Keys to Effective Praying

We are preparing to enter several weeks of corporate prayer and fasting, beginning next Sunday, January 4, and continuing until January 25.

I have sensed that the Holy Spirit is guiding me to teach and preach on the subject of prayer and faith, as the two go hand in hand.

Key #1: Relationship with God the Father

Mark 11:22-24 NASB - Jesus said, “Have faith in God (or have the FAITH OF GOD).
23 Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted to him.
24 Therefore, I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you HAVE received them, and they shall be granted to you.”

Prayer is the ultimate

of the saint of God. We don’t have to go to another man, we don’t have to go through the Virgin Mary—we have divine access to the very throne of God through the name of Jesus. He has made a way for us by His own blood.

Hebrews 4:13-16 NLT - Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the one to whom we are accountable.
14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.
15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin.
16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Everything in our lives is

. In order to grasp the privilege of prayer, we need a sound revelation of our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Jesus taught a lot on this concept.

Matthew 7:7-11 NLT - “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?
10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not!
11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him?”

Jesus Taught About Prayer and

Jesus taught His disciples to pray. He wasn’t just teaching them about prayer; He was also teaching them about their

with their Heavenly Father.

Luke 11:1-13 NLT - Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As He finished, one of His disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
2 Jesus said, “Father, may Your name be kept holy. May Your kingdom come soon.
3 Give us each day the food we need,
4 and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.”

Jesus then used the example of

in prayer and how God, as a loving Father, responds to His children’s needs.

God Is

to Bless His Children

Our Heavenly Father loves us so much that He is eager to give us the best gift—His Holy Spirit.

Luke 18:1-8 NLT - Jesus told His disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. He used the parable of the persistent widow to illustrate God’s readiness to answer His people’s prayers when they call on Him in faith.

Prayer is not a

where we give God orders and expect Him to respond. It is a

Reveal Answer

—a conversation where we talk to Him and expect Him to answer.

Jeremiah 33:3 - “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

Faith and Trust Are

In order for prayer to be effective, we must understand our relationship with God the Father. We must believe that He is

and

Reveal Answer

to our needs, and we must trust His timing.

Hebrews 11:6 NKJV - Without

, it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Praying According to His

One crucial element of prayer is

with God’s will.

1 John 5:14-15 NKJV - Now this is the confidence that we have in Him: if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15 And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.

Trust God’s Love and Provision

Luke 12:29-32 NLT - “…don’t be concerned about what to eat and drink. Don’t worry about such things.
30 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but YOUR FATHER ALREADY KNOWS YOUR NEEDS.
31 Seek first the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need.
32 So, don’t be afraid, little flock. For IT GIVES YOUR FATHER GREAT HAPPINESS TO GIVE YOU THE KINGDOM.”

Paul’s Encouragement to Pray

Philippians 4:6-7 NLT - Don’t worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.
7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Say it again and again until it gets into your spirit! Prayer is a divine covenant privilege of the children of God.

Thank God for answered prayer! God is so faithful! Do you need prayer this morning? Have you surrendered your life to the Savior? Today is a great day to make that decision and come to Christ. Other needs: Healing, financial provision, direction…