HOW TO STOP THE MIND FROM WANDERING WHILE PRAYING

1. SET A CONSISTENT PRAYER TIME (As a start) :
Study shows that if you do something at the same time everyday for 14 days,  it becomes a habit.  All it takes is 14days for your body system to adjust to something new.  By the 15th day,  your systems is ready for this new development.
Now,  this doesn't mean you can't pray at other times or spend time with God.  This is just a fixed time to help you create a habit of "having a date with God" and enjoying the intimacy.  You are to choose a time most convenient for you,  when no one will disturb.
Issa daily date with God

2. DECLUTTER YOUR MIND AND MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS

(This part might be a bit long but it is the most important as it tackles the problem, so please follow me)

To declutter is to remove unnecessary items or untidy something.  So remove all the thoughts from your heart.  But what happens when you remove them (and how)?  The Bible says when a demon leaves a man's body,  it goes around wandering then it comes back to it's former host. If the demon finds you empty,  it enters back with 7 of it's friends.
So after removing things from your mind,  you have to fill up that space,  don't leave it empty. 

Let's look at Matthew 6vs 6a:
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret;.

 ENTER INTO YOUR CLOSET
What is a closet?  What did Jesus mean by this statement?
Was He just telling us to go inside a room when we want to pray?

Jesus didn't just mean we should enter our prayers chambers when we want to pray.  It was beyond that.  We will break this down with other Scriptures.

Let's start with Proverbs 18 vs 10: The name of the Lord is a strong tower : the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

I'd want us to carefully go through these.
Tower => Room,  building,  closet,  house etc.
 The righteous run into it and is safe
The name of the Lord is a strong tower
Righteous run into this TOWER and are safe.
The tower is a hiding place.

Now let's look at Psalm 119 vs 114.
 You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word

Please take note of the semi colon (it is used to join thoughts or ideas with equal ranks/meaning).

You are my hiding place;  I hope in your word
In other news, 
Your word is my hiding place.
(Remember the tower is a hiding place)
So Your word is my Tower
(Tower => building,  closet, house etc)
 Your word Is my closet

 BOOM!!!
When Jesus said Enter into your closet,  He not only meant to enter a private room or building,  He also meant to enter into the word of God.
The word of God is the closet Christ says we should enter

Christ said,  He who believes in Him according to the word (i.e  he who believes,  understands,  meditates the word), rivers of living waters will flow out of their depths .

It is what you feed on that spins out in place of prayer.
Whenever you start praying,  your mind will surely wander but if you are well fed on the word of God,  when your mind begins to search All it finds is the word of God.

If you've been feeding on the things of the flesh,  your mind will not auto switch to the spiritual because you want to pray. 

Feed on the word of God,  mediate on it very much.
Even if it is just one verse,  let it occupy your mind.
Then before you start praying,  set aside time to  read the word even if it is a verse.

You are having an intimate or just let time with God?  Look for Scriptures that are focused on the truth of who God is,  Scriptures focused on His greatness.  Scriptures that will make you fall in love with Him over again.
(I usually go to Psalms for this)

Or maybe you want to intercede for a sick friend,  read Scriptures pertaining to this first.

If you do not enjoy reading the scripture, praying will bore you.

If you don't like reading, download audio Bible, audio teachings, podcasts or watch on YouTube

Daily, find time to study the word.


I'd advice you start reading your bible 15 minutes before your prayer time

 Minimizing distractions by shutting the door
You've locked your door,  put your gadgets aside,  meditated on the word of God.  So what door are we still shutting?

Though you've done all the above,  thoughts will still try to surface when we pray.  What you do is shut them out immediately they come,  don't entertain it. Shut them out by setting your mind on God alone (Col 3 vs 2)

E.g your mind brings a flash of your team's football match.  Immediately shut it out and think/tell yourself about the presence of God,  How you carry it and How God has promised He will not leave nor forsake you.  You could focus your thought on the Splendour of God.  Just make sure your thought is on things above.

Isaiah 26 vs 3 says "Your heart is in perfect peace (not wandering up and down)  when it stays focused on God
Let the attention of your heart be on God alone!


3. PRAY
Now that all is set,  start praying.  For starters,  I'd advice you pray out loud,  don't just murmur.  When you speak out,  your thoughts are more articulated and focused.  You can still think about other things while murmuring
If you sleep off easily while praying,  I'd advice you be active.  Move around while praying till you've gotten to a stage where you can relax.

Pray Scripture

Pray with an open mind and loving heart.  Don't make timetable when coming to God
Allow God be the one to set agenda through His word and Spirit.

Don't be in a hurry to leave (I've hammered this tire)

A lot of us rush prayer. It's like another thing we have to tick off our daily list.
DON'T

Come to God in sincerity and just stay quiet for a while (you can check the teaching on Hearing God)

Note that,  this is not magic.  It will not stop the first day.
From my experience,  the more you consistently spend time with God,  the less your mind wanders. 
If you are just starting,  it is normal for your mind to still wander. 
You can't just suddenly shut your  door that everyone has been entering freely and expect them not to knock. 

The thoughts will start disappearing when they notice you are persistent about not opening the door for them

So Again
- set a prayer time
-Remove unnecessary things from your mind
- fill that space with the word of God always
- Before praying,  read the word and meditate
- keep shutting out all distractions by focusing on God
- Stay quiet in His presence and allow Him speak 
- Allow God lead as you pray.

If you really want to do this, start TODAY


Read more Christian books

Listen to things that place your attention on God

And stay consistent for 2 weeks, no changing of time or missing any day

By the third week, your body gets use to it.

You get a natural reminder to pray sef

I know a lot of people that have tried this and it worked for them.


I do hope it works for you also

THE PRIVATE PLACE

So today I will be talking about “The Private place”

 And the plan is for it to be interactive 😘

So the private place, obviously means a place where you are alone.

The private place here, refers to time spent with God.

You and God, alone time etc

But we will be looking at it in another dimension.

Before I go on, I will like to ask a question

How many of us have ever had to lead worship or prayer in church ? ☝🏽

So when you had to lead prayer or worship

Was it hard?

Was it difficult

Did it seem tasking?

OR

Have you seen a situation where a Christain is asked to lead a 30 minutes prayer and after 5 minutes they don’t know what to say anymore

Or what to pray for

Or how to even pray

Or has it even happened to you where you were asked to lead a 30 minutes prayer and you got tired after 5 minutes


That is a case of being overly conscious and shy and that’s totally understandable

At least you know that in your private place you flow

But I asked that question because a lot of times, people can't lead prayers or Worship because you can’t give what you don’t have

The private place

The private place is the place where you spend time with God

It’s the place where you have intellectual conversations with God

It’s the place where God speaks to you and empowers you

It’s the place where God pours his wisdom upon you

What happens in the private place

Interaction of spirits
Your spirit interacts with Gods and you get direction

You get so much details on things

What do we do in the private place
Prayer
Worship
Study
Listening
Gisting

Who is the private place for.. Everybody

It might seem like it is for only ministers but then aren’t we all ministers in one way or the other at the end of the day

The Bible shows us of times when Jesus would go away from the crowd to pray and when he comes out

He’s performing miracles and teaching

The private place is also a place of refilling

And there’s a high tendency to “want to wing” it.

At least “I read the Bible sometimes”, and I know one or two things and I can always check google

I have seen this happen to a lot of people and then they drop fire “intellectual” sermons but we are called for a more supernatural life

We are not called to just be eloquent in speech and drop plenty grammar

There’s the place for healing

There’s the place for ministering to people

There’s the place for Word of Knowledge

There’s the place for Prophesying

All of these things are things that we have access to and the ability to do as children of God.

If you are not deeply rooted, you’ll get weary

You’ll get tired

You’ll do more of eloquent speeches with no power

1Cor 2: 4-6

 “And my language and my message were not set forth in persuasive (enticing and plausible) words of wisdom, but they were in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit and power [a proof by the Spirit and power of God, operating on me and stirring in the minds of my hearers the most holy emotions and thus persuading them],”

It’s really long sha so I don’t want to post it but please read on your own

Start from verse 1 sef

Going down into the chapter, it says that God has secrets and he will show us
Also says
No one knows what God is thinking except the Holy Spirit and we have been given this Holy Spirit

So the private place is where your spirit and Gods spirit become one

It’s where you silence the world and get empowered

 It’s where you come out from and you start to heal the sick

You can’t pour from an empty vessel

You could use google though but you too you’ll know that you’re empty

You can mentor from an empty vessel

You’ll just confuse children of God

You won’t even know who to mentor and who not to because you don’t talk to the Holy Spirit anyway

The private place requires sacrifice

It might not be possible everyday to be very honest

But once a week, move it up to twice a week

You can’t live a life short of the supernatural that God has intended for you

You are being a pauper in the land of plenty

You are human and you are not perfect

Well, Gods grace is sufficient and it has never ever stopped being sufficient

In summary sha

Get filled through fellowship with God in the private place

Then , only then can you pour out oil and minister to people

Thank you for the opportunity to teach this evening

Please read that 1st corinthians chapter 2

It also addressed being scared,bi believe 🤔

The end ❤