Praying effectively or getting answers to our prayers is something every believer must learn to do. Our confidence in prayer comes from knowing God’s will, which is His Word, and then trusting God to do for us what He has promised in His Word. 1 John 5:14-15 says, “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us: and if you know He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions (prayers) that we asked of Him.” So our confidence in prayer must come from the Word of God and what God said to us about prayer.
Even though most believers know prayer should be a part of their lives, there are still misconceptions that keep them from praying. I want to share a few of them in this blog. Many times unanswered prayer stands between the believer and a vibrant prayer life. Then Satan comes and lies to them about prayer and says things like this to our minds:
- God won’t hear and answer your prayers. He didn’t before and He won’t now.
- Prayer is just a waste of time. You’re busy and really don’t have time for that.
- You can pray tomorrow, (tries to get you to put it off or delay it, but most of all not do it).
- Don’t bother God with all your problems and requests; He has more important things to do.
- Prayer is something people do that are more spiritual than you.
- Prayer is not really that big of a deal. God is God and He will do what He wants to do anyway.
- What’s the use; you don’t know how to pray.
You don’t have to feel alone in this! Probably every believer has experienced some, if not all, of these same lies from Satan designed to keep us from having an effective prayer life. You don’t have to let the unanswered prayers of your past, or not knowing how to pray, keep you from having the prayer life you desire. You can learn to pray and have an effective prayer life and you can start learning today!
– Pastor Chris Morgan