AUDIBLE PRAYER
Audible prayer is a practice that every believer would benefit from (Phil 4:6-7). Here’s how it works. Wherever you can get alone (in your home, in your car driving, at a park, on a walk, etc.), preferably in the morning, pour out your heart audibly to God loud enough so you can hear what you are saying. (God already knows what you are thinking [Ps 139:4]. This exercise is to help you pay attention to the things on your heart and to entrust them to God [1 Pet 4:19, 5:6-7].)
When you are alone in your chosen place, audibly pour out to God all that is heavy on your heart. Express your hurts, your sorrows, your pains, your concerns, your worries, your complaints, your anger, your fears, your griefs, your burdens, your embarrassments, your hopes, your resentments, your hatreds, your desires, your bitterness, your disappointments, etc. Whatever is heavy on your heart, say it out loud to God. Weep or rage or shake your fist at God if it is in your heart. Remember, God is not surprised at what is there, since He knows all things (Heb 4:13).
- Audibly confess as sin any unloving attitudes which you have expressed (1 Jn 1:9).
- Audibly thank God for His forgiveness in Christ of all of your sins (Eph 1:7, Rom 8:1).
- Audibly ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18).
- Audibly by faith thank God that He is filling you with His Holy Spirit (1 Jn 5:14-15).
- Audibly express openly your love to God by praising Him (Heb 13:15) – even thanking Him for all the hurts, disappointments, burdens, sorrows, griefs, embarrassments, pains, hardships, and difficulties which you have poured out to Him to begin your prayer (Eph 5:20, Rom 8:28).
- Audibly petition God, with thanksgiving, for what you believe may be in accord with His will (whether you know that it is or not), and leave these things with Him, telling Him that you will accept whatever answers He gives to your prayer (Phil 4:6-7, 1 Pet 5:6-7).
- Audibly express to God your desire to obey Him today (Jn 15:14).
- Audibly ask God to show you His timing for openly expressing His love to someone today – especially to someone who might have to do with the things which you have poured out to Him (Prov 25:11, 27:6).
Insights and concepts adapted from The Heart of Man and The Mental Disorders by Rich Thomson)