Foundation Scriptures:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 NKJV

  1. Let Your Requests be Made Known to God.
    • Let God know what it is you want from Him. Don’t just think it—speak it.
    • Don’t be anxious. Rejoice.
    • Do it with thanksgiving. With gratefulness for what He has already done and a joyful expectation
      of what He is about to do.
    • God’s peace will protect your heart and mind.
    • You can go about your business, knowing that He is in control!
  2. Be Single-minded.
    • James 1:5-8 NKJV – 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
      8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
    • If you ask—ask in faith.
    • Do not be double-minded. If you allow doubts to sway you, you will be pulled in two different
      directions and the result is that you will be double-minded and unstable.
    • If you are double-minded, don’t be surprised when your prayers are not answered.
    • Every one is tempted with doubtful thoughts, but you can shut them down, allow faith to arise
      from your heart and stay steady until the answer comes.
  3. Be Persistent.
    • First—know your rights!
    • Luke 18:1-8 – Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit.
    • Second—Press in until you get it.
    • Some Christians don’t ask God for what they need because they think He would be bothered or irritated by their requests. Or maybe it’s because they actually don’t have faith in Him to answer.
    • Over and over, God has told us in His Word that He cares, that He listens and that He answers. When we wake up and get that revelation, we might actually start to ask in faith and receive what we asked for!
    • God expects us to be persistent in prayer and not give up until we get the answer.
    • The lesson of this parable is that if even an unjust judge will respond to a woman who knows her rights and won’t quit until she receives, how much more will our righteous Father work justice for His kids who stand on their rights in faith?
  4. No Vain Repetition Allowed.
    • Matthew 6:7-8 AMP – And when you pray, do not heap up phrases (multiply words, repeating the same ones over and over) as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their much speaking. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
    • Repeating the exact same word, phrase, or prayer over and over is not the answer. Repetition is just words—no faith is involved.
    • It’s persistent faith—not nagging words—that moves God.
    • Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
    • Ask once for what you want—then continue to thank Him and praise Him for the answer.
    • If the devil comes with doubts—open your mouth and praise God—he will leave!
  5. You Do Not Need to Pray Long Prayers.
    • Matthew 23:14 NKJV – Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
    • Long prayers cannot compensate for bad behavior.
  6. Ask—Expecting an Answer.
    • Hebrews 11:6
      • NKJV – But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
      • The Message Bible – It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him.
    • Luke 11:5-13
    • Ask, and it will be given to you—everyone who asks receives.
    • Matthew 7:7-11
      7 Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking and you will find; knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking, it will be opened.
      9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will [instead] give him a stone?       10 Or if he asks for a fish, will [instead] give him a snake? 11 If you then, evil (sinful by nature) as you are, know how to give good and advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven [perfect as He is] give what is
      good and advantageous to those who keep on asking Him.
      e. Your Father in heaven gives good gifts to those who ask Him
  7. Ask with Right Motives.
    • James 4:1-3 NKJV – Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
    • Unspoken requests are not heard or answered. If you don’t ask then you won’t receive.
    • Selfish prayers are not answered either.
    • The Message Bible says you don’t receive because the reason you ask is wrong. “You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.” James 4:3b
  8. Obey, Ask and Receive.
    • All God’s promises are conditional.
    • 1 John 3:18-24
    • Keep His commandments and He will answer your prayers.
    • John 15:7-8 NKJV – If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
    • When God’s Word becomes so much a part of us that it influences and directs everything we think, feel, say and do, then He will absolutely give us everything we ask for.
    • He wants us to be fruitful in every way.
    • Your fruitfulness and answered prayers bring glory to God.