Seven Steps to Answered Prayer: Step One

Author: Pastor Sandy Banks – 1/8/2012, 1/15/2012

Summary:

One of the major reason Believers go with unanswered prayers is their prayers are often vague and unclear. The first step to answered prayer is to decide what you want or need from God and then be SPECIFIC in what you ask for. Decide what you want from God's Word and meditate on the scripture that relates to the promise until your heart becomes established on it. Speak the Word of God when the enemy attacks you. Stand and fight for what God promised you in His Word.

  1. Decide what you want to receive from God. (James 1:6-8, KJV)
  2. James is trying to convey to us the importance of making a decision.
  3. He said that if a man wavers – if he cannot make up his mind[make a decision] – “he is unstable in all of his ways” and he cannot expect to receive anything from the Lord.
  4. Elijah asked the Children of Israel how long will they waver between two opinions. (1 Kings 18:21, NIV)
  5. A lot of times people are vague in their praying. Some people pray just to pray.
  6. Be specific in your prayers.
  7. Write down what you are praying for in specific terms.
  8. Example: healing, deliverance, financial increase, debt cancellation, household salvation, etc.
  9. Find the supporting scripture that pertain to what you want to receive from God.
  10. Pray the Word of God concerning that particular promise.
  11. You must have the Word of God on the subject before you can have faith to receive it.
  12. Faith begins where the will of God is known.
  13. The will of God is the Word of God.
  14. Many people aren't confident about what they are praying for because they don't know what God has to say about it [if it is in the Word of God or not].

1)If you don't have the Word of God on the subject, you won't be confident when you pray.

2)When praying the prayer of faith, you cannot pray “if” it be your will. At this point “if” is an indicator that you do not know what the will of God is for what you’re believing to receive from God.

  1. Allow your heart to become fixed and established on the scripture that relates to the promise. (Psalm 112:7, KJV, AMP) (Psalm 62:5-7, KJV)
  2. You become established on the promise by meditating on the Word of God.
  3. Meditation means to mutter, ponder and consider something.
  4. Your success comes from meditating on God's Word. (Joshua 1:8)
  5. Meditate on the scripture until it becomes more real to you than your situation or circumstance.
  6. When the Word of God becomes fixed inside your heart, the devil won't be able to steal it from you.
  7. Doubt and fear will short-circuit your prayers.
  8. Doubt – to lack confidence in; to consider unlikely
  9. Fear – False Evidence Appearing Real
  10. Feed your spirit with the Word of God so that you can successfully withstand the attacks of satan against your prayers.
  11. Just as food nourishes and strengthens your physical body, the Word nourishes and strengthens your spirit.
  12. Man doesn't survive on natural food alone, but on spiritual food as well--the Word of God. (Matthew 4:4, KJV)
  13. When Jesus was attacked by the enemy, He declared what is written in the Word. (Matthew 4:7-11)
  14. You will defeat satan by using the weapon of God's Word.
  15. Speak what is written.
  16. Fight the good fight of faith in order to gain the victory. (1 Timothy 6:12, KJV)
  17. The good fight is the FIGHT YOU WIN.
  18. When you feed your spirit with the Word, you will have victory over demonic forces.
  19. Fight for the promises of God.
  20. Stand on the Word and refuse to be moved by outward circumstances.
  21. When you meditate on the Word and it becomes fixed in your heart, it will change your situations and circumstances.

Scripture References:

  • 1 Peter 3:12
  • Malachi 3:6
  • John 15:7
  • Matthew 6:7-9
  • Matthew 7:7-8
  • James 1:6-8
  • Psalm 112:7
  • Psalm 62:5-7
  • Joshua 1:8
  • Matthew 4:4, 7-11
  • 1 Timothy 6:12

*Key:

KJV – King James Version

NIV – New International Version

AMP – Amplified Bible

MSG – Message Bible

TLB – The Living Bible

NKJV – New King James Version

NASB – New American Standard Bible

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