Does Prayer Work?

Today is the National Day of Prayer and there will be more prayers prayed in our nation than any other day throughout the year. With all these prayers lifted up to God from gatherings all across our nation, we should experience more answers today than any other day. Is that how it works? Does prayer work?

 I pray three passages from the Bible each morning, as a reminder to myself about the effectiveness of  prayer.
Matthew 7:7-8
“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.”
Matthew 21:22
“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
1 John 15:14-15
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.

This seems like a sure fire formula for answered prayer: ask, seek, knock, believe, and ask in His will. However, not all of my prayers and not all of your prayers get answered. You may be told that God answers all prayers. Others may say that they just are not answered in the way I expected. God answers either, “yes, no or wait”.

Perhaps you have seen times when God answers in an amazing way and even have seen Him answer in a miraculous manner. I have experienced both and also experienced times when He does not even answer, “wait”.

Prayer does work. God expects you to pray. God is in control and there are times when the sin stain of this world is allowed to produce suffering and injustice. Prayers are not answered. But, prayer is more than making requests to God. It is deepening a relationship with God. It is conversing and listening.

Unanswered prayers does not mean that prayer does not work. The work of prayer in your life includes a growing love towards the LORD because you share an ever-growing love for the God who made you, gives you a destiny to live and will one day be with us face to face.

Prayer works.

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