Have you ever felt your prayers for help were like shooting a flare in the sky over a deserted island?

It looked impressive going up—even hopeful—but gravity eventually kicked in, and it was back on the ground in no time…with no noticeable impact.

God once warned the Israelites that disobedience to His Word would result in the sky over their heads becoming like bronze (Deuteronomy 28:23)—keeping rain from falling down and prayers from going up.

Thankfully, the blood of Jesus not only redeems us from that curse (a closed heaven), but it also guarantees us an unobstructed flow of heaven’s BLESSINGS (Galatians 3:13-14). And part of those BLESSINGS include the promise that God will always hear us (1 John 5:14).

The Lord once told Brother Copeland, Kenneth, I’m not trying to keep anything from you. I’m doing everything I can to get things to you!

That’s God’s attitude and approach to all of us who are in hot pursuit of Him, especially when it comes to prayer and keeping the lines of communication open.

Brother Copeland describes the Bible as a Prayer Book, loaded with all kinds of prayers for us to use in all kinds of situations. That’s why the Apostle Paul tells us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18, NIV).

But maybe you’re not so convinced God’s all that interested in hearing from you.

Well, give these words—from the heart and lips of Jesus—a moment to sink in:

• Ask, seek, knock (Matthew 7:7-8)
• Always pray, never give up (Luke 18:1-8)
• Keep on asking and you will receive (John 16:24)
• God gives us what we ask for (1 John 5:15)
• God goes over and above what we ask for (Ephesians 3:20)
• You don’t have because you don’t ask (James 4:2).

Picking up on a theme?

Ask! God wants you to, and even expects you to.

Your heavenly Father is fully committed to receiving and responding to any S.O.S. you send His way. There’s NO hesitancy on His part. But maybe you could use a confidence boost before you start launching your next round of prayers and requests heavenward.

Again, there’s no one, set way to pray—except always in faith, always believing God. So, study and consider how to apply the following six different aspects of prayer that can connect you with God on new levels and bring the changes you so want in your world.

Prayer Boost No. 1: Heavenly Grants

“Whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted to him. Therefore, I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted to you.” –(Mark 11:23-24, NASB)

To grant something is to allow it, permit it or give it (as with a gift). It’s where the lesser person in a situation is blessed by the greater one (Hebrews 7:7). But even if a grant is offered as a gift, it usually comes with conditions.

As we’ve already seen—when it comes to our prayers—there’s no doubt that God stands ready to grant whatever we ask. Yet, Jesus couldn’t seem to emphasize it enough…

“I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name” (John 16:23).

Here, what boosts our prayers to the Father is using the Name of Jesus—the Name above every name, the Greater One (Philippians 2:9-11; 1 John 4:4). The Greater One (God) grants our request when we use the authority we have in Jesus’ Name. His Name allows us access to the Father (John 14:6).

Just before He went to the cross, Jesus challenged His disciples: “You believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1, NIV).

That’s the same challenge we face today as praying believers. Jesus made some BIG promises while He was on this earth—but God will back every one of those promises by granting our requests when we use the Name of Jesus in faith.

Prayer Boost No. 2: Earthly Agreements

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” –(Matthew 18:19-20, NIV)

Notice, Jesus started off by saying, “Again, I tell you….”

In other words, “I’m going to tell you this over and over until you get it!”

The principle and power of agreement was a done deal in Jesus’ mind and the Father’s. We’re the ones who need to wrap our minds—and faith—around it.

For the past 55 years, Brother Copeland has told us that the most powerful force on the face of this earth is a covenant agreement between two or more of God’s people, particularly a husband and wife. It’s on the same level of impact as God’s covenant with Abraham, or even His covenant with Jesus (mind-boggling, but true.)

A verse earlier (Matthew 18:18), Jesus told His disciples, “I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

This is heaven and earth coming into agreement. So, we’re not talking about global impact. Jesus was thinking way beyond that. We’re talking all creation—that’s the level of influence your prayers can have!

Still, the challenge is the “agreement” part (right?).

Later, we will see another prayer boost that’s a big help in finding—and staying in—that place of agreement. For now, just allow Jesus’ (and the Father’s) level of commitment to sink in as you are willing to link hands, faith and prayers with another believer in the power of agreement. God will see those prayers through to fulfilment!

Prayer Boost No. 3: Faith

“Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.” –(Ephesians 3:12)

Faith is a booster simply in the fact that it gives us the boldness and confidence to enter into God’s presence.

And when we get there, well, what do we do then?

Certainly, we behold our God and Father. We praise and worship and honour Him.

But while we’re there, the apostles remind us…

• “Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16)
•  “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6, RSV)
• “Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well” (James 5:14-15).

Those are some friendly reminders that prayer changes things—and FAITH is what makes it happen. Faith is that boost our prayers need.

Prayer Boost No. 4: Forgiveness

“Prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.” –(James 5:15)

There’s a critical link between faith and forgiveness.

Forgiveness can boost your prayers toward heaven, accomplishing what you’re believing God for; whereas unforgiveness—leaving an issue of sin unresolved (either by not confessing yours or not forgiving someone else’s)—will send your requests tumbling back to the earth, with no hope of ever really getting off the ground.

One day, the room got really awkward when Jesus pushed back on some religious scholars over this very issue. He put them to the test by asking…

“Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or, ‘Stand up and walk!’?” (Matthew 9:5, TPT).

They were speechless, especially when He went ahead and healed the man He was referring to. His point: It takes as much faith (and authority) to forgive someone as it does for them to be healed.

The Apostle James took that revelation to the next level by telling us to…

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16).

So, we have to be in right relationship with God—and each other—to keep sin from obstructing our prayers and get the answers we’re looking for.

Prayer Boost No. 5: Praise and Worship

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!… Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” –(Philippians 4:4, 6)

Praising and worshipping God is prayer. It’s the highest form of prayer.

King David wrote more songs about God than any other person who ever lived. He was a God-worshipper who became a young warrior and wrote songs about his victories. His songs were his prayers. The book of Psalms—the largest book in the Bible—is full of David’s songs.

Psalms also contains two songs written by Moses, Psalms 90 and 91.

In Psalm 90, Moses intercedes on behalf of the Israelites who were dying prematurely before reaching their Promised Land. Their sin against God while crossing the desert was cutting their lives short.

In Psalm 91, however, Moses turns his prayer of intercession into a prayer of praise and worship…

“This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him” (Psalm 91:16).

As Moses finishes his song, God joins in and says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer…” (verses 14-15).

So, essentially, Moses sang the problem, then he sang the answer.

Brother Copeland quotes Kenneth E. Hagin as saying, “If you praise God long enough, the Spirit of glory will come. And when the Spirit of glory comes, the miracles, signs and wonders will follow.”

Brother Hagin called this the “praise cure” because, more than once in his life, he was healed while praising God. Brother Copeland has experienced those same kinds of healings—and you can too, when you add praise and worship to your prayer life.

Prayer Boost No. 6: Weapons

“We do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” –(2 Corinthians 10:3-5, NIV)

We have weapons—loaded with divine power—that guarantee results specifically in prayer. These weapons include:

• The Name of Jesus (John 14:13-14)
• The Word of God (John 15:7)
• Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession (Hebrews 3:1)
• Jesus, our Advocate (1 John 2:1)
• The Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26)
• The armour of God (Ephesians 6:10-17)
• Praying in tongues (Ephesians 6:18).

We are in a war, and your prayers can be divinely empowered to demolish enemy strongholds, arguments, deceptions and any attempt to get into your head.

But first, when it comes to spiritual warfare—you need to know, really know…

“God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” (Numbers 23:19).

Again, Jesus made some serious prayer promises, yet God has been faithful to back each one and make them good.

You also need to understand that once God has released His blessing, there’s nothing the enemy can do to reverse it, except to try and convince you otherwise (Numbers 23:20).

God has given you an arsenal, a cache of spiritual weapons at your disposal to reinforce the victory Jesus has already secured for you. Consider them a boost, a leg up, even an unfair advantage over your enemy, the devil.

So, when you go to your heavenly Father in prayer—go confidently. Then, do what Brother Copeland recommends: Take time to get still and listen.

What’s the next step the Holy Spirit is nudging you to take?

Should you write your request out as a grant, making it a declaration of faith and including some scriptures?

Do you need someone to agree with you? Or is there someone you need to forgive?

Maybe you sense you should spend time with God…and worship Him.

The point is: Listen. Then you’ll know what to do. As you take that next step, you’ll find that extra prayer boost you need—and the answers you seek.

© 1997 – 2022 Eagle Mountain International Church Inc. Aka Kenneth Copeland Ministries. All Rights Reserved.

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