Like most ministers, I receive hundreds of prayer requests per week. Some come through the mail, some through the Internet, and some through direct telephone calls.

It is extremely important that we not ignore a prayer request because there are so many. When someone entrusts our ministry with their destiny through prayer, I take it very seriously.

Likewise, individuals should take personal prayer requests just as seriously. Years ago, I talked with a lady who was in charge of a church prayer group. She told me that she was very concerned because she had developed the habit of collecting and distributing prayer requests, but actually never prayed herself.

In fact, she said she became so interested in reading the requests that they actually became her personal way of knowing the secrets of the people in the congregation. This should never be.

As a pastor, I see people in the church requesting prayer from others as they greet each other or pass by.

Sometimes, a prayer request may seem very casual, but when someone takes your hand and says, "Please pray for my family. We're going through a tough time" and you say, "I will," you must follow through on your promise.

Asking for prayer or saying you will pray should not become a Christian cliché. When someone asks for prayer and you say you will pray, you must pray. If you don't, you are a liar and have allowed an opportunity to minister to pass by.

You may say, "I don't know enough about the situation to pray. How can I pray God's will for their life when I don't know much about their life?" Well, I'm glad you asked—here's your answer.

First, according to 1 John 5:14, if we pray God's will, He hears us. Verse 15 says that when He hears us, we are entitled to the petition we ask of Him.

Of course, we must pray His will. According to Romans 8:26, when we don't know what to pray for, we should pray in the Spirit. And verse 27 says that when we pray in the Spirit, we are praying the will of God.

So the next time someone says, "Please pray for me. I'm going through a bad time," you can reply with a definite, "Yes, I will!" Then, pray in the Spirit and you will be praying God's will and you will know by praying His will that He heard you.

And when God hears you, you receive your request!

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