True Happiness Is Praying With Success! Millions of people around the world pray each day, but a very small percentage ever receive an answer.

True prayer is not some religious exercise or tradition or ritual that we perform to appease a higher power or the “gods.” True prayer is direct communication with our Creator, through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Learning to pray according to God’s Word is essential to your success as a Christian. This is one of the most precious privileges we have, as God’s children.

Anytime, anywhere, in any circumstances, we can pray and expect our Heavenly Father to hear us, and answer our prayer according to what He has promised in His Word.

This chapter will teach you how to communicate with your Heavenly Father, and receive from Him all that you need.

True Happiness Is Praying With Success.....

True prayer is direct communication with our Creator, through His Son, Jesus Christ. The prayer you prayed at the end of Chapter One restored you to a personal relationship with God. You became His child, and He became your Heavenly Father. That was the most important prayer you will ever pray.

Prayer will continue to play a vital role in your success as a child of God. You must spend time communicating with your Heavenly Father in order to get to know Him more intimately. Communication is very important in developing your personal relationship with Him.

God loves for His children to communicate with Him, and, unlike many earthly fathers, He is never too busy to listen. Prayer can be as simple as a child talking to his father and can be about any subject matter and include praise, thanksgiving, and requests for yourself and others.

The prayers at the end of each chapter have contained mostly thanksgiving and praise. You have expressed your gratitude for Who God is and what He has done for you and for the entire human race. Praise is saying back to God what He reveals to you about Himself, and then thanking Him for being Who He is.

Praise and thanksgiving are ways to vocalize and express your thoughts about, and appreciation for, God to Him. You can also sing praises and thanksgiving to God. Praise and thanksgiving can involve your entire being: your spirit, your mind, your emotions, and your body. You can shout praises to God. You can dance before the Lord. You can praise Him with musical instruments. You can raise your hands and praise Him, or you can quietly praise and thank Him.

Praise and thanksgiving come from your heart and overflow to the Lord to express your love and gratitude for Him. There is no one certain way to praise God, and there are no certain words. Praise and thanksgiving are as diverse as His children, and He loves to hear and watch you express your love and gratitude to Him.

The Bible says, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess His Name.”

The Bible says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him Who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”

The Bible also says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

You already have so much to praise and thank God for. Make your attitude one of praise and thanksgiving. Have an attitude of gratitude. You will not only give God the glory that He deserves, but you will find joy and happiness flooding your own mind and spirit. God will do special things in your life as you praise and thank Him.

True prayer is also the means of receiving from God. We have already discussed so many of the blessings that He has promised to His children. However, just like the forgiveness of sin, all His blessings must be appropriated or received by believing prayer.

For example, Jesus Christ died to pay for every person’s sin, but every person isn’t saved. Why? Because they don’t call on the Name of the Lord in faith, as you did, asking God to save them. Although Eternal Life is a free gift, already paid for by God, everyone must receive it by faith, but not all do.

In the same way, although Jesus suffered and bore the sickness, disease, and pain of all humankind in His Body, many are not healed because they don’t call upon Jesus the Healer in faith to deliver them.

We have already discussed how God, our Heavenly Father, wants to bless us, forgive us, heal us, provide for us, meet all of our needs, and guide and direct our lives, but this doesn’t happen automatically. This is where asking in prayer comes into the picture. Believing prayer is how we receive the blessings that God has promised us.

The Bible says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of Him.” Asking according to God’s will is simply asking according to His Word, or more accurately, according to His promises.

When we ask according to the will of God, which is the Word of God, we can be assured that God will answer according to His Word. This is why we know that our prayers will be answered and that we will receive what we asked for. God loves to answer the prayers of His children.

Jesus said, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!”

You can and must approach your Heavenly Father with confidence as His child. He loves you and wants only what is good for you. Remember that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die in your place, so that He could have this relationship with you. It’s also important to know that God has everything that you need, unlimited resources of every kind. Nothing is too difficult for the Lord. Trust Him and draw near to Him in prayer.

On one occasion, years ago, followers of Jesus Christ asked Him to teach them how to pray. He responded: “Your Father knows what things you have need of, before you ask Him. Therefore pray in this manner: Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Yours is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, forever. Amen.”

We learn from Jesus that God knows what we need, even before we ask Him, and that we address Him as our Father in Heaven. We are to hallow, reverence, and honor God’s Name. Although God is our Father and Friend and loves us deeply, we still must show Him the honor, reverence, and respect He deserves.

We are also taught by Jesus to pray for His Kingdom and His will to come and be done on earth, just as it is in Heaven. His Kingdom is His rule and His reign and His Lordship over our lives. In other words, we pray for our Heavenly Father’s rule and reign and Lordship to exist in our lives on earth, just as it is in Heaven. We pray that whatever would be happening in Heaven for us would be ours now on this earth.

This is an awesome Truth that helps us know how to pray according to God’s will, His good, pleasing and perfect will. Not only do we pray for God to rule and reign in every situation here on earth, just as He does now in Heaven, but we also pray for His will to be done on earth, as it is done right now in Heaven.

For example, if you are sad or discouraged today, you would know to pray to your Heavenly Father for joy and encouragement and know this is His will for you, because this is what it would be like for you in Heaven. Sadness and discouragement don’t exist in Heaven.

Also, if you are sick or in pain, you would know it is God’s will for you to be well and free from pain here and now, since there is no sickness or pain in Heaven. Therefore, you can pray in confidence that God will heal you of sickness and pain.

Jesus teaches us to expect our needs to be met every day and to pray that way, believing that God will meet our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. No matter what we need, we can pray and expect God to supply for us each and every day. Remember, the Lord is our Shepherd and we shall not be in want.

We are taught by Jesus that when we sin, we should pray for forgiveness, knowing that God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Even though we are redeemed and are now God’s children, we still sin at times.

We are also taught that we should pray for, and forgive, others when they sin against us. We do so, because God has forgiven us for our sins against Him.

Jesus teaches us to pray for deliverance from evil and not be led into temptation. We are all tempted to sin. Satan is the tempter, and we are also often tempted to sin by the desires in our own heart, but temptation is not sin. We must resist sin when we are tempted, and we can pray for deliverance from evil.

Jesus told His followers, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

It is also written about Jesus, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One Who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Therefore, when we are tempted to sin, we identify with Jesus Christ Who is our victory over temptation and the tempter, and we approach the throne of grace with confidence, knowing that our Heavenly Father is waiting to grant us grace and mercy in our time of need.

Jesus ends His teaching on prayer with the Truth that we are trusting in our Heavenly Father’s kingdom and power and glory forever. God’s rule and reign and power and glory are available forever to answer our prayers. God has made the resources of Heaven available to meet our needs here on earth when we pray in faith, believing that God will do what He has promised to do for His children.

Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” This is very important to understand and practice. When you pray, believe that you receive what you are asking for right then. Don’t wait until you see what you asked for but rather, receive your answer by faith, knowing that God has answered, and then you will see it.

Seeing is not believing, but rather believing is seeing! Jesus once told a follower named Thomas, “You believe because you see, but blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” Remember, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Because we have confidence in our Heavenly Father’s Word, we don’t have to see something to believe it. This is the faith that pleases God. “Without faith it is impossible to please God!”

Remember that our relationship with God is based on us believing in the integrity and truthfulness of His Word. God says something or reveals something to us in His Word, the Bible, and we believe it and act upon it, regardless of what our circumstances are or what we feel, see, or think. We take God at His Word, expecting what He has promised to come to pass, especially when we pray.

The following are more words from Jesus concerning prayer:

“I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven. Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in Heaven. For where two or three come together in My Name, there am I with them.”

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My Name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask Me for anything, and I will do it.”

“If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you can ask what you will, and it shall be done for you.”

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My Name.”

“In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. I tell you the truth, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My Name. Until now you have not asked for anything in My Name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

We have a relationship with our Heavenly Father because of Jesus, and God answers our prayers because of Jesus. Jesus Christ is everything to us. Without Him we are nothing. This is why we approach our Heavenly Father in prayer in the Name of Jesus Christ. When we ask in the Name of Jesus, it is as if Jesus is asking the Father for us.

As you can see from the Words of Jesus above, we can approach our Heavenly Father in absolute confidence in Jesus’s Name, and God will answer our prayers. When you ask in Jesus’s Name, expect to receive what you ask for and more. Remember Who you are asking to help you, the Creator of the entire Universe Who created everything that you see out of nothing. He spoke, and it was!

It is written, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.”

You no longer have to worry or be anxious about anything. It is written, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Anytime you lack the peace of God, pray and cast all your cares upon the Lord, thanking Him as you make your requests, and His peace will be yours.

There will be times in your Christian life when you don’t know what to do and you need wisdom from God. It is written, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, Who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded person, unstable in all he does.” You can always ask God for wisdom, but you must expect Him to answer with the wisdom you need.

Prayer is your lifeline to God. The Bible says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer.” Develop a practice of praying daily, even several times a day. Find a quiet place where you can spend time with the Lord each day.

The following verses from God’s Word speak of Jesus’s time in prayer:

After Jesus had dismissed the crowd, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone.

And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, Jesus went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Jesus Christ made a priority of being alone with God to pray, and each of us must do the same to maintain our relationship with Him.

Let’s give thanks to God right now in prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

I want to praise and thank You for Who You are. You are so wonderful and awesome. I marvel at Your Goodness and Glory. I am so grateful to You for allowing me to draw near You in prayer in the Name of Jesus Christ. I give praise to You for revealing Your love to me, Your child.

Thanks for inviting me in Your Word to come boldly to Your throne of grace, so that I can find mercy in my time of need. Thank You, Lord, for being so willing to hear and answer my prayers. Thank You that I am able to approach You with confidence when I come in the Name of Jesus.

I thank You, Lord, that You love to give good gifts to your children, and that You know what I need even before I ask. Thank You for making Your Will known to me in Your Word so that I can always pray according to Your Will, and therefore always expect You to answer me.

I am so thankful that it is Your Will to be unto me here on earth as it is in Heaven. I ask right now, Heavenly Father, for Your Kingdom to come and rule and reign in my life today. I thank You for forgiving me for my sins, and I choose to forgive others when they sin against me.

I ask that You provide for all my needs today according to Your riches in glory by Christ Jesus. I ask to live in divine health and prosperity according to Your Word, even as my soul is prospering. I thank You that You have provided so abundantly for me, and that You are more than enough for me, and that I don’t have to worry about anything.

Thank You for your peace that surpasses all understanding and that guards my heart and mind in Christ Jesus today. I thank You that sin, sickness, and lack have no power over me, and that I am more than a conqueror today through Jesus Christ, my Lord, Savior, and Healer.

I ask You now to give me all the wisdom that I need today to live a life of faith and love for Your Glory and Honor. Thank you for the Holy Spirit Who will guide me into all Truth today. Teach me how to live in a way that is pleasing to You so that I will always be what You want me to be, and that I will always do Your Will. Thanks for hearing my prayers.

In Jesus’s Name I Pray, Amen!