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Seven Conditions to Answered Prayer
(taken from Steps to Christ, the chapter "The Privilege of Prayer")
1. We must feel our need of help from Him.
Isaiah 44.3 …
Matt. 5.6…those who long after God may be sure they will be filled.
The heart must be open to the Spirit's influence, or God's blessing cannot be received.
Sometimes our greatest argument and most eloquent plea is our great need.
Matt 7.7…
Rom 8.32…
James 5.11…The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy: His heart of love is touched by our sorrows and even by our utterances of them. Take to Him everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for Him to bear, He holds up worlds, and rules over all the affairs of the universe. Nothing is too small for Him to notice.
Psalm 147.3…He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds. His relationship with each one of us is as distinct and full as though there were not another person upon the earth to share His watch care.
2. Faith
Heb 11.6…
Mark 11.24…Do we take Him at His word?
When we do not receive the very things we asked for, at the time we ask, we are still to believe that the Lord hears and that He will answer our prayers. We shall receive the blessing we need most.
But to claim that prayer will always be answered in the very way and for the particular thing that we desire, is presumption. God is too wise to err, and too good to withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly.
You need not fear to trust Him, even though you do not see the immediate answer to your prayers. Trust His promise: "Ask, and it shall be given you."
If you focus on your doubts and fears, they will only increase and deepen. Perplexities will grow.
But if you come to God, feeling helpless and dependent, as you and I really are, and in humble, trusting faith make known our wants to Him, He will let light shine into our hearts.
Through sincere prayer we are brought into connection with the mind of the Infinite.
We may have no remarkable evidence at the time of our petition, we may not feel His visible touch, but His hand is upon us in love and pitying tenderness.
3. Clinging to any known sin (so obvious I’m embarrassed to mention it, but it is a condition)
Matt 5.23,24…
Matt 6.14,15…
The prayer of the penitent, contrite soul is always accepted.
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4. We need a spirit of love and forgiveness
Matt 6.12…If we expect our own prayers to be heard, we must be willing to forgive others.
It reveals a heart condition that God cannot bless.
The greatest answer to this prayer may be a self revelation of our true heart condition
5. Perseverance is another condition of receiving.
We must pray always if we would grow in faith and experience.
Rom 12.12…
Col 4.2…
1 Pet 4.7…
Phil 4.6…
Jude 20,21…
Unceasing prayer is the unbroken union of the soul with God, so that life from God flows into our life; and from our life, purity and holiness flow back to God.
Make every effort to keep open the communion between Jesus and your own soul.
Seek every opportunity: the prayer meeting, the family circle, but most of all we must NOT neglect secret prayer, for this is the life of the soul.
By calm, simple faith the soul holds communion with God and gathers to itself rays of divine light to strengthen and sustain in the conflict with Satan. God is our tower of strength.
Pray throughout the day, in your closet, during your daily labor, every moment. This is the way Enoch walked with God. These silent prayers rise like precious incense before the throne of grace. Satan cannot overcome him whose heart is thus stayed upon God.
We may close every door to impure imaginings and unholy thoughts by lifting the soul into the presence of God through sincere prayer.
It is our privilege to keep so near to God that in every unexpected trial our thoughts will turn to Him as naturally as the flower turns to the sun.
6. Pray in the name of Jesus
John 16.26,27; 15.16…this is more than a mere mention of His name at the beginning and ending of a prayer. It is to pray in the mind and spirit of Jesus, while we believe His promises, rely upon His grace, and work His works.
Christ’s life was between the mountain and the multitude.
Heb 7.25…
We may be daily learning more of our heavenly Father, gaining a fresh experience of His grace; then we shall desire to speak of His love; and as we do this, our own hearts will be warmed and encouraged. If we thought and talked more of Jesus, and less of self, we should have far more of His presence.
If we would but think of God as often as we have evidence of His care for us we should keep Him ever in our thoughts and should delight to talk of Him and to praise Him.
7. We need to praise God more
Psalm 107.8…
Don’t just talk of your wants, but think about God’s mercies, give thanks, express gratitude, praise Him for what He has done.
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