7 Things - Seven Keys For Effective Prayer

Here are a few thoughts on prayer - 7 keys that will help you to grow in prayer

Pray & Ask
   - Ask with specifics:  You have not because you ask not (James 4:2)
   - Ask boldly: ...come boldly to the throne of grace (Heb. 4:15-16)
   - Ask in secret: ...your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly (Matt. 6:6)
   - Ask with clean heart: The effective, ...prayer of a righteous man avails much (Jas. 5:16)
   - Ask with fervency and passion: The effective, fervent prayer...avails much (Jas. 5:16)
   - Ask seek and knock: Ask, and it will be given seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (Matt. 7:7-8)
   - Ask according to His will: ...if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us (1Jn. 5:14)

Faith
The Lord responds to faith. Faith takes our hearts to Him and makes way for his response.

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 ( Heb. 11:6)

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith (Matt. 21:22)

A Centurion came to Jesus and said to Him - ...just say the word and my servant will be healed (Luke 7:6-9). Jesus remarked that He had never seen such faith anywhere in Israel. What an amazing attitude of faith this Centurion had. We also need to pray with faith filling our hearts.

Believe

Once you have come to the Lord in faith, you need to believe that He has heard you and that He will answer.

Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you received them and they will be granted you. Mark 11:24)

Listen
We need to turn our inner ears to the Lord. He might have specific instructions for us, verses to read, or secrets to answer our requests. It is one thing to pray, but we also need to listen for His response.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and the follow me John 10:27

Obey

Once we listen to the Lord, and hear His voice, we need to obey. This is when His will becomes ours, and it is a delight to walk in obedience. We need to obey every detail of His plans.

I delight to do Your will, O my God...Ps. 40:8

Surrender

It takes patience and humility to place our requests in the hands of the Lord and then let them go - trusting that He has everything under control. Surrendering to Him means that we don't try to pick up the problem and bring our own solutions to it. It is in this place of surrender that the Lord lifts the burdens from our shoulders.

Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. Ps. 37:5

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath you are His everlasting arms. Deut. 33:27

Wait

   - But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Rom. 8:25

   - Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.  Ps. 37:7

   - I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope. Ps. 130:5