TOPIC TEXT: Effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16.

INTRODUCTION:

 Learning how to pray effectively is one of the most important things a believer can ever do in his Christian daily walk. Really a believer can never be successful in fulfilling God’s purpose in his life if he does not know how to pray according to the bible principles. A believer’s prayer life should be based and built upon the word of God. Therefore we are going to study the many principles of prayer that is found in the word of God. As you study these principles be determined to get them into your heart so you can practice them in your own prayer life. We will look at seven steps that any believer can take in order to receive the answer to his prayer. If a person will faithfully practice the following seven steps he can be sure of an answer every time. 

STEP 1: 	BE SPECIFIC AND STAND ON GOD’S PROMISES

Here you decide on what you want from God and find the scripture(s) that definitely promise you this thing. It is good that someone will not be indefinite in his prayer. Somebody can pray only for 2 or 3 minutes and know what he/she is praying about than, to pray for 2 or 3 hrs without knowing what he/she is praying about. There is a kind of prayer where you pray to have fellowship with God but you must know what you are doing. 
So many people do not realize the importance of word of God in prayer, but know it that faith begins where the word of God is known. If the bible does not promise you of what you are looking for you do not have business praying about it. Lack of the word brings no confidence. Once you’ve gotten the scripture, get it fixed in your heart. (Joshua 1:8). 


Use this word against the devil when he will want to put sand into your garri but fight the good fight of faith  Matt 4:7 – 11, 1Tim 6:12. 

STEP 2: You MUST ASK GOD OF WHAT YOU WANT AND BELIEVE IT Matt. 6:32 John 16: 23-24 Matt 7:7-8 Mk 11: 23 -24, Eph 1:8 Rom 3:4.

STEP 3: BE POSITIVE IN YOUR THINKING 
Step number 3 to receiving answers for prayer is to let every thought and desire affirm that you have what you asked for  1 Peter 5:8. 
Resist Doubt – Doubt is from the devil, you have to resist doubts and reject them. In order to receive answer to your prayer you must eradicate every image, suggestion, vision, dream, impression, feelings and all thoughts  that do not affirm that you have what you have asked for: (Resist the devil and he will flee James 4: 7b).
Reject anything that contradicts the word that you are standing on. Satan can stand in the supernatural realm because just like God, he is a spirit being Matt 8: 17, Heb. 1: 1-2.

STEP 4: GUARD YOUR MIND 

Step number four to receiving answers to prayer is to guard against evil thought that comes into your mind to try to make you doubt God’s word. 
Thoughts are governed by observation, association and teaching, so this step is associated with No. 3: II Corth 10:6 cast down every thought that is against what you are expecting from God. Phil 4:8 tells us exactly what to think on. Generally you will have to guard your mind against every evil thought and think on those things which affirms that God has heard and answered your prayer, when you do this you will be cooperating with God in faith.    

STEP 5: MEDIATE ON GOD’S PROMISES 
Step number 5 is mediate constantly on the promises upon which you based the answer to your prayer. That is you must see yourself in possession of what you’ve asked for and make plans accordingly as if it were already a reality. Prov. 4:20 -22.

Remember God only works and moves in line with His word. He has magnified His word above His name (Ps 138:2). If you don’t stand on God’s word, He has nothing to make good in your life. Pray according to the word: John 15:7 if you abide in me and my WORD ABIDE IN YOU (then) ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you. 

STEP 6: CONTINUALLY THANK GOD FOR THE ANSWER
In this step you think on the greatness of God and His goodness and count your blessing in your every waking moment. Lift your heart to God continually in increasing praise and gratitude to God for what He has done for you now. Phil 4:6 As long as you are fretting or anxious all the prayer and fasting in the world will do you no good. 

STEP 7: MAKE EVERY PRAYER A STATEMENT OF FAITH:
That is, make every prayer relative to what you’ve asked a statement of faith. You can think and say words of faith just like you can speak words of doubt. Somebody has said “it is thinking faith thoughts and speaking faith words that lead the heart out of defeat and into victory’ Smith Wigglesworth once said “if you pray seven times for any one thing you prayed six times in unbelief. Andrew Murray said “it is not good taste to ask God for the same thing over and over again”. Same, Murray said again that if what you have prayed for has not materialized and you do pray again do not pray for it again in the same way because that will mean unbelief. By this he meant that you can remind God of what His word says by putting Him in remembrance of his promises (Isa 43:26). Tell him you are expecting it and thank Him for it.

Am still your brother @dubem-eu