Have you ever felt like prayer doesn’t make much of a difference? Over the years people have confessed to me they don’t pray much. They don’t pray much because they feel like it doesn’t do much. People know they’re “supposed” to pray as Christians but often feel like it doesn’t change anything. Ever been there?
We pray and then carry on as if we don’t expect anything to change. That may sound a little harsh but if you’re honest with yourself, you know it’s true. You have probably felt this way at times. I want to give you some good news about prayer. Whether you understand it or not, something is happening when you pray. You might not see immediate results, you may never see results, but if you believe what you pray, something is definitely happening.
For more on New Covenant based prayer, click to listen to this free series.
TV Remote Control Illustration
Allow me to use your TV remote as an illustration for prayer. Your TV remote sends an infrared signal to your TV to change the channel or access the menu. You press a button on the remote and the TV responds. You don’t think about it, you don’t understand how that particular button is programmed to adjust the TV to that specific command, but you trust when you press those buttons the remote will do what it’s programmed to do.
Prayer is like a TV remote. You have the power of life and death in your tongue. The quantum field theory tells us that humans have an energetic effect on the material world. When you speak, when you pray, there is an energetic release from your mouth and your heart that go out to accomplish your intention.
When you pray the Word of God, you carry Heaven’s programming to affect whatever you’re praying over. But if your heart and mouth are not in agreement, the signal will not connect. If you want to put it on channel 2 but you press 3, you will not see the effect you want. But if you put the TV on the channel you desire, you will access what’s being sent to that channel from the broadcasting source.
Prayer is more of a command rather than a request. You’re not commanding God to do something, you’re commanding creation to respond to God’s will. God has revealed his will in Christ, it’s up to us to declare that will in the earth.
Finding The Right Channel
Have you ever looked for a specific show on TV? You know it’s on but you’re not sure which channel. Connecting with God’s promises is like that. God is constantly broadcasting his promises to us from Heaven just like a TV station is broadcasting its signal, it’s up to us to get on the same channel and receive what he’s broadcasting.
God’s signal doesn’t just carry information and images, it carries things like joy, peace, provision, wisdom, etc… When you use your mouth, in agreement with your heart, to access God’s broadcast signal, your prayer is effective. Check out these statements Jesus made about receiving.
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Mark 11:24
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. John 15:7
Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. Matthew 18:19
In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:23-24
And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Matthew 21:22
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15
We all know Jesus is talking about asking according to God’s will in these statements, we just happen to know God’s will is Heaven on Earth, Jesus said so.
Prayer Works
Don’t give up on praying because nothing happened the last time you prayed. Keep praying, something is happening. As you declare God’s character with confidence, you are watering his Word that has been planted into your situation. You have the power of life and the authority of God in your mouth, use it to speak kingdom truth.
Find out what God says about your situation
Settle in your heart his character in that area
Adjust your thoughts and emotions to match God’s promises
Remain patient knowing that the seed is growing
Keep praying and declaring with confidence
God’s Word will not fail
