Bible scriptures to follow: James 1:6-8, Joshua 1:8, Mark 11:23,24.
Truth: By faith we reach out and we take what is rightfully ours, and we position ourselves to walk in the reality of that truth.
“Prayer does not move God. Prayer moves you into a position to receive what He already has done!” – Pastor Eugene
Level 1: Decide What You Want from God
James 1:6-8
“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.”
This verse teaches us the decisiveness of asking! One time, as I was praying, the Lord spoke to me and said, “Specific prayer gets specific results.” Meaning, you must be certain of what you are asking – be specific and pray before you pray.
Your words are effective and should always be right in asking. When you ask, your mind must be made up. You cannot waver and cannot be in two minds otherwise you are unstable in all your ways and can’t expect to receive anything from the Lord! We must be sure in our faith when we ask.
If you asked people what they are praying about, most will say that they do not know. Others might say they are just praying for the sake of praying. However, we are praying to get answers to our prayers!
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” – 1 John 5:14
The confidence and assurance come from abiding in John 15!
We need to be specific about a certain need. When I go to the store to buy something, I am certain about I need. The same is true in prayer. It would be better to pray for a few minutes and know what I am praying about than to pray aimlessly for a few hours.
Decide what you want from God and be definite about it!
Level 2: Read Scriptures That Promise the Answer You Need
Joshua 1:8
“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.”
In order to be successful in our prayer life, God’s Word must be foremost. As we feed and saturate ourselves upon His Word, we build it into our inner consciousness.
Then, in any circumstance, we are prepared because we have the correct scripture against the devil when he wants to bring doubt and rob us from what we desire.
When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He could tell the devil ‘It is written’ because He had the authority to declare and speak the Word, because He lived by every Word not by bread alone.
So, when satan takes Him to a high mountain and tells Him that if He worships him, all these kingdoms will become His. Jesus answers, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.” Even when He is taken to the pinnacle of the temple and told to jump, His response was “It is said, ‘Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.’” [Luke 4:3-12].
Believers today have the same weapon Jesus used to defeat the devil: the Word of God!
When we can say ‘it is written,’ we know the Word has been implanted into our hearts, and we are prepared for any attack of the enemy.
In matters of guidance, we search the scriptures to find what God says about the situation. His Word plainly shows us His will. If the scripture promises us what we’re seeking for, we have the right to pray in line with that.
We should not want anything that the Word of God says we should not have. What God has expressly promised us in his Word, we have complete confidence that God will give us what we need! The Bible says it. I believe it. And that settles it!
Many people try to pray beyond their faith. It is the Word of God that gives faith. Faith comes by hearing [Rom. 10:17]. The reason people do not pray with confidence and faith is because they do not know the scriptures well enough to know if what they are praying for is Gods will. As we read, meditate, and study the Word, we can appropriate His promise for our every need!
Level 3: Ask God for the Things You Want
Matthew 7:7,8
“7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
In Matthew 6:8, Jesus tells us that our Father knows the things that we need, even before we ask Him. Although He knows our needs, He wants us to ask Him in line with His Word for our prayers to be effective.
Level 4: Believe That You Receive
Mark 11: 23,24
“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.”
The Amplified version says: “24…whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].”
We must understand that we have two kinds of truth: sense-knowledge truth and revelation knowledge truth.
Some people think truth is only what we can see with our physical eyes. But we cannot see the things of the Spirit with our eyes. The things of the Spirit are not flesh, or material. Everything we need is provided for us in the spiritual realm. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places [Eph. 1:3].
Our needs have been provided for in Christ Jesus. We may not always be able to see them, but they are there.
When sense-knowledge truth contradicts revelation truth (the Word of God), I start walking by revelation truth. I walk by what God says and what He thinks of me. That which is in the spiritual realm is made real in the natural realm through faith. Faith grasps it and creates the reality of it in my life. Therefore, when you pray, believe that you receive that which you are asking for and you shall have it.
This is beyond our natural thinking. The natural mind cannot grasp it, but we are to walk by faith and not by sight.
One day while driving in my car, the Lord spoke to me and said, “Confess your healing scriptures,” but I replied, “I am healed and well. I am not sick.” He said prepare for what is coming. So, I began to take my spiritual medicine.
A few days later I began to feel severe symptoms of sickness in my body; I felt tired and weak. However, I remembered that I took my medicine and began to confess my healing scriptures. And as I began to declare and speak my faith, every symptom instantly left my body. Immediately I knew that I am whole in Jesus’ Name!
If I went by my feelings, I would have accepted it, but because I took my medicine [Prov. 4:22-24] faith rose up in my heart and healing manifested!
Memory Scripture:
“7 Ask, and the gift is yours. Seek, and you’ll discover. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 For every persistent one will get what he asks for. Every persistent seeker will discover what he longs for. And everyone who knocks persistently will one day find an open door.” Matthew 7:7,8 [TPT]
THE LESSON IN ACTION – “…but be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only…” – James 1:22
Thank you Pastor Eugene I am meditating on this. I need to receive this by faith without doubting. I need to research scriptures on healing and declare them over myself and my family.
Thank you for your word it really encourages and takes me deeper in my relationship with the Father.