The Word of God teaches you,  “but in everything, by prayer and petition, …present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6) Ephesians 6:18 says, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests…” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray continually.”

The Holy Spirit has three powerful words that will enable you to be thankful in tough times, not thankful for the trial, temptation or affliction, but thankful to Jesus Christ in the midst of troubled times.

The first word is “prayer,” (proseuche) which means a house devoted to prayer. The house of prayer God wants to hear from is us, the temple of the Holy Spirit of Christ.  Prayer here is a personal application of a child of God coming to Him in the Name of Christ. The application is that there are to be special times of prayer with intimate worship with God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.  This only comes as we make set times for prayer and are committed to making it to those prayer appointments.  These prayers are to God, for the glory of His purpose in the midst of the circumstances Christians are in.

The second word is “petition” (deesis) meaning a specific petition coming from the heart with intense crying out, a gut cry for something or someone.  It is interceding for a situation only God can do a work in or through.

A third word is “request (aitema) meaning we are to be specific, giving details, telling Him exactly what we need.  There should be no fear that we are giving God too much information or that we are bothering God.  Neither should we hold back in prayer because we are afraid that God will not answer yes to the request.  Christians have convinced themselves that they will appear spiritually weak if the Lord does not grant the request. It is imperative that you understand that God does not need these details in order to give you an answer to prayer, you need to let the anxiety go as you present the request.  God knows what you need even before you ask. (Matthew 6:8)  Survive tough times through prayer!