The problem with our prayer is that we do it as a last resort. ~Will Rogers
What happens when you are faced with a situation that seems insurmountable? How do you cope when life suddenly turns upside down? Or when you feel like you’re never going to get where you want to be? Perhaps you are struggling to get out of debt, regain your health, or overcome the ravages of a bad relationship or the loss of a loved one.
Do you rant and rave about the unfairness of it all? Do you throw up your hands, sigh, and ‘accept the inevitable’? Maybe you sit and sob, wasting your precious energy on a pity party for yourself.
I would like to offer you a different option. Effective prayer.
The effective and fervent prayer of the righteous can much (James 5:16). The Amplified Bible says it this way: The prayer (sincere and continued) of a righteous man makes tremendous power available. [dynamic in its working].
A dynamo is a generator that creates great power. It also means forceful and energetic. Wouldn’t you like to have dynamic power working for you in those situations? Well you can.
I’d like to share four action steps you can use to get those negative circumstances out of your way.
Preparation: Everything in life requires preparation. You cannot prepare a meal without first gathering the correct ingredients and utensils. You can’t drive a car if it’s not fueled up and ready to go. Faith is the same way. You cannot use it effectively unless you are prepared to use it correctly. However, the preparation, the development of his faith, is often the most neglected part of a Christian’s life because it takes time.
the Bible says ‘faith comes by hearing’ (Rom. 10:17). Listening to the Word, studying and meditating on it, building unshakable trust in it is the ‘fuel’ that makes the engine of faith work. If there is nothing in your deposit of faith, your prayer will be weak. If you can’t believe what you’re asking for is possible (remember, ‘With God nothing is impossible’! – Luke 1:37), you will not ignite the spiritual power you need to override your current circumstances.
Sentence: If preparation is your fuel, prayer is your ignition switch. The sentence says ‘GO’. Your words, spoken in faith, give your High Priest, Jesus, something to manage. He is he author and finisher of your faith Prayer alerts angels to work on your behalf (see Hebrews 1:14). Begin the process of transferring blessing, healing, abundance, whatever you need, from spiritual promise to physical manifestation.
Effective prayer imitates God’s promises, repeating to him what he has already promised. He agrees with his Word. If you agree with Him without giving up or doubting, He can confirm your words, making them effective. Remember, a double-minded man (oscillating between faith and doubt or fear) cannot expect to receive anything (James 1:7-8).
Patience: Transferring blessings from the spiritual to the natural realm often takes time. Make up your mind to go the distance. Patience is your cruise control. May patience have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:4) Fix your faith and do not waver. It may seem like it takes ‘forever,’ but as long as you believe, God is moving you and your circumstances toward your final destination. If you stay on the path, you will eventually get where you want to go!
Avoid the potholes and detours of doubt, fear, frustration, unforgiveness, regret, and envy. Keep your words positive and focused, supported by actions that demonstrate and support your faith goals. Patience is not resignation – “Oh well, maybe one day it will happen.” He is a powerful partner in faith, determined to ‘go all the way’ until you really have what you believed in.
Persistence: Persistence becomes your itinerary, your plan, or your goal. It goes hand in hand with patience. When we traveled across the country, we didn’t give up or wonder if we should change our plans or give up and stay home. We knew what we wanted to see and do, and what it would take in time and money. We were engaged.
In fact, we started planning months in advance (preparation). We stayed focused on the plan. We don’t get sidetracked by spending the trip money on other goodies. We didn’t book hotels on the east coast when we were heading to the Rockies. We think, speak and act according to our plan. We persist until the end of the trip. Persistence keeps you steadfast in faith, making positive confessions, and working toward the results you desire.
Now here’s the fuel additive: gratitude. Thank God in advance for what you believe. Believe that you have what you say, and you will have what you said you believed. (See Mark 11:24) If you really BELIEVE when you pray, you can praise God for it before you see the result. Gratitude and praise keep your faith running smoothly toward your goal.
These four steps are the action formula for answered prayer. If you mix your fuel, ignition, direction, and action into the right mix (preparation, prayer, patience, and persistence), and pour in a lot of gratitude and praise, you’ll get where you want to be. You will never be ‘under the circumstances’ again. Instead, you will be on the path of victory and blessing.
