Youth

Our devotion this week, Pray Effectively, comes from the YouVersion Bible App. It was provided by Answers with Bayless Conley. For more information, please visit: http://www.answersbc.org

The Conditions for Answered Prayer

Last time we talked about the “A” in the acronym P-R-A-Y, which is our way of understanding the steps in effective prayer. That “A” stands for ask, and I have come to believe that too many Christians don’t believe that God wants them to ask.

God wants you to ask. He really does. But there are some conditions He gives in order to answer your requests. In John chapters 14-16 we find a number of these conditions.

We need to remember that these are Jesus’ last hours with the disciples; and He wants them to understand how prayer really works. Over and over He emphasizes the need to ask, but His answers will be based on three conditions.

First, in John 14:13, Jesus says your request must glorify God,

¹³ And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Second, in John 15:7, He says your request must be consistent and in harmony with His Word,

⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

And finally, in John 16:23-24, Jesus sets the condition that your request bring you joy,

²³ In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. ²⁴ Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

Over and over, Jesus commands you to ask. But when you ask, make sure your request will glorify God, that it is consistent with His Word, and that it will bring you joy.

Our devotion this week, Pray Effectively, comes from the YouVersion Bible App. It was provided by Answers with Bayless Conley. For more information, please visit: http://www.answersbc.org

ASK: The Third Step in Effective Prayer

In the last two devotionals we discovered that praise and repentance are the first two steps to effective prayer. Today I want to show you the very important third step of asking.

Last time we talked about how repentance is searching your own heart and asking God to put the spotlight on it, and then repenting of anything that He shows you. When your heart is clean, you can have confidence before God when you ask. 

As 1 John 3:21-22 says,

²¹ Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God ²² and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.

In Matthew 7:7-11, Jesus tells us,

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ 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!

Pretty clear, isn’t it? God loves you and wants the very best for you. Be careful not to water down the words of Jesus, or somehow try and explain them away or complicate them. He meant just what He said.

But there are some conditions. And next time we will look at those conditions for receiving what you ask God for.

Our devotion this week, Pray Effectively, comes from the YouVersion Bible App. It was provided by Answers with Bayless Conley. For more information, please visit: http://www.answersbc.org

REPENT: The Second Step in Effective Prayer

In the last devotional we began to look at what makes for effective prayer by using the acronym P-R-A-Y. The first step is praise. Today, I want to focus on the second letter of our acronym, “R”, which stands for repent.

By repentance in prayer, I mean taking the time before God to search your heart and repent of anything that has come between you and Him. 

Psalm 19:12-13 expresses it well,

¹² But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults.
¹³ Keep your servant also from willful sins;
    may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
    innocent of great transgression.

Verse 12 begins with the question, “Who can understand his errors?” The psalmist is telling us, “You will not always know when you do something wrong. You will not always know when you get into an area that is not right.”

What David is pointing to are the secret faults and presumptuous sins which can still have dominion over you—even though you may not be aware that what you did was wrong. 

For example, sometimes we can allow attitudes to get into our hearts that we don’t realize are inconsistent with God’s character. Or sometimes we can do and say things that are detrimental, not only to us, but to others, and not really understand the damage we have done. 

How do you deal with these sins? You come before God and say, “God, put the spotlight on anything in my life that has raised a barrier between You and me, and I will repent of it.” 

So when you pray, ask God to reveal any sin in your life you may be overlooking. God will honor your heart of repentance.