Does anybody have the inside track on prayer? I mean, we know of Prayer Warriors, and we are told constantly that we must have a genuine prayer life if we are to enter the kingdom of the Lord. One universal factoid is that all religions of the earth demand prayer and sacrifice to some degree in order to find spiritual well-being and eternal life. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ.”
I’m finding that prayer is a kind of armor that protects us from ourselves. The key is, are you serious about your praying?
Believability and truth come from within. If you don’t believe in the promise of Christ, the omniscience of Almighty God, then how in the hell do you, I, or anyone else expect prayer to be answered? I mean, fundamentally, you’ve got to believe God is capable of accomplishing what you’re asking Him for. The key here is He knows what’s in your heart, and if the truth is known, so are you.
Herein lies the rub. God will not be pimped. Real prayer comes from real people seeking salvation from a life full of sin and temptation. I think it all starts from a simple but honest “I’m sorry.” A minister friend once told me that God does not complicate His word. We do. You know whether or not you are really sorry for something that you should not have done or said. When you understand the pain you’ve caused someone else, you know how you really feel. The real news is that the person whom you did it to also knows whether or not the apology is genuine or the sentiment is heartfelt. And so it is with God, which brings me back to prayer.
Isn’t prayer the expression of heartfelt sentiment towards God? Doesn’t James tell us that motive is the key to having prayer answered? “…You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives…” James 4:2-3. Now, let me get this straight. What is in my heart is known by God, and if I recognize my relationship to Him through Jesus Christ, then not only will I be saved, I can ask for anything.“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” James 4:10. Let us pray. Amen.
May God bless and keep you always.
This column is from James Washington’s Spiritually Speaking: Reflections for and from a New Christian. You can purchase this enlightening book on Amazon and start your journey toward spiritual enlightenment.