Proverbs 15:29 reminds us that, "The LORD hears the prayer of the righteous." And in James 5:16 we are told to, "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

If there is something important on our mind we might say to someone, I have to talk with you, but most importantly we have to talk with God, and we do that through personal prayers. There is power in prayer but the devil doesn’t want us to believe that. He wants us to think that God doesn’t hear, or if He does He won’t answer because we have failed too many times. [Hymn] ‘There is Someone who loves every sinner, He is calling, O hear Him today; ‘Tis Jesus, our blessed redeemer, He’s only a prayer away.’

Jesus said (Matthew 18:20), "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." It is a promise that God is with us when we take time to pray. Satan fights our speaking with God in prayer (of course) because he knows that there is power in prayer.

God is waiting to hear from us so it is our Christian duty and responsibility to speak with Him in prayer. Praising God for all the blessings we enjoy and then placing our needs before Him should be the first thing we do at the start of each day.

Jesus told how to pray (Matthew 6:6 NLT). "When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you." Acts 10:2 reminds us how often to pray. Cornelius was "God-fearing--and so was every member of his household. He was also liberal in his charities to the people, and continually offered prayer to God." It is every day and often through the day. Prayer is the out-pouring of the heart to God in the Name of Christ Jesus (and in the strength of the Holy Spirit), for what God has promised.

Satan always fights prayer because there is power in prayer and because spiritual blessings, progress, and an inner peace comes from answered prayer. Satan tries to convince us that God doesn't hear nor answer prayer today. The devil has deceived millions to believe that there is no power in prayer. If we accept that lie, we too will miss the spiritual blessings God has for us. The Atonement of Christ has provided great blessings and it is through the medium of prayer that they are received.

The first recorded prayer is in Genesis 18:23-33. Judgment was about to fall on Sodom and Gomorrah because of its wickedness, but Abraham prayed and his prayer was answered (which proves there is power in prayer).

Abraham asked if God would spare the residents for the sake of any Christians living there. He did not know how many and started with fifty. Abraham finally asked (32) "What if only ten can be found there?" God answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it," but not even ten righteous people could be found in Sodom, so destruction fell upon all the inhabitants of Sodom except Lot and his two daughters. Abraham’s prayer was one of compassion for the welfare of others.

Effective prayer comes from a sincere heart. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven," (Matthew 18:3). To become like little children is to have the attitude to God as a child to a parent. We should go to God with every need (important or not important) which is a child-like attitude. It is being dependent on someone, trusting them, and asking for what is needed.

James 5:17 says that, "Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years." God is the same God today as He was then (because He cannot change) so we have the same access to Him today. We can pray and expect the answer.

Samson prayed and his strength returned. Job prayed and was delivered. Daniel prayed and the secrets of the vision were revealed. Cornelius prayed and the apostle spoke words whereby he and his family could be saved. "Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God," (Luke 6:12). The entire evening was spent in meditation and prayer, and when Jesus came down from the mountain He gave the greatest sermon ever (called the Sermon on the Mount; Matthew chapters 5-7). There is Power in Prayer!

Satan constantly opposes prayer because he doesn’t want us to speak with God and even if we do he tries to convince us that our prayers will not be heard nor answered. He will place thoughts in our mind that are opposite to Bible promises. Whose word we accept as true is the issue.

Every believer in Christ has a blood-purchased right to have their prayers answered. Jesus paid for the answer with His blood, so we should claim (and expect to receive through prayer) what God has promised in His Word. We have a divine right to be delivered from oppression, difficulties, and predicaments, but Satan tries to conceal the cross and all that it means to the believer.

After praying in Jesus' Name concerning a physical attack, a financial need, change in attitude, or for divine guidance, we are to believe that the prayer (offered in faith) will make a difference. It has to be answered because the cross of Christ and the promises of God say it will.

True faith in God sees (or believes) things as the Atonement of Christ has made them to be and as God's Word says they are. His Word promises that our prayers are answered when we ask in the Name of Jesus. (John 14:14), "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." James 4:2 says, "You do not have, because you do not ask God."

Satan wants us to see in doubt but God wants us to act in faith. Satan pictures to our mind that the pain is still there, the money won’t be given, or the loved one’s attitude hasn’t changed. Things may be what he says (at that moment) but we are to reject Satan suggestions and never act on his lies. What the devil puts in our mind can seem very real and very much like our own reasoning. The Holy Spirit can enlighten us to know of Satan’s devious tricks and be able to recognize the devil’s voice. Instead of taking the wide road of doubt, we should take the narrow road of faith. "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer," (Matthew 21:22).

After offering a prayer and knowing what God’s Word says, we can be confident that God has heard and wants to answer. We must believe God's Word and reject Satan’s lies. We are to accept God's statement of facts in His Book. The point is whether we believe God's Word or Satan's suggestions. The sinful heart is prone to believe anything Satan says. He has fooled us before and he has deceived many others, so it is easy to believe anything the devil says to our mind.

Everyone has that choice, and our choice must be to see (and to believe) what God’s Word says to be true. The payment for the answer to prayer isn’t paid by our believing, but by the shed blood of Christ. Our faith in God only allows us to receive the answer that has already been paid in full.

While visiting Cana (in Galilee), Jesus met with a government official whose son was ill (John 4:46). This official told Jesus his story. The man was believing what the devil pictured in his mind (like we so often do) so Jesus had to say, "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, you will never believe."

Jesus wanted to explain that even though the healing of his boy was important, it was more important to have faith in God and to believe the words of His Son. The man needed to reject the devil’s lies and accept the Savior’s promise. The man's request was urgent, "Sir, come down before my child dies." Jesus calmly replied, "You may go. Your son will live." (49-50).

That was the Word of God, and that Word would make a difference because there is divine power in back of God’s Word. Satan always places his word against God's Word any time a request is made, so the man had a choice to make. He could believe the devil's word (that said his son was sick) or believe God's Word (that said his son was healed).

The man chose to believe because he, "took Jesus at his word and departed." He was seeing in faith and chose to see his boy as Jesus said he was, healed! The official returned home to greet the boy fully delivered. That was faith in the spoken Word.

There are important spiritual results from accepting the words of Christ, because it reads that the man "and all his household believed." His entire family accepted Christ as their Savior and had a living hope of eternal life because of that one answer to prayer. There is Power in Prayer!

Another story on prayer is the Centurion of Matthew 8. The man says (6), "Lord, my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering." Jesus answered, "I will go and heal him." Jesus didn't hesitate like He did with the official. There was (no doubt) a reason for that which could have been that the Centurion was ready to believe the Word of God, and the government official wasn’t.

When Jesus said (7 NLT), "I will come and heal him," the officer replied (8), "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed! (10) When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd, he said, ‘I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all the land of Israel!’"

Jesus made another important statement at this point. He said that people (Gentiles) with such faith (11-12), "will come from all over the world and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven." Jesus was explaining that the pathway which leads to salvation is the path of faith in the Word. The Centurion rejected the devil’s lies and accepted God’s Word. Jesus then makes this significant statement (12), "But those who should be in the Kingdom will be thrown out into the darkness, where they will cry and gnash their teeth," (TEV).

There are (unfortunately) many proclaimed Christians who think they are ready for heaven because they say they believe in Christ but without showing any evidence that they actually do believe, who will be (as Jesus said), "thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Jesus then says to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." Hebrews 10:23 says, "he who promised is faithful."

This next story shows that the power is not in the words of the prayer but in the One who answers them. As Jesus came down from the Mount of Transfiguration He notices that the disciples and the religious leaders are discussing something. A crowd is staring, and a boy who is seriously oppressed is the center of attention. Jesus says, "O unbelieving generation, how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?" (Mark 9:19).

The disciples have failed, the devil is pleased, the crowd watches in doubt, and the boy’s father is desperate. That may be easy to relate to, because Satan’s doubts, fears, discouragement, and negative thoughts are all so familiar.

"Jesus asked, ‘How long has he been like this?’ ‘From childhood,’ [the man answered]. ‘It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.’‘

"‘If I can'?’ said Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for him who believes.’ Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’" The prayer of this father was not an eloquent prayer (which is usually the case with us). Satan tells us that our prayer won’t be answered, but this prayer (Mark 9) was answered. It is a parent, with a child, in need of healing.

The prayer was not great, but the deliverance was. This victory reminds us that the power is not in who offers the prayer but who answers prayer. Ever since the boy was young, the devil tried to destroy him. It is easy to sympathize with the father, because he was desperate and the oppression was serious. "If you can do anything for him, please have pity on us and help us."

Satan’s doubts have obviously been accepted because the man says, ’if you can do anything.’ We may have said (all too often) ‘If you can help me, Lord.’ But an honest, fervent prayer begins with an honest, sincere request. No pretense and no pride but just a heart-felt entreaty to our heavenly Father.

Satan tempts us to wait until we know how to pray and suggesting that if we aren’t good with words, then the prayer won’t be answered, but the man didn’t make that mistake. He didn’t offer much of a prayer, but he says, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" The prayer was sincere, so Jesus responds, "‘You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.’ The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, ‘He's dead.’ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up."

"After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why couldn't we drive it out?’ He replied, ‘This kind can come out only by prayer,’" (vs 28-29). If we ask what prayer or what kind of prayer, it is the heartfelt and honest prayer of a man with a heartfelt and definite need. God answers our prayer because of our need, and not because of our words.

It is not our eloquent prayer nor our strength, but lack of words and our weakness that will get God’s attention. ’When we are weak, God is strong,’ (2 Corinthians 13:9). Our heavenly Father wants to help us. We only have to ask for His help in prayer. It is not our prayer, but the One who answers it. So often we do not know how to pray (nor in what way to offer them), but if our hearts are sincere, the answer will be given because the power of prayer is in the One who hears it, and not in the one who says it.