Do you desire to connect with the Father but feel unsure of how to pray or what to say? Or have you ever wondered why your prayers have gone unanswered? Tune into this episode for very practical concepts that will help you in your prayer life as well as a list of things that will hinder your prayers from being answered.

Bible Verses:

James 1:5-8 “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”

1 John 5:14-15 “And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.”

Matthew 21:22 “You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

John 16:23 “At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name.”

Matthew 7:7-11“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”

Romans 4:17 “(as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.”

Matthew 6:7 ““When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.”

James 4:2 “You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.”

Topics Discussed:

How to Pray

• Be specific!
• Get to the point!
• Pray God’s Word.
  • The best thing you can pray is God’s Will and His Word IS His Will.
  • God’s will is for answered prayer.
• Ask the Father in Jesus’ name.
• Approach the Father in faith, expectation and confidence. Do not waver.
  • Be confident and pray in expectation that you will receive what you asked for!
• Pray in FAITH. Attached your faith, belief and expectation to your prayers!
• Approach God with confidence and expectation.
• Call things forth and declare it out!
• Approach God with a heart of gratitude and thankfulness.
  • Jesus thanked the Father for the 5 loaves and 2 fish before He did the miracle of feeding the 5,000.
  • Thank God for providing before the provision/miracle comes!
  • You are God’s son or daughter. You don’t have to do anything; you just have to receive!
• Jesus has already done everything. The work was finished on the cross. Pray believing that IT IS ALREADY DONE!
• Pray with authority.

How to Pray Ministry Prayers

• Jesus told the disciples that they could speak to the mountain, and it would be removed and cast into the sea.
• Jesus spoke to the wind and waves and commanded them to be still.
• Jesus spoke to a fig tree, and it withered up and died.
• We have been given the same power and authority to do those things.
• We are commanded to speak to sickness and disease, rebuke it and cast it out!
• We are commanded to bless and speak life and healing over bodies all in Jesus name.
• Speak life over all circumstances (health, finances, etc.) and call things forth.
• Are you praying with the resurrection power of Jesus inside of you?

How Not to Pray/What Not to Say

• Don’t be generic with your prayers. Don’t say things like “Whatever you want, Lord.”
• Never pray “if it be thy will….”. That is a prayer of doubt and unbelief.
• Do not approach God in doubt and unbelief.
• Do not babble on about nothing. Don’t use a lot of words just to use a lot of words.
• Do not pray “woe is me, feel sorry for me…” types of prayers.
• Do not use useless words that have no power.
• Do not complain.
  • There is a difference between complaining and lamenting.
  • Lamenting is going before the Father and telling him about your grief and heartache. There is a time to lament, and everyone should lament to the Father!
  • God hates complaining. Complaining is verbalizing your doubt and unbelief and it creates a wall between you and God.
• Do not ever beg God for things. We don’t need to beg Him to do it because God has already done everything!

If It’s Already Done, Then Why Should We Pray?

• The Bible says you have not because you ask not. You must pray to receive.
• Prayer sets our expectations to receive.
• We are acknowledging our dependency and need on God our Father.
• Prayer builds our relationship with the Father.

Things That Hinder Your Prayers

• Unbelief and doubt.
• Habitual sin will block you from receiving from God.
• Unforgiveness
• Speaking death will cancel out your prayers.

Powerful Quotes:

“There is a wrong way to pray.” – Caroline Harries

“The best thing you can pray is God’s Word.” – Caroline

“God’s Word is His will.” – Caroline

“It is actually an insult to God when we question His Will when it has already been revealed by His Word.” – Caroline

“You have to attach your faith, expectation and confidence to your prayers.” – Caroline

“We are not begging God to do anything for us. We are actually receiving what has already been done.” – Caroline

“There is not one scripture in the Bible on what to do when God doesn’t answer your prayer.” – Caroline

“You must as a believer understand the spirit filled authority that has been imparted to you.” – Caroline

“You should be the most thankful person ever when you approach the Father.” – Caroline

“Worship is a great way to enter into prayer, conversation and communing with the Lord.” – Caroline

“Prayer is an opportunity to connect with the Father.” – Caroline

“If you want to see the blessings of God manifest in your life, you must ask it, declare it, expect it and get ready to receive it.” – Caroline

“God’s heart is to answer every single prayer.” – Caroline

Resources:

www.dadsinthemaking.com

www.momsinthemaking.com

acupfullofhopepodcast@gmail.com

Episode 190 – Efficient Prayer Part 1

Episode 187 – Do Believers Have Authority?

Get Off Your Mat by Christine Caine

Episode 106 – New Beginnings

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