Conditions for Answered Prayer---Part IV

An important condition for answered prayer is that we first have a relationship with Jesus Christ. He is our mediator!

I Timothy 2:5,6---"For there is one G-d, and one mediator between G-d and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."

If we have repented of our sins, and accepted Jesus Christ as our only Savior, we can then come directly to G-d's throne of grace (Heb. 4:16) because Jesus Christ is our High Priest and Mediator. We don't need to go through Mary, the saints, a priest. Jesus Christ is all we need!

We must come before the L-rd with clean hearts (Psa. 66:18).

We must ask in faith, nothing wavering (James 1:6,7).

A lack of any of the above will prevent our prayers from getting past the ceiling.

Sometimes we don't receive anything of the L-rd due to a lack of prayer! We know that the L-rd knows all, and that He is aware of our needs and situations, but He wants to hear from us! He wants us to come before His throne and tell him what's on our hearts, and what we need Him to provide. James 4:2 says that, "ye have not because ye ask not."

And, too, the L-rd being all-knowing, He knows our hearts in the matters we bring before Him. He knows our desires as well as our motives behind those desires.

The next verse in James 4 cautions us: "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."

Sometimes what we ask of the L-rd is just not good for us. Sometimes our requests are just selfish desires that would not edify us. Our Heavenly Father knows what's best, and He loves us enough to say, "No", when we ask for things that would not be for our own good, just as we do our own children.

In this case, we need to remember that He will grant us our requests according to His will. That should be our desire as well....His perfect will in our lives.

Finally, there is another condition for prayer:

John 14:13, 14---"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my Name, I will do it."

It really bothers me when believers fail to pray in Jesus' Name. The only reason we can come before G-d's throne is because of Jesus Christ our Mediator and High Priest! Our Heavenly Father hears us because we are justified by the blood of Jesus Christ. We must pray in Jesus' Name, and our motive should be that the Father be glorified in the Son.

John 15:16 further explains how the L-rd views things.

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my Name, He may give it you."

The L-rd will give us our petitions that we ask in Jesus' Name in order for us to bear fruit for Him! This should be our motive behind our prayers, and will help prevent us from asking amiss! If we pray according to His will, and our requests will bring glory to the L-rd, and help us to bring forth fruit in our lives for His sake, we can have confidence that the L-rd will give us our requests!

If we examine our hearts, and ask the Holy Spirit to show us our deficiencies in our prayer life, and how we need to correct our thinking and approach to prayer, I believe that our faith will grow as we receive answers to prayer and a closer relationship with our L-rd!