Do you ever wonder if God is actually listening when you pray? Here are the four things needed for confident prayer:
1. Abide (John 15:7)
To ABIDE means to continually act in accordance with. When we abide in Christ, we desire for God do do what He wants to do in our lives. But how do we know our prayer pleases God? Because when we pray In Jesus Name, we hand the pen of our prayer to Jesus. Jesus makes the final signature and we surrender all rights to His edits. We say to God, Not my will but yours. God will never withhold something that we need, nor anything that is good for us to have. In Christ, we ask for what God wants to give.
2. Ask (John 14:14; 16:24)
God wants to be involved in every aspect of our lives. We remember our protein before working out and our instruments before performances, but we forget that God wants to help in every moment. Yet while God knows what we need, God wants us to remember whose it is. When we ASK God, we acknowledge, You have what I cannot get anyplace else. Everything I need comes from you. It is almost too simple. We are invited to ask the One who holds everything, for the every thing we hope for!
3. Believe (Matthew 21:22)
Do you expect to pray the same prayer tomorrow as today? Have you forgotten that God might answer before tomorrow comes? Is your focus on what and when, more often than Who? If we answer Yes to even one of these questions, then we need to transfer our trust. The heart of answered prayer is not perfect words. It’s belief. Placing faith in our faith, performance, or feelings, is futile. But believing the One who is faithful? Now, that’s a different story! Believing prayer says God can, God will, and God wants to respond.
4. Receive (1 John 5:14, 15)
If we are continually abiding in Christ, surrendered to the Holy Spirit, and praying according to the Word and will of God, we can expect God’s answers. Rarely do they appear as expected, but with an eternal perspective and trust, God’s answers are always best (even if it's a 'no'). God’s Yes and No are equally for our good, so let’s receive them with thanks!
ABIDE. ASK. BELIEVE. RECEIVE. In Jesus Name.