 I want to teach you today how to pray powerful, effective prayers. Perhaps you've grown frustrated in your prayer life and you feel like your prayers are going up, but that no one is there to hear them. I want to teach you how to pray effectively. I'm teaching on keys to answered prayer. And I'm going to teach you how to pray biblically. I'm going to teach you how to pray powerfully so that when you pray, the prayers that you pray have just as much power in them as the Word of God. That is what I'm teaching on this edition of Spirit Church here on Encounter TV. But first, Stephen Machezuma is here with me as usual. He's going to lead you in some worship and then we're going to get right into this lesson. Here is Stephen Machezuma. I want you to know that an impossible situation is the perfect setting for a miracle. If you find yourself up against the wall like you're facing a situation that there seems to be no way out of, that is the place that God will meet you. The truth is that if where you're living doesn't require faith, then you're not in the will of God. So when you walk in the will of God, you're going to face circumstances and trials and pressures of all sorts. You may feel exhausted, you may feel tired, you may feel like you've given all that you can to a situation and that nothing seems to change what's going on with that situation. Well, I want to show you how to pray powerful, effective prayers. Prayers that are prayed with such faith and with such power that they will transform the situation around you. You're believing for something that's difficult to acquire by human effort. Good, because then it requires the involvement of God. If what you are praying for can be done in your own effort, then it doesn't require faith. So if you're facing a situation where you're saying, Lord, I don't know how I'm going to get out of this one. Or Lord, I don't know how the need is going to be met. Lord, I don't know how anything is ever going to change for the better than you are in a place where prayer can make a difference. An impossible situation is the perfect setting for a miracle. And any moment can be your miracle moment. You don't know what the next 24 hours hold. You don't know that this week that God's not going to come through for you in a miraculous way. You don't know that things aren't going to transform in an instant. You could be hours away from a miracle and not even know it. You could be minutes away from transformation and not even know it. The scripture says in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1, Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for. The evidence of things not seen. I want to emphasize faith. And you'll notice that's going to be a constantly running theme all throughout this message. Faith, faith, faith. When Jesus healed the sick, he would tell them, Your faith has made you whole. The scripture says that without faith, it's impossible to please God. Hebrews 11 1 says that faith is the substance. It's the actuality. It's the reality. It's the attainment of the things not seen. It's something that's real. In other words, the faith for a thing is just as good as having that thing. The faith for a saved family is just as good as a saved family. The faith for your healing is just as sure as your healing. The faith for your deliverance, for your breakthrough is just as sure as the deliverance and the breakthrough itself. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. It's the actualization of it. And it is the evidence of things not seen. In other words, your faith is evidence of the existence of God. Your faith is evidence of the miracle working power of God. Your faith in action brings about the actuality of a thing and it produces real results. So I want to show you how to pray prayers that result in answers, that result in things changing, that result in transformation, prayers that result in the miraculous. And this goes beyond miraculous healing. This could be something you're believing for in your family, in your relationships, in your emotions, in your finances, in your ministry. I know there are ministers watching me right now. You're growing frustrated in your ministry and you're saying, Lord, I've done everything I know to do. And it seems like nothing is changing. Nothing is working. Well, this is exactly the place where a miracle is needed and that's good news because then the Lord can get involved. But first, I want you to notice that when it comes to receiving from the Lord, it's never, I shouldn't say never because sometimes God does in His mercy, respond instantly. But for the most part, there's a process to receiving from the Lord. And many people want to start with receiving. They come to the Lord and say, okay Lord, I prayed this prayer, I'm ready to receive. And they don't realize that they're skipping many things, many principles involved in praying the prayer of faith, in praying to the place where you receive answered prayer. So number one, here's the first key to answered prayer. Number one, is yielding to God's will. First John chapter 5 verse 14 says, and this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us. If we ask anything what? According to His will. Now there are some people who pray prayers that are against the will of God. In fact, I've had conversations with fellow ministers when we talk about the many open doors to ministries, the many opportunities that present themselves to us in our everyday life. But the question is not what is the good thing, the question is what is the God thing. The question is not what is beneficial, the question is what is divinely appointed. And when you start to look for the divine appointments, as opposed to just opportunities, you begin to pray according to God's will. You cannot force God to do anything and God is not reluctant to bless you. So it's not as though God is saying, I don't want to bless this person and so I'm going to make him pray, pray, pray. I'm going to make her pray, pray, pray. No, on the contrary, prayer and the waiting is the process by which you become someone who can receive everything that God has for you. So when you're praying for something, it's not that the Lord is saying, I'm going to make them wait for the sake of waiting. It's that if you don't go through the process, you can't handle the answered prayer. If you don't go through the process of becoming the person who can receive in faith all that God has for you, then the blessing will crush you instead of promote you. So God allows us to go through the process when we yield to his will. It's about yielding to his will. If we pray according to his will, if we ask according to his will, he hears us, if we don't ask according to his will, he does not hear that prayer. Now, here's the thing. Think about a police officer. Now, you hear a lot of things going on with police officers nowadays, but we need to pray for our police officers. They help to maintain order. I understand there are some bad members of the group. That's true of any group. But when we pray, think about a police officer. A police officer is acting according to his authority when he enforces the law. The moment they step outside of the confines of the law, they are in violation of that which they are supposed to defend. So the law does not back every action of every police officer just because they wear a badge and just because they represent the law. Only when an officer is acting according to the law is that officer able to operate in the full authority given to him by the law. And only when you pray prayers according to the will of God, which is known by the word of God, will you begin to see results in your prayer life. If I'm praying something that God does not want to have for me, or give me, then I'm not going to see that thing manifest in my life. And that's not God being cruel. That's God being merciful. Thank God he doesn't give us things outside of his will. Now, we by our own free will can force certain things to happen, but that doesn't mean that God cannot intervene in his mercy and stop those things from coming to pass. So when you're praying, make sure you're yielding to the will of God, that you're praying according to his word, that you're praying according to his purposes and his desires, his likes and his dislikes. For example, there are certain things that God cannot do. God cannot lie because he is truth. God cannot sin because he is holiness. God cannot do the illogical because he is the basis of all logic. God cannot die because he is eternity. The Lord cannot violate his own nature. He just can't do it. In the same sense, and that's not a weakness, that doesn't mean God is not all-powerful. It just means that it's what sustains him as an individual, as a being, is his holiness. Why is he going to violate his holiness? So God not doing those things or being unable to do those things doesn't mean he's not all-powerful, because that would not be a power, that would be a weakness if God violated his own nature. So in the same sense, God will not violate his will in answering our prayers. Now, we by the flesh can force things to happen and those things will do far more damage to us than good. But ultimately, we must pray according to the will of God. So number one, you have to ask yourself, am I yielding to God's will? Number two, hearing God's word. The scripture says in Romans chapter 10 verse 17, so then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Now that scripture in Romans chapter 10 verse 17 is in reference to salvation. So the context is salvation. Those who hear about salvation have the faith to receive that salvation. But the principle itself can apply to many things. When you hear a promise of God, when you hear what God is offering, it inspires in you, it stirs in you faith to believe for that thing that God has promised. So you need to hear the word, you need to hear what are the promises of God so that your faith can come alive. Mind your surroundings. Be careful who you allow to surround you. Be careful who you allow to speak into your life. Be careful who influences you. Be careful what movies you watch, what music you listen to. Not because we're religious and we think that God is going to condemn us for such things, but because of what it does to us as individuals. It's because what it does is it disrupts the communication between God and us. And so when we start to involve ourselves in things that we hear that are not of faith and are of the flesh and are of the demonic, we begin to chip away at our faith and our faith begins to dwindle and we lose that stirred faith. We lose that power to receive all God wants to give us. If you don't have faith, it might as well be that God never promised you a thing because you won't receive it anyway. We need to hear. We need to hear in faith. Now it's possible to hear with your natural ears but not with your spirit. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 11 verse 15, He said, He who has an ear let him hear. He was talking about a spiritual ear. He was talking about being able to hear in the spirit. He was talking about to be able to buy the Holy Spirit, hear the promises, the voice of God. And so the Holy Spirit needs to breathe life onto the promises of God and we need to daily fill our minds with the word that we become people of faith and when you hear the word of God you know what his promises are and then you ask what according to his will which was the first point and it's more likely to come to pass on our life so long as we do the other things. Number three is thinking in faith. Proverbs chapter 23 verse 7 says, For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. The mind is both the root and the battlefield. It is the root of all that you do and the mind itself being rooted in the spirit or in the flesh. It is the root which results in the fruit of your life. So if the mind is rooted in darkness your fruits will be of darkness. If the mind is rooted in light your fruits will be of light. So as you think so are you but the mind is also the battlefield. It's the place where we fight the most intense war that will ever fight. Probably, I would say this, the essence of spiritual warfare is the fight to believe God's truth over the enemy's deception. I think that is the summary of spiritual warfare. That is the shorthand definition of spiritual warfare. It is the fight to believe God's truth over the enemy's deception. Why? Because all the enemy's attacks are going to be grounded in deception at least against the believer. So we need to be people who think in faith. We need to be constantly thinking in faith. We need to yield to God's will hear God's word and think in faith. And when we're thinking in faith as we're praying we're not double minded which is important because number four is key which is believing in faith. In James chapter number one verses five through seven the scripture says this if you need wisdom ask our generous God and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking but when you ask him be sure that your faith is in God alone do not waver for a person with divided loyalty or double mind is unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Did you hear what that scripture said? It's a powerful truth found in James. You won't receive anything if you're double minded. If you've wavered back and forth. Faith does not waver. Faith is certain. Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. When we believe in faith we start to see according to how God wants us to see. I thought of this scripture too while putting this together and this is one of my favorite portions of scripture in the book of Psalms and it's found in Psalm chapter 77 and I'll read beginning at verse 16 this is what the Bible says here when the red sea saw you oh God its waters looked and trembled the sea quaked to its very depths the clouds poured down rain the thunder rumbled in the sky your arrows of lightning flashed your thunder roared from the whirlwind the lightning lit up the world the earth trembled and shook your road led through the sea your pathway through the mighty waters a pathway no one knew was there no one knew that pathway was there that is except God in other words God makes a way where there seems to be no way facing a situation you're in trouble it could be financial could be in your family could be in your ministry could be a spiritual crisis that you're facing could be something you're facing with a sinful habit that you want to stop and you're looking at the situation and everything in you is saying there's no way there's no way I can overcome this there's no way I can get out of this there's no way this can change nothing will ever be better but remember you serve a God who makes a way where there seems to be no way he's going to get you out of it he's going to get you through it no matter what you're facing he's able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we could ask I think you just have to believe those are possible only believe don't doubt don't waver you need to be fixed on the promises of God and say to yourself I will believe the Lord I'm not going to believe my circumstances I'm not going to believe what my mind tells me I'm not going to believe what the enemy tells me I believe the promises of God and his promises the scripture says are yes and amen they are certain I have confidence in the certainty of the promises of God it will come to pass no exceptions you are not an exception to the promises of God you are not an exception to the power of God if God will do it for someone else God will do it for you he will come through I promise you that listen to me I promise you that he's able he has never let anyone down God will bring his will to pass in your life so don't waver believe in faith be certain be stubborn don't let anyone convince you otherwise believe the promises of God so number one yielding to God's will number two hearing God's word number three thinking in faith number four believing in faith number five declaring the word Romans chapter 4 verse 17 says as it is written I have made thee a father of many nations before him whom he believed even God who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were in other words God is able to call things into existence God is able to call things that are not as though they are think about this God simply spoke and caused all of reality time, matter and space to simultaneously come into existence that's power that's power behind his declaration God has the creative power to declare things and to cause things and to move things just by the sound of his voice I want you to think of that power think about what that really implies that God his word alone is enough to create a world that's powerful you don't think that God who created this world is able to move things and influence things in your favor of course he is but the question is not getting God to act according to my will it's getting you to act according to God's will God is not our servant God is not someone who's there to meet our every whim if we apply the right mechanics I'm not teaching you faith so that you can get God to move for you I'm teaching you faith so that you'll get moving for God so that you can say okay Lord I'm going to align myself with your will and in doing so it brings down the blessing of God because whatever is in his will is blessed and at perfect peace so prayer more than it will change anyone else will change the one who is praying prayer more than it will change anything else will change the one who is praying so we declare by the word though we still can declare because we're like our God we are like our God in Genesis chapter 2 the scripture says that God breathed life into the dust and man became a living soul that was his ruach his spirit his breath his life moving into the dust and when it entered the dust life came about in other words I came from my father when God created the birds he said he spoke and things came into existence I mean just think about that power I'm just I know I'm fixated on it but I think you will come to appreciate it the more you think about it when God wanted to bring forth fish and creatures of the sea he said that the waters bring forth he spoke to the sea when God wanted to bring forth animals and creatures on the ground he said that the earth bring forth whether he brought forth vegetation that way but when God created you he spoke to himself let us make man in our image we preceded from God therefore we are like him we're created in his image we're created in his likeness now religious people can't stand this teaching because religion the entire philosophy is based upon getting you to hate yourself to such a degree that you accept punishment let me tell you something you are like your creator and I don't care who that upsets God created you that way he did not create you to be in sin sure God punishes sin sure man is sinful I acknowledge all of that it would be unbiblical to deny that but at the same time recognize who you're from recognize who you belong to you're royal you have an air of elegance about you think about the blood of the king courses through your body that's a powerful thing to consider and so in considering that we realize that we like our God have power in our words now I'm not saying that you can speak and create anything you want because then that would be that would be too much power if God gave that to man so God did not give man that sort of creative power but even though God did not give man the power to create through his words he did give man the power to influence through his words in other words what God created can be influenced and cultivated by man through action through thought and through word so therefore your words are both indicators and to some degree creators I don't mean they create in that they bring from nothing I mean that they create in that they shape what is already formed what is already created so God has given us the raw materials of creation with which we are to form and to create and move according to his will and so your words are indicators and creators they create around you and they indicate the condition of your heart Proverbs chapter 18 verse 21 says death and life are in the power of the tongue and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof there is power in your words number five obeying God's commands now this is going to be a big one so I want to stop here for a little bit so just to recap to where we are keys to answer prayer number one yielding to God's will number two hearing God's word number three thinking in faith number four believing in faith number five declaring the word number six obeying God's commands now look at this verse now when we look at this verse I want you to really look at this with me ok John chapter 15 verse 7 look at what it says here's a condition ok let's not read it yet I want you to really I'm going to tell you what to look for here's a condition that Jesus is giving to us now he says if you do this I'll do anything you ask me for that's a powerful statement and this is coming from the highest authority this is Jesus himself promising us something so what is he promising us John 15 7 look at what it says but if you remain in me and my words remain in you you may ask for anything you want and it will be granted think about what he's saying you can ask me for anything you want you can ask me for anything that's Jesus making you this promise you can ask me for anything you want and it will not it may be granted not it might be granted not it will be granted at some point in the Jesus it will be granted if what you remain in me and my words remain in you now because this is such a powerful result I want to know how to meet that condition I want to know how to remain in him well this is what the scripture says 1 John 3 verse 24 it tells you what it means to remain in him 1 John 3 24 look what it says whoever keeps his commandments remains in God and God in him by this we know he remains in us by the spirit he has given us it's a little more direct even here 1 John 3 verses 21-22 beloved if our heart condemn us not then we have confidence toward God and whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments do those things that are pleasing in his sight look at what it says whatsoever we ask we receive of him we receive whatever we ask because we keep his commandments that's the cause because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight so because we obey he answers if you're not obeying God your prayers will not be answered they'll be hindered look at what Psalm 66 says chapter 66 verse 17 this is a very pointed way that the psalmist phrased it Psalm 66 verses 17-19 the scripture says for I cried out to him for help praising him as I spoke here's where it's very pointed if I had not confessed the sin in my heart the Lord would not have listened listen to that again if I had not confessed the sin in my heart the Lord would not have listened but God did listen he paid attention to my prayer you know the scripture says that God resists the proud at James 4-6 he will not hear the proud now of course if a sinner repents God hears that prayer why because that prayer is according to his will and the person has changed the posture of their heart from resisting God so James 4-6 tells us that God resists the proud but he gives grace to the humble you cannot come to God in pride and be saved so those who come to him to be saved are humbling themselves before him and in doing so they're positioning themselves to be able to receive from him so God resists the proud God does not answer selfish prayers that's James chapter 4 verses 2 and 3 if the prayers are prayed so that we can consume them upon our own lust or we pray from selfish motives God's not going to answer those prayers we just read that God will not answer prayers if you have unconfessed sin now I'm not talking about trying to remember every little sin you've ever done in your life and if you leave one thing out or forget one thing that God won't hear you, no talking about the position of the heart David knew that if he did not get his heart right before God that the Lord would not have heard him I don't think it's really even possible to remember everything and confess everything in that manner God resists selfishness God resists those with unconfessed sins and here's one for the spouses 1 Peter chapter 3 verse 7 tells us that if there's discourse between you and your spouse that God will not even hear your prayer then and all the married people said amen have you ever tried to pray just after you've gotten an argument with your spouse it's not going to happen you know my wife, whenever the Lord speaks to my wife or myself about each other we go and take care of it in fact my wife doesn't have to nag me because I pray so I'll go and I'll pray and the Lord will tell me your wife was bothered by this this thing that you did today and I'll think really I didn't even realize that bothered her and I'll go and I'll say Jess did this bother you she'll say yes and I ask the Lord to tell you so in that way there's communication there's divine communication and it doesn't always work that way trust me there's work you have to do to it too but if there's discourse between you and your wife or you and your husband you're not going to hear your prayer the scripture says it very clearly so number one keys to answered prayer yielding to God's will number two hearing God's word number three thinking and faith number four believing in faith number five declaring the word number six obeying God's commands and number seven asking in faith now I know we talked about having faith but this is where you ask you have to open your mouth and say Lord I'm asking now James chapter one verses five to eight we'll read it here and we read a portion of this but I want to read it to you again if any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upgradeeth not and it shall be given him but let him ask in faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed for let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord a double minded man is unstable in all his ways John fourteen fourteen says yes ask me for anything in my name I will do it Psalm thirty seven four says delight yourself in the Lord and he shall give you the desires of your heart why does God give us the desires of our heart when we delight ourselves in him it's because we become people who can receive in faith that for which we pray prayer and waiting processes you for someone who can receive the way to your blessings from God and then you receive in faith and that's number eight but that's less on you and it's more on God that is it for the lesson I hope that blessed you I want to pray with you now let's go before the Lord before we finish I'll recap one more time yielding to God's will hearing God's word thinking in faith believing in faith declaring the word and asking in faith and then you receive so you don't start with receiving that's the finished product that process is the process of praying powerful prayers effective prayers that change circumstances and situations all around you so let's pray now and I want to ask the Lord to stir your faith because as I said a constantly running theme through this lesson will be faith and so when you have the faith to receive you've become one who can receive the blessings of God God will not give to you above your measure of faith he will not trust you above what you've been tested to receive so let's pray that God would expand your faith grow your faith and stir you to boldness and action that you might be one who prays powerful prayers that you might be one who can pray and move mountains who can pray and see the sick healed who can pray and watch the circumstances when you begin to transform I believe that I believe that's you I believe God wants to change things for you but first he wants to change you he wants to change your heart he wants to transform your nature and make you more like him so let's pray come on in faith I want you to stretch your hands toward my Father in Jesus name I pray for that one receiving this prayer right now I ask Jesus you would stir that faith Lord I pray that there would be such faith that they would ask prayers that surprise even themselves Father I pray that as they pray they would remember all that your word has said about prayer that they would in faith ask boldly and receive in gratefulness I thank you Father for the power of God that's now flowing Lord I thank you in Jesus name there's a couple watching me you're watching together you've been believing God you've been trying now it's been about two and a half years you've been trying to have a child the Lord is going to bless you you're believing for that miracle it's happening for you I believe it in faith declare it here's what I want you to do I want you to stir your faith I want you to ask the Lord and I want you to name that child you want a boy or a girl I want you to name the child say Lord thank you for so and so coming into the world and I want you to receive it in faith thank you Lord for all that you're doing all the miracles that you're doing there's a healing anointing flowing too thank you Jesus there's someone you injured your neck and the doctors are saying there's going to be some long-term damage but we're rebuking that right now in Jesus name in fact you feel like a heat coming over you go back to your doctor have him check you I believe the Lord's healing you Father I thank you I rebuke cancer Lord I rebuke arthritis in Jesus name I rebuke skin disorders skin disorders are being healed someone with a skin disorder all up on their left their left side you're being completely made whole if you look you'll see God's healing you right now in Jesus name so Lord I thank you for stirring our faith to pray bold prayers in the matchless name of Jesus we pray and I want you to say it if you agree say amen that as I said is it for the lesson I want to welcome now the new members of spirit church there you are up on the screen we love you when we're praying for you I always say that because I always mean it remember if you would like to join the spirit family then go ahead and use the information at the bottom of your screen to sign up it's free you get a weekly email that comes with the lesson and you can respond for prayer support over 2,000 members from all around the world have joined spirit church so join spirit family today I want to read your comments now and this is from last week's video the video entitled can you hear the cry and this lesson was a challenge to begin evangelizing your world the first commenter writes very important message please Lord let us hear them and lead them to you amen Elaine writes thank you brother David for this powerful message may God bless you Marlon writes well thank you David this blessed me thank you so much Annie Louise writes awesome and heart touching word divine worship as well may God bless you guys abundantly Santa writes thank you father thank you pastor I needed this reminder and when you were praying I felt some sensation on my fingers when I stretch my hands towards you God bless you well that's the presence of the Holy Spirit in fact we receive many reports of people sensing the power of God just while watching this on the internet and the final commenter men last sent he writes praise God God is good all the time and all the time God is good thank you brother David for your marvelous message I pray that God will use me in a mighty way to win more souls for his kingdom may God bless you more and more amen well there's a way you can get involved in soul winning and we can do it together so I have been updating you on a campaign that we've launched many of you know we've been trying to raise support through monthly partners look at where we are in the process here's this graphic up on the screen for you we needed a thousand new $30 a month partners to sign up and we are less than 200 away now and I believe we can wrap this up in the next couple of months so we need just under $230 a month supporters that's 200 people giving $30 a month so that's where we are now what is this going toward well first of all we want to tell you why we're doing this we want to win souls I believe we are on the cusp of one of the greatest moves of God that this nation this world has ever seen and I believe that this ministry is right on the verge of another growth spur you've watched over the years and you've seen certain seasons where God has just rapidly expanded us and that's actually happened three or four times and I feel another one coming on and this one is going to be the biggest one listen you're going to be able to say I'm a part of something I'm winning souls I'm reaching people for the kingdom of God I was there at the very beginning when they were just starting this out so here's what we're doing we are looking for a brand new place to call home for our new ministry facility now here we're running out of space we don't have any more office space the studio space isn't really ideal for accommodating a studio audience and so we want to have a place that we can call home a new place to call home that we can produce more programs from we can have weekly meetings from the radio room ultimately it's a TV studio that we're building and you can come in and attend the services and it will be powerful and we'll broadcast live all over but ultimately this next phase of ministry is going to help us to win more souls than ever before because not only with that finance that monthly support are we going to be able to get into this new facility but we're also going to be able to do more events more often and in more places so if you've been praying for God to bring us to your region we'll get us to do it you have to help so so that we have the resources to go so we need $30 a month supporters we need you to sign up and when you do I'll send you either carriers of the glory or 25 truths about demons and spiritual warfare I will sign it as our initiation gift to you to say thank you for partnering with us so do that today don't wait on that if you're watching this on YouTube then you'll see at the very end of this video you're going to see a screen pop up with some links that you can actually click so wait until the end of this video click that link if you're watching this on the app you'll see a place to donate right when you exit this video it'll say partner with David or donate do that today don't delay don't wait if this ministry has blessed you in any way become a supporter help us lend us a helping hand in winning souls if everybody who watches this video signs up today we'll go well over the 200 mark so I'm trusting that God will speak to your heart and I'm trusting that you'll obey him well that is it for this edition of Spirit Church until next time remember nothing is impossible with God