We have seen that the setting of prayer must be as a child coming to a loving Father – who is willing to give than you are to ask. But does that mean everything said anyhow in prayer will be granted? By now, you know the answer to that is NO. This must work with the other laws of prayer.
Luke 11:2
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, HALLOWED(Reverence) BE THY NAME.
The 2nd law of prayer according to Jesus’ teaching on the subject is: “ALWAYS BE HONEST BEFORE THE FATHER IN PRAYER – BECAUSE OF YOUR REVERENCE FOR HIM”. In other words, DO NOT LIE TO GOD. I tell you the truth, the reason why a lot of prayers are not granted is because deep in the heart we are not honest about the prayer. If you will be sincere right now, you will agree that sometimes, no one will be more surprised than yourself if that prayer is granted.
How are we dishonest with the things we pray about? Sometimes you are praying to God to help you transform and give up a certain bad habit, but deep in your heart you want to keep it; another person is praying for certain godly virtues, but deep in the heart there is no ‘true desire’ for it. You pray for God to change you, but honestly you would rather remain the same.
1 John 3:20-21
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
Someone said, “The peril of prayer is pious and unmeaning platitudes”. Simply put, A LOT OF TIMES, WE SAY WHAT WE DON’T MEAN WHEN WE PRAY. That’s what I called LIEING TO GOD. Such prayers cannot be granted. If you can’t lie to your own heart what makes you think you can lie to God? BELOVED, ALWAYS BE HONEST IN YOUR PRAYER.
Don’t waste your time praying for something you don’t mean and don’t desire. That prayer goes nowhere. Sometimes, everyone including yourself will be surprised if that thing you prayed about was granted. Because, for prayer to be effective, we must desire it with our whole hearts.
So if I find that I am praying for something that deep inside I don’t have the desire for, what must I do?
I STOP IMMEDIATELY AND WORK ON MY DESIRE FOR THE THING. I BROOD ON IT. I MEDITATE FROM GOD’S WORD ON IT. I DIRECT MY PRAYERS FIRST TO GOD TO HELP BUILD THE DESIRE IN ME.
For it is God which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. -Phil 2:13
Then when the desire has come, faith arrives. When faith arrives, the request is always received.
Remember that God sees the secrets of our hearts. So we must be very honest and sincere for what we pray for. That is the 2nd law of prayer. Hallelujah!
