Prayer is probably one of the most misunderstood and potentially
frustrating topics because many people don't know how to get results
when they pray. The simplicity of prayer has been lost in many
people's lives and turned into a religious tradition that has a form
but no real power. Prayer is not meant to be a burden or to be used
as a badge of holiness. Instead, it is a gift from God that, when
used properly, should yield great victory in your life.

In many cases, the missing element in prayer is confidence. But why
do people lack confidence in prayer? Because they don't know the will
of God concerning their prayer request. God's will is simply another
way of describing what God wants to have happen. It is what He
desires for your life as outlined in His Word. If you don't know
God's will for your life, you will tolerate the life you have when it
could be so much better.

There are only two places to go to discover what God wants for your
life-the Bible and His presence. When we pray, our prayers must line
up with His Word. The only prayer that God will hear and answer is a
prayer that is based on what He has said in His Word. If you pray
according to the Word of God, then you are praying the will of God.
We can only have confidence in our prayers when we know that what
we're praying for is something that God desires to bring to pass.

People often get confused and frustrated because they don't know what
God has already said in His Word. How can you pray for healing when
you don't know that God wants you to be healed? How can you believe
God for an increase in your finances if you don't know that God wants
you to prosper? The truth is-you can't. When you don't know what God
has said about your situation, your prayers will be fear-based and
they won't get results.

The beauty of prayer is its simplicity. Prayer is simply saying to
God what He has already said in His Word. This will protect you from
getting off into areas that are not the will of God. Regardless of
the area of your life, the first thing to do is to find out what the
Word says about your situation. The Bible covers every problem that
you will ever have. What does God's Word have to say about your
bills, your marriage and your children? Find out what God says and
then your prayers will be effective.

Many people cancel out their prayers, once they've prayed according
to the Word, because they look to their circumstances to see if
anything has happened right away. However, just because your problem
or situation hasn't immediately changed, it should not hinder your
confidence that God has heard and answered the prayer you prayed
according to His Word.

Finally, the most powerful prayer comes from the heart of a person
who knows that God loves him or her enough to answer the request
they've made. It's ridiculous to think prayer will yield results if
you don't believe the God you're praying to, first of all, loves you.
Even in the natural, a child who doubts his or her parents' love will
be hesitant to ask for or expect things from his or her parent.

God loves you and gave you His Word so that you can have great
results in your prayer life. Pray with confidence in the Word,
knowing God loves you and will answer your prayers.




Irene