Matthew 6:7-8; But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

I’m sure many of us have read tons of material pertaining to prayer and have heard countless messages pertaining to matters relating to prayer but how many of us have actually experienced a connection to the Father in the Spirit and there is an exchange in the dialogue? Prayer is not a monologue where we mutter words hoping that someone is listening. Prayer is a dialogue; a two-way conversation where two parties exchange words, very much like a telephone conversation. If you are not having this sort of dialogue with God then maybe you need to be quiet so that you can listen. Forgive me for being so blunt but this is about getting an answer from God, not about how to talk to him, though I will touch upon the manner in which we pray.

Sometimes what we consider to be prayers aren't even prayers at all. Some "prayers" are just a long laundry list of complaints. Do you want some cheese to go with that whine? A lot of that is just venting and God is not a garbage disposal to dump our trash on. If all you are doing in prayer is speaking in unbelief those prayers won’t even pass the ceiling; you are just wasting your time. God responds to faith! Other "prayers" are little more than a long grocery list of needs. Some people are so caught up in so many things and have so many needs it’s no wonder they are so mixed up! The book of James tells us that a double minded man is unstable in all his ways; if you want stability you need to focus on the issue that is causing you the most grief and then once it is resolved you can go on to the next issue. For some people prayer is just a mundane routine; just another thing to do to occupy your time and others feel obligated to pray out of guilt. Very few people actually pray as much as they say they do because if they were actually praying so much it wouldn't be so easy to push their buttons and make them come out of their flesh. OUCH!

If you are trying to communicate with God through your bitterness or frustration you are in for a big disappointment. I've mentioned numerous times that God operates in the realm of faith. Bitterness, frustration, guilt, anger, hopelessness, sorrow, and so many other things that are associated with our feelings work against faith so that God is not even listening. Faith is the key that will unlock the door that leads to God's throne.

Hebrews 11:6; But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

First of all if you don't believe that God is able to help you don't even bother to ask him. You will only get an answer when you are sure that God is able and that he will reward you because you are seeking him first and his righteousness so that everything you need will be added to you. It doesn't work the other way around. Some people want God to answer their petitions first so that they can do what God wants them to do. Disobedience is not going to get you anywhere. Some people are in the condition they are in because they won't obey.

Proverbs 3:6; In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

One of the biggest errors that many people commit is to make plans before consulting with God. They make their plans and set dates and make purchases and then afterwards they pray hoping that God will approve of their decisions only to have their plans fall apart. This can be disastrous but we continue to do this time after time. Pray for guidance and direction before you make your plans. If God approves of what you want to do he will make it come to pass in his own time and he will receive the greater glory because you have learned to trust him.

One of the worst things you can do is give God an ultimatum like, "oh God you better give me what I want or else". Or else what; are you going to walk away from God? Go ahead and leave because if situations can make you leave God he doesn’t need you! You are not going to bully or manipulate God. Another thing people do is tag verses to their petitions like God has to do anything because you use his word. He wrote the book; he knows what’s in it. Be careful that you are not saying these things out of pride because God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.

John 6:66-67; From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

Some people will only listen when you talk about good things but when you confront them about their sin they get mad at God for spoiling their fun and decide to stay home to dry up and die. You better hope Jesus doesn't come while you are having your hissy-fits and temper tantrums. You can throw yourself face down on the floor beating the ground with your fists kicking and screaming and crying like a baby but that doesn't move God. He will just wait until you are done acting like a child and then hit you in the face with a reality check that you can’t cash. If you want to leave God, go ahead. That only means that you were already backslidden in your heart and you are just looking for an excuse to get mad at God. Be careful that the Spirit doesn't depart from you. If you quench and grieve the Spirit enough you will get a rude awakening.

Some people try to manipulate God with their giving trying to get a 100 to 1 return on their "investment". You will have better luck investing in the stock market. If you can't give willingly and obediently with honest intentions don't bother giving. You will get a curse instead of a blessing. Prayer has more to do with your attitude than anything else. That is something that you can do something about. You can't pray for God to change your attitude. You have to change your attitude first in order to pray properly and effectively. Let me spell it out for you: R-E-P-E-N-T!

Psalms 51:17; The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

God will never turn away from anyone that approaches him with a broken or repented Spirit. We can get so caught up in ourselves that we can become rebellious and our prayer life will reflect what our attitude towards God is. When we are truly repented our prayers seem to reach the heart of God and we feel refreshed.

John 4:24; God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Okay so how do you worship God in Spirit and truth? The next 2 verses should help to point this out:

John 6:63; It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

2 Timothy 2:15; Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

This is very simple. All you have to do is pray the word of God. If the Spirit is in the word and God is seeking them that pray in Spirit then wouldn't it make sense to pray the word of God? In Isaiah 55 where it says that the Word of God will not return to him void or empty but will accomplish the purpose for which he sent it; what do you think that means? You return the word to him by praying it! All this time you thought you were communicating with God when a lot of times you were just rambling and making noise. Then you wonder why a lot of your prayers have not been answered. You need to pray according to the word!

Just imagine a television set; try turning it on without plugging it in. What are you going to see? All you are going to see is a blank screen. Now plug it in. If you are not connected to a cable box or a satellite receiver you are not going to see anything. Sure you can get basic cable but you won't get all of the channels because you need something to interpret the digital signal. It's the same way with prayer. You can be plugged in but you may not necessarily be connected. Even then you need an interpreter. The interpreter is the Holy Ghost. The word of God will help to establish the proper connection and once the 2 way dialogue is established you will be more energized and recharged and your Spirit will be nourished properly and the living water can flow freely once the obstructions have been removed.

James 4:1-3; From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Many of us "pray" with the wrong motives or intentions. When our motive and intentions do not line up with the will of God through faith we may be attempting to beseech God through our own selfish desires. A jealous and envious person will always consider their own needs above the needs of others. A lot of people think that God is depriving them of certain things so that they embark on quests to obtain all the things that they feel they are being deprived of only to find themselves broke and deep in debt. What are you going to do with all of that stuff anyway? You can't take it with you when you die and you definitely cannot take it with you when Jesus comes. Some of you are so burdened down with "stuff" that when Jesus does come you won't be able to let go and fly with Jesus. Again prayer is a matter of attitude. God is not in the business of depriving us of any good thing; of course there are things that we need to make our lives easier and tools that help us do things more efficiently. All things can be done discreetly and with moderation. Don't allow anything to keep you from God's best.

Mark 9:23-24; Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

The preceding verse says that if you can believe, ALL things are possible to him that believes. This is not wishful thinking or building on false hopes. This is not like wishing on a star or making a wish before blowing out the birthday candles. This is not like throwing coins in a well or a fountain. Belief is not like a pipe dream that goes up in smoke. You have to separate fact from fiction and fantasy from reality. The only place where people live happily ever after is in fairy tales. This is the real world. Wake up Muttley, you're dreaming again!

When you believe you are making a decision to defy the odds when the chips are stacked against you. When you believe you are going against the grain and swimming against the current. You are determined to see beyond what is obvious and cross into the realm of possibilities based on that faith that comes from the assurance of the word of God. You have got to stand on the word, live it and breathe it and eat it and drink it so that you are so full of the word you have no problem with believing it. That is when all things are possible.

What is it going to take for you to go beyond that miserable wretched wishy- washy lukewarm half baked Christianity based on religion and the teachings of men? God is not interested in how much you know, all that knowledge only serves to puff us up and make us look good to others. What good is it for you to have a doctorate in divinity and all the labels and titles and yet have no power? God is no respecter of persons.

2 Timothy 3:5; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Maybe you are not getting an answer from God because you are asking the wrong questions. We need to stop asking “why” all the time and stop questioning God's motives. Stop trying to figure things out. All you will do is waste a lot of precious time that could be put to better use in serious prayer from the heart and in the Spirit. Sometimes God says yes but he also says no. Sometimes he says not yet but then we have to accept whatever God tells us and not fret when he doesn't do what we ask him for. Sometimes an answer will come in a way that you never expected but you are not willing to step out in faith. There are some things that God calls us to do that do not require confirmation especially if they are already in the word. How about forgiving that one person that you keep saying you will never forgive? OUCH!

Psalms 24:3-5; Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Read that last verse again. That is the type of person that is always going to be blessed. That doesn't mean that he is not going to go through stuff. We are always going to have some issues. That blessing does not necessarily have to be in material things. Good health is a wonderful blessing! The best health insurance policy comes from the word of God! Some people have so many pills in their homes their cabinets look like CVS or Rite-Aid. I would rather have good health than all the remedies in the world. Learn to trust God brethren. Then learn to trust him more. He is not going to fail you. Stop trying to compare God to people and base your relationship with God on past experiences. You will only be disappointed. I hope this helps some of you. Keep looking up, Jesus is coming soon. Shalom