"Prayer with Answers
I've heard of many people who make valiant endeavors to launch a successful prayer life, only to have it thwarted by pointlessness, neglect, boredom, weariness, disenchantment, bitterness and... well you may even be able to add to the list. Some people fluctuate between two attitudes or extremes. Wrapped up in those suggestions is the vast majority of believers who are caught up in the never-ending crisis of not-getting-it-together-in-their-prayer-life- syndrome.
It is crucial to strike a balance between divinne soverignty and human responsibility. Psalm 91:15 says, 'He shall call upon Me and I will anwer him;' and Isaiah 58:9 says, 'The shalt thou call, and the Lord will answer; thou shalt cry and He shall say, "Here I am"'. These scriptures, along with others, (Luke 11:9; John 15:7; I Chronicles 16:11; James 5:13) point the believer to a good understanding of the expression, 'Without Him we cannot; without us, He will not.'
Luke 11:1-4 Gives us a valuable outline to follow in developing a prayer that experiences answers:
1. A PROPER PERSPECTIVE (LUKE 11: 1 & 2A)
Two principles seem essential when it comes to purposeful prayer: one is being teachable, the other is knowing the Father. Basic to any open approach to God's throne is a clear understanding that He's my Father and from Him, and Him alone, all blessings flow. Notice the Biblical balance between intimacy and esteem.
2. A PROVIDED POWER (Luke 11: 2b)
The balance point is that all true authority must be willing to come under authority. God's ruling power is manifested only for those who are willing to be ruled (Matthew 8:5-10; John 14:7-11). The appropriation of divine authority and power follows on the heels of my grasping the full truth that He is my Father.
3. A PRODUCTIVE PATTERN (Luke 11: 3 & 4)
Notice the word 'asking'. God's not looking for a begging people, or those who wrestle Him to the ground for answers. The seeking spoken of here is one of assumed response. Because of His provision in the past, I have a confidence for anwered prayer in the furture (Isaiah 65: 24). He adds that harbored resentment, unreleting attitudes, and unreleased bitterness will bind and restrict fruitful prayer (Mark 11:25; Luke 17:4; Ephesians 4:32).
4. A PRESENT PRINCIPLE (Luke 11:4b)
A continual awareness of where the battle is taking place is essential and should be desired by every believer who earnestly prays (Ephesians 6:10-18; II Corinthians 10:4-6).
Ron Mehl"