How To Pray When You Really Can't Sleep

Hello this is Matt slick from a match look like podcast road from the Christian faith and lay out our foundational truth of God's word through Trojan Truth Network Ponderosa starting in just a few seconds. Enjoy it. Sure it but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network encouraging prayer, God offers an open invitation for his people to talk with him at anytime about anything urgent prayer.

Dr. James Banks and author of the best-selling and many other books on prayer provides weekly physical insight help you learn to mom and now okay James you have a little for me to begin. Yeah yeah let go of immuno tribe and how do you describe an insomniac dyslexic agnostic life night wondering if there really is a golf oh ouch. But maybe I should add in really quickly that you resemble that in at least two out of the three. Will you tell me that I'm somewhat dyslexic numbers and lately have been because I injured myself exercising sciatic pain radiating from my hip all the way down my leg and I'm not sleeping much lately I've been you know, just realized because of that earnings things I'm learning more how to pray in the middle of the night and now I know the Scripture says that the Lord grant sleep to those he loves, but also learning that yes special gifts of us who come to him when we can't wait to share some of that with our listeners today. Not talking about just praying so that you can get back to sleep there so much more to that makes me think the code you mentioned once from Spurgeon about people couldn't sleep. What was that longer quote, but it's about praying you can't sleep you like when you're up all night and so worth reading. Here it is in his words, you up, lock the treasuries of heaven boldly E that's prayer in constant motion ever seeks to pray. Since intercession is an addiction or blessing if the world be asleep.

If the church be asleep hold not your piece by night, and should the church become active in the world be a little awake and redouble your prayer to is one you spokesman for God and spokesman to God.

Never hold your peace day work night six saints are especially set to take the night watches. Most of us are blessed with refreshing slumber. These find sleep forsake their eyes they hear the clocks we read pick and listen to the slow striking of the hours.

Now let them lift their hearts heavenward on behalf of the Lord because kingdom maybe God arouses them to this and that they may keep the night safe either prayers chasing away ill spirits and keeping the incense burning upon the altar of the of acceptable intercession. The Lord surrounds the globe with intercessions by his daily and nightly watchers to our Spurgeon consent right. Let's talk about this. I mean, so what is this really practical. What are you learning from this he said before we went on the air that there are several questions you're learning to ask God when you're up in the middle. Yeah when the house is quiet and like Gordon said, I hear the clock ticking away great time to listen to God and that isn't always easy to do during the day, especially for those of us who are so busy but when you awake and you know you will be sleeping for a while if it's good to just ask God is there some to tell me how I like that is or something you'd like to talk because something I think we may shy away from is a boy. I'm really not going to get it now, but there have been times when I've been listening and God just tells me that he loves me and reassures a secret with me that might help me grow in him and love him more yet that's the beautiful thing about what we need to ask something you want to tell me the great time to examine our hearts as well. Although, just as you said, that's not always easy but just as David wrote what he said in Psalm four when you're in your beds search your heart be silent. God will be gentle with us if there's a need. I know he certainly has been with me to find the cost.

Other needs as well. You know, that's such a good way to go asking what would you like me to pray about who would you like me to pray for you find that he really does bring people and things to mind. So clearly it could be a family member. It could be someone in the church.

It could be the world advance. You know, there are just so many different things, but when you ask him as a way of putting them in order for us as we pray does not have that same experience really many times he's brought me in his presence and shared some really special stuff. Now I know you have probably never exist to the third question I love to ask and it is will you give me more of yourself. Fill me with more of your spirit so that I can be real Lord so that I don't just write books about prayer, but I do it really serve you. While that's a great prayer because is not how we all struggle really. We love the Lord, but we know for honest that we can live a more would still know how to do it.

So when you're lying there relaxed and open you can open yourself to him. I think that's a prayer. He loves to answer and you could say that there's one more question as well that is good.

Follow up with that and it's a for talking about being real. Is there something you want me to do.

Yeah yeah I like that. One of the things he reminded me of last night that that I will be blessed if I just praise him more and that you'd been encouraging that one thing we can't leave out is is you will either open to God's love and just be with Jesus thinking for his cross was empty for for his wisdom for his presence with us for so many blessings.

Just enjoy him and rest in him and be at peace.

Curl up in his presence and and just for lack of a better phrase that is love. If you and I can't help but think of you know, he's made perfect through our weakness and what an example you can about this week and so let me close with prayer Lord I thank you for James and the opportunities had to be with you in a special way this week and I just private first ball you would continue to heal him and give him wisdom on how to handle this injury that he has, but also that all of us as we face these trials, which is continue to push into climb that ladder hear more from Pastor James by visiting the website James Banks.org or by visiting these church in Durham, North Carolina.

May God bless you and encourage you to pray.

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