How to Pray and Know the Answers

Can a believer really pray, knowing the answers to every prayer he or she might pray? The answer to this question is so obvious that most Christians usually look right past the answer.

Several years ago the Lord gave me a series to share with a local group on the topic, How to Pray and Know the Answers, Every Time. The series broke down into a series of four messages and are as much a part of me as He Himself. I am grateful to the Lord for His revelation in this area but I must admit it is totally Him.

How do I pray?

Who can Commune with God?

Who can have Relationship?

Can I actually Abide?

Should I lose my mind?
You must if you expect to be in agreement with “being in Him”.

Can I Know His will? Once I understand what prayer is and that I can commune with God, once I have a personal relationship, am abiding in Christ, once I have lost my mind- then I can know His good and acceptable will- not before.

Now I can Pray according to His will!
I am asked often, “How do you do the things you do?” “How do you walk so closely to the Lord, it seems so effortless for you?” I love to have those questions asked and I love to enter into these types of discussions.

The more we acknowledge our new identity as being in Him, we'll have personal understanding on how to pray, and we'll understand how it's possible to pray without ceasing. God is addressing our identity crisis. I am not speaking about what we identify 'with'; but rather, 'who are we', better yet, 'who am I'. The answer to this question is/was resolved at the cross. There is a death to the old man that God is allowing in your life. This death isn't anything to be afraid... it's actually overseen by God, and part of your ordained steps. It's actually the path to say with Paul, "death, where is your sting now?", and also the cornerstone that we're most likely to reject.

Wherever you are in life, there is a 'now moment'. Trust Him in your 'now moment', the one you are experiencing right now. The present moment for 'you', might be that your performance is worldly 'good', or worldly 'bad'. Either condition is unacceptable to God. The only way we can truly know God is get past the idea that we don't belong with Him. We do belong with Him, because He paid the price. It's not by merit that we have right to boldly enter into Him, it's by faith.

As far as I can see, the whole duty of a believer is to believe God. Everything else is on His shoulders. A lot of times people seem to think that the gift of faith is being able to walk in His revelation. While it is true that the gift of faith does manifest many times in our lives, it is not true that it's the gift of faith that allows us to abide in Him. What I am saying may seem to split hairs from where you are sitting so let me reword it. It's because of the reckless abandoning of your own life that Christ can be seen. Some may say that this is taking being saved by grace out of the picture. All I am saying is that I agree with God, “I am saved, righteous, cleansed, one with Him”. Out of the acceptance of salvation comes manifestation. Out of my 'new' mind, I think with 'His' mind. Out of 'His' love, 'I' love. He is present and loves me regardless of what action I take (good or bad); however, it’s only when my mind agrees with Him that my choices aren’t based in “what I see”.

How tragic is it for us to teach and preach that Jesus alone is the way and yet our lives teach and preach something else. There's no need to wear a mask. When you get down to it, it doesn't matter how you choose to live... He loves you just like you are. Want a quick and easy answer to the question? Is there a way to know the answers to every prayer I might pray? Yes, but you'll have to lose your mind to know it.

I am,
David

http://restorationhouse.com/

Total Surrender 'Contract'

Dear Lord, I surrender to You:
My will, mind and emotions, my body, my future plans, hopes and dreams. I give You my home, my marriage, my mate, my children, my geographical location, my recreation and entertainment, and my career. I surrender to You my past successes and my past failures, my habits, my finances, my problems, my time, my integrity and character, my attitudes, my business conduct & relationships, my Christian walk and my response to authority.

Lord, I further surrender to You the following “rights”:

• My right to possessions,


• My right to a good reputation,


• My right to have acceptance,


• My right to have pleasant circumstances,


• My right to presume on the will of God,


• My right to life itself,
• My right to beauty or strength,


• My right to have friendships,


• My right to be heard,


• My right to take up offense,


• My right to avoid reaping from what I sow,


• My right to be right,


• My right to see results,


• My right to ___________________________


• My right to ___________________________


• My right to ___________________________


• My right to ___________________________
  

Dear Lord, I give You permission to do anything You wish to me, with me, in me or through me. I claimed the above items once as mine. Now they belong to You and are under Your control. You can do anything You please with them. I willingly make this commitment in the name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I recognize that this is an agreement with You that can never be broken. Now that I have surrendered ownership of my life to You, You will never give it back to me.In Your name, Amen


Signature _________________________ Date _______

A friend and brother gave me the above "Contract", probably ten years ago, while we were ministering somewhere. Hope you are blessed with it.

What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

I am,
David
http://restorationhouse.com/