Influencing God: Prayer

Part 1:

Prayer is talking to God. Prayer is influencing God. Really? Can one person infuence God? The Bible gives us many examples where one person's talking to God changed their own life and even the world around them. God encourages you to have a real relationship with Him. You cannot have a relationship of any kind if you don't spend time communicating. Does God communicate with you? Yes. This does not mean you should be hearing voices. Even animals can communicate without words. People also use body language, behaviors, and actions to communicate. God does communicate with people through events, feelings, results, His written words, and actions. You don't need to hear God's voice in your ears to hear God's message in your heart; see results of your relationship with Him in your life; and know God does communicate with you and within you at all times.

How much you can change your life and the lives of those around you, will depend directly on how much time spend with God. You must get to know Him through prayer, praise, and the study of His thoughts and words as they are recorded in the Holy Bible.

1. What is prayer?

Prayer is talking with God. It is intimate time spent with God and enjoying His presence. We can pray with great faith when we know how real and how deep He loves us. Only then do we understand that God cares about all of our needs. The Hebrew words for “prayer,” contain the following meanings; “thought, to commune, talk, meditate, to be sorry” and “to seek.” Meanings for the word “prayer” in the Greek are; “earnest, intercession, vow “or “promise,” and “to ask.” As in any relationship it is very important to listen, (read John 10:27; James 1:19). “Listening” can mean obedience and it can mean being still enough to hear Godly thought as God’s Spirit speaks to your inner man. Through regular prayer we develop a personal relationship with God and can change our lives and the lives of those around us. Through faith filled prayer, we can change this reality.

Proper prayer is lifting up the needs and desires that are promised to us in God’s Word. We can then pray with the confidence that we will receive what we ask for because we know that our God hears our prayers (Proverbs 15:29). If we are offering up the things already promised to us in His word, then we know with faith that what we ask for is God’s will for us. We will receive our answer through Jesus Christ for our own good , but most of all, we will receive answers to prayer to bring glory to our God. When we give the glory to God for the good things in our lives, (rather than taking the glory ourselves for what we have and do), then people who know us will also look at our God for answers. Then too, we are fulfilling the purpose for which we were made; which is to glorify God. To glorify the self is pride and this is the beginning of all sin. We will discuss this further in future lessons. When more people look towards God, more souls are brought into the Kingdom of heaven. So, we can rest assured that God wants to answer our prayers and give good gifts to His children.

2. General Aspects of Prayer:

Look up these verses in your Bible:
A) The more you pray, the more you will want to pray because it brings you into a closer relationship with God, (Psalm 145:18).
B) The Holy Spirit can help you to pray, (Romans 8:26-27).
C) Prayers are like precious incense being offered up to God, (Revelation 5:8).
D) Prayers are commanded by God, (1Thessalonians 5:17; James 5:13;).

3. How Not to Pray:

A) Don’t babble insincere words just to be praying a long time to impress people around you or to pretend to be more religious, (Matthew 6:7). Jesus told us not to make our prayers long before men. (Matthew 6:5).
B) Pray in secret so your prayers are sincerely to God. Spend quality time alone with God, (Matthew 6:6).

4. CAUSES OF UNANSWERED PRAYER:

Praying with unbelief can stop you from receiving from God, (James 1:6-9). However, because of God’s mercy and deep love, there are times when our faith is weak but God still hears us. When we are doubting, we should pray as the man in Mark 9:24 and say; ”I believe, help me overcome my unbelief..” We will go into more details in our future lesson on faith. Speaking words of unbelief is the same as releasing the opposite power of faith, which is the power of fear into this reality. Fear filled words and thoughts about God not answering His promises are from the devil. The devil is the author of confusion. To join him in doubt and fear is to stand against God, by standing against the truth of God’s words. Do not call God a liar by acting against His promises as though they are not true. Become aware of how you talk. Do you speak and think faith filled, joyful words; or negative and destructive words about your life and those around you?

If you believe God will answer your prayers, He will. If you be­lieve He will not, then He will often honor your willful decision to fail and will not hear your prayers, (James 1:7). Jesus said, "According to your faith will it be done for you," (Matthew 9:29).

FAITH = ANSWERED PRAYER.
FEAR & DOUBT= UNANSWERED PRAYERS, DEFEAT, AND FAILURE.

Calm your fears by reminding yourself that; Nothing is impossible with God (Mark 9:23; Luke 1:37). Our God hears our prayers and He answers them, (Isaiah 65:24; Psalm 91:14-15).

Rebellion or disobedience in your heart can limit the power of your prayers, (Proverbs 28:9; Isaiah 1:15, 16; Psalm 66:18). The man who stands in rebellion and refuses to yield to God does not have the authority or right to stand before God and be heard. But, God will out of His mercy and love answer some prayers anyway to guide us closer to Him. For example, He hears our prayer for forgiveness even while we are sinners. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us, Romans 5:8. The first promise a sinner can legally claim is the promise of forgiveness and the cleansing from sin through Christ’s sacrifice, (Acts 3:19; 1 John 1:9). If a sinner honestly repents by turning away from sin and moving towards righteousness, (becoming born again): he immediately has the scriptural right to receive anything else that God has promised to men. A right relationship with God is one of the keys to asking and receiving from God, (John 15:7). In a proper relationship with God, it becomes our family right and our legal right to ask and receive anything that God the Father has promised to His children. There should not be any doubts about the outcome of our prayers if we know that these prayers are offered up with faith and according to the rights that are promised to us as God’s children.

Lack of love or mercy, (Proverbs 21:13). Since compassion brings the power of answered prayer, the lack of compassion can bring failure to prayer.
Wrong or selfish motives, (James 4:3, 4); Being mean to your wife, (1Peter 3:7); and stubbornness can interfere with answered prayer, (Zechariah 7:12, 13).
What you are asking may be contrary to God’s perfect plan or timing. The Father did not allow the cup to pass from Jesus even though Jesus asked for this. It was God the Father’s will that Jesus die and feel the Father’s rejection in our place, (Matthew 26:39). However, never use “God’s will” as an excuse for all unanswered prayer. Do not blame God for your lack of faith. Look in the mirror first and ask yourself if you are responsible for the prayer remaining unanswered.
Self-condemnation or guilt, (1 John 3:19-22). As you can see, it is surprising that any of our prayers are ever answered. However, through God’s love and forgiveness, our past failures can be erased so that our prayers will be heard. We must repent, turn away from sin and also forgive ourselves for our past sins. It is one thing to ask for forgiveness and yet another to receive and accept it.