How to Pray and Receive Answers - Principles of Prayer #1
What is prayer?
A simple definition of prayer: Prayer is when you lift your request to God. You make your request known unto God. It is taking God’s word back to him.
Why do we have to pray?
There are many reasons why prayer is vital including these six reasons listed below
1.Because it is a command. (Luke 18 v1)
2.It is one of the strategies for fellowship and communication with the father (1Cor 14 v2)
3.It is a platform for growth and transformation (Luke 9 v28-29; Luke 9 v 28-29)
4.Prayer is a platform for warfare and intercession (Acts 12 esp. v5)
5.Praying is a strategy to keep your faith alive (Luke 22 v30-32)
6. It is a platform to make requests and petitions (Mark 11v24, Phil 4v6)
The purpose and importance of prayer.
Learning how to pray effectively is one of the most important things a believer can ever do in their Christian walk. Really, a believer cannot be a success in fulfilling God’s purpose in their life if they do not know how to pray according to biblical principles. A believer’s prayer life should be based and built upon the Word of God. We are going to discuss the many principles of prayer that are found in the Word of God. As you study these principles of prayer, determine to get them into your heart so you can practice them in your own private prayer life. We will look at seven steps that any believer can take to receive the answer to their prayer. If you will faithfully practice the following seven steps in prayer, you can be sure of an answer every time.
7 Steps to Answered prayers
1.Be specific and stand on God’s promises i.e., decide what you want from God and find the scriptures that promise you these things.
So many times, we are indefinite in our praying. It is better to pray two or three minutes and know what they’re praying about than to pray for two or three hours and not know what you’re praying about. Also you have to pray according to the Word, and we know that God’s Word is His will. Once you find the scriptures that promise you what you desire from God, get those scriptures firmly fixed in your heart. To do that, you’ll have to meditate on the Word of God. Joshua 1:8
2.Ask God for the things you want and believe that you receive them.
Step 2 to receiving answered prayer is ask God for the things you want and believe that you receive them. Certainly, the Lord knows what we need even before we ask, but He still said for us to ask Him. The Bible says, “your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things”(Matt. 6:32). But He also tells you to ask for what you need: “...ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24). To say that you’re leaving it up to God and that you know He will automatically do whatever is best is unscriptural. Jesus Himself said we are to ask God for what we need. John 1:23,24. Matthew 7:7,8; Mark 11:23,24 2 3.
3.Let every thought and desire affirm that you have what you asked for.
Step 3 to receiving answered prayer is let every thought and desire affirm that you have what you asked for. After you pray in faith according to God’s Word, never permit a mental picture of failure to remain in your mind. Once you’ve prayed and asked God for something, never doubt for one minute that you have the answer. If doubts persist, rebuke them. Get your mind on the answer. To get your mind on the answer, you will have to get your mind on the Word. The Bible says to “... Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”(James 4:7). 1 Peter 5:8
4.Guard against every evil thought that comes into your mind to try to make you doubt God.
Step 4 is guard against every evil thought that comes into your mind to try to make you doubt God’s Word. Thoughts are governed by observation, association, and teaching. So this step is closely associated with step number three. The Bible says we are to cast down every imagination that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (2 Cor. 10:5). That’s why you should stay away from all places and things that do not support your affirmation that God has answered your prayer. Your thoughts are governed and affected by observations, associations, and teaching. The Bible tells us in Philippians exactly what to think on. Philippians 4:8 8.
5. Meditate on God’s Promises
Step 5 to receiving answered prayer is meditate constantly on the promises upon which you based the answer to your prayer. In other words, you must see yourself in possession of what you’ve asked for and make plans accordingly as if it were already a reality.
Proverbs 4:20-22 20; (Matt. 8:17); Isa. 53:5).
6. Continually thank God for the answer
Step 6 to receiving answered prayer is in your every waking moment, think on the greatness of God and His goodness, and count your blessings. This will increase your faith. Lift your heart to God continually in increasing praise and gratitude for what He has done and for what He is doing for you now. That phrase, “Be careful of nothing” means i n nothing be anxious. It also means, “Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything ...” (Phil. 4:6 Amp).
7. Make every prayer a statement of faith
Make every prayer relative to what you’ve asked a statement of faith instead of unbelief. It is thinking faith thoughts and speaking faith words that leads the heart out of defeat and into victory. Remind God that you asked for it and remind Him of what His Word says; put Him in remembrance of His promises (Isa. 43:26). Tell Him that you’re expecting it and thank Him for it.
Follow these seven steps to answered prayer and expect to receive answers to your prayers. Do not accept no for an answer and do not be denied! It’s your family right in Christ, your redemptive right, your gospel right, and your right as a recreated blood-bought, child of God to have what God has promised you. By faith appropriate what belongs to you and it will come. It’s yours now by faith. So accept God’s Word and believe it and it will become a reality in your life amen!
Next edition we shall examine the "Kinds of Prayers" (Ephesians 6:18)
Yours in the beloved
Sister Mandy Adegboyega
Ref: Bible Prayer Study Course, Kenneth E. Hagin