Prayer
Conditions for Answered Prayers
2 Chronicles 7:15
Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to
the prayers offered in this place.
NIV
Scriptures list several conditions be met to assure an answer to our prayers:
Obedience
1 John 3:22 and receive from him anything we ask,
because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.
Confession
Psalm 66:18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened
Abiding
in Christ
John 15:7 If you remain in me and my words remain
in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
According to God's
Will
1 John 5:14 This is the confidence we have in approaching
God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
Asked in faith
Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask
for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Pray
in the Spirit
Ephesians 6:8 because you know that the Lord will
reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
Forgive others
Mark 11:25-26 And when you stand praying, if you
hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven
may forgive you your sins.
Ask in Christ&s name
John 14:13-14 And I will do whatever you ask in
my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask
me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Asked with pure motives
James 4:3 When you ask, you do not receive, because
you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Live peaceably with one's spouse
1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate
as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker
partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing
will hinder your prayers.
I would suggest that the ideal of a Christian life is to meet all of these conditions, all of the time. At the same time, we must remember that we have a relationship with a God Who is just and merciful and full of grace. If one area of our life is out of step with God, we need to confess that area to Him with a pure and honest heart, recognizing that He will be faithful to our request. Even should we fail in our repentance, He will still hear us and deal with our prayers, so long as we are being open and honest when we go to Him with our requests.
All Scriptures on this page from the NIV
