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How to Pray Effectively

Prayers Pastor Steve has prayed and seen answered, free to use as they are or as models for your own. Find the one you need, then pray it.

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Isaiah 43:26 [AKJ] Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare you, that you may be justified.

God invites us to "plead" with Him. What does "plead" mean? To plead is to "state or set forth your case." The picture is one of a courtroom. In court, the best case wins. So build a case for yourself before you come to Heaven’s throne!

The more Scriptures and Scriptural reasons we have for what we want, the better the case we build or present before God. God is not only wanting you to agree with Him, but God also wants to agree with you! You've got to give Him something to agree with. Plead with Him, state your case, give Him your reasons, and present Him your Scriptures!

People intuitively know how to build a good case in life, but when it comes to talking with God, they seem to forget their skill and get awkward in prayer. For instance, lets say you wanted a new job, how are you going to get that job? You need to build a case! Why are you valuable? What can you do for the company? Generally, it's not enough to say, "I can study" or "I have a degree." The boss is interested to know: Can you fix problems? Can you work in teams? Are you accountable? Do you know how to train others? If you build a good case with good reasons and supporting evidence, you will get the job!

It's no different with effective prayer! Build a good case for what you want with good reasons and supporting evidence - that's the Scriptures. Don't just say, "I base all my prayers on one Scripture, Matthew 7:7, Ask and you shall receive." It is generally not a strong or sufficient case. The devil is also pleading against you. Remember the devil is the “false accuser of the brethren.” He’s trying to pile up evidence on his side. But God wants to agree with you, not the devil, so God invites you to "plead" your case with Him.

To help you learn how to plead your case, I have given you a look into my prayer life, by uploading for free many of the prayers that have worked for me and been answered in my life. You can pray them exactly as they are. Use them as models for your own prayer life. If you mix your own faith with these Scriptures, you will find the Word works every time!

God said in Jeremiah 1:12 (ASV), “…I watch over my word to perform it.” Once you learn how to plead your case, you will be adept to highlight your own Scriptures, build your own case with God, and get your own answers for anything you need!

Pleading your case is part of the “prayer of faith” or the prayer to change things and circumstances in your life. There are 9 other types of prayers found in the Bible. To learn more about these, visit our online shop for the CD series called “9 Types of Prayer” or read Pastor Steve’s new book “The Divine Code from 1 to 2020”.

Pray for Jobs & Opportunities

Tip: The worst thing you can do while you don’t have a job is to do nothing! While you have free time, give God your talents, volunteer for your church, and prove that you can be motivated by a good cause and not only by money.

The second worst thing you can do in a job hunt is to surf the Internet all day. Please stop it if you are spending hours in front of your computer, because 1) the Internet doesn’t give people jobs, 2) it will end up hurting your faith to wish for jobs you won’t get. Limit your time surfing the Net, and only do so AFTER doing adequate spiritual or natural preparation. Naturally, you need to not be idle. Make sure you have your resume done and proofread by someone mature. Again, find something to do for your church, and He will reward you. Spiritually, it’d be better for you to spend an hour or two praying in tongues than eight hours a day surfing the Net. If you instead prayed eight hours a day, your faith would be built up, your future would be prayed out, and you would give God the opportunity to speak to you and direct you by His Spirit.

Most people end up finding a good job through personal contact or referral. Getting addresses off the Internet and throwing out 30 applications a week (the shot gun approach) then getting 30 rejection letters is not only demoralizing, it also damages your faith and is a terrible waste of time. Put your efforts elsewhere.

If you’ve read the introduction on prayer about “pleading your case,” you will know that you have to build a case for why you should have the job you want. Here are Scriptures to build a case on why you should find a great job or business opportunity.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NKJ)

For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.

1 Thessalonians 4:11 (NIV)

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you,

3 John 1:2 (AKJ)

Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.

Matthew 6:32-33 (AKJ)

For after all these things [food, clothes, lifestyle, income] the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Proverbs 10:22 (NKJ)

The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.

Proverbs 13:22 (AKJ)

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

Deuteronomy 28:1-14 (AKJ)

2 And all these blessings shall come on you, and overtake you, if you shall listen to the voice of the LORD your God.

3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field.

5 Blessed shall be your basket and your store.

6 Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

12 The LORD shall open to you his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain to your land in his season, and to bless all the work of your hand: and you shall lend to many nations, and you shall not borrow.

13 And the LORD shall make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only, and you shall not be beneath; if that you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day, to observe and to do them:

If you are unfamiliar with the Bible’s teaching on financial wisdom, please use the time in between jobs to learn and fortify your understand of this particular topic. Recommended resources: “Financial Breakthrough” series