EFFECTIVE PRAYER

There is an old saying that, "prayer changes things"It can make great changes in your Christian life,in many ways.It can draw you closer to God and can make you more sensitive to the Holy Spirit"s guidance. Prayer will help your understanding of the scriptures. As a new Christian you need to get past the idea that God is some kind of cosmic Santa Clause or a smiling old grandfatherly figure just sitting up there waiting to do your selfish bidding.There is a scripture,John 16 vs 24, which says;"ask, and ye shall receive,that your joy may be full".How is that one working for you?So what is the problem?Is God lying?Of course not.Those who like to quote that verse as proof that you can have anything your heart desires,fail to note to whom God was speaking.It makes a great deal of difference when God is speaking to the Jews and when he is speaking to the Church.In the case of the above verse he was speaking to his disciples,not to Christians.Many Christians today try to appropriate things meant for the Jewish nation and make them apply to the church.This is a mistake,especially when it comes to prayer. Much prayer today seems to be for wealth.There is a false teaching going round in some churches that all you have to do to get wealth is to ask God for it.There is absolutely no New Testament,Christian teaching that even comes close to that.
Christians should be praying every day,and several times a day.The Apostle Paul even goes so far as to say,"pray without ceasing".How is that possible?It's all in the attitude.I think of it as having an open phone line,or perhaps an intercom, to God.Start your day with prayer and keep the line open.Prayer is,after all,simply talking with God as you would to any other friend.
Prayer is the time to confess your sins and ask God's forgiveness.It is the time to thank Him for all he does for us.It is the time to ask for spiritual and physical help for yourself and for others.
Finally,there are hindrances to prayer.Two of the biggest are habitual sin in your life and unconfessed known sin.If you have known sin in your life confess it first and get that problem out of the way.If you have habitual sin ask God's help in overcoming it.Prayer will make a difference if you trust God and give him a chance to work in your life.