have you ever wondered how to pray effectively What attitude should you have When approaching God what words should you use what benefits does prayer bring to your life if you want to know the answers to these and other questions stay with me in this video where I will share some practical and biblical tips to help you improve your prayer life the first thing you must do for God to hear you when you pray is to have patience having patience in prayer is one of the most difficult tests but but also one of the most powerful
many times we want immediate answers but God teaches us to wait because his timing is perfect Jesus reminds us in Luke 11:9 to10 ask and it will be given to you seek and you will find knock and it will be open to you here Jesus encourages us to persevere in prayer he did not say ask once and it will be given to you instead he teaches us to keep our asking to seek with persistence and to knock on the door with determination waiting is not a punishment it is preparation God not only answers prayers but
he also transforms us while we wait in John 157 Jesus says if you abide in me and my words abide in you ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you this means that our prayers should not be based on impatience but on trust trust that God knows what is best for us look at the case of Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 17 God promised them a child but years passed without the promise being fulfilled in the waiting they doubted made rushed decisions and even tried to help god with their own plan but
in the end God fulfilled his word at the perfect moment how many times have we tried to speed up God's answer how many times s have we wanted to take control because we feel that the waiting is too long but Abraham's story reminds us of something fundamental God never forgets what he has promised his timing is not ours but his promises are secure When you pray and feel like the answer is not coming do not despair instead of asking why is God taking so long change your prayer and say Lord I trust that you are
working in my life life I know that you will answer at the perfect moment help me wait patiently knowing that your plan is always better than mine patience in prayer is a test of faith it does not mean that God is not listening it means that he is preparing the right answer at the exact time trust in him because what God has for you is far greater than anything you could ever imagine the second thing you must do for God to hear you when you pray is to have faith many people people pray but deep
down they doubt whether God is really listening to them have you ever felt that way as if your prayers were just words in the air and nothing happened the Bible tells us in Hebrews 11:1 faith is the Assurance of what we hope for the certainty of what we do not see and later in Hebrews 11:6 it clearly states without faith it is impossible to please God because whoever comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him this means that faith is not optional when we pray it is
the main ingredient without faith prayer becomes nothing more than words without Direction Romans 420 to 21 says yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God being fully persuaded that God had the power to do what he had promised maybe today you are waiting for an answer you have prayed for healing for provision or for the restoration of your family but you see no changes here's the key do not let doubt destroy your prayer James 1:6-7 warns us about this but when
you ask you must believe and not doubt because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind that person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord God does not respond to prayers filled with doubt he responds to prayers filled with faith when you pray instead of saying Lord if you can help me say with confidence Lord I trust that you are already working in my life I believe in your promises and I know that you will answer in your perfect time think about Peter when he
walked on water toward Jesus in Matthew 14 at first he kept his eyes on Jes Jesus and walked on the sea but the moment he looked at the waves and felt the wind he began to sink Jesus said to him you of little faith why did you doubt the same thing happens to us we start with faith but when circumstances become difficult we begin to doubt and we sink into fear and anxiety When you pray do not focus on the circumstances focus on God and remember when you pray with faith God hears and responds the
third thing you must do for God to hear you when you pray is to recognize who he is prayer is not just a list of requests it is a conversation with god the creator of the universe and when you approach him you must do so with humility and reverence the Bible tells us in Psalm 95 6-7 come let us Bow Down In Worship let us kneel before the Lord our maker for he is our God and we are the the people of his pasture the flock under his care think about Moses in Exodus 3:5 when
he approached the burning bush God said to him take off your sandals for the place where you are standing is Holy Ground Moses understood that he was in the presence of the Living God and he fell face down he did not approach in a hurry or with demands but with fear and reverence the same should happen with us before asking for anything we must recognize to whom we are speaking he is not just anyone he is the king of kings the Lord of lords the almighty God When you pray take a moment and say Lord
I recognize that you are holy you are the owner of my life the creator of everything I come to you with respect and worship Jesus taught us this in Matthew 69 when he said our Father in heaven Hallowed be your name but here is the problem many people start praying by asking for things immediately without even acknowledging God that is a mistake Jesus warned us in Matthew 6:5 When you pray do not be like the Hypocrites for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others truly
I tell you they have received their reward in full God does not want empty prayers he desires a genuine relationship if you approach him with a the proud heart or thinking that you can manipulate him with beautiful words you are missing the true purpose of prayer a humble heart is what God listens to the Bible tells us in Hebrews 12:28 to 29 therefore since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken let us be thankful and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe for our God is a consuming fire if you truly want
God to hear you start by worshiping him acknowledge his greatness put him in the place he deserves in your life before asking for anything say Lord you are my king My Savior my father today I come to you with humility knowing that you are in control of everything when you understand this your prayer changes it is no longer just a monologue where you ask for things but a moment where you connect with God and experience his presence so here is the question what is your attitude when you pray do you approach god with humility or
just with a list of requests if you change your focus and start with worship your prayer will be transformed and most importantly God will hear you the fourth thing you must do for God to hear you when you pray is to turn prayer into a habit why do some people seem to have such a strong connection with God While others feel like they pray and nothing happens the difference is consistency prayer is not an empty ritual or a magic formula it is a spiritual habit that transforms your life think about Daniel he had the habit
of praying three times a day no matter the circumstances even when the king issued a decree that no one could pray to any God Daniel did not abandon his time of prayer Daniel 6:10 tells us when Daniel knew that the decree had been signed he went into his house and with his windows open toward Jerusalem he knelt down three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God just as he had done before and what happened God honored his faithfulness and protected him from the Lions God is Not Looking for perfect prayers he
is looking for faithful Hearts start with short prayers do not worry about using many words God is not interested in Long speeches but in the sincerity it of your heart 1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart you can say simple phrases like thank you Lord for this day forgive me Lord for my sins help me Lord in this situation I praise you Lord for your greatness when you do this you keep your connection with God active throughout the day also pray out loud many people
feel uncomfortable praying out loud but this helps you stay focused and avoid distractions even Jesus himself prayed out loud in John 11:41 to 42 when he resurrected Lazarus he said father I thank you that you have heard me I knew that you always hear me but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here that they may believe that you sent me speaking out loud makes you more more aware that you are truly in a conversation with god next find a specific time and place to pray Jesus had the habit of withdrawing to
solitary places to pray Luke 5:116 says but he often withdrew to deserted places and prayed choose a specific time to talk with God it could be in the morning before you sleep or at any time of the day remember you can pray in your room while driving walking in the park or before an important meeting the important thing is not where you pray but making prayer a daily habit if you truly want God to hear you make prayer a habit you do not need perfect words just a sincere and consistent heart the fifth thing you
must do for God to hear you when you pray is to follow the model that Jesus taught us Jesus himself left us the perfect model of Prayer in Matthew 69-13 known as the Lord Lord's Prayer this is not just a prayer to be repeated but a pattern that teaches us how to speak to God powerfully our Father in heaven Hallowed Be Your Name think about Isaiah when he had a vision of God on his throne the first thing he did was recognize God's holiness in Isaiah 6:5 the prophet said woe to me I am ruined
for I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips and my eyes have seen the king the Lord Almighty When you pray start by acknowledging who God is he is not just a distant figure he is your loving father but also the king of the universe your kingdom come your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven Jesus prayed this way in Gethsemane when he knew he was about to face the cross he taught us to completely surrender to God's will in Matthew 26:39 he said my
father if it is possible may this cup be taken from me yet not as I will but as you will when you pray do not just ask for what you want surrender your plans to God and say with Faith Lord let your will be done not mine I trust that your plan is better than mine give us this day our daily bread God provided manner to the Israelites in the desert but he only gave them their daily portion so they would learn to trust trust him each day Exodus 16:4 says I will re down bread
from heaven for you the people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day when you pray do not worry about the future trust that God will provide what you need today forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors Jesus told the parable of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18:23 to35 where a man man was forgiven a great debt but he refused to forgive someone who owed him much less in Matthew 1832 to 33 the king said to him you Wicked servant I forgave you all that debt because you begged
me shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had mercy on you if we do not forgive God will not forgive us it is a spiritual principle lead us not into temptation but deliver Us from Evil think about Joseph when Piper's wife tempted him he did not stay to argue he ran away Genesis 39:12 says she grabbed him by his cloak and said come to bed with me but he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house when you pray ask God to help you recognize Temptation
and give you the strength to resist for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory Glory Forever This is a reminder that God is in control no matter what you face he is still King Revelation 19:6 says hallelujah for our Lord God Almighty Reigns when you finish praying declare with faith that God has power over everything in your life Jesus taught us that prayer is not just about asking but an act of surrender trust and worship God is waiting for you to talk to him start today follow this model and you will see
how your prayer life is transformed the sixth thing you must do for God to hear you when you pray is to praise and worship him it is easy to fall into the habit of seeking God only when we need something but prayer is much more than that Jesus taught us that prayer is also an act of worship it is not just about our needs but about exalting God for who he is and for what he has done in our lives Psalm 34 1-3 tells us I Will Bless The Lord at all times his praise shall
continually be in my mouth my soul shall make its boast in the Lord The Humble shall hear of it and be glad oh magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together when you pray with praise and worship your focus shifts instead of worrying about what is missing you start thanking God for what he has already already done Paul and Silas were unjustly imprisoned they were beaten and chained in a dark cell but instead of complaining what did they do acts 16:25 to 26 tells us at midnight Paul and Silas were praying
and singing hymns to God and the other prisoners were listening to them suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken at once all the prison doors flew open and everyone chains came loose their worship provoked a miracle when you praise God in the midst of your struggles he moves on your behalf not because you are manipulating him but because your faith is strengthened and you acknowledge his power take a moment and say Lord in the middle of my trials I choose to praise you I know that you are
in control David understood this very well he used music to connect with God Psalm 153 to6 tells us praise him with the sound of the trumpet praise him with the harp and liar praise him with timberl and dancing praise him with strings and flute let everything that has breath praise the Lord David danced sang and played instruments to praise God he did not care what others thought he only wanted to express his love for God you do not need to be a musician to praise God you can do it with your voice with clapping or
simply with a grateful heart if you feel sad or anxious play a worship song and start praising God you will notice how his presence fills your Life Worship is not just about singing you can praise God with your words even in a silent prayer Hebrews 13:15 tells us through Jesus therefore let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise the fruit of lips that openly profess his name gratitude transforms your heart and draws you closer to God God is looking for true worshippers it is not about following a routine or repeating beautiful words it
is about worshiping him with sincerity with a willing heart when you focus on God and exalt him his peace fills your life if you truly want God to hear you do not just pray to ask pray to worship the seventh thing you must do for God to hear you when you pray is to confess and repent have you ever felt like something is blocking your relationship with God like your prayers don't seem to go beyond the ceiling the Bible teaches us that sin separates us from God but there is a way to restore our communion
with him confession and repentance 1 John 1:9 tells us if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness this means that God is not waiting to punish you he is waiting to restore you he wants you to come to him with a sincere heart acknowledging your faults and being willing to change King David is a great example of what it means to confess with a sincere heart in Psalm 51 3-4 David says for I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is always before
me against you you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight David had committed adultery with Beth Sheba and had plotted the death of her husband Uriah but instead of justifying his sin he humbled himself before God and asked for forgiveness God does not reject those who truly repent take a moment and say Lord I acknowledge my sin I do not want to hide it or justify it forgive me and cleanse me repentance is not just saying I'm sorry it's about change in Luke 19 8-9 zakus after encountering Jesus declared Lord
I give half of my possessions to the poor and if I have cheated anyone I will pay them back four times as much zakus didn't just confess his sin he changed his actions if you truly repent you must show it through your actions many times keeping sin a secret fills us with guilt and anxiety James 5:116 tells us confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed confession not only frees us spiritually but also emotionally if you have offended someone ask for forgiveness if you carry a burden talk
to a spiritual leader or a trusted friend who can pray for you say out loud Lord I want to walk in Freedom I don't want to hide my sin today I choose to confess and receive your forgiveness Peter denied Jesus three times on the worst night of his life he could have been trapped in guilt but instead he repented and allowed God to restore him John 21:17 tells us that Jesus asked Peter three times Simon son of Jonah do you love me even though Peter was saddened he responded Lord you know all things you know
that I love you Jesus not only forgave him but also restored him to be a leader in the church God does not want you to live in condemnation he wants to restore you and use you for his glory God does not reject you he is waiting for you with open arms today is the best day to be free if today you feel that your burdens are too heavy that doors are not opening or that anxiety and fear are trying to take control I want you to say this prayer with me the word of God teaches
us that when we pray with faith he listens and acts if you repeat this prayer with a sincere heart the Lord will give you peace wisdom and will remove the barriers that are preventing you from moving forward pray with me and allow his presence to fill your life Lord today I come before you with a humble heart knowing that you are my refuge and my strength sometimes I do not understand what is happening in my life but today I choose to trust in you give me patience to wait for your perfect timing Faith to believe
in your promises and strength to keep moving forward even when I cannot see the way clearly you are the God who opens doors where there are none The God Who heals restores and transforms Hearts today I Lay My burdens at your feet every fear every doubt every worry I Surrender it all to you fill me with your peace the peace that surpasses all understand standing forgive me for my mistakes for my doubts for the moments when I have tried to take control into my own hands today I Surrender my life to you and declare that
your will is better than mine help me to pray with faith perseverance and a sincere heart renew my spirit fill me with your love and guide me in every step I take I declare that today I walk in your grace that my prayers have power and that in you I find rest thank you Lord because I know that you are working in my life in the name of Jesus Amen
