How to get your prayers answered
Are your prayers getting answered or are you getting so close to the end but aborting just before you see the result? On Sunday we heard that when Zion travailed she brought forth (Is 66:7-8).
Prayer can be likened to being pregnant and giving birth. For nine months a woman is pregnant and doesn't see her child until she gives birth to it. Any woman who has given birth will testify that it gets hard before the joy comes at the end. Likewise with prayer, the hard part is carrying something within you, yet not seeing until it is brought forth.
For some people the wait is too long and the pregnancy too hard and they abort just before they give birth to their prayers. The Bible says that we have to have faith and patience to see our answers come to pass (Heb 6:12).
It also says that some prayers get answered instantly and some take longer, depending on what may be happening in the spirit realm. In Daniel 9, Daniel prayed a prayer and it was answered in minutes. In Daniel 10, Daniel prayed again and it took 3 weeks for the prayer to be answered. Why? Because of demonic resistance in the spirit realm between the Prince of Persia and Gabriel the Angel, on his way to answer Daniel's prayer (Dan 10:13). In both instances the prayers had been answered immediately (Dan 10:12) but the second time there was a delay while the answer was on its way.
Sometimes we do not know what is going on in the spirit realm. God has already answered our prayers (Is 65:20, Dan 9 and 10) but there may be a delay. Satan wants more than anything for our faith to waver. The minute we do not see what we have prayed for come to pass is not the time to give up or to think that it may have not been God's will. That is the time to believe even more, with more fervour and more determination and tenacity, until we bring forth.
To build your faith up there are 4 major things that you can do: 1. Pray in tongues - In Jude 20, it says that we should pray in the spirit (tongues) to build ourselves up in our most holy faith. If you want to strengthen your faith, spend time praying in the spirit. Also, in 1 Corinthians 14:2, it says that when we pray in the spirit that we pray out mysteries. In Romans 8:27 it says that when we pray in tongues we are praying the perfect will of God.
If you do not know what is keeping your prayer from being answered, you'd be wise to pray in the spirit to unblock the passage of your prayer and bring it from the spirit realm into the natural.
2. Stay in the Word - The only reason our faith ever wavers is because we have not got God's Words and promises in the midst of our heart and mind. Faith somes by hearing God's Word over and over again (it needs a few times to sink in!). We have forsaken meditating in it day and night so that we can have good success (Joshua 1:8). We have not found His Words which are life to us and health to our flesh (Pro 4:22) and we have not been transformed by the renewing of our minds through God's Word (Rom 12:2).
Think about it. We have 24 hours in a day. For 8 of those we are asleep and for 16 of those we are awake (roughly). If out of those 16 hours we spend around 2 hours with God in His Word at best (less at worst or nothing at very worst!), we then have 14 hours left to spend in an ungodly, faithless unbelieving environment - the world - where we are constantly surrounded with doubt, unbelief, fear, worry and hopelessness wherever we go. Both directly and subliminally. It's easy to see therefore, that even with all the will in the world we cannot stay in strong faith when we are surrounded by so much unbelief. No wonder then that when we go to pray that we have more doubt than faith.
The solution? Unplug from the world. Get back in the Word. Listen to preaching/teaching on the Word. Read a godly book, listen to Word-inspired Christian music. Read your actual Bible! Surround yourself with believers who believe the same as you. Keep your mind in perfect peace by keeping it on the Lord (Is 26:3) and keep your heart with all dilligence for out of it flow the issues of life (Pro 4:23).
3. Give thanks - When you don't see your prayers answered, give thanks as if you have. Faith without works is dead (Jm 2:17) and you have to act like you believe! By acting, that doesn't mean pretend. It means that because you are so convinced that you have the answer to your prayer (through thorough meditation on God's Word of course) that you cannot help but praise God for the answer that you have already received in the spirit! Show God that you believe Him and show the devil that you know you've got it!
4. Say it - Do you know that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Lu 6:45)? Have you heard how most people can't help but tell you what they think? Whatever is in their heart comes out. That's because what you say out of your mouth is a perfect indicator to where your faith is. Are you talking the problem or the solution?
There is a good ol' saying that says, 'If you have nothing good to say, then say nothing at all'. Christians would be well advised to take this on board. Too many Christians are praying on the one hand, then completly negating their prayers by spueing doubt all over what they have prayed. It simply does not work that way.
God framed the very world with His words (Heb 11:3). We are made in His image and likeness. He gave us creative power in our words (Pro 18:21, Mk 11:23, 2 Co 4:13). Faith speaks. Doubt also speaks. Decide what results you want and no matter how tempting it is NEVER speak out your doubts.
This Weekend's Meetings
This coming Saturday and Sunday we will be travailing in the spirit for the lost, the backslidden, people's children that have gone astray. We are praying people into the Kingdom and praying for labourers to go out and preach to Gospel to the lost and bring them into the Kingdom. We would love to have you join us.
Prayer is a powerful force and God needs us to pray. In fact He can do nothing unless we do. So this weekend get ready to pray heaven down!
Look forward to seeing you at any one of the CONNECT meetings this weekend.
