In recent years I’ve noticed three things that have transformed my prayer life…

1. Staying alert

First, taking seriously that there is an enemy and ‘our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms’ (Ephesians 6:12). I started to take seriously that this is a world at war, it’s a spiritual struggle, and while we have the victory we are called to ‘be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people’ (Ephesians 6:18). I have noticed a consistent pattern: when I pray against spiritual forces of evil in Jesus’ name and claim the promise that when I submit to God and resist the devil, ‘he will flee’ (James 4:7), things change. I’m praying for God’s will to be done, but taking an active stance in the spiritual realm rather than focusing only on the circumstances I can see.

2. Letting go

The second change was the concept coined by writer John Eldredge as ‘benevolent detachment’. Every day I pray, ‘Jesus, I give everyone and everything to you’, as a spiritual discipline of letting things go and acknowledging that God is God and I am not. It’s enormously helpful. When I forget to pray this way, I realise I’m carrying more and more of the cares of the world, when instead I should remember to ‘cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you’ (1 Peter 5:7).

3. Chatting

But the thing that has helped most, is chatting to Jesus. I don’t have a better way to describe it. ‘Prayer’ sounds too formal and distant. It’s a combination of joyful sharing of my thoughts, thanks, concerns and wishes, while also pausing to listen. Asking questions and hearing answers. Because Jesus is a real, living person, not a concept or a figment of my imagination. And he loves me and wants a relationship with me.

Here are five different practices you could try out:

· Try praying, ‘Jesus, I give everyone and everything to you.’ Deliberately let go of the things that come to mind and give them to him.

· Actively submit to God and resist the spiritual forces of evil when you pray about a circumstance that you long for God to change.

· Go for a walk and chat to Jesus. Say everything that’s on your heart, then listen.

· Pray for people in your life by name and specifically ask God for protection in the spiritual realm.

· Throughout the day ask Jesus about decisions, invite him into conversations and give him situations that arise.