‍

Effective Prayer

‍

God’s desire is that your prayers in abiding bear much fruit. Scripture is crucial in cultivating a heart for prayer that is effective. God’s responses to prayer vary in substance and timing, and His answers often will correspond with our faith and obedience regarding His purposes, principles, commands, ways, prerequisites and conditions. Let your focus be on Jesus and His attributes. As you pray, the Holy Spirit will guide you by the Word of God.

Jesus taught, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing…. If you remain in me and my words remain in you ask whatever you wish and it will be given you.” (John 15:5, 7) Prayer will be answered in response to abiding. Andrew Murray wrote in The True Vine, “Be wholly occupied with Jesus. Sink the roots of your being in faith and love and obedience deep down into Him. Come away out of every other place to abide here…. Let Christ be first. Let Christ be all. Do not be occupied with the abiding – be occupied with Christ. He will hold you, He will keep you abiding in Him. He will abide in you…. Your words to God in prayer will be the fruit of Christ and His words living in you.” Jesus said that under these conditions, “ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”

Be persistent in prayer as in Jesus’ parable, “I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs….For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Luke 11:8, 10)

Sin causes prayers to go unheard. “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2) Confess sin and pray for each other. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16)

Examine your motive in prayer. Pray in agreement with God’s purposes and character. “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 2b-3)

Be considerate in your personal relationships so that your prayers will not be hindered. “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” (1 Peter 3:7)

Let’s join together and pray prayers that will be powerful and effective and will proceed from abiding in Christ and His Word.

Greg Murphy – Member Care Pastor

‍