EFFECTIVE PRAYER

EFFECTIVE PRAYER

Dag Heward-Mills

READ: Matthew 6:6-15

Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.John 16:24

Jesus taught us to pray to our Heavenly Father. There is nothing wrong with being prayed for. But God wants you to learn how to pray for yourself ! There are some pastors who entrust themselves to prayer warriors to pray for them. I cannot entrust something as important as prayer to other people. I pray for myself. I consider the prayer support of friends and prayer warriors as an extra bonus.

Learn to pray yourself. Your Christian life should not depend on another person's prayers. Jesus said,"You ask the Father." Remember that the prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16). You are the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). You are righteous enough to get results for your prayers! Do not depend on your pastor.

He may be snoring when you think he is praying for you!Jesus said that in that day we will not ask Him for anything. Jesus was talking about the period when He would no longer be with the disciples. In that day, Jesus would not expect anyone to pray to Him directly. Jesus was directing us to pray to the Heavenly Father Himself. Is there any difference between praying to Jesus and praying to the Heavenly Father? There must be, otherwise Jesus would not have told us what He did! If you want one hundred per cent results, do what Jesus said you should do. Begin your prayer by saying, "Our Father,""Heavenly Father," "Dear Father," or "Father which art in heaven," etc. You will begin to experience better results.