Most of us can remember times when we felt broken and alone. It’s impossible to go through life without something of great emotional value being stolen from us. At times when we’re confused and hurting, prayer is the lifeline that gives us hope. Praying the way God intended allows us to tune in to His frequency so that He can begin restoring wholeness to our shattered pieces.
Prayer is an ongoing conversation with God; as His children, we have a right to come before our heavenly Father at any time to talk things over with Him. When Satan lies to us, God lovingly reminds us of the truth. The devil wants to strip us of every blessing and good thing we’ve ever received, but when we discover his schemes, we have the authority to make him return everything he stole, and then some. “Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; but if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house” (Proverbs 6:30, 31). Our enemy tries to trick us into thinking praying isn’t important; however, one Word from God smashes that lie into a thousand pieces.
What gives our prayers power is our agreement with what God has said. Studying His Word gives us insight into exactly what He said so that we can pray accordingly. We don’t have to beg Him to do something He has already done, but instead acknowledge it, and thank and praise Him for it. “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes” (Psalm 118:23).
Joy is a key element of prayer. Life is a gift from God, and He wants us to enjoy and appreciate it. He has given us everything we need to succeed and prosper. Agreeing with this changes our entire outlook on life. “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).
Our joy is stronger than any adversity facing us. We discover this joy when we meditate on the finished works of Jesus and realize the victory is ours because of what He did on the cross. It doesn’t matter what’s happening at the moment or what the situation looks like. “Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, [though] the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation!” (Habakkuk 3:17, 18, AMPC). We see the kind of restoration God wants for us when we make a deliberate decision to rejoice, regardless of the circumstances.
God’s promises are real, but they depend on our faith in order for them to work in our lives. Prayer connects us directly to Him, but our belief is what separates the prayers of the righteous from empty words. “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24, NIV). Whether we’re praying for healing, repairing a broken relationship, or anything else important to us, God will restore whatever is broken or missing in our lives. Our trust in this allows Him to do so.