When We Pray!

"The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD will answer my prayer" (Psalm 6:9 NLT).

One of the reasons that many do not see their prayers "answered" is because they do not believe that The Lord hears them the first time, so they repeat "often" the same prayer--using the same words--as though God has a memory problem.

Jesus said, "whatever we ask of the Father in His name, would be given." He also said we must have faith, without doubting--if we have faith and don't doubt--we have no need to "ask" again, not for the same thing, using the same words. Once we ask, we simply thank Him for hearing and answering prayer.

One of the biggest problems with "prayers" is the belief that there is only one prayer--The Lord's Prayer--which is inappropriately named. This model prayer should be called, "The Model Prayer" since within it are the elements that Jesus needed to teach the disciples as they requested--before He returned to the Father. The Lord's Prayer--the prayer that He prayed in the garden before being arrested is found in John 17--this is "His prayer" and if we want to teach people His prayer, this is passage of scripture that should be taught. 
                   To Whom do we pray? We pray to The Father--in Jesus' name.
                    If we need to repent--repent.
                    Deliverance is available through the work on the cross--no need to keep asking, unless    one has not been delivered.
                   Our daily bread--provisions for the natural body as well as the spiritual body in His Word.

The point I'm making is that The Model Prayer was provided when He was still here--before His crucifixion and His resurrection. Everything in the Model Prayer has already been accomplished, so why would we ask for it again? Is it because we do not know the power and purpose of prayer?

Prayer should not be a litany of words repeated to sound spiritual, but prayer should be a heartfelt conversation with God--one in which we talk and He talks. He listens and we listen--this is prayer--communication with Him.

If we look closely at what John tells us, Jesus tells exactly when we could ask for whatever we wanted (aligned with The Word of course) and it would be given (John 14:12-14).

Think about prayer--as communication--this way. If we are in relationship with someone else and we are communicating with them--do we say the same thing over and over again or do we listen and respond, while they listen and respond?

Develop a right relationship with God and see the difference our prayers make and His response. We can pray with confidence and know that He hears and will answer our prayers.

I am so confident that He hears my prayers, I have no need to repeat the request, but I do keep thanking Him for whatever it is requested, until the answer is manifested. He always hears and answers my prayers, but sometimes--I simply don't like His response--but He does answer.

Pray--with faith and confidence in Him--and He will answer, but listen closely to what He is saying.