Introduction

Prayer is primarily our communication with the Lord. Communication has purpose, and the purpose usually determines the mode and relevant details for the communication to be effective.

The disciples of Jesus were Jews and they knew how to pray religiously. After walking with Jesus for a while, they realized that Jesus didn’t pray as they did. He actually had results continually in a way that startled them. They finally said to the Master, Teach us to pray.

Many have had their understanding of prayer distorted by religion and wrong teaching. As a result, they have difficulties changing their misconceptions on even fundamental truths about prayer.

Why We Pray

Praying is such an important part of our lives as Christians. First of all, we must recognize prayer as a privilege as well as an honour. Every moment of prayer is an investment in eternity and true prayer is a romance of righteousness. Our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. Through prayer we participate in the communion of the God-kind; it’s a throne-room caucus rendezvous: Jesus made it so! Oh, that the eyes of our understanding may be enlightened to see this awesome truth and that we may walk in the light of it! What a time of rich communion with the Lord prayer provides us!

Scripture enjoins us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Prayer helps to season our spirits as a dependable receptacle for God’s Spirit and power. Then we can connect to His ideas, visions and leadings more easily in order to change the world.

When we pray, we make tremendous power available, dynamic in its working, causing changes in our favour. Certain prayer sessions are specially designed by the Lord to help straighten out things in the spirit-realm regarding our immediate or later future as individuals, families or ministries. How wonderful that we can change circumstances and alter destinies in His Name through prayer! We serve a kind, loving, great and gracious God who daily loads us with benefits (Psalms 68:19). During times of prayer, we can meditate on His goodness and appropriate these benefits to our life’s circumstances.

It is God’s earnest desire to have a rich, vibrant and enduring fellowship with His children; but how can they enjoy such communion with Him if they don’t know how to pray effectively? This is one of the many reasons He impressed it upon me to write HOW TO PRAY EFFECTIVELY and share with you some vital truths and principles of effective prayer. This first volume will help establish for you a clear understanding of the rules of different prayers for different situations and how to apply them for your desired outcome.

You can expect your prayer life to be revolutionized as you open your heart to receive and practice the divine insights that will be unveiled to you.

Chapter One: The Prayer of Faith

As believers in Christ, our life is a life of faith. Faith is one of the outstanding virtues that distinguish us from the unbeliever. For it’s by faith that we accepted God’s gracious salvation through Christ, thereby receiving eternal life (the God-kind of life) into our spirits. Our walk with God is a walk of faith. In Romans 1:16-17, Apostle Paul stated, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth...For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. This scripture thus confirms faith as a great underlying factor at the core of our existence as believers. But without faith it is impossible to please him… (Hebrews 11:6).

In our prayer life, the principle of faith holds sway in a significant context. The prayer of faith is one among the different kinds of prayer, and it has its peculiar rules and requirements. This prayer involves making a request to God and speaking to circumstances in order to make them conform to our desires, without doubts in our hearts.

In Mark 11:22, Jesus counselled His disciples to …HAVE FAITH IN GOD. But it’s interesting to know that the literal translation of His statement actually reads, HAVE THE FAITH OF GOD. In other words, have the God-kind of faith.

When you understand this kind of faith the Lord Jesus was talking about and learn how to operate in it, you’ll become well-equipped and ready to get results through your prayer of faith. I’ve taught extensively on the subject of different kinds of faith in another book: How to Make Your Faith Work. But let’s see what Jesus says here about having the faith of God.

In the subsequent verses following His profound statement, Jesus went on to tell us something so vital about the God-kind of faith.

"And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall ‘believe’ that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore Isay unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, ‘believe’ that ye receive them, and ye shall have them" (Mark 11:22-24).

The Master repeatedly uses the word believe, emphasizing to us that believing is a fundamental requirement for having our desires met when we pray. Thus, one crucial question to ask at this point would be: What does it mean to believe?

You’ve got to understand that the Christian concept of believing is different from the unbeliever’s idea of believing. Anybody can believe a thing; the Bible says, Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:19-20). You