Prayer: Developing a Lifestyle of Communion with God

Biblical Principles to a More Effective Prayer Life 1 John 5:13-15

Introduction Many Christians have stopped giving time and effort into daily prayer because it doesn’t seem to be effective for them. However, prayer is God’s idea. He has always desired communion and communication with His children. If prayer is God’s idea, it’s a good one and it will work to accomplish its purpose! The disconnect is not the effectiveness of prayer, but our ability to pray as God desires.

Introduction These passages of Scripture shed light on what God expects from us in effective prayer. As in all the promises of God, the promise of effective prayer is conditional. When we are faithful to be obedient to the commands of God concerning prayer, He is always faithful to do His part in answering our prayers. Because prayer is relational and organic, there is no formula to 100% accuracy. However, God is kind and gracious to give us principles in His Word to guide us into greater effectiveness.

1. Prayer is Based on Relationship “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13 Jesus often taught us to pray to God as our Father, as He modeled for us in Matthew 6:9. Prayer is based on the principle of family relationship. A child communicating with a loving Father that knows best in all things. Therefore, effective prayer begins with a genuine relationship with God as our Father.

1. Prayer is Based on Relationship A personal relationship with God as our Father is completely impossible in our own efforts. God is perfectly holy and we are not. Our sin has eternally separated us from God and has brought us into judgment and destruction. However, Jesus has chosen to pay the penalty of our sin so that we can be united with God. Through His death and resurrection, we can be forgiven and cleansed. We can become God’s children through repentance and total surrender.

2. Pray According to God’s Will “This is the confidence we have in approaching 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 what we asked of Him.” 1 John 5:14-15 God wants us to have confidence when we come to Him with our prayers and concerns. That confidence is a result of agreeing with God and praying according to His will.

2. Pray According to God’s Will God’s will is available for every one of His children to know, understand, and follow. This is how you and I can have confidence in knowing and understanding God’s will: 1.Knowing the heart of God through experiencing everyday life together. 2.Knowing the promises of God by reading, memorizing, and meditating on God’s Word. 3.Knowing the Spirit of God through a genuine daily fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

3. Believe that We Have the Answer “And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him.” 1 John 5:15 “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24 “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6 What are some daily trials that you face that you can use to begin to practice this principle?

3. Believe that We Have the Answer Faith is absolutely essential to effective prayer. Faith is willfully choosing to believe the truth of God’s word over the apparent situation. I believe that most of us struggle with doubt and unbelief of some degree in some areas. However, our faith can be strengthened and purified by: admitting our doubt to God and asking for His help; by learning from our past failures; by ingesting God’s Word; and by desiring God’s spiritual gift of faith. What are some daily trials that you face that you can use to begin to practice this principle?

4. Refuse to be Offended at God When our prayers are not answered in the way that we think they should be or in our timing, we are tempted to be offended at God. The Bible teaches that offense and bitterness give the devil a foot hold in our lives. This has the potential to break our fellowship with God and make us ineffective in future prayers. How and when God answers prayer is “above our pay grade.” Our job is to faithfully pray the will of God, as we know it, for His glory. What are some daily trials that you face that you can use to begin to practice this principle?

4. Refuse to be Offended at God Spiritual warriors don’t whine about apparent “unanswered prayers.” That only distracts us from the mission. Spiritual warriors ask what they can learn from the experience and how they can honor God in the situation. Spiritual warriors are resolved to draw closer to God no matter the test, and are determined to become more and more effective in prayer as God gives them battlefield experience. What are some daily trials that you face that you can use to begin to practice this principle?