Lamentations 3:22 – 23
When we think of prayer, we often think of it as asking God for something. We get the idea that the better askers we are, the more effective our prayers will be. But answers to prayer don’t come just because we have the ability to ask. They come because we have the capacity to receive.
Over the years, I’ve found that the more I can receive from God (not just for myself but as I pray for others) the more He can give. That makes me want to become a better receiver. How about you?
Sure, you’re probably thinking. I’d love to be able to receive more from the Lord. I’d love to see bigger, better, more consistent answers to my prayers. But how do I go about it?
One way is by getting a deeper revelation of the mercy of God. People who have a greater understanding of His mercy always get greater results when they pray. If you think about it, it’s easy to see why.
To receive something from God, we must first have faith. We must not only believe He has the ability to do what we request; we must believe that He is willing to do it. We must be confident He wants to give us what we’re asking for.
If we have any doubt about His willingness, we won’t be able to reach out with the hand of faith and receive from Him. If we think He is angry, critical, or judgmental of us, we won’t be confident of His desire to bless us. Even though He earnestly desires to answer our requests, even though He has already made provision to meet our needs, we will go away empty-handed because we were unable to trust Him enough to receive.
That’s why it pays great prayer dividends to invest time studying about and meditating on God’s mercy. When we begin to realize how wonderfully merciful and kind He is, it’s easy to believe. It’s easy to reach out and receive from Him by faith when we’re standing in the light of His wonderful love.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 136:1 – 26
Source: Devotions for the Praying Heart by Lynne Hammond.
Excerpt permission granted by Lynne Hammond Ministries
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”