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Here’s the third post in this series. You can see the last two weeks here:
Hi again everyone. This week we continue with getting into the Word, with a how-to guide. Here is a walkthrough of some of the central aspects of petitionary prayer, which is when we pray to ask God for something in our lives. Of course, this doesn’t mean that every prayer will get answered like we want or that God is some kind of deus ex machina, where He just resolves problems quickly according to our wishes. It’s all much bigger and more complicated than that, with the central principle being that God is sovereign. There is also evil in the world that must be constantly battled. However, there are principles and rules to getting more prayers answered and that is what I get into here.
And here’s a bit more on prayer. Some might think that prayer is something simplistic. On one hand, one might think it’s us just saying something to God. On the other hand, there is actually a lot to know about prayer if you want it to be effective. Some of these factors include: what knowledge is required for it to work, what are the different types and situations, how to send out angels and cast out demons, and much more.
As a related side note, sometimes people think that the world of God, so to speak, is also simplistic and mostly intuitive, whereas knowledge and skills are needed in other more complicated disciplines of life. But God operates based on how we apply His Word to our life, and getting that right is no simple matter. And that’s part of Plaitra’s mission, to provide accurate and powerful Biblical insight, with the most value for your time.
Finally, if you have a topic you’d like to see a how-to on, please comment here or email plaitra@substack.com.
Again, see the Scripture and other references after Section 7. Putting them all at the end makes for easier reading or listening in the Substack app. Also, note that some of the content here is included so that the listening functionality flows well, including the next sentence.
Ok, let’s get into how to pray for results, starting with a quote from the essay.
She wasn't merely asking for a favor, but aligning with His will, and knowing that He loves her children like she does.
Section 1 - It takes us and God
This post is an overview of effective petitionary prayer, or the type of prayer when we ask God for something. People might think that some prayers don't come to fruition because God doesn't want to answer them, when, in some ways, it has more to do with us than with God.
Here, you can go through these seven sections and learn more about how to pray with faith and confidence for a good result. God wants to bless people, but His answers are based on our relationship with Him, not just our momentary feelings or desires.
Maybe the thought of you having to do your part discourages you from learning more and getting into it. But consider that there is nothing free in life, and getting things from God involves effort, just like anything else.
Section 2 - It’s about a relationship
Prayer, by definition, is communication with God, whether it be from us to God or the other way around. And one of the underlying principles that makes prayer work is that it needs to be rooted in a relationship.
So praying in an effective way, requires first knowing Him and His will, which is revealed in His Word. Then it can be done with faith and expectation, because we know that we're asking for something He already wants to give us.
Evil and lies act to damage our relationship with God, by bringing on suffering and making it seem like God isn’t good. But effective prayer is also built on a foundation that knows God well, and honors His sovereignty in all things.
Section 3 - An example of an effective prayer
Here's an example of a mother named Cara who prays for her children’s well-being during a divorce. She stands on the knowledge that God is a father to the fatherless and gives peace to children who are taught of the Lord.