One night when I was twelve years old, I was watching a baseball game on television between the Minnesota Twins and the Chicago White Sox. I was rooting for the Twins who weren't playing well. Before the game was over I turned the TV off, climbed into bed, and asked God to help the Twins win. The next morning I found out they had lost.
Some people question whether God listens to them when their prayers don't produce results. This reminds me of a story told by evangelist Jesse Duplantis. He was talking with a pastor who didn't think God was hearing his prayers. Jesse encouraged this pastor to cuss. The pastor refused to do so. Then Jesse asked, "What's the matter? You think God will hear you?"
When I first attended a Full Gospel church, I was skeptical of ministers claiming that God talked to them. Since I was raised in a traditional religious church, the idea of God talking to me was very strange. Despite the Bible having many examples of people talking with the Lord, I had a hard time believing that He would actually communicate with me. But the truth is that God talks to us all the time. We simply need to be quiet and listen.
Many Scriptures show that the Lord listens to our prayers. Psalm 34:8 says, "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles." God not only wants to meet our needs but also give us our heart's desire. "He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them." (Psalm 145:19). It's interesting that the name Samuel means "heard of God." The prophet-to-be was so named by his mother Hannah after she asked for a son and the Lord responded (1 Samuel 1:20).
The Lord doesn't want us to be afraid in approaching him. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." God is never too busy to talk to us. Wouldn't it be awful if God decided to install voice mail up in Heaven? Imagine praying and hearing something like this, "Thank you for calling My Father's House. All of our angels are busy helping others right now. Your prayer will be answered in the order it was received." It would be terrible if your request got rejected because "...our computers show that you have already prayed today. Please hang up and try again tomorrow." Thank God the "Hotline to Heaven" is available to us 24/7.
Never underestimate the power of prayer. In October 2002, a sniper terrorized the Washington DC area by randomly shooting 13 people. One night a trucker from Kentucky named Ron Lantz heard the description of the suspects' car on a national truckers radio program. Then when Ron pulled into a Maryland rest stop, he spotted the Chevrolet Caprice in which the two suspects were sleeping. Ron called police and then positioned his truck to prevent the Caprice from getting away. Ron and other Christian truckers had gotten together the previous week to pray that the sniper would be caught. The prayer meeting took place just 20 miles from where the arrest occurred. As Isaiah 65:24 says, "Before they call, I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." It is clear that the Lord answers prayer.
KEYS TO EFFECTIVE PRAYER
All the aspects of prayer cannot be covered in this one article. Nevertheless I want to suggest a few things that can help you develop a stronger prayer life...
Prepare a place to pray - Set aside a special room in your home to meet with your Heavenly Father. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:6, "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." Some people think this verse means we are never to pray publicly. But Jesus did so before He multiplied the loaves and fishes. God wants us to have time alone with Him and not be praying just to impress other people.
Schedule a time to pray - 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, "Pray without ceasing", meaning we should be in constant communication with God. Still it is good to set a definite time during the day (preferably in the morning) when you can pray without distractions. If you try to pray when you "have the time", the devil will see to it that you never do.
Find a prayer partner - Have your spouse or a close friend pray in agreement with you on certain things. Jesus said in Matthew 18:19, "...if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven."
Join a prayer group - Deuteronomy 32:30 says, "How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and Jehovah had delivered them up?" (ASV) There is strength in numbers.
Quote Scripture in your prayers - Isaiah 43:26 says, "Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; state your case, that you may be acquitted." God wants us to remind Him of what His word says. That will also build your faith in what the Bible promises us.
Use the name of Jesus - The Lord said in John 15:16, "...whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you"
Maintain a prayer list - This will remind you of important things to pray for daily such as those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2), the nation of Israel (Psalm 122:6), prayer requests from people you know, and your own personal needs.
Keep pen and paper nearby - One morning while at a prayer meeting, a flood of ideas came to me for this article. But I had a hard time focusing on the Lord until I wrote those ideas down. The devil will also try to distract you by reminding you of things to do for that day. In response write down those things, thank the devil for the reminders, and then resume praying. This is what Mike Murdock calls "using Satan as a memo pad."
PRAYER HINDERENCES
If God hears all our prayers, then why aren't some of them answered? One reason may be wrong motives. James 4:3 says, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures." The Lord doesn't want to bless us with things that will draw us away from Him. Many people's prayers tend to focus on themselves. Job's captivity turned around after he prayed for his friends (Job 42:10).
Demonic opposition can also affect our prayers. Daniel fasted and prayed for 21 days before an angel appeared saying the prophet's prayers were heard the very first day. But because of spiritual warfare, the answer didn't manifest right away (Daniel 10:12-13). Jesus encourages us to keep asking if there's spiritual resistance (Luke 11:9). James 5:16 says, "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."
Divine timing may also be a factor. It has often been said that, "God's delays aren't God's denials." 1 John 5:14-15 says, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."
Unforgiveness will block communication between God and man. Mark 11:25-26 says, "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in Heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in Heaven forgive your trespasses."
Other people wills can negate our prayers. A friend of mine once prayed for her favorite football team to win every game that season but they still lost seven times. When two sports teams are playing, people are praying on both sides of the ball. Still only one team can win. I have heard stories of people praying for a specific person to be their spouse. But that prayer will not be answered if that other person is unwilling.
The biggest hindrance to prayer is sin. God is not obligated to answer us if we are in willful disobedience. John 9:31 says, "Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears them." Acts 10 talks about a devout Jew named Cornelius who wasn't born again but went after God with his whole heart. Because of that, the Lord sent Peter to preach salvation to Cornelius. So if God hasn't been answering your prayers, it may be because you do not know Him.
Some people have told me they are going to heaven because they pray every day. Sinners all over the world can quote the Lord's Prayer but that won't save them. Jesus warned us against making "vain repetitions as the heathen do" (Matthew 6:7). When I was a kid I was taught to say certain prayers over and over. Before meals it was, "Come Lord Jesus be our guest/Let these gifts to us be blessed. Amen." Before I went to bed it was, "Now I lay me down to sleep/I pray the Lord my soul to keep/If I should die before I wake/I pray the Lord my soul to take." Every Sunday at church I heard the congregation recite something called "The Apostles' Creed" without understanding what that meant. Prayers like these cannot help you unless you are born again. So if you haven't asked Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior, then please pray this prayer out loud...
"God in Heaven, I know I'm a sinner and I need Your help. I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins and rose again from the dead. Jesus, come into my heart, make Yourself real to me, fill me with the Holy Spirit, be my Lord and Savior. Amen."