Pray the Answer; Not the Problem

And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive. -Matthew 21:22

I was born-again right in the middle of the Charismatic move. I visited a small full gospel church and was filled with the Holy Spirit. I had a lot of enthusiasm and excitement in those days, but I didn’t know a lot about the Bible.

I prayed a lot. In fact, I was constantly praying at the church late at night and early in the morning. The pastor finally gave me my own key to the church! But I didn’t know how to pray. Over and over, I prayed, "Oh, dear God, You see how bad my problems are.” But if anything changed in my situation, it was always for the worse.

I had a plaque hanging in my home that said, “Prayer Changes Things,” but I was saved, filled and defeated. It seemed as if everything was going wrong. After a year and a half of this, I couldn’t decide whether to throw that plaque away or just burn it!

I finally thought, The answer has to be in the Bible someplace. So I started researching the Scriptures. Matthew 21:22 is the verse that got my attention. Jesus said, “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

I found the key in the verse that unlocked a door of understanding how to pray in faith. Suddenly I realized I’d been talking to God about the problem instead of the answer. And I sure didn’t want to believe I received my problems—I already had them!

Another key to praying in faith is found in Isaiah 43:26. “Put me in remembrance, let us contend together; State your case, that you may be acquitted” God wants you to remind Him of what He’s already said about your need. So pray God’s answer according to His Word, then believe you receive it by faith. That’s the true prayer of faith!

CONFESSION:

Father, I put You in remembrance of Your Word. I thank You because You said that by Jesus’ stripes, I was healed. I know You’re faithful to make Your Word true in my life, so I believe I receive my healing.

From: A Devotional for Divine Health Prescription for a Miracle, Mark Brazee, 1999