So you have the basics of prayer down? You make your requests known to God, give thanks in all things, and listen as God speak back to you (Phil. 4:6, Prov. 3:6)? I still bet that, no matter who you are, you would very much appreciate a little more excitement in your relationship with the Lord. These practices will help bring just that! Familiarize yourself with them and your intercession is bound to become more lively. They have improved the spiritual lives of millions of people, and can certainly strengthen yours as well.

     1. Speak Up – One type of prayer that is often neglected by believers is declarative prayer. This method involves speaking out loud, in a matter of fact manner, that the promises of God are coming to pass. While you focus on the Holy Spirit's presence and maintain a sensitivity to His guidance, make bold statements of faith as Jesus did when He announced the power to heal people or to call forth the arrival of God's Kingdom (Matt. 6:10, 8:13, 9:22, and 9:29). Quote straight from Scriptures, and “prophesy” over your surroundings that God's goodness will be revealed.

     2. Get Movin' – Another way to change things up a bit is to practice dramatic prayer. This involves doing things with your body or physical objects to express your faith. Some simple examples include kneeling, lifting your hands, and touching people kindly when you pray for them. God could even give you grace to do much wilder things, such as march around a city seven times and blow a trumpet (as He did with the Israelites at Jericho). Do not seek to be weird, but give God room to use you in creative ways. He sometimes asks people to act out their declarative prayers with symbolic behavior (Ex. 8:16, 2 Kings 13:17).

     3. Use Your Imagination – Visions often come to people completely spontaneously and supernaturally, yet the Lord can also use our natural minds to give us insight as we commune with Him. God created us with active imaginations, but it was not so we could fantasize about things that do not glorify Him. He wants us to worship Him with our whole being (Deut. 6:5), which includes our creative thought processes. Feel free to picture Christ as you talk to Him, or to see your future in your head as you pray about it. You never know, God could make Himself very real to you through your own visualization.

     4. Go On the Offense – As you pray, keep your focus on your Beloved at all times, but be willing to confront the Enemy in spiritual warfare as well. Jesus sometimes spoke directly to demons when He was on Earth, and the Holy Spirit still addresses such devils today through His saints. Stand in the authority that has been delegated to you and tell the lying and oppressive spirits around you to cease their activity. Command Satan and his wards who are operating in your life or your community to leave, and remember that “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world,” (1 John 4:4).

     5. Just Let it Out – In past MILK articles the issue of speaking in tongues has been covered, and it has been shown that this is a very helpful tool when it comes to prayer. Many people know this is true, yet do not understand how to release the Spirit to speak through their lips in unknown languages. I suggest that you simply try to do it every day in the shower, where no one can hear you, until you feel confident that the Lord is truly inspiring your tongues. Keep your heart set to worship Jesus, and move your mouth to let the sounds come out however they will. If you are seeking God's presence, eventually you will see it manifesting and be sure that He is guiding your praise and intercession in a language you do not know (Matt. 21:22, Luke 11:9-13).

     Use these five techniques on a regular basis, and you will likely find yourself more focused and interested as you spend time alone with God. Further, you may find that your ministry to others is more vibrant. As you more fully engage in your prayers, you will welcome the Lord to move through you in a greater dimension. All of this will increase the blessing of your experience talking to Him, and help you to enjoy His friendship deeper. What could be better?