The following facts are clear from Scripture:
1. Grace has made all the blessings available to the believer. Sin has no power to deprive you unless you refuse to confess it. If you do not disqualify yourself, you have your prayers answered. Rom 8:1-2, “1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
2. God answers prayers; he promised to– Mat 7:7-8, “7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8For every one that askethreceiveth; and he that seekethfindeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”
3. He grants requests that do not contradict his word– 1John 5:14-15, “14And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” Also, we tend to focus on the immediate but God takes his entire plan for our lives into consideration before allowing anything into our lives.
4. He answers prayers prayed in faith. James 1:6-7, “6But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” That is why we are doing the faith series. Trust is the fundamental requirement for getting on with God.
5. Soul winning can greatly enhance your chances of having your prayers answered– John 15:16, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
What’s your idea of God, a superman you use to get all you want or your Creator and God you fear and obey? You cannot afford to ignore this scripture if you truly want God to bless you.
Mat 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” If you commit to obeying God and increasing his Kingdom, you commit him to increasing you.
The Lord revealed to me that majority of his children are not witnessing because they are in one prison or another. Until Peter comes out of prison he cannot preach. Paul and Silas were jailed; God had to deliver them so they could continue preaching.
Many are in jail of seeking what God has promised to add. What about malice and unforgiveness? What about immorality? What about stealing from God by failing to pay tithe? These are chains people are bound with. Until you come out of jail, you cannot preach. How many people will be in heaven because of you? God is waiting for you to do the right thing and he will pour his blessings into your life.
The Josephs of the Kingdom that are supposed to rule the world for God are in prison. Until Joseph comes out of prison he cannot rule.
6. Failure to forgive hinders answers to prayers– Mark 11:25. Faith works by love and not by hate. The bible says that he who hates his Christian brother abides in death.
7. Those who pray in tongues are more likely to have all their prayers answered as they are assisted by the Holy Spirit. Rom 8:26. Eph 6:18 tells us to pray all prayers in the spirit i.e. in tongues.
8. Corporate praying guarantees answers to prayer. Mat 18:19, “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”
9. Those who are willing to wait patiently receive the promises. He makes all things beautiful in his time. Ecc 3:11