Life Changing Effects of Morning Prayer

Many people would consider themselves night owls–they do not like mornings. My goal with this is not to change you, but to make you realize the power that habits can create.

Many are only night owls because of the habits they have developed over time. In the same way, developing a habit of waking up early can cause a life-altering domino effect for the better in every other aspect of your life.

Habits and routines can be broken or developed into ones that help us to be more effective with our time and help us be more effective for God’s kingdom.

Read: How to Have an Effective Morning Prayer

1. God gave Israel manna to be gathered in the morning. 

Manna was miracle bread that came from heaven to the Israelites as they wandered the desert. The bread itself was accessible to the people, but they still had to gather it daily (exodus 16:4), and could not be stored up for the following day.

This is a beautiful example of us spending time with God in the early mornings.

It’s interesting to note that it was this very bread that Israel gathered in the mornings that sustained them during their wilderness wandering. As long as you are here on earth, you can experience God’s strengthening every morning. All we have to do is gather it.

Sure, we can wait until later in the day, but chances are that phones will ring and kids will scream making it all too difficult to spend that deep and uninterrupted time with the Lord.

2. Jesus prayed early in the morning.

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

Mark 1:35

If Jesus did that in the morning, we should follow His example. I believe that was His connection to the Father.

3. David, a man after God’s heart encouraged early morning encounters with God.

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.

Psalm 5:3

David was telling God to expect him early in the morning. He would often ride to seek the Lord’s face in prayer.

I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help;
I hope in Your word.

Psalm 119:147

Can the same thing be said about you?

4. Men of God who spoke about praying in the morning. 

E.M. Bound, a man of prayer once said,

“The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees. He who fritters away the early morning, its opportunity and freshness, in other pursuits other than seeking God will make poor headway seeking Him the rest of the day. If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, He will be in the last place the remainder of the day.”

If we don’t make God first in the mornings, it’ll be harder to honor Him throughout the day.

5. Praying in the morning puts God first in your day.

learning to do this honors the principle of the first. The principle of the first is based on Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God….” Throughout the Old Testament, we see God asking His people for their firsts. Their firstborn, their first fruits, and even the first city on the other side of the Jordan.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Matthew 6:33

Jesus tells us to prioritize seeking Him, and when we do all else will be added. When you begin to do this, you’ll notice that your day will be way more productive, and you will feel much more peace in your heart.

6. Secret place is the secret to success.

And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.”

2 Kings 4:4

We see in this verse that the Prophet tells the widow who is very poor and her son is about to be taken into captivity to shut the door and pour the oil into the vessels.

This reminds me of the verse that says,

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Matthew 6:6

This woman’s issue was solved behind closed doors. What are you doing behind closed doors? What if you were to tackle your problems by closing the door behind you and pouring your heart out before the Father?

Make a decision to wake up early and find a place to begin to commune with the Holy Spirit. You will quickly begin to notice how this has a dramatic effect on you and the rest of your day.