Prayer & Intercession

I have memories as a child waking up before the crack of dawn every sunday to be at church. We would get there early Sunday morning and we would stay all day through each service. I can remember thinking sheesh! why can't I just sleep in and why do my parents think it is so important for us to be at church so early!! Little did I know and little did they know that they were paving the way for a ministry, a passion and lifestyle for me. My parents were over the "personal intercessors" for our Senior Pastor at the church I grew up in. My parents made it a point to be there, serve and bath our Pastors in prayer, not only on Sunday but I can remember hearing my dad pray as I would get up in the morning, praying for our church and for our Pastors. I'm not sure if you have picked up on this yet but my parents have an anointing for prayer and intercession. And because of the years that they have sown and pushed they are bearing fruit. I am that fruit. Just this last summer at our summer church camp I can remember God telling me that I need to serve on the the NXT prayer team.
I have loved growing and serving on this team in the short time that I have. God has opened my eyes to the importance of prayer. One thing that has been pressed upon my heart is that prayer is one of the most resisted things on the planet. Why is it that it can be so difficult for a Christian, who fully believes in God, to sit down and pray for 30 minutes a day? Why is it that most of us give our 100% in prayer only when there is a crisis in our lives? Why can't we give 100% every day that we walk in? Here's an answer for you, because I believe that prayer is the gateway to God's heart. And don't you think that the enemy will love nothing better than to make you want to put it off or doubt it? I will be the first one to raise my hand and say that I am completely guilty of this. Am I proud of that? Nope! But. I am willing to lay it all down and push past all the resistence and doubt. God will reward you. There is no doubt about it. I love this verse that David prays in Psalm:

Psalm 17:6 "I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer."

David says " I call on you,  my God, for you will answer me..." I love that David is so sure! He knows God not only hears him but will answer him. David doesn't say maybe or possibly or beg God to listen, He knows that God's attention is on him and hearing David's every word.
My challenge to each person who reads this, whether it's today or 5 years from now, is to press in and pray. And if you feel 30 minutes will be too crazy for ya, start with 10 minutes and before you know it you'll be praying for 30 minutes, then an hour and so on. This week has even challenged me in my personal prayer time. I'm taking on my own challenge to go deeper in prayer and I hope that you will press in and find God in the midst of each day.