“The Spirit intercedes for us in accordance with God’s will.” Romans 8:27 NIV
“Effective prayer results from asking of God that which is His will to provide.”
My thoughts today are about “effective prayer.”
Prayer is neither mystery nor magic, though it is sometimes treated as both. The Bible clearly teaches the importance of prayer and assures the power of prayer, yet prayer seems not to be the most consistent practice for many. Some are content to keep it nearby, just “in case of emergency.” I am not sure how useful prayer is in an emergency, if you neglect the practice of prayer at other times.
Prayer is a divine conversation, the most important conversation of your day – the communication of one’s own heart to God and the corresponding sense of God’s heart to you, which involves time for both speaking and listening. And listening may be the more useful and beneficent part.
When I was a young child, my father suggested that I consider the fact that God may have given me one mouth but two ears so that I would listen twice as much as I speak, and learn much more in the process. I think that is good advice in life, and in the matter of prayer!
Let’s be practical about this valuable spiritual discipline. Prayer is not primarily for getting your needs met; it is not an occasional list of things you need from God. Prayer is about your needs (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV), but that is not its first or more important value. Prayer is an opportunity for an intimate discourse with your Heavenly Father that deepens your communication and grows your relationship with Him. Friendships do not grow without some sincere measure of communication. Why would that be any different between you and God? In the exchange of thought and heart you know and become known. That’s connection.
Think about this: if God does not speak to you anymore than you speak with Him, you will never know Him as well as you could, and you are – for all intents and purposes – living your life without Heaven’s help. That seems to me a frightening possibility and a needless risk.
“This is the confidence that we have in approaching God: that if we 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 what we asked of Him.” 1 John 5:14-15 NIV. Effective prayer is no mystery, nor is it magic. It releases God’s will.
Notice the one thing that makes your prayer most effective – asking according to the will of God! How can you know what the will of God is in every situation? You and I cannot fully comprehend the scope and magnitude of God’s will, but you can develop a better understanding of His will by a growing knowledge of God’s Word, in the regular exercise of knowing God’s heart in prayer, and inviting the Holy Spirit to guide your prayer. See Romans 8:26-28 NLT.
The preceding verse identifies those who approach God with such confidence in prayer, “I write . . to you who . . know that you have eternal life.” (vs 13). A confident relationship emboldens your confidence and clarifies your requests. Read Psalm 15:1-5 NIV/Psalm 24:3-4 NIV/James 5:16 NLT.
My prayer for you today is: make prayer a regular practice, in things large and small.