I have been doing a lot of thinking here lately about how well I feel and it's connection to my prayer life. It's amazing to me that removing stressors, believing for healing (instead of crying over the pain), surrounding myself with positive prayer warriors and fine tuning my relationship with God has literally turned my illness around. Thank you Jesus!
So - that led me to studying the word prayer: what it means, how to do it and where it leads.
Prayer refers to a multifaceted communication with God: calling upon God, calling the name of the Lord, crying unto the Lord, lifting up your (or someone else's) soul to God, seeking God, thanking God, walking with God, and coming boldly to the throne of grace.
Prayer is the link to receiving God's blessings and power, and the link to the fulfillment of His promises. James specifically states (in James 5:14-15) that physical healing can come to the believer in response to "the prayer of faith."
We must pray with sincere, true faith. "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Mark 11:24 Faith is BELIEVING in things hoped for, things you can't see. Super simple - Believe.
We must pray in Jesus' name. "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified by the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it." John 14:13-14 What is the name?
We must pray according to the perfect will of God. "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us." I John 5:14 It's so easy to know if you are praying the will of God - ask yourself "does my request line up with scripture?" Look it up.
We must be IN the will of God when we pray. God only give us the things we ask for IF we first seek His kingdom and His righteousness. "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight." I John 3:22 In Psalm 66:18 the writer shows that if we cherish our sins (definition of cherish: hold dear, to be fond of, to protect) "the Lord will not hear." Confess your sins, do your best not to commit them again. No one is perfect, but we must strive to live as closely as Jesus did. When you mess up, confess it! Ask for forgiveness and move on.
We must pray persistently. "Ask...seek...knock." Matthew 7:7-8 Bring your requests before the throne daily, until you receive your answer. Sometimes that answer is "no" and we must have the faith to BELIEVE that God has other (more glorious plans) for our lives. Sometimes the answer is "yes, but wait" and we must have the faith to BELIEVE that it will happen in God's time. Remember - God's time is NOT our time! Sometimes the answer is "yes" and we receive immediately. No matter what the answer is - be thankful and praise Him.
That brings me to what I believe is the pinnacle of our prayer life. We must praise Him and come before Him with a thankful heart. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all the generations." Psalm 100:4-5
I thank God every single day for the trials and tribulations that I have endured in my life. I know that I know that I know - that it is not for naught. I have seen where God has used me to testify to others that have been in similar situations that I have gone through. Do I wish that I didn't have this disease? Do I sometimes forget to praise him when I am in excruciating pain (physical, spiritual or mental)? Do I want His promises now? Do I sometimes wonder if he heard me? The answer is - OF COURSE!!! But I will not allow the devil to rob me of my blessings by continually trying to work things out on my own. I/we MUST BE PATIENT. "Be still and know that I am God..." Psalm 46:10
When I am in pain, I pray for relief and then I tell God "I know there is a reason and I pray for strength and direction." I believe that I am healed and I claim it every day. I have the joy of the Lord and I will only speak peace and healing over my body, mind and spirit. And I speak peace and healing over yours.