By Apostle Aje Pelser
Preached at Harvester Reformational Church, Cape Town
In order to take the mysticism out of Christian prayer, we can find valuable scriptural techniques that will secure answered prayer.
It all starts with Jesus and faith in His name:
1. Faith in Jesus name. The apostles in the Bible knew their source of power and had no problem accrediting Jesus with all the glory!
Act 3:16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
When God uses you mightily remember that you are a vessel of his honour and get on your knees and thank Him for using you, making yourself available for use again. Remember that without Him you can do nothing.
2. Abide in Him and His words in you.
Joh 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
To abide in Jesus can mean various levels of abiding: like alone in prayer as well as with other believers in the body of Christ. Too many times Christians tackle prayer issues alone. You have a family and you have a support system that you invest into until you need it – then make use of it!
3. Become Single-minded
Take a negative scripture like this and apply the cross over it:
Jas 1:5 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.
Jas 1:6 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.
Jas 1:7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
Jas 1:8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
In other words:
“Become single-minded – stable in all your ways and you can request without doubting and you will receive from the Lord.
4. Righteousness makes your prayer effective
Jas 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.
Jas 5:14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
Jas 5:15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
Jas 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Jas 5:17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
Jas 5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
Jas 5:19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,
Jas 5:20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
5. Pray according to God’s Will
1Jn 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
1Jn 5:15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
6. Sacrificial lifestyle leverages answered prayer too.
Mat 19:20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”
Mat 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
Mat 19:22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Mat 19:23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 19:24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Mat 19:25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
Mat 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Mat 19:27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?”
Mat 19:28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Mat 19:29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
Mat 19:30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.