Merciful and Caring God, I know that You continually watch over me and remain attentive to my needs. You encourage me to pray saying … ask and it shall be given to you … seek and You shall find … knock and it shall be opened. My prayers are effective when I am in right standing with You and fervent when I longingly expect and believe that You will hear me and want to act on my behalf. Believing is the key to receiving, for if my prayers lack faith, they are filled with doubt and unbelief which block my answers. Staying close to You and cherishing Your Word emboldens me to ask … knowing that before I see my answer … it is done. You invite me to not only pray for my physical needs, but deliverance from temptation. Your Son did not omit it from His prayer … so neither should I exclude it from mine. While You encourage me to pray without ceasing … I must not forget that it is best done in the quiet of my prayer closet where I gain the strength to deal with a problems and receive guidance for my life.
Help my unbelief, O Lord, for if I pray believing, I will receive and if I pray doubting there is little chance I will get what I asked for. If I ask, trusting that You want to answer me, I am sure Your answer will align with my request. I know that I should hold nothing back from You because it prevents You from healing or correcting what is wrong in my life. My requests need to be made with thanksgiving because whatever Your answer turns out to be … it will have my good in mind. I must never let vain babblings become a replacement for heart felt dialogue with You about any and everything. I must never approach You presumptuously (thinking You must give me what I ask for) but, instead, approach You with humility (knowing You are my Master and You know what is best for me). When my prayers lack potency, I should add fasting to them so I can better align myself with Your will. I know that praying must become as natural as breathing if I am to become proficient and effective.
I am thankful that You are very approachable. You invite me to call out to You and You will respond. I must never forget to include the Holy Spirit in my prayer life. He sees the motives and intents of my heart and guides me in humbly requesting good things in Your name. I must also not forget that power is added to my prayers when other believers join me in making my needs known to You. When I pray in faith, I know that even the things that seem impossible are made possible through You. When I pray, I trust that You listen and want to act on the matter I am bringing before You. As I worship You and give heed to Your commands, my prayers will reach Your throne and You will respond with whatever is in my best interest. The things that hinder my prayers include: Not asking; asking for the wrong things; not forgiving another’s offense; sins that have not been confessed. Help me walk uprightly and pray continually so I can become an effectual, fervent prayer warrior. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
James 5:16 The fervent prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.