How To Get Answered Prayers?
John 15:7 If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you {and} continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
The LORD JESUS CHRIST promised it Himself if you want to get your prayers answered by GOD, there's a condition that you have to do on your own part. It is plain and simple and the conditions if they are met you will have answered prayers. GOD answers prayers in a way that will pass our requirements but GOD answers prayers in a way that He likes according to His Divine Master Plan established long before the world came to being.
Now back to the question, How To Get Answered Prayers? Simple according to this WORD OF GOD, you only need to live in JESUS CHRIST, live in the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and you will have answered prayers.
How to do that?
The word "live" or "abide" came from the Greek word: "meno" meaning stay, continue, dwell, remain, stand, tarry, so to summarize it, it's just the following:
To live in GOD means:
1. To stay in His Presence:
you can do this by reading the bible everyday, pray everyday, memorize some parts of the bible that you can see that are applicable to you. For example if you need healing, and all of us needs healing in some areas or another, you need to memorize:
Isaiah 53:5
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt {and} iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace {and} well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed {and} made whole.
1 Peter 2:24
He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.
I can hear someone saying, woe, it's hard to live in GOD, it's easy if you can memorize, memorize and recite/declare it all day long, that way you are conscious always of GOD and not of yourself, that's living in GOD, staying in His Presence.
John 5:38
And you have not His word (His thought) living in your hearts, because you do not believe {and} adhere to {and} trust in {and} rely on Him Whom He has sent. [That is why you do not keep His message living in you, because you do not believe in the Messenger Whom He has sent.]
The WORD OF GOD will change our hearts and make it a believing heart. That's what is the first and foremost important prayer aspect or prayer ingredients that most people are forgetting. If you don't have faith or belief, GOD even GOD, the most powerful and awesome GOD can't help you.
Have you tried someone helping out who is drowning? What's your first instruction to him/her? Let GO of me. I'll hold you and you relax. But if the person will not listen to you, then guess what, both of you will start to sink and drown.
We let go of ourselves into the mighty hands of GOD and we let GOD do His Own Thing.
2. Continue in His Presence.
Proverbs 27:21
The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise.
Okay, we're all there in that same boat, that we belive GOD, remember this belief is enough to make you tremble and much, much more. If not then you are not greater than the demons.
Make this belief or faith not just mouth-baesd but heart-based, enough to change you.
James 2:19
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.
You say ok, everything I have in life, I don't deserve them it's all a gift from GOD, every abilities, every talents, every activities, every successes and every failures I dedicated and give GOD the praise, honor and worship He deserves.
But when someone praises you, Oh bro, Oh sis, you are the best! then we start leaving the presence of GOD and focus on our self. It's not that, praises have tested you out and found out that you are a hypocrite.
Continue in His Presence.
Someone have praised me like, Oh pastor you are really different and great, you want to give people money rather taking from them, and I replied back, you call me great and different? funny, I never saw myself like that, what I saw is a sinner who needs GOD badly.
That's a sample of continuing in His Presence.
Hebrews 12:2
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
That's why it said fixing, not fix, it never ends, it's always doing, and present tense, it's striving actually for me, it's hard when someone praises you, you just said thank you , the moment you do that you took the praise from GOD, you do that often and frequently and you'll be eaten by worms not literally but worms of pride will eat you.
Acts 12:23
Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
What died? Who died? The worms. No the person who forgot to give GOD the glory, even if he's a king. He died and he can't stop his death even if he's a king, how about you? Are you a king? If you are not, then you have more chances of dying than King Herod. For us, the application is we will die of our relationship with GOD.
3. To dwell
To dwell means to become a permanent resident of GOD'S Presence.
Psalms 84:10
Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
This is King David speaking, and how many are kings here, please raise their hands. Well, no one's a king here? But take a look at the heart of King David, even if he's a king, he's very different than King Herod that died because of worms. He as king, have not considered His profession in life and would want or rather be contented as a guiard or doorkeeper in the temple of GOD. Take a look at the humility. It's no self at all but all GOD. It takes effort of course to be humble. It's when you realize that all things in your life is not from your hands but it came from GOD.
Deuteronomy 8:18 But you shall [earnestly] remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
Deuteronomy 8:19 And if you forget the Lord your God and walk after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.
In life, contrary to what people say, that if you hit rock bottom that's the time you forget about GOD, no, it's different from what the bible says. It's when a man has all the riches, comforts and luxuries in life, that's the time when that rich person forget about GOD.
4. To remain:
It's this difficult part is to remain. To live and dwell is easy for me, but the hard part is to remain. When people reject you that's when it's hard to remain in His Presence but I remembered JESUS, focused on His Presence, I was able to live life to the fullest by focusing on JESUS CHRIST and not on my life which is rotten and ugly.
Philippians 4:11
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
It's so hard when people call you ugly names you don't think of calling them, but it's the more they call me that the more I'm blessed in GOD'S sight
Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.
Philippians 4:19 And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Psalms 1:1 BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks {and} lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather.
Psalms 1:2 But his delight {and} desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night.
Psalms 1:3 And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade {or} wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity].
It's the happy part when I could say in my life I learned to live through these curses in my life. And I could say, looking straight up to Heaven, the more you curse me, the more I'm cursed so I will just bless people more.
Luke 6:38
bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you
Matthew 5:44
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Luke 6:28
bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
The result: Answered Prayers
Do you know that I have prayers that I have prayed only took me 30 seconds to receive? And lots more, but not to boast I boast in the majesty of GOD. I boast of my weaknesses.
2 Corinthians 12:9 But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for {My} strength {and} power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) {and show themselves most effective} in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses {and} infirmities, that the strength {and} power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!
2 Corinthians 12:10 So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased {and} take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities {and} distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength).
