Back to the Basics – Prayer

Believing prayer

Mark 11:22-24 NKJV

(22) So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.
(23) For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be removed and be
cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he
says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
(24) Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you
receive them, and you will have them.

There are many different kinds of prayer. In this study we will look at some of the major
ones and the differences between them. If you remember Larry Lea’s teaching on the
Lord’s prayer – this would correspond to “give us our daily bread” – the type of prayer
that asks for needs to be met and things to be given.

Review:
1) God can be known
a. His will can be known
b. He is a rewarder of those who seek Him

2) God is fair and just

a. He is no respecter of persons – i.e. His laws work for anyone who
applies them.
b. He never changes – what worked then, works now.

First things first

1 John 5:14-15 NKJV

(14) Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that 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 the
petitions that we have asked of Him.

If you are going to have mountain moving confidence in what you ask from God you
must first know what God’s will is concerning your request. “Faith begins where the will
of God is known.” If you don’t know or aren’t sure what God’s will is – then you cannot
pray in faith. Verse 14 in the above passage tells us that if we aren’t asking according to
His will – He doesn’t even hear the prayer. This could be why many prayers remain
unanswered.

How are we supposed to know the will of God? Many of you have a beautiful book in
your library, usually covered in fine leather, with delicate pages embossed in gold; it may
even have your name in gold on the cover. Remember that book? The bible contains
the “testament” of God – both old and new. When a person dies, they leave behind their
“last will and testament” that instructs the offspring on how to split the estate. That
leather covered book – is God’s will and testament. From Genesis 1:1 to Maps, it
contains the very words of God written down for you to read and study.

So, before you even start praying, read the bible. Find out what God says about your
situation.

Believe in your heart

We’re still not ready to pray yet. First we went to the word and found out what God’s will
is. Now we need to meditate on that word until it sinks deep in our hearts.

Joshua 1:8 NKJV

(8) This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it
day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For
then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Psalms 1:1-3 NKJV

(1) Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
(2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
(3) He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

Meditate, say it out loud, memorize it, mutter it, let your own ears hear you say it. When
you hear yourself say it without even thinking, in the middle of a stressful situation – then
it’s down in your heart. Head knowledge won’t do here – it must be in your heart. This is
not a “success formula” it’s a matter of life and death.

No doubting allowed!

James 1:5-8 NKJV

(5) If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without
reproach, and it will be given to him.
(6) But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea
driven and tossed by the wind.
(7) For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
(8) he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Where the prayer of faith is concerned – you cannot pray “Lord if it be thy will”. If you
are praying the prayer of consecration that is fine (we will discuss that prayer later). If
you are asking in faith for a need to be met or a thing to be given – you have to know
first that it is God’s will. If you have the attitude that “well if God wants me to have it,
He’ll give it to me and if not, oh well, it must not have been His will.” – you will never get
anything from the Lord. That kind of praying isn’t standing in faith – it’s worshipping at
the throne of the god of Fate – che sera sera – whatever will be will be.
God is not a god of Fate – He has spiritual laws that can be known and applied and that
work for anyone who works them. He is not a respecter of persons.

Believe that you receive

Now we’re ready to pray. “Whatever you desire, when you pray” – we know that this
verse applies to the prayer of petition or the prayer of faith for receiving things. We pray,
bringing our need to the Lord, knowing and confident in the fact that it is His will (or else
we wouldn’t be asking). Once we say amen, it is done. Our prayer is answered. We
receive it by faith. “And you shall have them.” – the how and when are up to God, from
that time forward – we rejoice and thank God for the answer. Amen!!