Three simple ways to really get answers to prayer

Do you ever wonder if you are doing prayer “right”?

I’m sure there are many ways people pray.  The Bible spells it out clearly for us in the book of James:

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4: 7-8).

Simple.

I want to unpack these three principles of prayer for you.  They have worked for me, and I trust they will for you also.

1.“Submit yourself to God.”

This is “worship.”

I like to start by praising and worshipping God, not asking Him for something I need.  He responds so much more when He knows I appreciate Him, love Him, and walk with Him.

As you awaken in the morning, raise your hands and tell him, “I love you, Jesus.  I praise you.  I call on you today and want to praise you from morning to evening.”

Let that launch you into a time of singing to Him, surrendering your tongue and heart to Him in praise.  

Don’t move to the second part until you feel free and happy in your praise and worship.

2. “Resist the devil.”

Here is a part of prayer that a high percentage of Christians don’t know very much about.

It has been said that there are two things God will not do for you:  “receive” for you and “resist” for you.

He has given you all that you need, but Satan is sitting on top of it.

What if a rattlesnake was in your home?  Would you passively go on to sleep that night?  Or would you relentlessly and ruthlessly search for it until you killed it or ran it out of your house?

That’s how you need to treat the devil.  He is defeated, and you must let him know that he has NO AUTHORITY in your home, family, body, finances, etc.

The verse says, “He will flee from you.”  To “flee” means to “run in terror.”  I love that image. You rebuke him out loud with your mouth, and he runs in terror!

Do that every day.  Command him to leave any area where he has brought trouble and confusion.  

First, you worship, then you WAR.

3. “Draw near to God”

Finally, close your prayer time with “thanksgiving.”  Your prayer is not over until you have given thanks.

You come close to God and thank Him that He has heard you and your answer is on it’s way.

“He will draw near to you.”  God loves to hear your praises and see you taking authority in battle over your enemy.

Thank Him right now. Bless Him for VICTORY even though you don’t see one change or improvement.

Do that every day for weeks, even months.  Don’t waver or examine everything every day.  You WILL see your prayers answered, and God will get great glory!