What Must Be Present For Us To Make Effective Prayers?
I’m assuming we understand the meaning of prayer, let’s explore what must be present to make effective prayers. Effective prayers are powerful prayers.
Now, there is a myth in circulation: effective prayers are successful because God hears His people.
This is half-true, for it’s not the full story. The Jews are God’s people.
Many times, in the Bible, they prayed and got silence in return. Spiritually, we too are Children of God, and often we pray, and … you know it, silence.
But does God hear every prayer? Yes! But, does He answer all? No! He doesn’t.
So what must constitute all effective prayers? To discover this let’s look at the scriptures.
What is one of the reasons we pray? So that God would intervene in our situations and act on our behalf because we can’t.
Effective prayers have evolved starting with Adam and moving down to Christians today.
Therefore, as we move farther away from Adam, in the Scriptures, the more frequently we will see the word “pray” or “prayer“.
And there is a good reason for this. He never prayed. At least, not how we perceive effective prayers today.
Features of Effective Prayers
As a matter of fact, for Christians to pray effective prayers certain features must be present.
Abram (Abraham) prayed effective prayers. But he didn’t pray as we conceive praying today.
There is one characteristic of Abram that permeates all his encounters with the Lord God. As we move along in this study, try to identify it.
The Lord appeared to Abraham and instructed him.
Observe this first encounter with the Lord God:
“Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee”, (Genesis 12:1).
It’s important to note that “the Lord had said” to him. This communication of the Lord sounds more like a conversation, but it’s not. Today, many Christians describe prayer as a conversation. But did Abram reply to God?
But in all this, he did one thing. Do you know what he did? What he did is the first ingredient of effective prayers.
Abram’s Second Experience with God
“And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, unto thy seed will I give this land: and there [built] he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him”, (Genesis 12:7).
Again, did Abram say anything? No! But his response defines every effective and powerful prayer. Have you recognized it yet?
Abram’s third “meeting” with God appears in Genesis 13:14-17. In it, the latter informs and instructs the former, respectively.
“And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee”, (Genesis 13:14-17).
The following verse of scripture captures the first ingredient a Believer must possess to enjoy effective prayers or powerful prayers: obedience.
Effective Prayers are Powerful Prayers
“Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord”, (Genesis 13:18).
Therefore, the Lord instructed him to “walk through the land” and he obeyed.
To re-cap: Abram’s lifestyle displays obedience to the Lord God.
First, the Lord instructed him to separate himself from all his relatives and friends and travel to an unknown country that He would “show” him. To do this requires obedience. To leave everyone and move? Yep!
So, “Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five (75) years old when he departed out of Haran”, (Genesis 12:4).
Second, as Abram journeyed in obedience towards his unknown destination the Lord appeared to him again. He promised the land Abram was walking in, to his posterity.
“And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, unto thy seed will I give this land: and there [built] he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him”, (Genesis 12:7).
Finally, again the Lord appeared to him. But now, He instructed him to do something to receive the promise. Walk the land, (Genesis 13:17).
Effective Prayers Possess Dynamite Power
And he obeyed God. From Genesis 13:18 and onwards he has been traveling the land. Note, however, that despite God’s meetings with Abram only God spoke. Abram never said a word, but he acted. He obeyed God.
As a result, if it’s absent—even when you are a child of God—He doesn’t respond to your prayers. And we observe this happening numerous times in the scriptures with the Children of Israel.
powerful prayers are not so because we are “God’s-people”, but effective prayers possess dynamite power only when we belong to Him and obey Him. No, not everyone belongs to God. His children obey Him, (1 John 3:10).
The First of Several Ingredients of Effective Prayers
This is the first of several ingredients of effective prayers—obedience. You cannot expect that you could disobey God (the Bible) and make powerful prayers. It just will never happen.
Obey God’s instructions generally and in particular regarding making effective prayers. Jesus teaches us how to pray. Follow his instructions. What, how, and to whom we direct our prayers matter. It determines the effectiveness of our prayers.
How do you determine that effective prayers are indeed powerful? Tell us in the comments below.
In closing, there is another ingredient to effective prayers that I will investigate in the next post. Supply your email address to receive it in your inbox.
Updated:-2023-10-31
