1. How to Be Successful in Prayer
“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16).
Adapted from a lesson preached by Steve Locklair
Preached at West Side on October 9, 2011 AM
Print Slides: 1,18,21

2. How to Be Successful in Prayer
Have a enitent instead of a Stubborn heart

3. Proverbs 28:13
He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

4. 1 John 1:8-9
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

5. Psalm 51:1-4
Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight...

6. How to Be Successful in Prayer
Have a enitent instead of a Stubborn heart
Be ighteous instead of wicked

7. Proverbs 15:29; 28:9
(15:29), The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous.
(28:9), One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.

8. 1 Peter 3:10-12
For “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. 11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.”

9. How to Be Successful in Prayer
Have a enitent instead of a Stubborn heart
Be ighteous instead of wicked
Pray ccording to God’s Will/Not our own

10. Isaiah 55:8-9
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

11. 1 John 5:14-15
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

12. How to Be Successful in Prayer
Have a enitent instead of a Stubborn heart
Be ighteous instead of wicked
Pray ccording to God’s Will/Not our own
ield our will to God’s commands

13. Matthew 15:7-9
“Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

14. Hebrews 5:6-8
As He also says in another place: "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek"; 7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
Jesus is our Example in this...

15. How to Be Successful in Prayer
Have a enitent instead of a Stubborn heart
Be ighteous instead of wicked
Pray ccording to God’s Will/Not our own
ield our will to God’s commands
ndure instead of Quit

16. Luke 11:9-10
Jesus, after assuring His disciples that persistence in petitions are rewarded...
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

17. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
Consider: Parable of the Unjust Judge & the Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1-8)
“And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?” (vs. 7)

18. How to Be Successful in Prayer
Have a enitent instead of a Stubborn heart
Be ighteous instead of wicked
Pray ccording to God’s Will/Not our own
ield our will to God’s commands
ndure instead of Quit
ely on God instead of ourselves

19. Proverbs 3:5-8
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. 8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.

20. Hebrews 4:14-16
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

21. Conclusion
Success in prayer comes when a child of God humbles himself in will and spirit, and makes petitions to God; understanding first, his complete dependence upon God; and, second, God’s ability to answer that prayer in accord with His own will.