Seven Steps to Answered
Prayer
By Kenneth E. Hagin,
Sr.
By
faith we reach out to claim what we need, and we thereby create the reality of
it in our life.
Step
1: Decide what you want from God
James
1:6-8
But
let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of
the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
For
not let that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord. A double
minded man is unstable in all his ways.
The
above scriptures show us the importance of decisiveness. James says if a man
wavers – if he cannot make up his mind – he is unstable in all of his ways and
cannot expect to receive anything from the Lord.
Often
we are indefinite in our praying. When I ask people what they are praying
about, they sometimes answer they don’t know. One person said he was praying,
just to be praying.
We
need to be specific about a particular need.
It
would be better to pray for 2 or 3 minutes and know what you are praying about
than to pray aimlessly for two or three hours.
Step
2: Read Scriptures that promise the answer you need.
In
order to be successful in our prayer life, God’s Word must be foremost. As we
feed upon His Word, we build it into our inner consciousness. Then in the time
of need we are prepared.
We
can use the appropriate Scriptures against the devil when he tries to make us doubt
God and rob us of what we want.
In
the wilderness when Satan tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread, He replied: “it
is written …”.
Jesus
used the same weapon to defeat the devil that all believers have today: The Word
of God.
All
we have to do in the face of temptation and doubt is to say, “It is written!”
If
the Scriptures are firmly planted in our heart, we are prepared for any attacks
of the devil.
In
matters of guidance, search the Scriptures to see what God says about a certain
matter. His Word plainly shows us His will.
When
praying for things that are promised in the Word, we an have complete confidence
that God will give us what we need,
Many
people try to pray beyond their faith. It is the Word of God that gives faith.
“So
then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”. Romans 10:17
The
reason people do not pray with confidence and faith is because they do not know
the Scriptures well enough to know if what they are praying for is God’s will.
They
may hope it is, but don’t know it is.
As
we read God’s Word and learn His will, we can appropriate His promises for our
every need.
Step
3: Ask God for the things you want.
Matthew
7:7-8
Ask,
and it shall be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will
be opened to you.
For
he that asks will receive. He who seeks shall find. To him who knocks, the door
will be opened to him.
In
Matthew 6:8 Jesus said, “Your Father knows what things you have need of before
you ask Him.”
He
tells us to ask Him for our needs.
Even
though He knows our needs, He wants us to bring our petitions before Him and
ask for His help.
Step
4: Believe that you receive.
Mark
11:23-24
For
verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain “be thou
removed and be thou cast into the sea”, and shall not doubt in his heart, but
shall believe that those things that he says shall come to pass, he shall have
whatsoever he says.
Therefore
I say unto you, “What things soever you desire, believe that you receive them
and you shall have them.”
The
Amplified Bible says, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be
confident), that it is granted to you, and you will get it.”
To
understand this better, we need to realize that there are two kinds of truth:
sense-knowledge truth and revelation truth.
Everything
we need is provided for us in the Spirit realm. Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has raised us with all spiritual
blessings in Heavenly places in Christ.”
Our
needs have been provided for in Jesus Christ.
When
sense knowledge truth contradicts revelation truth, or the Word of God, start
walking by revelation truth, Walk by what God says.
Therefore,
when you pray, believe that you receive that which you are asking for and you
shall have it.
