The Prayer of Faith I John 5:14&15

The vehicle of verbal prayer is a concept that has received much attention even in the secular world and has been relied upon from the time of Seth in Genesis chapter four when men began to call upon the name of the Lord. Not unlike everything else in the spiritual realm prayer is simple enough for a child to depend upon as touch with God and yet to the mature saint of God a very powerful tool in the battle with the forces of evil. Prayer is simply asking our heavenly Father for what we need.

The word of God and the Christian life and prayer are all established on one great all important factor; Faith. Faith is exercised in everything that we do every day. We do not tend to think when we wake up about how we are supposed to breathe, or walk, or open our eyes, or flex our muscles. We just do these things by faith. Unbeknown to us we live every minute, whether we are saved or lost, by faith, never even thinking about this being the case. Now the faith spoken of concerning Abraham the father of the faithful is in high regard to the Heavenly Father and totally dependent on Him for everything. Genesis 15:6; James 2:23.

Types of Prayer
All types of prayer necessarily involve faith but there is one type of prayer that God specifically refers to as "The prayer of faith." This is mentioned in James 5:14&15 and in a number of other passages where it is not so named. Prayer can be understood as being listed under two great headings: General prayer which includes intercessory prayer and impromptu prayer. And the second heading, Definite Prayer which only has one sub heading; the Prayer of Faith. Definite Prayer is prayer offered up for a definite purpose and definite faith exercised for its fulfillment. The Prayer of Faith not only prays with a faith that believes that the answer will come, but when the prayer of faith is actually prayed, the one praying receives the answer at the time of praying, and not only the answer but the assurance that the thing or things requested has actually been given though it is not within our grasp. This is an astonishing statement, but if we are to take God at His word, this is exactly what we are to believe; I John 5:14 & 15; James 1:5-7. Every other type of prayer contains an element of uncertainty, because we are many times praying blindly, not knowing all of the circumstances of a given situation.

The prayer of Faith requires a solid foundation of faith in order for us to be effective in praying, and we only acquire this foundation by knowing God's will at all times and by walking with Him. We may wonder why our praying is not more effective and why we do not see prayers answered more often than we do. Herein lays the answer: We do not know God, we do not know His word, and we do not know His ways. Romans 10:17 sums it up: So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Would you know God more? Would you have more prayers answered? Would you have a more effective prayer life? Faith is the key; faith fed and nurtured by living in the living word. If you would know Him you must know Him in the way that He has instructed us to know Him, by His word. John 1:1-2

Answers to Prayer
I have read personal testimonies of men who having been burdened for a certain matter and prayed have received the answer while in prayer as if they had already received the thing for which they prayed. When I was a Bible College student in Springfield, Missouri my parent's farm was only twelve miles North West of where I was attending. A young man very close to me had married an unsaved girl and the family was obviously very concerned about this situation and much prayer was being offered up for her salvation. I believe that it was a weekend and I was with my parents for a day or so and was very much burdened to pray for this unsaved young lady. It was a warm summer day and I was looking for a place where I could be completely alone and pray. I found it at the back 20 acres of the farm and began to walk and pray. I ended up by pacing back and forth across the large field that had nothing but weeds on it at this time and was used for pastor land. As I walked back and forth in a cow path I was determined that I would have an answer from God and continued for a good long while, though I am not sure just how long I was there. I do know that as I prayed a calm assurance came over me as I pleaded for her salvation and I knew that I did not need to pray any longer. I thanked God for the answer and went on my way. She was saved just a matter of two or three days later and the family rejoiced together.

While I was pastor in Wellington, Colorado, the father, grandfather and much loved man of the largest family in the church there took very ill and apparently on his way to his eternal home. The family came from far and near, and there was much grief, prayer and requests for his healing and that his life might be extended. As I prayed, once again God came with the calm assurance, (rest) that "Dad" Murphy would not die at this time and that God was granting him more time with his family. The doctor had already said that he would not make it through this illness and as we talked with the family, I told them that "Dad" is not going to die at this time, he will recover. And recover he did. Again God had heard and answered the "Prayer of Faith", the prayer instigated by Him, sanctioned by Him, and carried through to the answer by Him.

How many us of have things at this time that hang heavily over us and we cry out for an answer from God. George Mueller obtained in the last 60 years of his life (he lived to be almost 93) the English equivalent of $7,200,000 by prayer. He would not just pray because he wanted a thing or thought it was important to God's work, but would search the scriptures for days before he presented his petition before God. When he did find a promise in the word, he would pray with his bible open and his finger on the promise and so he would receive what he asked from God.

We do not have to be a super Christian to pray: prayer is something that any Christian can do and any Christian can pray the prayer of faith and obtain great things from God, but we must pray seeking the will of God in every prayer. John 5:14 and 15; John 15:7 and other scriptures apply here. Are you serious about answers? Do you need things from God? Then seek Him, Seek his will and pray as He would have you pray; His word is still true and God still answers prayer.