James Poitras

I’m an alliteration advocate. Okay, maybe better stated; an alliteration freak! There, I’ve admitted
it! I make a feeble attempt to use this time-honored, poetic, literary style in many of my writings.
Or, today’s it just a warning, not an apology, that you will see substantial alliteration in this article.
For a few days now I’ve been captivated by the prefix “re-.” Those two little letters originally
occurred in loanwords from Latin and mean “again” or “again and again.” I like that especially
when it comes to prayer. Although I don’t feel I’ve reached the “pray without ceasing” heights I
do strive for deeper depths in prayer. We need to do it again, and again, and again. So, “re-“
words keep popping up, and jumping off the page at me, or flash through my mind. I’ve already
written down more than a page of such gleanings in my “Get in the Word Journal.” I’ll spare you
the anguish of listing them all here. But, I will highlight a handful that will hopefully be helpful in
persistently and purposefully praying. Feel free to share this with others. Print it out and keep it
in your Bible for prayer times.
Ready?
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Retreat: Go into your prayer place. Shut off and put away all distractions. Sounds easy but is
tough. “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your
Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you” (Matthew 6:6, NLT).

Repent: Ouch! It’s a bottom line, basic thing. I repent because I know God doesn’t hear me when
I regard iniquity in my heart (Psalms 66:18). “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, NKJV). Some times I
need forgiveness; a spiritual cleansing.
Relinquish: There just some things we need to let go of if we expect to receive from the Lord. We
approach Him with uplifting, outstretched hands as a sign of our surrender, and willingness to
receive from above. But, we also must surrender ourselves to God; dying daily to the flesh.

So, I envision myself daily crawling onto the altar and, there, I relinquish control of my life.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:2).

Renew: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans
12:2).

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your
requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will
guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, NKJV).
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalms 51:10).

“And be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Ephesians 4:23).

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things
[are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are]
of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things”
(Philippians 4:8).

Restore: “And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the
foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The
restorer of paths to dwell in” (Isaiah 58:12).
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“But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into
another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him” (Jeremiah 18:4, NIV). Rebuild. Recraft. I want to
be a vessel of honor; not a vessel of dishonor (2 Timothy 2:21).
“Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (Psalms 51:12).
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly* above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20).
“I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the
day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6, CSB).
Remember: Pray the Word. Hide it in your heart. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his
way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalms 119:9). “Thy word have I hid in mine
heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalms 119:11). Speak it back to God. Read it aloud.
Quote it from memory. The Word is powerful in prayer.

“Remember the Word” is a key phrase throughout Deuteronomy. The theme of the book is loving
God with our whole heart throughout our whole life. There are literally thousands of promises in
God’s Word for us. Requote or restate them. Personalize them by putting your name in the
promise. “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you.
Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in
everything you do” (Joshua 1:7, NLT). Recall the promises and obey God’s instructions. There are
so many benefits!

“ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not
of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11).

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest
not” (Jeremiah 33:3).

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the [b]evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews
11:1, NKJV).

In this segment I focus on re-prayers upward to God and those directed outward to others world
is probably one of the only reasons we remain on the planet.

I believe God is bringing our prodigals home. Re-pray for it to happen. Watch it happen. I like to
call them "potentiacals." Why? Because I get to create my own word. :) More than that, because
they have so much potential. They have re-praying loved ones, have already experienced the
power of God, have likely sat in our Sunday school classes hearing the Word taught, recall our
preaching points, and remember our songs. They are closer to the kingdom than you may possibly
imagine.
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“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings
as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
Rejoice: “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). “Be glad in
the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones; And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart”
(Psalm 32:11). What are you thankful for, and rejoicing about today? Tell Him! Sing a little. Like
they say, “he who sings, prays twice!”
Return: I often incorporate re-praying for prodigals into prayer: “Do not be afraid, for I am with
you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north,
‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my
daughters from the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 43:5-6 (NIV).
“Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in
the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children” (Lamentations
2:19, NIV). I refuse to let my adversary have my children, or your children too, for that matter.
Like the old song says, we go into the enemy’s camp and take back what he stole from us.
“Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work
shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy”
(Jeremiah 31:16).
Reconcile: Intercede for the lost. Why? Because we obey God’s commandments and because
He’s giving us—you and me—the ministry of reconciliation. It started with Him redeeming us;
buying us back for Himself. He continues to do it. Why shouldn’t we?

“Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men….And all things are of God, who
hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of
reconciliation. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then
we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's
stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:11, 18-20).

“To open their eyes, [and] to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan
unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are
sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18).

Rekindle: He’s given gifts to the church and to all of us: “For this reason I remind you to fan into
flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6, ESV).
Rekindle the fire. Stir up the gift. Use it. Exercise it!
 James Poitras

Resist: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James
4:7).
“(For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down
of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the
knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2
Corinthians 10:4-5).

Spiritual warfare is an integral part of our daily prayer life. The devil tries to get close to you,
maybe even while in your prayer room; kick him out!

Resent: “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature”
(Mark 16:15, NKJV).

"And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God's mysterious
plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike” (Ephesians 6:19, NLT).

“Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we ask you to pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s message will
spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you” (2 Thessalonians
3:1, NLT).