19. Conditions for Answered Prayers
1 Timothy 2:1-2
1. I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.
2. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.
▣ If you pray, you will receive answers. When you pray, you experience God's love. When you pray, you hear the voice of God. But people are hesitant to pray. Because praying is something that requires giving yourself and giving yourself time. On the other hand, not praying requires no effort. You just have to live as you live.
Praying is a new change. In order to experience that change, we need the environment and conditions to pray.
1. We need to set a goal for our prayers.
29 As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. 30 Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 31 “Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them. But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 32 When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” 34 Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him. (Matthew 20:29-34).
The Lord first asked those who came with problems, “What do you want?” and asked. You're not asking because you don't know what they want or what their needs are. The Lord wanted to know if they really wanted what they were saying. I'm asking if that's what they most desperately want.
Instead of having a vague sense of duty to pray, set a goal for which you must pray and pray. Those who are approaching the summit and those who have just climbed the ridge have different steps. Those who reach the heights will never give up. Pray with a clear goal in front of you to pray for. A person who has a clear goal to pray for never gives up on prayer.
2. You must decide how to pray.
39 Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. 40 There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.” (Luke 22:39-40)
President John F. Kennedy often spoke of Irish boys during his lifetime. Irish boys are said to throw their hats over the fence when they encounter a high fence. Because you will have to somehow climb over the fence to pick up the hat.
It's like throwing a hat when we decide to do something and then try to do it boldly. After throwing the hat, you can throw yourself next.
Bold decisions make it easier. Determination brings wisdom. There are also abilities. You will find someone to help you and you will find a way. Make a time for prayer. Setting a prayer time is more important than setting up all the times, such as meal times and work hours, and it is a way to keep praying.
3. We need to create an environment for prayer.
35 Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. (Mark 1:35).
Man is a being that is governed by his environment. He is largely governed by light, has a nature to act and move when the light is bright, and when the sun goes down and dark he rests and goes to bed. A number of factors, including sound, color, scent, and temperature, come into play here without us even realizing it. If the environment causes difficulties, you must change the environment.
4. We must seek the help of the Holy Spirit.
26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers[a] in harmony with God’s own will. (Romans 8:26-27).
Rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to help you whenever you experience weakness in prayer.
4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages,[a] as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. (Acts 2:4)
When the apostles of the early church gathered together to pray, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they prayed in tongues. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues as the Holy Spirit directed them. It's not something anyone expected or planned. The Holy Spirit completely worked and made people pray. The Holy Spirit does not come from our state of mind, but is a power that comes from heaven.
5. You must have a perfect relationship with God.
6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. (James 4:6-8).
Prayer is a spiritual attitude toward God. If you go before God, you will meet God as a whole person. When I see people burdened or hesitating in prayer, most of them feel a lot of guilt about their spiritual condition. When I get pretty clothes for a long time, I want to go out in front of people. When I have something good in my house, I want to invite people to brag about it. A person who is good at sports wants to go to the playground, and a person who is good at swimming wants to go to the pool and show off. Because it's something you can do well.
Those who want to brag before God, who want to speak to God, and who want to hear more of God's Word are the happy saints. The more upright and perfect your relationship with God, the more faithful you will become a person of prayer. Also, you can become a person who is full of desire to always come before God. Amen