- Knowing how to pray effectively is one of the first and primary skills a believer should acquire.
- Believers who cannot pray effectively and continually will end up in frustration.
- Believers who cannot pray effectively will have problem fulfilling their destiny in Christ
Introduction
Prayer is the key to successful walk with God and whosoever possess the power of prayer becomes a mighty instrument in the hands of the Almighty.
The aim of most of our prayers to God is to be blessed, but there is more to prayer, than a blessing. Through prayer, we lift up our earthly burden unto God, asking for His mercy and intervention. Through prayer, we intercede for friends in need, nation and more importantly, through prayers, we change situations we do not like in our lives.
The principles of effective prayer remain the same irrespective of the challenges and tough times we experience. Our Saviour, Jesus laid the foundation for prayers in His days and if you will examine Mathew 6:9, Mathew 7:7,9, you will observe three levels of prayer.
The aim of most of our prayers to God is to be blessed, but there is more to prayer, than a blessing. Through prayer, we lift up our earthly burden unto God, asking for His mercy and intervention. Through prayer, we intercede for friends in need, nation and more importantly, through prayers, we change situations we do not like in our lives.
The principles of effective prayer remain the same irrespective of the challenges and tough times we experience. Our Saviour, Jesus laid the foundation for prayers in His days and if you will examine Mathew 6:9, Mathew 7:7,9, you will observe three levels of prayer.
We cannot see God, but through prayer, we come boldly enter into the presence of the Father and ask for help in times of need. Also, as royal priesthoods, joint-heirs with Christ, the power and ability to decree a thing and it is established unto us depends so much on the fellowship we have with the Father, our faith in Him and our continuous praises, worship and Thanksgiving we render unto the Highest God.
So, prayer and the ability to pray effectively is a skill every believer should develop and practise daily to enjoy his or her daily living. In looking specifically at how to pray effectively, it is very important that each time we pray, our request agrees with what is in our heart. Your prayer should be from the heart, otherwise, such a prayer may never be answered.
It is because of the crucial role prayer play in the life of a believer that prompted this piece on Effective Prayer and many more that will come on the topic. I hope it will bless the readers.
So, prayer and the ability to pray effectively is a skill every believer should develop and practise daily to enjoy his or her daily living. In looking specifically at how to pray effectively, it is very important that each time we pray, our request agrees with what is in our heart. Your prayer should be from the heart, otherwise, such a prayer may never be answered.
It is because of the crucial role prayer play in the life of a believer that prompted this piece on Effective Prayer and many more that will come on the topic. I hope it will bless the readers.
Some of the basic requirements for effective prayer include:
Basic Requirements
1. Faith: - In Mark 11:22-26 - Jesus answered and said to His followers, "Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. This means that you should believe that you have whatsoever you say, especially when you believe before starting your prayer. You should believe before you start praying.
2. Relationship: - Another basic for answered prayers is the kind of relationship you have with the Lord. When a believer has the right relationship with the Father, then praying and praising God is always a sweet experience. When you have the right relationship with God as a child of God, you know that your Father will hear your prayers and when He hears your prayer, He will answer.
A Father and son relationship means that whatever things you ask when you pray and believe that you receive them, you will eventually have them. But when there is no relationship with the Father or if the relationship is not solid, there will be doubt, whether the Father will hear the prayer at all. When a believer has a good relationship with the Father, there is no longer doubt.
3. Forgiveness: - In addition to having faith, Jesus advised us further to forgive people who have offended us. In Mark 11:25-26, Jesus says "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."
Rules for Prayer
Prayer has some rules and assurances to the one praying.
If there is a man to pray, the God of heaven will answer, but you must ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts, is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.
Ask what you want - And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Don't be anxious - There is yet another rule for prayer, which says "Do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus. The moment you become anxious while praying or after praying, it means you don't have faith that God will answer the prayer.
Address your sin - You should know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. W walk in obedience to the Word of God and forsake evil sin and the evil way so that when you pray, we can be sure the Lord has heard us. If He does not hear our prayer due to our sin, such prayers would not be answered. Notice that because of sin, we are drawn away from God.
God is near you - Whoever is praying to God should know that the Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfils the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. The Lord is near to all who call to Him in truth, however, He answers the cry of those that fear Him - Psalms 145. This truth should inspire confidence in you as it is written: This is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
God hates Eyes service - God does not like eye service and He does not want to see such hypocritical behaviour, that is why He says “Beware of practising your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others.
Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
Pray always - Remember that a Christian ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterwards he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” ...
Be Humble - “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Be compassionate - If you turn away your ears from the cry of the poor, from hearing the word of God, even your prayer is an abomination unto the Lord.
Forgive - And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
How to make your Prayer Effective:
Prayer is a two-way communication between the Almighty God and man. A believer’s prayer life should be based and built upon the word of God, the same for his prayer life. Prayer should be offered to God with the hope of answers. Jesus said we should ask, seek and knock for anything we need. If we seek, we’ll find, ask and it shall be given and knock the doors of heaven, it shall be opened to us.
The following steps will make your prayers effective and fruitful:
1. Make Specific requests with scriptural backings:
Every time you stand to pray, make sure your requests are specific and clear. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, give me a brand Honda Jeep car for my family, an accommodation in Gwarimpa Estate, Abuja; Father, please give me a Laptop computer. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I join my hands with my wife to ask for a baby boy. Be specific.
2. Pray According to the Word
We cannot over-emphasize the importance of the Word of God in the life and prayer of the believer. Faith begins when the will of God is known and we know that God’s Word is His will. When you are asking God for a godly woman to marry, then locate the scriptures that talked about virtuous woman, the scripture that say it is not good for a man to be alone etc. Look for the bible passage promising your request. Make it a point of duty to pray with a scripture backing up your request. If the scriptures did not promise the things you are desiring, you need not proceed with the prayer until you find a scriptural backing.
3. Use the Word of God to fight the devil
When it is a deliverance case, when you are tormented by demons or human agents – be focused on the victory Christ gave you through His blood at the cross. Use the Word of God, Blood of Jesus, Fire of the Holy Ghost to fight the devil. Remember that Jesus used ONLY THE WORD OF GOD to defeat the enemy. It is written, It is written. Use the word of God to prevail over the devil and his agents.
4. Be Positive in your thinking – Be Expectant
Receiving from God is by faith and in the matter of faith, doubt is excluded. Whenever you pray, without doubting anything, your answer will surely come. After you have prayed in faith according to God’s word, do not entertain any doubt or thought of not receiving answers, rebuke every such thought. Jesus said, when you pray, believe you have received your answer before you see it manifest, then you are saying you believe the Word of God and such faith moves God.
So, after praying, guide your mind against every contrary thought, thoughts that bring doubt about God's word or God’s ability to answer. We must cast down evil imaginations and every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God.
5. See Yourself with your Answer
If you were to pray for your healing after the prayer begins to see yourself well and going about your business. See new pictures of yourself doing what you couldn’t do when you are sick. Continue to meditate on the word of God promising you healing and see yourself in possession of what you have asked from God in prayer.
Beloved, never allow the Word to depart from your heart, eyes and mouth after prayers, else if the word of God departs from you, you may not see the manifestation of your heart desire because God moves and works in line with His words.
6. Give God thanks for your answer
Give God praise and adoration due Him for His mercies and blessing in the years past and for the specific things you are requesting through prayer. Lift up your heart and mouth and praise Him daily and continue to praise Him for the answer to your prayers. Don’t wait until you receive your answers before you praise and worship God for prayers answered. The biblical principle is that you believe and confess that you have received what you are asking for…and then the answer will manifest.
7. Pray without season
We are to pray without season - daily. When all is well with us and when we are facing challenges. Pray according to His will and promises. This means that we should know the will of God concerning many issues we are praying about, so we can order our prayers right.
FIRE...
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