Four Things to Know About Prayer

Do you ever wonder if God hears you when you pray? Are you even praying right?

These are thoughts the enemy would love for you to think about your prayer life. If he can get you to stop praying, he can take you out of a place of power as a believer! Remember, the enemy can’t stop you; he can only convince you to quit! When you realize the power that you have as a believer through prayer, it is game over for the enemy! So, let’s take a minute and talk about four things you need to know about prayer!

1. Know that God hears you when you pray.
Do you ever wonder if God hears you when you pray? Well, He does! Your prayers matter to God. James 5:17 reminds us: “ Elijah was human just as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years.” I love that God reminds us that Elijah was human too! The stories we read about in the Bible aren’t made up; they happened through actual people—just like you and me. 1 Peter 3:12 says, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayers.” You may be thinking, “But am I righteous enough for God to hear me?” Righteousness is more than just doing good; it is understanding that you are in right standing with God. When my kids know that they have done something to obey me, they are quick to ask me for what they want, whether that is a gift or something new. However, if they think I am mad at them about something, they won’t approach me to make a request. The same is true with God. How you view God affects how you pray. If you believe God is mad at you, you won’t boldly approach His throne of grace. Remember, your right standing before God comes through the blood of Jesus! God hears you when you pray!
2. Know that prayer changes things.
Faith and expectation yield answered prayer! Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Your prayers are changing circumstances! I love the song that goes, “Even when I can’t see it He’s working!”— when you pray, you can be sure that things are changing. Even if you can’t see it change right away, keep praying. The enemy would love to make you think that your prayers don’t make a difference, but they do! In 1 Kings 18:43, Elijah was believing for rain to come in the middle of a drought. He was praying, but in the natural, nothing seemed to be changing. Elijah would pray and then tell his servant to go check for rain. Seven times his servant came back to him to tell him nothing was happening. But Elijah kept praying! In 1 Kings 18:41, the Bible says,

“the seventh time the servant reported, ’A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea’. So Elijah said, Go tell Ahab, hitch up your chariot before the rain stops you.”

Elijah stayed in a place of expectation. He was fully convinced and confident that his prayers brought change! All Elijah needed was to see a little cloud forming, and he knew rain was coming! There are little clouds all throughout your life—little indications that your prayers are changing things!

3. Know that God’s Word is His will
God’s will is found in His Word. If you aren’t sure what you can or can’t ask God for through prayer, check out what the Bible says! Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing, hearing the word of God.” When you read the Bible, you can be sure that what you are asking for is in line with what God says He will do. Jesus himself reminds us in Mathew 21:21-22 that “If you have faith and do not doubt...If you believe you will will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Believing in something comes from knowing what the Word of God says on the matter. Having knowledge of God’s Word eliminates doubt and builds faith!

4. Know that thanksgiving seals the deal.
Thanksgiving is an expression of faith! Philippians 4:6 says,

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

When you thank God in prayer, you are letting God know you believe your request is as good as answered. Think about when you go to a restaurant; you thank the waiter and leave him a tip after you have received your food. What would you be saying if as soon as you sat down, you said thank you for this incredible meal and tipped him? He would think that you had a lot of faith in him that his service would be good because you thanked him in advance. It is the same with prayer. To thank God in advance is expressing that you have already received your request; you’re just waiting for it to manifest in the natural!