Faith is indispensable for effective prayer. It transforms prayer from a mere ritual into a dynamic interaction with God, characterized by trust, submission to His will, and a steadfast belief in His power to intervene in our lives. Faith enriches the prayer experience, making it a profound exercise of the human spirit's connection to the Divine.
[00:00:00] Let us pray, Grant together on our knees. Let us pray, Grant together on our knees.
[00:00:14] When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, oh Lord, ever see all the need.
[00:00:27] Welcome to the Bible Speaks with Elgin Carelock. The Bible Speaks is a weekly ministry of harvest international.
[00:00:33] Our prayer is that the Bible Speaks will encourage you in your study of God's Word.
[00:00:38] You will be able to contact Elgin at the address given at the end of this broadcast. And now here's Elgin.
[00:00:45] Brothers and sisters, I welcome you in the name of our risen Savior, Jesus the Christ.
[00:00:51] And whether you're tuning in for the first time or your long time listener, we are thrilled to have you join us.
[00:00:58] We are continuing in our series of the ingredients of effective prayer.
[00:01:04] Today we're going to look at praying with faith.
[00:01:08] And our scriptural inspiration will be 1 John 5 verses 14 through 15. And I'll read to you from the new international version.
[00:01:21] This is the confidence we have in approaching God that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
[00:01:31] And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we ask of Him.
[00:01:40] Effective prayer is rooted in faith in God's character, His goodness, sovereignty, faithless and His promises revealed in Scripture.
[00:01:53] Faith trusts that God hears our prayers and is both willing and able to respond in accordance with His will.
[00:02:02] This trust is not blind optimism but is grounded in the relationship with God and an understanding of His nature as revealed through His Word and actions throughout history.
[00:02:16] Jesus emphasized the necessity of faith for receiving answers to prayer.
[00:02:22] In March 11 verse 24, He states,
[00:02:27] Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer believe that you have received it and it will be yours.
[00:02:35] Faith in this context involves a confident expectation that God will act even before seeing the outcome.
[00:02:44] It is the anticipatory trust that aligns our prayers with God's ability to fulfill them, opening the way for His power to work in our lives.
[00:02:56] Faith in prayer also means seeking alignment with God's will.
[00:03:00] In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus taught His disciples to pray, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven which is found in Matthew 6 and 10.
[00:03:11] Faith submits to God's overarching purpose trusting that His plan are for our ultimate good and His glory.
[00:03:22] Even when those plans are not fully understood,
[00:03:26] praying with faith involves a surrender of our desire to God's will believing that He knows what is best.
[00:03:36] James 1 verses 6-7 teaches that one who doubts is like a wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind
[00:03:46] and that such a person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
[00:03:51] Faith is essential for overcoming doubts, fears and uncertainties that can hinder our prayers.
[00:03:59] It is the firm assurance in God's power and willingness to act on our behalf that dispels hesitation and fosters a confident approach to God in prayer.
[00:04:12] Prayer at His core is an expression of our relationship with God.
[00:04:18] Faith is what nurtures and sustains that relationship, enabling us to approach God with openness and honesty.
[00:04:27] Through faith, prayer becomes more than a list of requests.
[00:04:33] Faith evolves into a dialogue with God where we not only speak but also listen, ready to receive His guidance, comfort and correction.
[00:04:46] Brothers and sisters, once again I thank you for joining us on today and I look forward to our conversation on tomorrow.
[00:04:53] Till then, God bless.
[00:05:04] This program is cared for by listeners who care, your prayers and financial investment in this ministry helps to keep the good news on the air.
[00:05:14] We look forward to hearing from you and invite you to write us at Harvest International Post Office Box 66690 Ocala, Florida 34478.
[00:05:25] Again, that's Harvest International Post Office Box 66690 Ocala, Florida 34478.
[00:05:55] Open wide, I know love, Lord I'm coming home.