Effective Prayer

When you pray, do you get an answer? You may not get one because you ask amiss! And if you do ask amiss, you won't receive the answer to your petition!

Let's take a closer look at what this means.

James puts it in very sobering and clear light:

"Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."
James 4:3 KJV

"That we may consume it" (our prayers, our wants, needs and desires) on our own '"lusts"...🤔

John also gives us a major clue to effective prayer:

"And this is the CONFIDENCE that we have in him, that, if we ask ANY thing,

ACCORDING TO HIS WILL,

He heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."
1 John 5:14‭-‬15 KJV

So, when we pray, it's not so much about praying three times a day, or getting on your knees; intoning vain, monotonous repetitions, touching your foot to your ear, standing on your head, or anything like that! 🙃

We simply have to ask in thanksgiving and supplication. And make sure that whatever we ask, that it be ACCORDING to His Will! If it's not, then we're "asking amiss"

Jesus further tells us that whatever we ask, (in ACCORDANCE with God's Will!), must also be asked in His Name:

"And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father IN MY NAME, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing IN MY NAME: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."
John 16:23‭-‬24 KJV

So, with all thanksgiving and supplication, when you pray, make sure that whatsoever you ask is in ACCORDANCE with God's Will, in Jesus' Name and NOT as something that we can consume; Believing that it is so, and thus receive our petitions. Belief and FAITH is another key!

"For by grace are ye saved THROUGH FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the GIFT of God:  For WE are HIS WORKMANSHIP, created IN Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ORDAINED that we should walk in them."
Ephesians 2:8‭, ‬10 KJV

"Now FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  Through FAITH we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.  By FAITH Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.  By FAITH Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.  But without FAITH it is IMPOSSIBLE to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.  By FAITH Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by FAITH.  By FAITH Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.  By FAITH he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.  Through FAITH also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.  By FAITH Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,  By FAITH Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.  By FAITH Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.  By FAITH Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.  By FAITH Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.  By FAITH Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.  By FAITH they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.  By FAITH the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.  By FAITH the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.  And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:  Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,  Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.  Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:"
Hebrews 11:1‭, ‬3‭-‬11‭, ‬17‭, ‬20‭-‬24‭, ‬27‭, ‬29‭-‬35 KJV

We often ask God to 'do for us'. More than that, we need to ask God what WE CAN DO FOR HIM, through Christ our Lord!

"Then said they unto him, 'What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?'  Jesus answered and said unto them, 'THIS is the work of God, THAT YE BELIEVE on HIM whom HE HATH SENT.'"
John 6:28‭-‬29 KJV

"Remembering without ceasing your work of FAITH, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;"
1 Thessalonians 1:3 KJV

"That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
2 Timothy 3:17 KJV

In summary, the keys to effective prayer are: thanksgiving, supplication and alignment to God's Will through Christ Jesus.
Let our prayers and petitions therefore become more effective through this knowledge!
But remember, knowledge is one thing. Action, is another!
I pray that you will use this teaching and put into practice the principles herein.

"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."
Mark 11:24 KJV

"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.   For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.   If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much MORE shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"
Luke 11:9‭-‬13 KJV

Take a listen to the sermon titled "Understanding Prayer as NEVER Before" by David. C. Pack here ->

https://rcg.org/sermons/060429AADP-425-Understanding%20Prayer%20as%20NEVER%20Before.rm

Thank you Jesus, for this teaching 😊❤

"Wherefore also (I) pray ALWAYS for you, that our God would count YOU worthy of this CALLING, and fulfil ALL the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of FAITH with POWER:  That the NAME of our Lord Jesus Christ may be GLORIFIED in you, and ye in HIM, ACCORDING to the GRACE of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."
2 Thessalonians 1:11‭-‬12 KJV

God bless ❤ 🕆