FAQ's on prayer

FAQ’s ABOUT PRAYER PT1

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. " (Hebrews 11:6)

Accept the fact that our spiritual progress and growing in grace and the place of power with God and in prayers are not the same for everybody. Grace is accessible for all believers but the rate at which it is accessed defines one's progress and impact in life. As much as someone is on the pedestals of glory and averaging a 4th our daily prayer pattern,  some others are grappling and are just sufficed to an average prayer cycle of 10secs per day.

We must accept that the peak is not hit at in one leap. Hard work, diligence, consistency, sincerity etc  are some of the keys to breaking through. We must climb the ladder of spiritual success and help up the weak ones with understanding and not castigate them.

Many also will have questions regarding issues on prayers. I have itemized some below trusting God that they may hold some precious answers to puzzles in your heart.

DOES GOD REALLY HEAR ME?

One important fact in the mystery of prayer is that the one we are talking to actually hears us. Remember  what he said “he that approacheth Him must believe that He is, and He’s a rewarder to them that diligently seek him. So when am praying am not just rattling about without aim, I have this confident that he’s hearing me. If a child should stand before his father to make a request, as long as the father is not lying asleep or dead before him,  the child has a simple trust that he's getting audience. He is keen to listen. He's very attentive. He's not like most of the overbusy dad's of today who will push the child to the mother for attention. He's an every present help in time of trouble. I believe my heavenly Father hears me.

CAN I REALLY GET ANSWERS TO MY PROBLEMS?

From the answer to the first question, if God is actually diligent to listen to me, then He must be diligent enough to answer me.
He’s not just interested in our stories and needs, He really want to solve them for us. Remember what he said “He rewards them that diligently seek him”. He said “ask, and you shall receive”. Its simple enough for me to know that my prayers will get answered.
Mark 1:40-42. Jesus met a man filled with leprosy and the man said to Jesus "if you will...thou can make me clean,  and Jesus moved with compassion touched him and answered him... " I will". I can scream it out loud.... I have a willing God. I have a willing father. Willing to solve all our issues and provide solutions to our needs. (also see 1Jn5:14-15)

HOW CAN I AVOID ASKING AMISS?

Yes we can ask amiss. But its better to say something than keep quiet because we are afraid of not asking right.
Few simple heart checks:
are you asking to spend it on your passions? ie lusts,
are you asking out of envy for others?
Do you want to feel proud that you have received what others don’t have?
Is what you are asking for contrary to God’s will?
Is it something you can give others freely without struggles?
Do you have peace when you make that request? etc.
Does it make us judge God's partiality in giving?
Some of these are inner checks are pointers that we can use to know if we are asking amiss and then make appropriate corrections.
The right heart for true prayers is that God might be glorified in the end.

WHAT POSITION DO I TAKE?

No particular position is actually a bench mark for prayers but we can see that Jesus knelt down to pray oftentimes in scripture. This position is a posture of humility and submission. That doesn’t mean standing makes you a proud person per say. But you must learn to choose the position that puts you at ease and focused in His presence. If your pained by your postured yes, it may keep you awake, but you may not be focused on the prayer. You may suffer distractions and mind straying. Don’t get too comfortable like lying on the bed, kneeling with head on a pillow, standing but leaning with your back on the wall etc, you may sleep off. Learn to pray with closed eyes. Eyes wide open and looking at things may be a form of distraction, eg with TV on, window blinds open etc. Your position must help your focus and concentration.

HOW DOES MY SINS AFFECT MY ANSWERS?

We cannot judge for God who he answers or whose more qualified to receive answers to prayers or should be disqualified. So when you see someone who you feel in quote is not living the life getting blessed,  don't judge him or her. And also don't question God's standard of righteousness. But what we know is this. His eyes are too pure to behold iniquity. He said our sins have separated us from God making it hard for him to hear us. This means if I am deliberately living in known or unknown sins, It will definitely hamper his hearing me. So what is expected of me,  confess all sins, repent from it,  forgive others,  stay away from whatever contaminates. He said in his word.... "those that honor me I will honor"....
Are you dishonoring him in any area of your life?

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MY ANSWERS DON’T COME?

Sometimes answers don’t come when expected. But that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t hear or is too busy with other important issues other than yours.

It may mean any one of the following:
Maybe you asked amiss,
maybe its not the time for you to get it, maybe you need to wait,
maybe you have not prayed enough, maybe you have not obeyed the instruction attached to your need,
maybe you were still speaking negatively, maybe you lacked faith,
maybe he’s working on you.

We should learn to walk with the Spirit to know what his mind is on certain issues related to us.

AM I ASKING TOO MUCH OR BUGGING GOD?

Trust me you can never outspend God. He said “I am the God of all flesh, is there anything too hard for me?”. He is El-Shaddai, the all sufficient one or the full breasted one. The one that sustains everything but is not sustained by anyone or anything. He self exists. It means the more you ask, the more his provision are available for your needs. To bug means to “disturb”. He that keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps so how could you ever bother him. He doesn’t sleep or go on vacation so you can’t be bothering him. He created you for fellowship, and one way this is actualized is the frequency of your communion with him.

In the part 2, of this series,  we shall further look into more questions and get answers from his presence to carry on.

He is not a man that he can lie.

Father we ask that you reassure our hearts in prayers and Visit us timely in Jesus name,  Amen.