7 Steps to Effective Prayer

God has provided ways for us to receive from Him. When our prayers are based in God’s Word and align with Him and His character, He wants to answer them - and He wants to answer them right away. He never holds out on us.
John 15:7 tell us, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (NKJV). Notice that the word you is in this verse five times.

You and your will play a critical part in God answering your prayers. In fact, it’s actually more about you and what you do than is about God and what He does. But right in that tension between when we pray and when we see the answer is where we sometimes struggle.

This is where we come up with religious ideas like the notion that sometimes God says yes, and sometimes He says no or wait awhile. But nowhere in the Word does it say for us to wait awhile! It’s not in Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. It’s not in the book of Acts. It’s nowhere in the New Testament. Not one apostle, not one Christian, not one praying person in the New Testament ever told anyone that they had to wait any amount of time to receive something from God. And yet, we still hold onto the idea that we have to go through a waiting period after we pray. This is just our carnal mind’s way to try to work out spiritual problems.

In John 16:23, Jesus said, “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you” (NKJV). And 1 John 5:14-15 reassures us: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (NKJV).

What is it that you need from God? Well, you don’t have to wait to receive it. If you will follow the 7 Steps to Effective Prayer, you can have what you need now. In both the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, Jesus promised us, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:24, NKJV; see Matthew 21:21-22).Consider these steps as you pray about your requests.

Step #1: Decide what you want from your heavenly Father. Be specific and prioritize.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” –James 1:5 (NKJV)

Brother Hagin often asked people what they were praying for, and if they said, “Well, nothing in particular,” he would respond saying, “Then that’s what you’re going to get.” To receive what we need or want, we have to be specific, and we have to prioritize.

Take the time to research and get specific about what you need. God doesn’t want you to pray general prayers; He wants you to pray specifically His will for you. Take some quality time, perhaps a weekend, and pray in the spirit about what you need. Take James 1 to heart and believe God for His wisdom. First Corinthians 1:30 says that Jesus has been made to us wisdom, sanctification and righteousness. Jesus knows what we need and He wants to share the details with us. This is the kind of precision we want to have when we go to our heavenly Father in prayer.

Step #2: Find the scripture(s) that promise you these things.

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” –2 Corinthians 9:8 (NKJV)

Once we know exactly what we want, to receive it we have to base our prayer on the Word of God – on a specific scripture(s). We have to be willing to spend time in the Word and find the verse(s) God wants us to be standing on and bringing before Him in prayer. That’s how we build a foundation upon which to build our prayer. It’s how we can trust in what 2 Corinthians 9:8 promises us: “that you, always having.” God wants you “always having.” That is His will. That’s His grace. That’s His desire for you!

If you are single and want a spouse, for example, then find the scripture to stand on in prayer. God has not promised us something that is not His will to have – and His Word is His will. What promise are you standing on? “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us” (2 Corinthians 1:20, NKJV).

Step #3: Meditate the Word.

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” –Joshua 1:8 (NJKV)

Firmly fix the scripture(s) you’ve found not only in your mind, but also in your heart. And the way you do this is to meditate on them. The Hebrew word translated meditate also means “to mutter or to talk to yourself.” Talk the word you’re standing on. This is how we release our faith. This is how we declare and speak into existence what we’re believing to receive. It’s part of how we keep ourselves expecting the exact thing we’ve prayed to come to pass. It’s seeing it already in existence in this natural realm with the eye of faith.

God wants you to see yourself with your answer. See yourself healed. See yourself restored. Get a vision board and post pictures of what you need to see with the eye of faith.

Step #4: Fight the good fight of faith.

“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armour so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armour so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armour of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” –Ephesians 6:10-18

Realize that you are in a spiritual fight. Refuse to allow doubt and fear to enter your consciousness. Control your mind based on 2 Corinthians 10:5: “We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”

Use the armour of God. This is your prayer armour; it’s not for fighting other people. Put on the helmet of salvation. Take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. When we hold onto the Word, the Word fights its own fight; it fights for us!

Step #5: See yourself succeed.

“My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.” –Proverbs 4:20-22

Prepare yourself to succeed. Hide the Word in your heart and live by it. Keep yourself holy and make no provision for the flesh (Romans 13:14). Matthew 6:22-23 reminds us, “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!”

Step #6: Testify what you believe.

“And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.” –Revelation 12:11

Begin testifying now to what God is doing – that He is moving, that He has answered your prayer. Do it by faith. You have been redeemed by the blood and walk in the blessing. You have a right to all that Jesus has promised you. Make sure your words match this truth.

Step #7: Get involved in helping someone else and get on the giving end.

“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full – pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back” (Luke 6:38).

If you are believing for healing, then pray for someone else (James 5:16). If you are believing for a car, sow a seed into someone else who also needs a car. If you are believing for a new home, take care of the one you’re in, even if you’re renting. Treat it like it is your own. Be faithful where you are with what you have (Luke 16:10). The way you measure out, the Word declares, is how it will be measured back to you (Matthew 7:2).

The Word magnifies God’s willingness to use His power, so keep magnifying the Word in your life. If you will be diligent to walk in these 7 Steps to Effective Prayer, they will bring results 100% of the time!