At Cornerstone Community Church in Edmonton, we believe in prayer. But we also know that there are scriptural principles to see prayer work in our lives. The following is an outline from a message Pastor Chad gave that outlines certain of those principles.
John 16:23-24 Ask, and you will receive.
The Bible is quite clear and directs us to go to the Father and ask when the situation arises.
Psalm 118:5 I called upon the Lord from my distress; the Lord answered me and set me in an open place.
Luke 11:9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Matthew 21:22 And whatever you ask in prayer, if you believe, you will receive.
1 John 5:14-15 This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. So if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have whatever we asked of Him.
Prayer is a key to heaven’s storehouse for the believer.
There is no need too big, in the same way – there is no need too small or insignificant that it cannot be brought before God in prayer.
Prayer is a spiritual activity that has been established by God for His children to use.
-Our Heavenly Father is interested in our prayers.
-Our Heavenly Father is pleased when we come and ask of Him.
-Prayer shows dependence upon God.
When we pray we must align ourselves with the Word of God thereby placing ourselves in a position to give God the freedom to move.
When we rightly divide the Word in prayer, we will lose God’s ability.
1- ASK ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF THE FATHER
1 John 5:14-15 This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. So if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have whatever we asked of Him.
Sometimes people pray, ”Father, if it is Your will, let it be done.” God responds to faith.
This is the confidence or this is the assurance or even this is the faith. We have this assurance or confidence in God, that if we ask anything according to His will – HE HEARS US! And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have whatever that we asked of Him.
What is the will of God? His Word is His Will for every Christian.
Rom 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God. AMP – God shows no partiality.
If the Bible promises it – it is for you, believe it, accept and act upon it.
As we pray, aligning ourselves with the Word of God, we can have confidence that we are placing ourselves in a position knowing that God will hear and move on our behalf.
2 - ABIDE IN THE WORD
John 15:7 If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it shall be done for you.
The Key is – if the Word of God abides of you, then you can ask what you will and it shall be done for you.
If the Word of God abides in you, then you are going to frame your prayer accurately according to the Word of God and you are not going to pray for things that you know are not the will of God.
First of all, you need to determine what the will of God is. When you know God's will, you know that God is going to hear you. The Word says if God hears you, you will receive what you ask.
When we pray we must align ourselves with the Word of God thereby placing ourselves in a position to give God freedom to move.
3 - PRAY BELIEVING THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE
Faith will work without prayer but prayer will not work without faith. Faith will work without prayer but prayer will not work without faith.
A prayer without faith is like a key without a hand to turn it. The key itself can’t access anything. It needs the action of the hand putting it in the lock and turning it.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Mark 11:24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you will receive them, and you will have them.
One of the keys to answered prayer is to believe you receive when you pray.
How do I believe? One of the foundations of believing (faith) is knowing God’s Word and knowing God’s Will.
Repeat 1 John 5 - This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will
Knowing the Word and Will of God builds faith and strengthens our believing.
When are you going to believe that you receive them? You are not going to believe it when you see it, if you go by the Word of God. You must believe it when you pray. Jesus said, "When you pray, believe."
What is the evidence that I received when I prayed? Faith is the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1).
It is an inward witness in our spirit saying it is done. That is why the Bible says – 2 Cor 5:7 – for we walk by faith, not by sight.
We walk by the spirit, not by our human mind or intellect.
4 - SOWING THE WORD OF GOD IN OUR LIFE AND PRAYER
So someone will ask – if I need to have faith and believe – how do I believe better? How do I receive the confidence in my spirit to have faith that I received what I have asked in prayer?
1 - Knowing God’s word causes us to know God’s will which will build faith in our spirit to receive of God.
2 - Asking in accordance with God’s Word will help strengthen us to ask in faith, and therefore it helps us to receive in faith that promise of God’s answer.
3 - Sowing the Word of God in our Life and Prayer
It’s one thing to ask God for something, it’s another thing to have the faith capacity to receive it. Asking God for something without the faith capacity to receive it will simply lead to frustration.
God has put principles in place for the building of our faith. Faith has an unlimited capacity for growth.
Parable of the Sower… Luke 8:11 – The seed is the word of God.
The Word of God is designed to produce life. It is a seed designed to supernaturally transform our lives.
John 15:7 If you remain in Me, and My words remain (abide) in you, you will ask and it shall be done.
We must sow the Word of God in our life so that the Word abides (becomes engrafted, becomes part of) us. When the seed becomes part of us it will produce fruit.
Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing (present tense) by the word of God
We plant a seed of life by speaking the Word of God. You will build your faith to receive from God by getting into the Word and speaking the Word of God and allowing it to become part of you.
Hebrews 4:14 – let us hold fast our profession (confession)
Our everyday talk, our everyday confession, should always align with the Word of God. The things you say are the things you will eventually believe. The things you believe are the things you will eventually receive.
5 - UNFORGIVENESS IS A THIEF IN PRAYER
Mark 11:25-26 And when you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven may also forgive you your sins. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your sins.
It is interesting that when Jesus teaches on prayer He teaches on forgiveness. It is very difficult to operate in faith while maintaining unforgiveness towards someone.
Unforgiveness will rob you of life and rob you of faith and will hinder your prayers. It would be better to deal with that unforgiveness before ever trying to go to God with any prayer.