by Ivan Maddox
Atlanta, GA

Most of us have resigned ourselves to the idea that some of the things we pray for we're going to get, and some we're not. We've done this because of what we've seen happen in our own prayer life.

It's not necessary for us to settle for this. Clearly there's nothing we can do to change God's mind about things, or to persuade Him to our way of thinking-- nor would it be at all desireable for us to be able to do so! However, there is much we can do about how we pray. There are certain rules we apply almost automatically when it comes to things in the natural realm; yet we tend to discard or ignore them when it comes to spiritual things.

The first thing we can do something about is what we pray for. We would hardly consider placing an order in a restaurant without first looking at the menu, or placing a catalog order without first checking to see what's in the catalog; yet many of us pray without first finding out what is and is not available from God.

I John 5:14-15 tells us:

"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."

This is a critically important key in prayer: if what we are praying for is according to God's will, then we KNOW that we will receive what we asked for! How's that for a guarantee?

How can we be sure that what we are praying for is in accordance with God's will? God's word is God's will! If God has promised something to us in His word, then we already know that that thing is in accordance with the will of God. We must bring our need to the word of God, then look for the promise of God that answers that need. This is the first step toward receiving consistent answers to prayer.

The second thing we can do is find out how to receive things from God. We would hardly expect the cooperation of the management if we walked into a department store, picked up what we wanted, then walked out without paying for it; there are procedures which must be followed in order to obtain things lawfully from the store. So it is also with the things of God.

Once you have found the promise of God that answers your need, and have asked God for it in prayer, you must believe that God will be faithful to His word and give it to you.

"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 I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.'"
Mark 11:22-24.

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."
James 1:5-8.

In addition, many of the promises of God are conditional. If this is the case with the promise or promises that apply to your need, then you must literally carry out the conditions set by God in his word in order to be sure of receiving what was promised. God is always free to go above and beyond His word, and He can supply your need without your believing, and without you fulfilling any of the conditions set by Him in His word; but it is never guaranteed that He will do this. If, however, you meet those conditions, and believe God's promises, and ask according to His will, God has already promised in His word that He will give you what you are praying for.

The third thing we can do is find out how to make proper use of the things God has given us, so that we can enjoy the full benefits of His blessings. A person may buy a computer, but it will do very little useful work for him until he learns how to use it. Likewise, the fact that we have received something from God does not mean that we will automatically know how to use it. This is especially true of spiritual things.

"If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
...How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God."
I Corinthians 14:23, 26-28.

How do we find out how to use the things given to us by God? You guessed it: we go to God's word.

The purpose of prayer is not to change God's mind, but to seek God's solution for our need. We must go to God's written word to find out what God's will is. If God's solution is clearly stated there, then that's what we pray for. If it is not, we need to keep asking God until He lets us know.

Once we know God's will, we need to literally carry out any and all conditions set by God for receiving what He has promised. Once we have done this, we can wait confidently for God to fulfil His promise, knowing that God is faithful to His word.

Once we have received what God has promised us, we need to go again to God's word to find out how to properly use what God has given us; that way, we will receive the full benefit of God's blessing.

God did not design prayer to be an "iffy" or a maybe thing; He wants us to have full confidence in Him and in His word. If we seek God's will by means of His word, so that we can pray in accordance with His will, our prayer life will lose much of its "iffy" nature.

Let's build our confidence in God and His word; let's strive to pray within the will of God, by means of His written word, which is His will.

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