What do you expect to happen from your prayers? Would you say you are looking for a deeper walk with the Lord, answered prayer, guidance for the day, event or decision, and/or comfort, support, and encouragement? All of us at one time or another have offered up to God the scenario to troubles or situations in our life. We have literally asked God to “make it so” according to our thoughts on how something should be solved.

I remember my husband saying if you want your prayers to be answered, you have to pray for what He is offering you. In other words, get on the same page with God.

Why should I pray?

I Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”

Matthew 6 records Jesus teaching on prayer

Luke 11 records Jesus himself praying

Psalms is full of the prayers of King David,

who was recorded as a man after God’s own heart.

It is a way for us to verbally understand what we are asking of God

and a way to understand His reply back.

You might want to consider these basics in your own prayer life:

First, you must be His Child.
“But as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12, 13

Second, be willing to die to self (that is your pride), your desires (which may be self-serving), and wrong motives.
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, ‘If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Matt. 16: 24

Third, trust the one in whose hands you have placed your life.
“But without faith, it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him”. Hebrews 11:6

“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” 2 Timothy 1: 12

Four, take action to go forward in all of the light and understanding that He has given you.
Jesus said: “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock. And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and burst against that house, and it fell, and great was its fall.” Matthew 7:24-27

Five, have the confidence to take action and go forward because God has already equipped you with:
*The Holy Spirit who will guide you into all truths.
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” John 14:16, 17

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26

*Jesus as the example of what is pleasing and acceptable to God and what is His will.
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12

*The Bible, which is God’s revelation of Himself to you. This passage in James 4:1-10, is a wonderful example in a nutshell of who God is and what He expects from us.
“From whence come wars and fighting’s among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, ‘The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy’? But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

So, now that we have gone through the basics:
How do we have a successful prayer life? Being a child of God, denying self, trusting in God’s ability to take care of us and taking action on all we know with the confidence in knowing He has already equipped us for the task.
How can we know God’s will for our lives? By staying in communication.
How can we ask and receive what we have asked for? Praying God’s will.