Effective Prayer .........Pragmatic principles

PRAY ......
.... for truth. 

When we have a problem or need, whether it is
- a habit that has us beaten, 
- a conflict, or 
- physical illness, 
we tend to focus our prayers on the symptom rather than on the cause. 

We tend to look on the surface instead of the deeper cause or problem. 

We may deceive ourselves, for example, into thinking that, 

-'The other person' needs to change instead of looking at our contribution to the problem....... 

- We may pray for a better job instead of getting training to prepare us for one when the opportunity might arise....... 

- We ask God to change our children without looking at the way we parent them.

Whenever having a problem, -try to acknowledge the problem but also ask God to help in showing/finding the root cause & then help in doing what need to be done to resolve it. 

Since most of our problems are the fruit of a deeper root, the presenting problem can often be a misleading symptom that avoids our real problem.....

Sometimes one doesn't want to see the truth, since it might be frightening or embarrassing.... I Tell God that 'I am willing to be made willing' to see it—whatever it might be.

Sometimes the answer comes quickly, other times slowly. 

It usually depends on when I am ready to receive it.............

...Responsibly. 

God WILL NOT do for us what we need to do for ourselves. 

Being a student, I would sometimes pray furiously for God's help at examination time—especially when I wasn't adequately prepared! 

I managed to pass (some of ) my exams, but NOT because of any "pray-instead-of-study" prayers!

.... In harmony with God's will. 

The Bible says, "If we ask anything according to God's will, he hears us. 

And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the request which we have asked from him." 1 John 5:14-15

Our Spiritual growth & maturity is one of God's high priorities. 

So prayers offered in harmony with this principle, and with all of God's will, will be effective. 

Prayers outside His will are not. 

The key to effective prayer 'might be learning' to pray the 'right prayer'......

...With the right motive. 

"You do not have, because you do not ask God. 

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." 

James 4:2-3

.... Persistently. 

Not all prayers are answered quickly. 

I have prayed for some things for 'ages' before getting an answer........

If our prayer is legitimate, we may need to be as persistent as Jacob, who once said to God, "I will not let you go until you have blessed me." Genesis 32:26-28

Jesus Himself said, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 
For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

 The principle is to keep on asking & seeking until we receive God's answers......

.... Specifically. 

Recently I had a need for equipment and asked God to show me 'How' to get the needed funds. 

That night I was unable to sleep so I got up and re-worked on balancing my finances. 

To my amazement, I found a mistake in my favor and was able to order the much needed equipment the next day!

.... Believing. 

Faith, too, is essential for effective prayer. 

As Jesus said, "Whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive," and "according to your faith will it be done to you." Matthew 9:29

....Sincerely. 

"Do you want to be made well?" John 5:6  Jesus' asked the lame man at the pool of Bethesda. 

That seems like a foolish question but Jesus wanted to know if the man really meant business. 

Being healed would require an entirely new approach to life. 

He would have to get a job and take care of himself instead of lie by the pool hoping that someone would help him in. 

If we want God to answer our prayers we have to want the answer enough to be willing to pay the price. 

If we want to grow in faith, love, patience, perseverance, and maturity, we need to realize that all of these are acquired through experience, often painful experience. 

As the Bible says, "Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character." Romans 5:3-4

Sometimes we want the goal without the work to get there.

.... In Jesus' name. 

Jesus said, "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to [God] the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name and I will do it." John 14:12-14

 Jesus is our intermediary to our Heavenly Father.

... To God,  on -His Terms....! 

Effective prayer is dependent on our having a right relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. 

When we are living in a right relationship with God and learn to pray according to His will [which is what will truly be best for us] we can be certain that God will answer. 

As Jesus put it, "If you stay in [right relationship with] me and obey my commands, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted." John 15:7

Prayer is a wonderful gift from God to His children. 

It is an incredible privilege to talk with our Creator and Heavenly Father. 

But we should always pray with a certain degree of mystery and amazement because we never know just how ....... & when........ we will receive His answer.

Shalom