When you begin your prayer based on God’s Word, you are starting with the answer. The Word contains the answer to every problem that could confront you.
The next step in praying effectively is found in Mark 11:24. Jesus said, “What things so ever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” This places a qualification on your prayer. You must believe you receive when you pray. Don’t wait until the manifestation comes to believe you receive.
This will seem very difficult at first. But as you get to know God personally, you will become convinced His Word is true. The problem area will diminish. Make a quality decision to believe God’s Word. Numbers 23:19 says, “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” You can trust His integrity. When you pray, all you have to do is apply your faith.
Where does faith come from? How do you get it? Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Every believer is dealt the measure of faith (Romans 12:3). He must develop that faith by spending time in the Word of God. The application of your faith, in any given situation, is directly related to your knowledge of God. You could not have faith to be saved before you knew it was God’s will to save you. If you feel you need more faith, realize that you already have it. What you need is a more personal knowledge of God, through time in His Word.
Once you have prayed in faith, hold fast to your confession. God is aware of your situation. His power went to work the instant you prayed in faith. You can now rest assured that what you prayed will come to pass. Maintain your faith by keeping your confession—what you say—in line with the Word.
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (Hebrews 4:9-14).
Speak only words that agree with what you desire. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. As your High Priest, He is seeing to it that the whole system works the way God said it would!
The importance of speaking right words cannot be measured. Faith is released with the mouth. Words are the vehicles. God spoke faith-filled words when He created the universe. Hebrews 11:3 says, “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God….” God spoke and the Spirit of God used the faith in those words to create the worlds.
Kenneth Copeland Ministries
