Pray in Faith

Faith makes our prayers powerful. Faith is one of the most important ingredients to successful prayers. Without faith, we will not receive anything from God (James 1:6). But when we pray in faith, we will receive answers to our prayers.

The prayer of faith will save the sick (James 5:15). Sick people will be healed when God’s people pray in faith. On the other hand, faithless prayers will not save the sick. To see answers to our prayers, we must pray in faith. Jesus said when we pray in faith, we will receive whatever we ask for (Matthew 21:22).

Without faith, our prayers are dead. They have no power or effectiveness. Without faith, our religious activity is empty. There is no supernatural substance or evidence to it; it is just going through the motions.

There are many ingredients to successful prayer. 

We must pray according to God’s will. 

We must be led by the Holy Spirit. 

We have to obey God. 

But perhaps the most important ingredient to successful prayer is faith.

Jesus said when we pray, we should believe that we have the answers to our prayers. If we believe we have the answer, we will actually receive the answer (Mark 11:22-24).

Everything is possible to the person who believes (Mark 9:23). All things are possible because faith taps into God’s power, and with God all things are possible.

First, we must believe that God exists – that he is the great I AM  (Hebrews 11:6). God is all powerful, eternal, all sufficient, and can do anything he wants. He is the reason for his own existence. We must believe these things about God in order to see answers to our prayers.

Second, we need to believe that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6). To diligently seek God means to work at seeking him. Sometimes God’s people have labored mightily in prayer – sweating, crying, wrestling, shouting, prostrating themselves. Such efforts are meaningful and beautiful when they engage with God, and with such labors God is well-pleased. He rewards people who engage with him like this.

God is good, and he is a giver of good gifts. When we pray we need to believe that God is good and that he gives good things to us. He is not hard, harsh, or mean. Coming to God with a negative attitude cuts off faith and blocks answers. We must believe that our good God will reward us with good gifts when we pray.

Faith is a substance of things that we hope for (Hebrews 11:1). A substance is something we have. Something we hope for is something we don’t have. Faith is the substance of a future thing that we are hoping for, and faith is the beginning of that thing’s manifestation.

Faith is an evidence of unseen things (Hebrews 11:1). Evidence is something that is seen; whereas spiritual things are unseen. Faith grabs hold of invisible, spiritual realities and pivots them into the earth. 

Faith is the beginning of the manifestation of the kingdom of God. It is the precursor to a revelation of God’s power.

Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). When we hear God speak to us, faith will arise within us to believe that what he said is going to happen. As long as we believe he exists, is all powerful, and is a rewarder, then we can believe that the specific things God said to us will come to pass. 

In order to enter into the fullness of our spiritual inheritance, we must mix the word of God with faith (Hebrews 4:2). Both the word of God and faith are essential. When faith is mixed with the word of God, then miracles happen. 

The power of God’s word is released when God’s people believe it.   

Faith without the word of God is powerless because it has nothing to back it up in the spiritual realm. Empty faith is based on dreams and imaginations of people, not God’s word.

Both faith and God’s word must be mixed together. When combined, they conceive specific manifestations of God’s kingdom upon the earth.

God, increase our faith (Luke 17:5). 

God, help our unbelief (Mark 9:23). Eliminate our doubts and give us strong faith!

The fervent, effective prayer of a righteous person avails much (James 5:15). Sometimes prayers are fervent, but they lack effectiveness. We need to have fervent and effective prayers (James 5:15). Then we will ask what we want, and it will be done. Through faith, our prayers will become effective.