Prayer is not Discriminatory And Empowers Our Life

Prayer is not discriminatory and empowers our life. Having a relationship with our Holy Father as well as having a personal communication with Him allows Him access to our inner most feelings. Jesus promises to us are love, healing, and peace with God. Our relationship and prayer life with God changes meaningless, frustrating labor into spiritual productivity and purpose.

Matt 11:28-30 NIV tells us “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

God tells us to "Come to me, "all" you who are weary and burdened". Finding “rest for our souls” comes from our communication and relationship with Him. “He is gentle and humble in heart”.

Praying Prepares Us To Listen To God's Voice

Prayer as in the New Combined Bible Dictionary and Concordance is "man's communication with his creator, the highest expression of man's religious nature. From the beginning of the Bible to the end, prayer plays a major role".

As human beings we have become accustomed to complaining about our problems instead of praying. By rearranging our problems and some thought patterns some problems can be solved. With good counsel and discussion some others can be solved. But, there are other problems that can only be solved by prayer. Instead of complaining we need to earnestly pray. Complaining only raises the level of undue stress in our lives. When we pray our emotions and thoughts are at rest. Praying prepares us to listen to God's voice.

Look To God In Prayer

Sometimes we feel that our problems will keep us from God. He is always ready to listen to us. Although our crisis makes us feel confused, afraid and without hope, we should never allow fear to keep us from approaching Him. The next time you feel this way look at your situation from Jesus' point of view. He is our source for all hope and promise. (Gen)

Will God Answer Your Prayer?

For those who know him and rely on him, Jesus seems to be wildly generous in his offer:

"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." To "remain" in Him and have His words remain in us means we conduct our lives aware of Him, relying on Him, listening to what He says. Then we are able to ask him whatever we want.

Here is another qualifier:

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us -- whatever we ask -- we know that we have what we asked of Him."

God answers our prayers according to His will (and according to His wisdom, His love for us, His holiness, etc.).

Where we mess up is when we assume we know God's will, because certain things make sense to us. We assume that there is only one right "answer" to a specific prayer, assuming certainly THAT it would be God's will for us. This is where it gets tough. We allow ourselves to live within the limits of our time and the limits of our knowledge. With only limited information about a situation and the implications of future action on that situation we don't see that God's understanding is unlimited. How an event plays out in the course of our life or in history is only something He knows. He may have a purpose far beyond what we could ever imagine.

God is not going to do something simply because we determine that it must be His will. He does it because He determines what it best for our lives.

What About "Unanswered Prayer"?

Prayer is like the dove that Noah sent forth, which blessed him not only when it returned with an olive-leaf in its mouth, but when it never returned at all.

People get sick, even die; financial problems are real, and all sorts of very difficult situations can come up. What then? God tells us to give our concerns to him. Even as the situation remains dismal, "Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you." The circumstances may look out of control, but they aren't. When the whole world seems to be falling apart, God can keep us together. This is when a person can be very grateful that they know God. "The Lord is near. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." God may provide solutions, resolutions to the problem WAY beyond what you imagined possible. All Christians can list examples like this in their own lives. If the circumstances do not improve, God can still give us his peace in the midst of it. Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."
It is at this point (when circumstances are still tough) that God asks us to continue to trust him -- to "walk by faith, not by sight" the Bible says. But it's not blind faith. It is based on the very character of God. A car traveling on the Golden Gate Bridge is fully supported by the integrity of the bridge. It doesn't matter what the driver may be feeling, or thinking about, or discussing with someone in the passenger seat. What gets the car safely to the other side is the integrity of the bridge, which the driver was willing to trust. In the same way, God asks us to trust his integrity, his character...his compassion, love, wisdom, righteousness on our behalf. He says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you." "Trust in him at all times, "O people. Pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us."

Put On The Armor Of God

Ephesians 6:10-19 (New Living Translation)

The Whole Armor of God
10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we[a] are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.[b] 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.[c] 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.[d]

19 And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.[e]

Praying Thanking God For The Opportunities To Grow

In suffering we experience difficulties that build our character and make us grow. The problems we face develop our perseverance – which will strengthen our character and deepen our trust in the Lord. In prayer thank God for those opportunities to grow, and allow Him to help you in dealing with them in His strength. Rom 5:3-4