Saturday, 26 March 2022
KEYS TO EFFECTUAL PRAYERS
And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray... (Luke 11:1).
When you study the lives of the early prophets and the apostles, even the Lord Jesus Christ, you’d find they were very effective in their prayer lives. In our opening verse, disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray because they observed how effective His prayers were. So, it’s not just enough to pray; it’s the effectual, fervent prayer of the righteous man that produces result.
There’re scriptural rules and guidelines to effectual prayers. There’re some things you have to pray about continually, you intercede continually; and there’re things that you pray for only once, because if you keep praying about them, you’re getting into unbelief, rather than applying your faith.
Meanwhile, there’re things you’re not even supposed to pray for, because no matter how long you pray about them, God’s not going to respond because your request is spiritually illegal. So, there’re different kinds of prayer and different rules governing them. Get our books: “Praying the Right Way” and “How to Pray Effectively” to learn more. You don’t just pray; you pray according to the rules, and the rules follow the different kinds of needs.
Of course, in prayer, something important you always require from God is direction. It’s not like you’re going to be asking Him all the time how to pray about a particular situation, but even without you asking Him, He gives you the direction through the Holy Spirit, because that’s one of the things the Holy Spirit came to do in your life. This is one of the reasons you must pray often in other tongues.
The Holy Spirit and the Word are your keys to effective prayer. He’ll bring the Word of God to your consciousness as you pray. Remember, Jesus said, He’d guide you into all truth. He’ll teach you all things (John 14:26). He’ll show you what to do in every situation. Jesus said, “...He who follows Me shall not walk indarkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12 NKJV). How do you follow Him? It’s through the Word and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is alive in you today, but then He gives you the Scriptures, God’s Word, to guide you in all things, including how to pray effectively.
PRAYER: Thank you, dear Father, for the precious gift of the Holy Spirit whom you sent to give me direction and guide me into all truth, including being effective in prayer. Today, He guides me to know and pray your will and make tremendous power available to change my world, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
1 John 5:15-16; James 5:16 AMPC
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 6:17-49 & Deuteronomy 31-32
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 3:13-19 & Psalm 95-96