THE SECRETS OF QUICK ANSWERED PRAYERS

His LOVE-nature is our basis in saying God definitely hears our petitions and grants them.

¹⁹ For the Son of God, Y’shua the Messiah… was not “Yes” and “No,” but in Him it has always been “Yes.” 2 CORINTHIANS 1 

⁵ God gives generously to all without finding fault. JAMES 1

However, there are petitions that are granted instantly and petitions that are granted after a long wait. Do you want your petitions to be granted minus the long wait? Billions of people wait to be blessed; do you want to be at the head of the line? Of course, you do. Here’s how: 

Endear yourself to God. God blesses His children first (Mark 7:27). Prove you are His child by knowing His Most Holy Name and addressing your prayer to it. 

Manifest to Him and to the whole world that He is your God. Do not make supplications before false gods. Stop calling on a dead relative or a saint to act as your “intercessor” to God. Already the Son of Man is doing the intercession for you (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25, Luke 22:31-32). There is no better intercessor. Imploring the aid of another intercessor is unbiblical and redundantly unnecessary. Ephesians 3:12 says, “In Him and through Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”

⁶ But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. JAMES 1 nlt

Firm up your faith.

²¹ I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt… you can even say to this mountain “May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,” and it will happen.  ²² You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, then you will receive it. MATTHEW 21 nlt

²⁴ Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. MARK 11

A lady complained of what seemed to be cancer sores and wounds bothering her for months. The next morning, Y’shua instructed me to tell her three things: (1) To find a quiet time, confess her sins, and beg God to forgive them; (2) To imagine a light from heaven beaming on her while she prays; and (3) To visualize her wounds and sores rising out of her like dark smoke vaporizing in the light and vanishing. Fortunately she believed and obeyed. She felt warmth covering her body. Two days later she was completely healed! Her wounds closed and dried, and the sores were gone.

The wise lets his faith-knowledge temper and prevail upon his fact-knowledge. Faith-knowledge helps us deal with earthly situations more realistically and accurately.

¹⁹ Know the love of the Messiah, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. ²⁰ Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. EPHESIANS 3 kjv

Three years ago it was painful for me to raise my arms and to clap. My left eye was infected due to a clogged tear duct. My diabetes was causing problems to my lungs, heart, kidneys and bowel movement. At times I had to walk with a limp, even pulling my left leg. So I did twelve days of prayer and fasting against doctors’ advice.

Was I healed after the twelve days? I was not. This did not dampen or discourage my faith though. I knew that the LOVE-nature of God does not change, falter or fail. So I said to Him, “Your will, not mine. In Your time I will be healed.” 

Multiple-healing came two months later. I woke up to find my eye infection gone. I could raise my arms and clap my hands without feeling pain. My bowel movement became regular. The Lung Center said my lungs were clear. The Ospital ng Makati said nothing was wrong with my heart and kidneys. The left leg stopped feeling heavy. Lethargy left me. My mind became sharper than ever. 

Be clean and holy. Honor all His instructions. Be His obedient child.

¹¹ The Lord bestows favors and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless. PSALM 84

²¹ Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God ²² and receive from Him anything we ask, because we obey His commands and do what pleases Him. 1 JOHN 3

⁷ If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  JOHN 15

Sin is a blessing-hindrance.

¹⁵ When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with blood of innocent victims. ¹⁶ Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of My sight. Give up your evil ways. ISAIAH 1 nlt

⁸ Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. ⁹ Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. JAMES 4 nlt

If there is any unresolved conflict between you and a neighbor, go and fix it.

⁸ I want men to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.  1 TIMOTHY 2

²³ Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. MATTHEW 5

²⁵ And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. MARK 11

Submit to repentance, confession and restitution if you disobeyed God, or if you doubted His existence or goodness, or if you abandoned Him. God is no different to the father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. We can always go back to Him; and when we do, He would rush to meet us halfway, with open arms. He won’t ask, “What took you so long to find your way back?” No, He won’t. He would embrace us warmly, quietly thankful that we are back in His LOVE, security and abundance. He won’t be spiteful, mean or snobbish but rather He would forgive our sins and lift the burden off our shoulders. His angels would immediately attend to our needs, comforts and petitions. (Read Luke 15:11+ to better understand this.)

Synchronize your behavior with your petition. Y’shua said, “When you invest in a business, do you act against your business interest? Do you not act with propriety in order to get your capital back plus profit? The same is true when you petition God for something. When you pray for forgiveness and lead a life of penitence, you are acting with propriety; be assured that forgiveness shall come to you, along with eternal life in heaven. But when you pray for good health and lead an unhealthy lifestyle, you are not acting with propriety; ill-health will plague you, along with a disorderly life.” (Gospel of Barnabas)

¹³ Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea. JOB 35 

So act with propriety. If you are selfish, start being generous. Do not be slow to give to the needy and to give the best of what you have. Divine Justice is watching how to repay your deeds. If you tarry in giving to your neighbor, God will tarry in giving to you. If you give the best of what you have, God will give you the best of what He has.

¹² The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and His ears are open to their prayers. 1 PETER 3 nlt

Check your motive for asking. Is LOVE preeminent in your petition? Bill Hybels said, “Before bringing a request to God, ask: If God granted this request, would it bring glory to Him? Would it advance His kingdom? Would it help people? Would it help me grow spiritually?” (Lists to Live By, p. 92)

Many petitions go through the long wait because the motive behind them is for the petitioners to be able to brag, to go back to their old sinful ways, to get even with their offenders…

³ When you ask, you don’t get because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. JAMES 4 nlt

¹⁴ …If we ask [God] anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹¹ And if we know He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him. 1 JOHN 5

Pray with sincerity and intensity.

⁷ Stand in awe of God. ECCLESIASTES 5

Y’shua said, “When you pray, do not let your mind roam on any wickedness or worldly matter. Will you speak to Herod with your back facing him? Certainly not! Yet men do pray to God while facing Lucifer. Do not be full of life while merrying and drinking and yet be slothful and half-asleep while praying. Tell me, when you recline to eat, would it please you if your friend should eat the meat and give you the bones?” Simon Peter answered, “Certainly not! He is not a friend but a mocker!”

Y’shua said, “And what do you call then a slave who lets his master’s enemy drink the best part of the wine, and his master the dregs? Transcend everything when in the presence of the Lord; concentrate. Pray with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Mean every word you say; the sincerity and intensity must be there. Do not be shy or hesitant in presenting your situation. Raise your arms in submission and let your tears clean your heart. Consider how you would pray today if Pilate were to scourge and crucify you tomorrow.”

One of his disciples asked, “Rabbi, you said concentrate. But what if a friend should come while we are praying? Are we not supposed to break our prayer and entertain him?” Y’shua replied, “Andrew, make him wait and finish your prayer. If he should be offended, then he is the tempter’s friend, not yours. Suppose you went to speak to a stable boy of Herod and found him speaking into the king’s ears, would you be offended if he made you wait? Certainly not! You would be comforted at seeing your friend in favor with the king. Now, when you stand in prayer, is it right to turn your back on God in order to speak to a man? Should anyone be offended because you have more reverence for God than a man?” (cf. Gospel of Barnabas)

Pray with a humble heart.

¹⁰ Two men went up to the temple to pray: one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.” ¹³ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” ¹⁴ I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. LUKE 18

¹⁶ Serve the Lord willingly, and the Lord will accept you; your prayers will reach the skies. ¹⁷ The prayer of a humble person goes past the clouds and keeps on going until it reaches the Lord Most High. SIRACH 35

Be positive-minded. If your petition is not granted at once, keep on asking. When God puts you on hold, don’t hang up. Never think that prayerlessness will hasten the realization of your petition.

¹ Do not give up. LUKE 18

A Gentile begged Y’shua to heal her daughter. Her petition was granted because she begged importunately. God was not annoyed that she did not give up so easily. (Mark 7:25-30) He was rather hurried by her persistence for it manifested faith. There was gladness in His heart for an opportunity was created to demonstrate His LOVE for her and her daughter.

⁷ Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.  ⁸ For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. ⁹ You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? ¹⁰ Or if they ask for fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! ¹¹ So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him. MATTHEW 7 nlt

Exhortation. Y’shua said, “I tell you, he who prays properly will obtain all his petitions. Remember the prophets! Moses through prayer scourged Egypt, opened the Red Sea, and drowned the Pharaoh and his army there. Joshua through prayer made the sun to stand still. Samuel through prayer smote the large army of the Philistines with fear. Elijah through prayer made fire to rain from heaven. Elisha through prayer raised a dead man back to life.” (cf. Gospel of Barnabas)

¹⁶ The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. ¹⁷ Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain in the land for three and a half years. ¹⁸ Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain and the earth produced its crops. JAMES 5

¹⁴ If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and will heal their land. 2 CHRONICLES 7

DO YOU REALLY KNOW HOW TO PRAY?

One way of praying is to count our blessings—past, present and future—and thank God for each of them. You are so blessed in ways you may never even know:

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the millions who won't survive the week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 20 million people around the world. If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world. If you have food on your table, clothes to wear, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy. If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare. If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not. If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God's healing touch. If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read anything at all. (emailed by Frank Bascos)

In happy moments, praise God. In difficult moments, seek God. In quiet moments, worship God. In painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God:

§  For our hands and feet can be moved.

§  For our health, strength and vitality.

§  For saving us from hunger and malnutrition, thirst and dehydration, nakedness and shame.

§  For sheltering us from predators and the elements.

§  For our safety even as we sleep and rest our tired bodies.

§  For extending our earthly life every time we awake.

§  For the plants are there to give us oxygen and food.

§  For the air is there to prevent us from suffocating and the heat, to spare us from the cold.

§  For the company of our family and relatives, friends and associates, and the blessings they impart to us.

§  For our knowledge and understanding, power and authority.

§  For our answered prayers, especially on occasions when strangers and angels are sent to help us. 

§  For Him dying on the cross that we might have life.  

§  For Him loving us more than anyone else can.

§  For His love remains constant even as we falter, fail and sin against Him.

James 5:13 tlb says, “Those who have reason to be thankful should continually be singing praises to the Lord.” Say: “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness You have done marvelous things” (Isaiah 25:1).

What other advice can be given on how to pray?

You must go to a private place, alone with God, and have long talks with Him—yes, every day! Unburden your heart to Him. Take all your problems, your interests, your plans, your troubles to Him. Talk over everything with Him, continually. Then, even when going about your work—when walking down the street—when driving your car, or wherever you are or whatever you do, talk with God. Go to a private place, and kneel in prayer (on both knees) as often as you can, and at least once every day. But talk with God often in between. Pray without ceasing!  (Herbert Armstrong, Good News, October 1957)

Begin your prayer by addressing it to Y’shua, our Abba in heaven. (Of course, the presumption is that you acknowledge Him as your First Parent and submit to His parental authority over you. Otherwise, don’t call him Abba.)

After the address, confess your life direction on earth: “Holy be Your Name; Your kingdom come; Your will be done.” Then demand to be supplied your needs in relation to it.

⁹ This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name,

¹⁰  Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

¹¹  Give us today our daily bread.                                                             

¹²  Forgive us our debts [sins], as we also have forgiven our debtors.

¹³  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” MATTHEW 6

Take note: Matthew 6:9-13 (better known as “the Lord’s Prayer”) is an outline-guide. Rise above parroting or reciting it. Prayer is nothing memorized or drawn from the intellect. Praying is talking with God, and God talking with you, from the heart.

The ACTS Method

You may add adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication (ACTS) to Matthew 6:9-13. Adoration is doing praise and worship. Confession is admitting to God the sins you committed during the day; it should be preceded by repentance and followed by begging for God’s forgiveness. Thanksgiving is acknowledging your blessings of the day and thanking God for them. Supplication is pouring out the burdens of your heart and petitioning God for help.

In doing supplication, you may resort to the Five-Finger Prayer. It is four parts making supplications for other people and one part making supplications for yourself. Take a look at your fingers now and be guided accordingly:

When you fold your hands, the thumb is nearest you. So begin by praying for those closest to you—your loved ones. And pray for those who helped you when you hurt.

The index finger is the pointer. Pray for the coworkers of God, that they may have wisdom, patience and perseverance (not to mention LOVE) in pointing others to the direction of God.

²⁵ Brothers, pray for us. 1 THESSALONIANS 5

The next finger is the tallest. Pray for those in authority over you (eg. your parents at home, parents in the Lord, public leaders, employer, work supervisors, school authorities).

⁶ That he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Messiah Y’shua. PHILIPPIANS 1

¹ I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— ² for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³ This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 TIMOTHY 2

The fourth finger is the weakest. Pray for the weak, the suffering and those in trouble. 

¹⁶ If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. 1 JOHN 5

¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. JAMES 5

Then comes your little finger. Let it remind you of your smallness in relation to God’s greatness. Say: “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God” (Psalm 143:10).   

¹² [Pray] that God make you stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. COLOSSIANS 4

⁹ [Pray] that God… fill you with the knowledge of His will, with all spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰ And… that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and… please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ being strengthened by His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully ¹² giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. COLOSSIANS 1

⁹ [Pray] that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰ so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the Day [the Second Coming] of the Messiah, ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Y’shua the Messiah—to the glory and praise of God. PHILIPPIANS 1

Pray that God may cover (protect) you with His Holy Blood. Pray for light (enlightenment and advice) on what you are doing and will do.

³ Commit to God whatever you do and your plans will succeed. PROVERBS 16 

¹⁸ Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance. PROVERBS 20 

Demand to be given all your needs.

¹³ Is anyone of you suffering? He should keep on praying about it. JAMES 5 tlb

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. PHILIPPIANS 4 nlt

¹⁹ And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Messiah Y’shua. PHILIPPIANS 4

Wait for God’s Response

A popular malpractice in praying is turning our back on God after saying our piece to Him. We ask for forgiveness, for protection, for a blessing, for a solution to our problem… but just when God is about to speak to us, we turn our back on Him and leave. It is outrageously disrespectful. God is mocked. Stop it.

⁷ Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. PSALM 37

Praying is talking with God and God talking with us. Yes, that’s right, the Most Powerful Being in the universe talking with us! Prayer is a trustful, open and warm interaction with God. Interaction means He listens while you talk and you listen while He talks. If you have a question, He answers it and if He has a question, you answer it. There is an exchange.

We must dispose ourselves to hear God speak. Never be in a hurry to turn your back on God.  

Pray the way a child talks to his father. Speak with Him not only in times of need or trouble. A child tells his father when his heart is heavy and when it is filled with joy and gladness. He consults his father on matters he does not understand; complains when he thinks an injustice is done; and shares his dreams and aspirations with him. He tells his father of the beautiful things he sees and enjoys—even of the funny jokes he hears. He expresses his gratefulness for the wonderful things his father has been doing for him. He does not hesitate to say in different ways, “I love you. You’re the best Daddy there is.”

There is nothing we can say that God has no prior knowledge of (Matthew 6:8, 1 John 3:20). In fact, God hears more than we say. He is not really after the things we tell Him but after the fellowship, the communion.

He is no different to an earthly father who appreciates it when his child puts in extra effort to come and spend time with him, to keep a LOVE-relationship with Him. God enjoys it when we make Him No. 1 among our priorities, when we desire to be with Him throughout the rest of eternity. God feels honored and accomplished when we seek a private appointment with Him to confide a situation, to ask for His help and counsel. God enjoys it when we come to be straightened in righteousness.

Nothing is sweeter to God than to see you overcome your battles and nothing more bitter than to know you were overcome by them. God likes it even more when you overcome a situation because you listened to His Word. Unfortunately, much as He wants to interfere in your affairs and help, He will not until asked. God is a respecter of the human freewill. He will never violate your freewill and private space. As John Wesley said, “God does nothing but in answer to prayer.”  

What has been said so far lays the foundation for the next study modules. If you reach this part without thoroughly understanding what has been said, please go back and read again.

⁷ Be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 1 PETER 4