“From the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. But the prince of evil was withstanding me for twenty-one days." D1012
We are thankful for your Prayer Request so that you can be given the opportunity to understand more about prayer. Let's begin with the following truth:
#1. You don’t need us or anyone else to pray FOR you.
Though the church and Christians are conditioned to run to others asking for prayer, like so many other things we've been taught and assumed were correct, the Bible says something entirely different:
"But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." M66
God wants you to come to Him and trust that He loves you enough to answer your prayers. Also, if you take time to talk to Him and bring your concerns and desires to Him, He also can tell you what is up ahead to prepare and guide you! No one else can do that, right?
"Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: 'Ask Me about the things to come ...'" I4511
“Behold, the former things have come to pass. Now I declare new things; Before they spring forth, I proclaim them to you." I429
"Your ears will hear a word behind you, 'This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.'" I3021
“I proclaim to you new things from this time, even hidden things which you have not known." I486
Even though the first books we published speak about finding someone to pray with, we discovered that Erin and the others who experienced a RESTORED marriage didn't need anyone to pray FOR them or with them, but instead, He gave us the desires of our hearts, by simply making Him number one in our lives.
He longs for us to go to HIM and speak to HIM about each of our concerns, fears, desires, doubts—everything.
His promise says clearly, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” P374 This means you don't need to beg, plead, or ask anyone to pray for you.
The next truth:
#2. PRAISE is more Powerful than Prayer.
Appointed Time and the Power of PRAISE
Post Your Praise!!!
As we said, we are thankful you requested Prayer so you can now understand more about prayer. We also want to explain the importance of Praise rather than keep asking, pleading, and praying the same prayer. Instead, believe He has heard and will answer at the “appointed time," since sometimes He needs us to wait for our miracle to be experienced.
“Then the LORD answered me and said, 'Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run. For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay.’” H22
The third truth:
#3. WAITING is a GOOD thing if you use the time wisely.
"For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear, Nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him." I644
Isaiah 30:18—“Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.”
This promise is not just poetic—its truth is life-changing if you can embrace the benefits of waiting. “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” I4031
What are we supposed to do while we WAIT? Get to know more about Him and discover how to live the Abundant Life He died to give you!
And Encourage others with your PRAISE!!
One of the enemy’s schemes is to lie and make you believe He hasn’t heard you, especially when He wants you to wait, trust and use the time to PRAISE Him. See that “no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes." 2C211
There’s an amazing book on the Power of Praise called Prison to Praise, that will help you learn and use the principle of “praise in all things,” which brings results that can only be explained as miraculous!
So rather than praying the same thing, learn to praise Him. Submit a Praise Report and choose:
An ANSWER to PRAYER?
Post Your Praise!!!
The fourth truth:
#4. RECORD and document what you BELIEVE He is going to do.
A Prayer Journal
In addition, since He always answers, the best way to build your faith is to keep a prayer journal. Write, type, or record what you have asked Him for, include the promises from the Bible, and then leave space to write down how He answers your prayer! AGAIN, read this truth!!
“Then the LORD answered me and said, 'Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run. For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay.’” H22
A Prayer Tree: If you have younger children, consider building a Prayer Tree to build your children's faith and your faith. Click here: Prayer Tree for directions.
A sobering truth:
#5. Your prayers might go unheard and unanswered.
Yes, there ARE many reasons WHY your prayers may NOT have been answered.
The most common is:
- You have NOT forgiven others.
"For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions." M614 If you struggle with this, be sure to read He Healed Me
Another common reason is sin.
- You have not confessed your sins.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1J19
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous [that can be YOU] accomplishes much.” J516
“If...My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2C714
Once again:
- You don’t need to keep praying the same prayer.
- You don’t need us or anyone else to pray FOR you.
- You need to forgive others
- You need to confess your sins
- You need to Praise and trust Him
FREE Online COURSES that will CHANGE your Life!
If you’d like to learn more about what you learned here, please be sure you take advantage of our many courses, FREE Courses for Women and for MEN that cover reasons we are desperate for needing prayer, such as divorce, an unfaithful spouse, other marriage struggles, how to deal with our own sins, and even lessons on financial issues that are most often rooted in ignorance of God’s spiritual laws. “My people perish for lack of knowledge.” H46
Begin with “A Wise Woman” or “A Wise Man” to REBUILD Your Life
Lord, Teach us to Pray. Growing up, I was taught at an early age to keep praying over and over, praying “The Our Father,” which many Christians also refer to as, “The Lord’s Prayer.” Yet it wasn’t until I was grown and began reading the Bible myself that I noticed where the prayer was found in the Bible, and then what baffled me is that Jesus told His disciples NOT to repeat prayers as the heathens do.
It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” M66
“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done,On earth as it is in heaven. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]
It’s clear from this account that The Lord’s Prayer / The Our Father was never meant to be prayed over and over again “as the heathens do.” Instead, our Savior gave us an example of what to include in your prayer, such as praying for the Father’s will.
Let's explain it this way, what if you could go and talk to God and ask Him for something, would you stand there and repeat prayers like you would a poem, or would you instead simply talk to Him and explain how you felt, what you needed? EXACTLY. You wouldn't just repeat a phrase. It would be ludicrous. Instead, you would want to pour out your heart, especially if you knew Him as a loving Father. *If you don't know God the Father this way, begin at the beginning with our HomeGrown Ministries.
If you were given a second opportunity, would you repeat the same prayer over and over and over for a certain amount of times foolishly thinking He would finally hear you and answer you, would you?
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” L119
Once you’ve ASKED—you can trust He will answer you—you can let it go and rest. Here's what He promises:
“Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today..." E1413
You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf . . . Do not fear or be dismayed . . . the Lord is with you.” 2C2017
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." E612
Religion vs. Relationship
Every single religion has some sort of prayer, like chanting or meditating, using rosary beads or worry beads. What we want to make sure you discover HERE, everywhere in RMI, is the relationship you've been missing. At the very beginning, in the Garden of Eden, God created MAN and woman in order to fellowship. He had angels to worship and adore Him but He longed for fellowship just as we (who are made in the image of God) need, long for, and enjoy fellowship. So after sin, He needed to send His Son—who walked on earth and fellowshipped with mankind.
Every religion keeps its god in the heavens or some other celestial strange existence, but once we are HIS, He wants a relationship with us. That's what sets us apart. Even His church fails Him "I have this against you that you left your first LOVE" R24 written included in the last book of the Bible. He's coming for His bride, but we hope you will live like one here, NOW, by discovering His love and His Abundant Life. Learn more on Love At Last.