Have you ever admitted to God, “I’m done. There’s nothing left of me”?

What can we do? The Word of God directs us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Yet we often forget to pray consistently, passionately. In fact, we may pray only when we feel desperate or hopeless.

How can we move toward more meaningful, intimate conversations with God?

First, avoid “meaningless repetition” and “empty phrases” (Matthew 6:7). Anyone can fall into this trap. Instead of repeating words and phrases that sound spiritual, use honest, sincere words that reflect your actual feelings. God cares about your heart, your truest self, and wants to connect with you on that intimate level.

Second, avoid demanding prayers, which leave no room for God to speak, move, or direct. Perhaps God is asking you to sit still with Him awhile, baring your heart as you seek His heart. Ask God, “What do you wish to share with me in our time together?”

Third, ask God to remove any fear in your heart. The Enemy uses fear to trap us in a cycle of doubt and disbelief. Once, as I prayed beside the foot of my bed, God seemed to say, “You’re praying as if I am a dead God!” Wow, that was a wake-up call to how I worded my prayers. If we pray in disbelief, we dishonor God by not using the faith He has already given us, small as it may be. Instead, claim the promises He has given in His Word. Fight “with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Ephesians 6:17).

Fourth, seek intimacy with God. Listen for His voice. As you walk deeper in intimacy, remember John 7:38: “Whoever believes in me, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

Fifth, wear the armor of God listed in Ephesians 6 when you pray. The belt of truth holds all the other pieces of the armor in place (v. 14). When Satan whispers, “Your case is hopeless,” are you going to believe him or will you stand firm, knowing that Scripture teaches “all things are possible” through our Lord Jesus Christ? (Matthew 19:26).

The breastplate protects the heart and other vital organs (Ephesians 6:14). Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” Christ’s righteousness protects you against Satan’s accusations.

Put on “gospel shoes” so you can march wherever God leads (Ephesians 6:16). Satan will try to place obstacles in our path, but in Jesus’ strength we can walk forward, confident in the salvation he provided for us.

“Above all . . . [take] the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one” (Ephesians 6:16). When Satan attacks with doubts, the shield of faith turns aside his blows.

The helmet protects the head—perhaps the most vital part of the body since it is the seat of thought and mind-sets (Ephesians 6:17). When we have a sure knowledge of our salvation, Satan’s deceptions will not deter us. Say, “I wonder what God is doing, not I wonder what the devil’s doing.”

The sword of the Spirit is the only weapon of offense (Ephesians 6:17). The other pieces of armor are defensive. God’s Word—the Bible—is described as “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). Satan cowers before it.

Romans 12:2 reminds us that our perspective matters. And, by golly, no matter how hard it is, we can find reasons to praise God and be joyful. Praise and joy soothe and heal our souls. Satan is baffled when we praise the Holy One in the midst of our heartache, when we’ve stayed Christ-focused as we battle the Enemy and force him to retreat.

Like Paul, keep your gaze directed forward, not on the past (Philippians 3:13–14). Satan loves to remind us of the desperate place we were in, the hopelessness we felt, and the despair we battled. Stay God-focused, not crisis-focused.

Finally, remember Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 2:1–5:“When I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”

More than anything else, we rely on the power of God in prayer. He is able “to do exceedingly abundantly above or that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).