[Faith-talk] FW: [URCTCPrayerGroup2] File - HOW TO PRAY SUCCESSFULLY

[Eric Calhoun]

Original Message: 
From: URCTCPrayerGroup2 at yahoogroups.com
To: URCTCPrayerGroup2 at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [URCTCPrayerGroup2] File -  HOW TO PRAY SUCCESSFULLY
Date: 
1 Nov 2009 18:55:18 -0000


TEACHING: HOW TO PRAY SUCCESSFULLY 


Successful prayer is dependant on a few simple principles. All of these
involve relationship with God. He made prayer to be a relational engagement
and not a systematic activity. The following is a brief outline for
fruitful prayer.

1. Abiding. Jesus said in John 15:7 "If you abide in Me and My words
abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you." To
abide means to be in one's presence, to wait, to draw near to. Our
fruitfulness comes from remaining in Jesus, drawing near to Him and waiting
on Him. The word, "words" in this passage is in reference to the word that
the Holy Spirit quickens to us as we wait on Him. It is the rhema. 

2. Pray according to His will. 1 John 5:14, 15 "And this is the
confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his
will, he hears us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we
know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." If we are going to
pray successfully, we need to pray according to His will and purposes. 

3. Praying with right motives and a pure heart. Right motives are
essential for effective prayer. James 4:4,5 "You ask and do not receive
because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your
pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world
is hostility towards God?" It is always important to ask the Holy Spirit to
search your heart and to convict you of any unconfessed sin or impure
motives. Psalm 66:18 says that if we regard wickedness in our heart , then
the Lord will not hear. 1 John 1:9 says that if we confess our sins , that
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. Take time to search your heart and to receive forgiveness
and cleansing. 

4. Faith. Hebrews 11:6 "Without faith it is impossible to please Him for
He who comes to God must first believe that He is and that He is a rewarder
of those who diligently seek Him." We must approach God in faith believing
that He is desiring to reward us with answered prayer. Do not doubt. Mark
11:24 gives us some strong insight: "...all things for which you pray and
ask , believe that you receive them and you shall have them." This is an
amazing promise! 

5. Fervency and passion. When you pray, pray with passion and focus.
Don't pray wimpy little scattered prayers and expect God to answer them.
"The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man will accomplish much."
James 5:16 

6. Endurance. Do not lose heart and do not lose faith. Galatians 6:9 says
that we will reap if we faint not. Jesus taught His disciples that if they
had faith as a mustard seed , that nothing would be impossible for them
(See Matthew 17:20). A mustard seed's greatest quality is that of
endurance. If you plant a mustard seed deep into the earth and then covered
the earth above it with a slab of pavement, somehow that mustard seed will
find a way to grow. It doesn't matter how many years it takes, it will
persevere. If it can't push through the pavement, it will go around it, but
it will find a way to grow. 

7. The blessing of Journaling. One of the things that will enhance your
prayer life is keeping a prayer journal. That way you can keep track of
your prayers, the scripture promises you are standing on, the date you
brought your request before the Lord and the date of the fulfillment. God
is so faithful to answer all our prayers. Keeping a journal reminds you of
His continued faithfulness in answering your prayers.
        


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