by Dennis Newton

“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

One of the most important and cherished rewards a sanctified soul can receive is the ability to speak directly to God. Yes, to the creator of the universe, He who laid out the stars in their place and controls every aspect of everything on earth and the heavens beyond.

Imagine, we cannot pick up our phone and direct dial the president of the United States to discuss a national issue with him. Neither can we hook up on the internet and speak to our astronauts aboard the International Space Station to see how their mission is progressing. In fact, we may even try to call our spouse to see what the plan is for dinner and find we have been re-directed to their messaging system.

But not so with the Lord Almighty Himself. You will never get a busy signal or be re-directed to a messaging service with God. And He is always home.

“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

We know God hears our prayers (Psalm 66:19, 1 Peter 3:12), and God addresses our prayers (Psalm 34:17). Oft-times God even responds before we pray or in the midst of our prayers (Isaiah 65:24). What an awesome God we serve!

Yet, in all His grace to hear our petitions, we must realize it is not the creation that sets the rules for our relationship with the Lord God Almighty. Rather it is the creator who sets the formats we are obligated to follow. Obligations not formed by the regulations of a harsh dictator, but of a loving God who knows what is best for those whom He loves and those who love Him enough to trust and obey Him.

God gave us a “blueprint” for exactly how we should approach His throne with our prayerful petitions. We are instructed to call upon the Lord and make our requests made known to our Heavenly Father.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10

We have an open invitation from the Creator to come boldly before Him with our requests, hurts, issues and tell Him all about them. It is true God knows what we want before we ask (Matthew 6:8), yet He desires us to have communication with Him (John 16:24).

Many are the times I failed to approach the Lord with prayers that would be considered effective or fervent, by failing to recognize the most important element of an “effective, fervent prayer,” God’s will.

Jesus leads us to the starting point of our approach to God when bringing our petitions to the throne. The acknowledgment that God’s kingdom is established, and He holds dominion, over both heaven and earth (Psalm 103:19). By showing us how to pray in this manner, Jesus shows us the way to surrender our will and our ways to Him, acknowledging our heart’s desire that He rule in our lives as He rules in heaven with complete authority.

Jesus exemplified this during His passion in the garden on the night of His betrayal when He prayed to the Father that not His will be done, but the Father’s (Luke 22:14).

Many have been confused and often left questioning a passage from God’s word when it comes to having their prayerful requests come to fruition.

“If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” John 14:14

Why do we feel our prayers are not answered? Why did a loved one die when we prayed so hard for a miracle? Why did life’s events not turn out the way we had prayed so hard for? These are all legitimate questions, from a human understanding, that is.

Our initial reaction to the above verse is to see and hone in on the latter portion of that statement, “I will do it.” Our human tendency is to seek out and focus on the portions of events or phrases that will lead us to a mental “happy place”. In the case of praying with an urgent need, that would be rationalizing that the Almighty can and will do what we have asked, as He has “promised”.

As a Christian however, we are to never go with our human tendencies without comparing them to God’s word to test them to determine if our tendencies, ideas, or plans of action are in line with what God would have us do or plan. We should at all times be seeking God’s will in any and all situations.

In John 14:14, the verse begins with, and precedes “I will do it”, by stating, “If you ask anything in My name,…”. Asking anything in the name of God, our Lord, is to be done with humility and forth- righteousness. Done with the realization that God is the author of our faith and the provider for all we should ever need in Him and for His glory. In His name is where answers to all our prayers are to be found. Not as we would like or desire, but as God establishes.

If we fail to acknowledge our understanding and commitment of His will to be holy and sovereign we pray amiss (Proverbs 19:21). Do we have self satisfying motives as the basis of our prayers (James 4:3)? Do we truly believe God for all things wholesome, true and for our ultimate good (Matthew 21:22)? Are we regularly praying as ones with compassion for others and those in need as God would have us do (Proverbs 21:13)?

I have to admit, praying has not been a “strong point” for me. I often spend too little time praising God for His mercies and for the all He has done for me. Yes, I do pray, often for long times on end. But length of prayer doesn’t always lead to an effective prayer and it certainly does not lend itself to the fervency of praying in His name and for His will to be done.

Being in my body of flesh, I must daily remind myself that my mind, body and soul must work in unison with what I, as a believer, know is the best for me if I desire to have my prayers heard by God. And that is to let Him know my desire, above all, is that His will be done, not mine. And yes, when in dark moments of my life, I have not been given totally to praying for God’s will. Yes there are times my flesh wants a resolution to provide immediate comfort, often being wrongful of thought that His will may delay that comfort and resolution for His greater purpose (Galatians 5:17).

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

To receive the best from God in my life, I must submit to His will and His sovereign direction. To pray effectively, we must live our lives effectively. Effectually thanking the Lord every day for our daily provisions (Matthew 6:11). Seeking His forgiveness for our failures (Hebrews 8:12). Forgiving those who may have failed us (Ephesians 4:32). To seek His guidance as my flesh is tempted for those things that conflict with God’s mandates for righteousness (James 1:14). And to always give God the glory for all things (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

This brings us to the great opportunity to be uplifted in soul and spirit. To be elevated far above our fleshly existence while upon this earth. To holding dear the joy we are blessed with that gives us the awesome fervency in our prayers. The unspeakable joy of hope in God, our Redeemer.

In His writing in Romans, the Apostle Paul remarks about our hope, “But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” Romans 8:25

And he speaks of the perseverance we exhibit while in this earthly abode. Awaiting to see the face of our Lord and Savior,

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:1-4

May we not forget or put aside one of the greatest blessings we can have as believers from God the Father because of the sacrifice and resurrection of God the Son. The gift of the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit.

“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26

I have had many times of trials or uncertainty when I had trouble finding the right words to take to the Lord in prayer. Times when my emotions would hinder my ability to form the sentences to bring before God for His help in my times of trouble.

Dennis Newton dln1987@yahoo.com