I think that prayer is probably one of the most abused and misused things in the Christian life.
With the coronavirus pandemic going on around the world, I’ve seen people react in different ways. Many are panicking, and there are people seeking the Lord that wouldn’t have at other times. I’ve been listening to people talk about the problem and even to Christians who are praying and asking God for protection.
But many of the prayers that I’ve been hearing are not done in the most effective way. I’m not trying to criticize people, but they are praying out of desperation; they’re praying out of fear. They aren’t taking their authority and using it. The majority of people believe that just as long as you pray, everything is fine. That is not true. There is a right way and a wrong way to pray.
In Matthew 6, what’s commonly called the Sermon on the Mount, look at what Jesus said when He started talking about prayer.
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Matthew 6:5 (emphasis mine)
Jesus felt it was important enough to teach His disciples what not to do when praying. Prayer is not an opportunity to inform “poor misinformed God” of how bad your situation is. It sometimes feels like people think that God must have a million people asking him for things, and He’s got so many requests that they’ve got to get theirs to the top of the pile. In Matthew 6, Jesus goes on to say,
Be not ye therefore like unto them [heathens]: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Matthew 6:8 (brackets added)
A lot of what people are doing today is nothing but praying out of fear. They think that if they start with “Our heavenly Father,” and then end with “In the name of Jesus,” and say whatever they want in between, they’ve said a prayer. No. There’s a lot of unbelief. There’s a lot of fear. But according to Psalm 91:5, we don’t have to be afraid of the terror by night—that means the deadly plague. Psalm 91:10 goes on to say that no evil will befall us, and no plague will come near our dwelling.
I tell you, there is a right way and a wrong way to pray, and a lot of people are not praying the right way. For example, people tell God they’re fearful and depressed because of the current situation of things and ask Him to give them joy, peace, and protection.
But Psalm 91:1 says,
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
And Psalm 16:11 says,
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
So if you aren’t having peace, protection, fullness of joy, and pleasures forevermore, it’s because you aren’t staying in the presence of God. God is always with you, but you aren’t always appropriating what He’s provided.
A key thing about prayer is that all of God’s promises about protection have to be spoken (Ps. 91:2). You also have to believe that He has given you His power. So, instead of asking God to do something about the coronavirus, you need to believe that He has given you power over all sickness and over all disease (Matt. 10:1 and 8), and then, you start speaking to it. There are millions of people around the world who are praying and asking for God’s help. But they don’t understand that God has already given it.
When I was just getting started fifty-two years ago, I would see a few miracles happen every once in a while. I would sometimes see the presence and the power of God show up, and I’d see some of my prayers answered. (You know, even an old blind squirrel will get a nut every once in a while.) But they were few and far between when I was praying the way that is traditionally taught. Yet God loved me, and I loved Him.
But over these years of seeking the Lord, I’ve learned some things. I’ve just learned a better way to pray, and I get better results today than I have ever gotten. I believe that my prayer life and my relationship with the Lord is better than it’s ever been.
There’s so much more to it than I can fit in this letter. So, I’ve put what I’ve learned into my teaching called A Better Way to Pray. This teaching has caused many people to be set free, including my friend John Tesh, who was miraculously healed of prostate cancer after he took a hold of Mark 11:23 and began speaking to his mountain. I’ve had so many other people tell me that this just revolutionized their relationship with the Lord. They’ve said it’s one of the most important things they’ve ever learned.
With the recent global crisis, you need to be praying the right way. I encourage you to get my teaching on A Better Way to Pray. For a limited period, we’re giving the book away free. I also have this teaching in CD and DVD format, as well as a Study Guide.
Now, I’m not saying that you’re of the devil if you don’t pray the way I do. Everything that I teach against in
A Better Way to Pray, I have done. But, if what you’re doing isn’t working, consider
A Better Way to Pray. I know it will be a huge help to you. To order, go to
awme.net, or call our Helpline at
+44 (0)1922 473300.