Prayer is the language of heaven, and in my opinion, it is one of the greatest privileges that you and I have as believers.
How awesome it is to realize that the One who created the world waits to hear the deepest and most intimate expressions of our hearts in prayer.
But what compels the human heart to call upon an omnipotent God in prayer? And how do you learn to pray effectively?
More to the point, how can you move into deeper and more effective prayers?
This are some of the conditions for effective, answered prayer:
#1 Have the Faith of God
#2 Say What you Want
#3 Don’t Limit God
#4 Refuse to Doubt
#5 Believe in Faith That What You Ask Will be Granted
One of the greatest experiences a believer can know is the reality of answered prayer.
In fact, great men and women in church history have written and spoken of the excitement that happens during those intimate moments of intercession with the Creator of the universe.
Here are a few of my favorite:
“The most glorious works of grace that have ever took place, have been in answer to prayer.” —William Carey, The Father of Modern Missions
“Today, Jesus stands ready to hear your cry and to answer prayer for you. He is interested in every detail of your life. He knows you better than you know yourself and is touched with the feeling of your infirmities and your needs. It is my prayer that even now Jesus shall make His Person and Presence a reality to you and give you His faith, and complete confidence in His power and love and promises—and the desire of your heart.” —Kathryn Kuhlman, Author and Bible Teacher
“As we learn to know Jesus, our prayers become quiet, confidential and blessed conversations with Him, our Best Friend, about the things that are on our mind.” —Ole Hallesby, Norwegian Bible Teacher
These promises remain as potent and real today as when these wonderful trailblazers were alive, and I truly believe God desires for you to move into an even deeper level of effectiveness and answered prayer.
As I shared previously, I want to help you understand how to pray so that you see your prayers answered—particularly so you can experience the joy that comes when you receive a response from God’s heart.
Now, let’s go through the final four conditions.
#6 Be Authoritative
You can pray in faith and confidence, knowing that Jesus Himself gave you that authority:
Man praying on cliff
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. (Mark 11:23-24 NKJV [Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)] )
All the power and authority represented in the name of Jesus is available to you and me through prayer. Yet, before we can unleash the power of heaven through prayer, we must understand the importance of prayer and make a commitment to devote ourselves wholeheartedly to diligent, fervent prayer. This commitment begins as we stir our hearts to pray and awaken from our spiritual slumber, for the Word of God admonishes:
“Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light” (Ephesians 5:14 )
A similar command, found in Isaiah 52:1 —“Awake, awake; put on thy strength”—suggests that prayer will bring strength to your spiritual life. Through prayer and fellowship with God, your Christian walk will be strengthened, and you will have power over temptation, sin, and the enemy. Awesome days are ahead for the Body of Christ, and we must be spiritually prepared. Prayer is an integral part of the preparation process, and we must pray as never before to walk in authority!
#7 Pray According to God’s Will
Too often believers pray outside the will of God. Don’t! If the Word does not promise it, don’t ask for it, for if you do you will be praying outside God’s will.
We are told:
My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God’s Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. And how bold and free we then become in his presence, freely asking according to his will, sure that he’s listening. And if we’re confident that he’s listening, we know that what we’ve asked for is as good as ours. (1 John 5:14-15 )
People often have ineffective prayers because they don’t know WHAT to pray. The Word is vital:
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7 KJV)
Those who approach the throne of God can come before Him with total assurance and belief.
Pray His will, not yours, and you can be confident that He will answer:
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)
You can come to the Lord expectantly, savoring His promises, and saying, “Father, Your Word says…” For this reason alone, it is important to become a devout student of the Bible, and the sooner the better.
#8 Never Say “If” When God Promises It
Remove the “if” from your prayers. Begin praying with perfect confidence, knowing that He will answer just as He promises:
“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us” (1 Corinthians 1:20 ).
Therefore, “Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering” (James 1:6 ).
Moving to a higher level of unwavering faith with God requires more than occasionally or casually flipping through the Bible, reading a verse or two. We must spend time every day in Scripture until its principles become part of us. Then, when we begin to pray, those words will rise to the surface, bringing strength, power, and unwavering faith!
#9 Have a Clean Heart and Life with Both God and Those Around You
Prayer is directly related to purity of heart. Sin against God and others is a hindrance to prayers being answered. Effective prayer takes place as you repent of sin against God and develop a personal relationship with Him, as Jesus Himself taught:
heart in hand
That’s why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you’ll get God’s everything. And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins. (Mark 11:23-25)
The Bible declares that when the Holy Spirit comes in we cry, “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15 ). This means surrendering to His will and His way of living. It means giving control to Him.
You cannot honestly say “Abba, Father” when you are living in sin and guilt. Jesus asked, “And why do ye call me, Lord, Lord, and do not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46 ).
As the Spirit of God comes in, He begins to remove our weakness. He roots out the barriers to a loving, close relationship with the Father. We then can have a heart that is in unison with the will of God: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18 ).
We can “pray with the Spirit, and with understanding also” (1 Corinthians 14:15 ).
Maybe you are dealing with a broken relationship, overwhelming financial burdens, the frustration of ill health, or the salvation of a loved one. The Lord wants you to come to Him in faith about whatever is on your heart.
And don’t just stop with your own needs. Ask God for a vision for your community, this nation, and the world. Then, begin praying about the situations He impresses on your mind. Remember, the more you pray for the concerns on God’s heart, the more you will find your own needs being met.
For the glorious and eternal cause of our precious Lord Jesus Christ,
How awesome it is to realize that the One who created the world waits to hear the deepest and most intimate expressions of our hearts in prayer.
But what compels the human heart to call upon an omnipotent God in prayer? And how do you learn to pray effectively?
More to the point, how can you move into deeper and more effective prayers?
This are some of the conditions for effective, answered prayer:
#1 Have the Faith of God
#2 Say What you Want
#3 Don’t Limit God
#4 Refuse to Doubt
#5 Believe in Faith That What You Ask Will be Granted
One of the greatest experiences a believer can know is the reality of answered prayer.
In fact, great men and women in church history have written and spoken of the excitement that happens during those intimate moments of intercession with the Creator of the universe.
Here are a few of my favorite:
“The most glorious works of grace that have ever took place, have been in answer to prayer.” —William Carey, The Father of Modern Missions
“Today, Jesus stands ready to hear your cry and to answer prayer for you. He is interested in every detail of your life. He knows you better than you know yourself and is touched with the feeling of your infirmities and your needs. It is my prayer that even now Jesus shall make His Person and Presence a reality to you and give you His faith, and complete confidence in His power and love and promises—and the desire of your heart.” —Kathryn Kuhlman, Author and Bible Teacher
“As we learn to know Jesus, our prayers become quiet, confidential and blessed conversations with Him, our Best Friend, about the things that are on our mind.” —Ole Hallesby, Norwegian Bible Teacher
These promises remain as potent and real today as when these wonderful trailblazers were alive, and I truly believe God desires for you to move into an even deeper level of effectiveness and answered prayer.
As I shared previously, I want to help you understand how to pray so that you see your prayers answered—particularly so you can experience the joy that comes when you receive a response from God’s heart.
Now, let’s go through the final four conditions.
#6 Be Authoritative
You can pray in faith and confidence, knowing that Jesus Himself gave you that authority:
Man praying on cliff
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. (Mark 11:23-24 NKJV [Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)] )
All the power and authority represented in the name of Jesus is available to you and me through prayer. Yet, before we can unleash the power of heaven through prayer, we must understand the importance of prayer and make a commitment to devote ourselves wholeheartedly to diligent, fervent prayer. This commitment begins as we stir our hearts to pray and awaken from our spiritual slumber, for the Word of God admonishes:
“Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light” (Ephesians 5:14 )
A similar command, found in Isaiah 52:1 —“Awake, awake; put on thy strength”—suggests that prayer will bring strength to your spiritual life. Through prayer and fellowship with God, your Christian walk will be strengthened, and you will have power over temptation, sin, and the enemy. Awesome days are ahead for the Body of Christ, and we must be spiritually prepared. Prayer is an integral part of the preparation process, and we must pray as never before to walk in authority!
#7 Pray According to God’s Will
Too often believers pray outside the will of God. Don’t! If the Word does not promise it, don’t ask for it, for if you do you will be praying outside God’s will.
We are told:
My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God’s Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. And how bold and free we then become in his presence, freely asking according to his will, sure that he’s listening. And if we’re confident that he’s listening, we know that what we’ve asked for is as good as ours. (1 John 5:14-15 )
People often have ineffective prayers because they don’t know WHAT to pray. The Word is vital:
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7 KJV)
Those who approach the throne of God can come before Him with total assurance and belief.
Pray His will, not yours, and you can be confident that He will answer:
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)
You can come to the Lord expectantly, savoring His promises, and saying, “Father, Your Word says…” For this reason alone, it is important to become a devout student of the Bible, and the sooner the better.
#8 Never Say “If” When God Promises It
Remove the “if” from your prayers. Begin praying with perfect confidence, knowing that He will answer just as He promises:
“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us” (1 Corinthians 1:20 ).
Therefore, “Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering” (James 1:6 ).
Moving to a higher level of unwavering faith with God requires more than occasionally or casually flipping through the Bible, reading a verse or two. We must spend time every day in Scripture until its principles become part of us. Then, when we begin to pray, those words will rise to the surface, bringing strength, power, and unwavering faith!
#9 Have a Clean Heart and Life with Both God and Those Around You
Prayer is directly related to purity of heart. Sin against God and others is a hindrance to prayers being answered. Effective prayer takes place as you repent of sin against God and develop a personal relationship with Him, as Jesus Himself taught:
heart in hand
That’s why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you’ll get God’s everything. And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins. (Mark 11:23-25)
The Bible declares that when the Holy Spirit comes in we cry, “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15 ). This means surrendering to His will and His way of living. It means giving control to Him.
You cannot honestly say “Abba, Father” when you are living in sin and guilt. Jesus asked, “And why do ye call me, Lord, Lord, and do not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46 ).
As the Spirit of God comes in, He begins to remove our weakness. He roots out the barriers to a loving, close relationship with the Father. We then can have a heart that is in unison with the will of God: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18 ).
We can “pray with the Spirit, and with understanding also” (1 Corinthians 14:15 ).
Maybe you are dealing with a broken relationship, overwhelming financial burdens, the frustration of ill health, or the salvation of a loved one. The Lord wants you to come to Him in faith about whatever is on your heart.
And don’t just stop with your own needs. Ask God for a vision for your community, this nation, and the world. Then, begin praying about the situations He impresses on your mind. Remember, the more you pray for the concerns on God’s heart, the more you will find your own needs being met.
For the glorious and eternal cause of our precious Lord Jesus Christ,
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