DAY 1

Early Morning Prayer

JOHN MACDONALD, LEAD PASTOR

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. —Mark 1:35 (NKJV)

The sacrifice is worth it! Several months ago I found myself hungering for more time with the Lord. I consistently spent time in prayer and in God’s Word, but what I was doing just wasn’t cutting it. I wanted and needed more, and I knew it. I wanted to go into the deep, and I wasn’t going to get there unless I carved out more time to be with Him.

Many of you reading this might be a little like me in that, historically speaking, I have not been a morning person. In fact, if I could be brutally honest with you, I hate early mornings because I love my bed; I love to sleep, and I hate coffee. If that wasn’t enough to dissuade me, I also really enjoy staying up late. But I knew things were going to have to change. My hunger and desire for more of God was like a storm brewing inside of me; there was urgency in my spirit.

I began to set my alarm for 6:30 am. Some of you are like, “6:30, that isn’t early” ...blah blah blah! Listen, this is early to me. Don’t judge! On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday this would give me two hours of uninterrupted time with the Lord before I had to get ready and be at staff prayer by 9:00 am, for another hour in His presence.

On Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays, it would give me 2–4 hours with him, listening, praying, and reading His Word. I kid you not, within a week I was hooked. The first two days were rough, but then things started to change and change rapidly. Now, it has been about 6 months since I started being disciplined to spend these longer periods of time with Him. Here are several things I have learned and experienced.

Early morning prayer has filled me up like nothing else ever has.

It's been in my early morning prayer times that I have learned to still my heart and mind before the Lord. Since the time is scheduled, and I have nothing else that needs my attention, over the next couple of hours my focus is fully on Him. I can take my time, read, pray, meditate on His promises, and worship Him without distraction. Together, these practices created unity with His Holy Spirit living inside of me. I feel the closeness of His presence and know He is with me. Psalm 46:10 (NIV) ...be still and know that I am God.

Early morning prayer has caused an increase of God’s revelation.

Call to Me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. —Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV)

As I have quieted myself before the Lord, the Holy Spirit has brought much greater revelation to me through the scriptures, during worship, and as I pray. It's like I have been highly sensitized to His voice. I’m not straining to hear him; I am not questioning whether what I heard was God or just my own thoughts. I know it was God. His revelation has become clear. His voice washes over me. His promises well up within me. Corey Russell, in his book Teach Us To Pray, writes this, “When God’s voice is the first voice you hear in the morning, it brings alignment to every other voice you hear throughout the day.”

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. —Psalm 119:105 (NKJV)

The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand. —Psalm 119:130 (NLT)

Early morning prayer has increased my faith so that I know what I’m praying matters.

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. —Romans 10:17 (NKJV)

As I quiet myself before the Lord, and His revelation is given, the Holy Spirit begins to prompt me with specific prayers he wants me to pray. Things begin to flow into my mind and heart that I know are from the Lord, and I am prompted to pray them forth. As I pray, I understand I am praying what the Holy Spirit has asked me to pray, and this gives me great confidence that my prayer matters and great expectation that He will answer my prayers.

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. —Psalm 5:3 (NIV)

Early morning prayer has allowed me to build a stockpile of prayer that washes over my family in the form of blessing.

One of the things the Holy Spirit has taught me through early morning prayer is to saturate my family with prayer before they ever get out of bed. In this season the Lord has me praying prayers of blessing over my wife and sons. I am praying specifically that they would be blessed throughout the day by encounters with the Holy Spirit. I pray that the Holy Spirit will woo them and draw them to Himself. I pray that the blessing of God’s goodness and mercy will follow them throughout the day and all the days of their lives. I ask the Holy Spirit to bless them by giving them ears to hear and hearts that will understand His voice. I pray the blessing of God’s protection over them—spiritually over their hearts and their minds, and physically over their bodies. I ask the Holy Spirit to bless them with His peace and joy and to fill them with His presence. I pray these things or forms of these things daily over my family.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. —Psalm 23:6 (NKJV)

May God be merciful and bless us. May his face smile with favor on us. —Psalm 67:1 (NLT)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. —Ephesians 1:3 (NIV)

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 4:7 (NLT)

Early morning prayer brings my life into alignment with the Holy Spirit throughout the day.

Since I have now started my day spending ample time in the presence of God, my heart and ears are tuned into the voice and leading of the Holy Spirit. As I go about my day, I find myself in holy alignment with God. The Spirit is faithful to guide me and faithful to guard me and my thoughts. The Spirit is faithful to check me when I get angry or impatient. The Spirit is faithful to remind me that He is in control no matter what challenges I might face. When I need wisdom, the Holy Spirit is faithful to provide it. I have a whole lot less screw ups and failures throughout my day when I start my day with early morning prayer.

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. —Galatians 5:16 (NLT)

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. —Galatians 5:22–25 (NLT)

Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. —Colossians 1:10 (NLT)

PRAYER

Now all you need is to set a morning time and place. Make an appointment to meet with God. Ask God right now to help you figure out when He wants to meet with you each day! Be consistent and don’t let anything come between the time you have set aside to be with Him.