read this article “How to Pray for Your Enemy” for more discussion about these things.

When you choose God first and spend time with Him in prayer, know that it makes His heart swell with joy and gladness. You please Him when you obey Him, prioritize Him and do His will. You bring glory to His name, while His presence and anointing in your life will cause transformations in the hearts and minds of people you encounter. May you bless the heart of the Father, in Jesus’ name.