Prayers : Part 16

God gave prayer for one reason: to answer us. There are no “ifs,” “buts,” or “maybes.” When we ask, we are to receive. Prayer not a game of chance, it is guaranteed with God. Hebrews 4:15, 16 tells us that if we come boldly to God’s throne, we will receive both mercy (covenant, defined = I withhold from you the destruction you earned and deserve), and grace (covenant, defined = I give you all you do deserve).

Therefore, think of prayer in this way: if you can’t receive any negatives but all the positives are added to you, it is impossible for you to lose! We should be displaying His answers, not to show off, but to please Him.

Today, we’ll address the most commonly known of the prayers, but it’s also the one prayer that tends to trip people up. People tend to use the prayer of faith by their means, and when they get their results, try to pin the lack on God. There are spiritual laws in place that must be observed.

The prayer of faith (otherwise known as petition prayer)
This prayer is you, one on one alone with God. It is all about relationship. The first thing you have to do according to this prayer is:

1. Identify what you want. This is a desire such that your joy is not full if you do not have it. If spend time with Christ and are in a relationship with Him, you will change and therefore your desires will be in line with His. Know your inheritance if you plan make a demand on it. An inheritance is legally yours; you just haven’t come into it yet! Don’t let misguided people distract you.
   Meditate on the following Scriptures:
   John 16:23, 24; Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3; 1 John 5:14, 15
   
   The second part is to:
2. Believe you have your request. Don’t pray until you believe, and the exact moment you pray: believe. You cannot believe before you pray. Why would it help now if your belief was 10 minutes ago? Mark 11:24 does not say, “believe that you will have the request,” but rather “believe that you receive...” Faith and God is in the now.

Matthew 9:27 – Jesus credits a believer’s faith for what God is able to perform. Not His works or the tools or methods used to perform miracles.