During my years as a sojourner on this earth, and seeking to know God better, I, like many others, have learned key factors about prayer. It’s a positive thing to know that “God delights in the prayer of the upright,” (Proverbs 15:8); and when we feel as if we’ve waited too long, that God is the one who “waits to be gracious” (Isa. 30:18). Delays are not denials.
The disciples requested of Jesus: “Lord, teach us to pray.” I’ve learned that prayer has certain conditions attached to its effectiveness.
1) Be humble before God
“Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you (1 Peter 5:6).” “For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the humble with victory” (Psalm 149:4). A footnote has this to say about Job and his endurance during great suffering: “God permitted the trial to continue that Job might be conformed more to God’s image.”
2) Faith must be active
“For without faith it is impossible to please Him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Jesus always took note of the suppliant’s faith before granting his or her plea for help or healing.
Matthew 15:28, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” Mark 5:34, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease.”
Luke 16:42, Jesus said, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” And one of my favorites, John 11:40, is Jesus speaking to Martha prior to raising her brother, Lazarus, from death. “Did I not tell you that if you would believe, you would see the glory of God?”
In another setting, we learn that “Jesus did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58). He will hear our plea, “Lord, I believe; help my un-belief” (Mark. 9:24).
3) Deal thoroughly with sin
“If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (Psalm 66:18). Oswald Chambers wrote, “There are whole tracts of stubbornness and ignorance to be revealed by the Holy Spirit in each one of us, and it can only be done when Jesus gets us alone.”
It’s all right to pray as Job did, imploring God, “Let me know why Thou dost contend against me” (Job 10:2). Get to know “self” and the broad spectrum of sins, by reading such passages as Mark 7:20-23, Romans 1:28-32, Galatians 5:19-21, and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Everyone has an “old nature” that will never change, so it’s a matter of learning how to appropriate the fruit of the Spirit, while realizing as Dr. Henry A. Ironside said, “that the closer a believer walks with God, the more he will realize the incurable corruption of his Adamic nature.”
The goal is not to preach sinless perfection, but rather to teach us how to deal with our known sins, and as Jesus said, “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.” (Mark 11:25).
4) Pray according to God’s will
“And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of Him” (1 John 5:14-15).
5) Learn to wait on God’s timing … Psalm 25:3
“Yea, let none that wait for Thee be put to shame” (Psalm 25:3. Waiting on God is a dominant truth taught in Scripture, along with the danger of taking things into our own hands. Jesus delayed rushing to the bedside of Lazarus when the sisters called for Him, because He knew God had a bigger miracle in store, which would glorify God greatly and prove that Jesus was the Messiah. Dr. Robert Cook says, “God’s timing is exquisitely perfect.”
Is something on your heart?
Six intercessors will pray for your request for 21 days.
