to pray. Thinking about something does not make it a prayer. The story of Samson in the Bible (Judges 13-16) gives an illustration of what prayer is. All through Samson's life he never mentioned God or even prayed to God. Surely Samson knew it was God giving him strength, wisdom, and favor to do the things he did, but he never called on God. His life seemed to be going great; he never seemed to need anything. It seems, however, there waProstrateology is the theological term for the doctrine of prayer. Prayer is the oldest form of worship and is universal to all types of religions and believers. Even atheists rely on prayer in some form or another to make it from day to day. Man has always marveled at how things happen in life and how to change those things that have not yet happened. The answer for the Christian has always been prayer to God, Jehovah, in the name of His son Jesus.

Without Prayer, You Have Nothing

Nothing happens outside of prayer. It may not have been your prayer, but somebody else's prayer that has brought you to where you are today. Prayer is the prerequisite of possibility. There is no possibility where there is no prayer. Many lives have been changed as a result of an answered prayer. One can only imagine the billions of lives that have been changed as a result of someone's prayer. Imagine, if you will, how many prayers are offered up every second, every minute, and every hour of every day. That's a lot of prayers and a lot of impacted lives.

When God Says No

Each answered prayer affects so many things, people, and situations. For each prayer answered in the positive, some prayer must have been answered in the negative. Some things we won't get from God because someone else prayed for that very same thing. And God could only do one thing or the other. For instance, we might ask ourselves how God chooses one minister to become a pastor of a church, when all the candidates were qualified. All candidates prayed, and others prayed for those candidates as well. Yet only one is chosen. One prayer was answered, but the outcome affected all involved. How then do we effectively pray?

Timing Is Everything

First, you have to pray. Thinking about something does not make it a prayer. The story of Samson in the Bible (Judges 13-16) gives an illustration of what prayer is. All through Samson's life he never mentioned God or even prayed to God. Surely Samson knew it was God giving him strength, wisdom, and favor to do the things he did, but he never called on God. His life seemed to be going great; he never seemed to need anything. It seems, however, there was

s son Jesus.

Without Prayer, You Have Nothing

Nothing happens outside of prayer. It may not have been your prayer, but somebody else's prayer that has brought you to where you are today. Prayer is the prerequisite of possibility. There is no possibility where there is no prayer. Many lives have been changed as a result of an answered prayer. One can only imagine the billions of lives that have been changed as a result of someone's prayer. Imagine, if you will, how many prayers are offered up every second, every minute, and every hour of every day. That's a lot of prayers and a lot of impacted lives.

When God Says No

Each answered prayer affects so many things, people, and situations. For each prayer answered in the positive, some prayer must have been answered in the negative. Some things we won't get from God because someone else prayed for that very same thing. And God could only do one thing or the other. For instance, we might ask ourselves how God chooses one minister to become a pastor of a church, when all the candidates were qualified. All candidates prayed, and others prayed for those candidates as well. Yet only one is chosen. One prayer was answered, but the outcome affected all involved. How then do we effectively pray?

Timing Is Everything

First, you have to pray. Thinking about something does not make it a prayer. The story of Samson in the Bible (Judges 13-16) gives an illustration of what prayer is. All through Samson's life he never mentioned God or even prayed to God. Surely Samson knew it was God giving him strength, wisdom, and favor to do the things he did, but he never called on God. His life seemed to be going great; he never seemed to need anything. It seems, however, there wa

one's prayer. Imagine, if you will, how many prayers are offered up every second, every minute, and every hour of every day. That's a lot of prayers and a lot of impacted lives.

When God Says No

Each answered prayer affects so many things, people, and situations. For each prayer answered in the positive, some prayer must have been answered in the negative. Some things we won't get from God because someone else prayed for that very same thing. And God could only do one thing or the other. For instance, we might ask ourselves how God chooses one minister to become a pastor of a church, when all the candidates were qualified. All candidates prayed, and others prayed for those candidates as well. Yet only one is chosen. One prayer was answered, but the outcome affected all involved. How then do we effectively pray?

Timing Is Everything

First, you have to pray. Thinking about something does not make it a prayer. The story of Samson in the Bible (Judges 13-16) gives an illustration of what prayer is. All through Samson's life he never mentioned God or even prayed to God. Surely Samson knew it was God giving him strength, wisdom, and favor to do the things he did, but he never called on God. His life seemed to be going great; he never seemed to need anything. It seems, however, there wa

very same thing. And God could only do one thing or the other. For instance, we might ask ourselves how God chooses one minister to become a pastor of a church, when all the candidates were qualified. All candidates prayed, and others prayed for those candidates as well. Yet only one is chosen. One prayer was answered, but the outcome affected all involved. How then do we effectively pray?

Timing Is Everything

First, you have to pray. Thinking about something does not make it a prayer. The story of Samson in the Bible (Judges 13-16) gives an illustration of what prayer is. All through Samson's life he never mentioned God or even prayed to God. Surely Samson knew it was God giving him strength, wisdom, and favor to do the things he did, but he never called on God. His life seemed to be going great; he never seemed to need anything. It seems, however, there wa

to pray. Thinking about something does not make it a prayer. The story of Samson in the Bible (Judges 13-16) gives an illustration of what prayer is. All through Samson's life he never mentioned God or even prayed to God. Surely Samson knew it was God giving him strength, wisdom, and favor to do the things he did, but he never called on God. His life seemed to be going great; he never seemed to need anything. It seems, however, there was a search going on in Samson's spirit. All the while, God had deliverance for him, but Samson never asked for it until his life was almost over, at a young age. When Samson finally did pray, God immediately answered his prayer. Timing is everything. Samson's prayer was too late to change the course of his life, yet just in time to avenge his death.

The Importance of Honesty In Prayer

Samson's prayer at the end of his life affected not only his future, but the future of others as well. At the time of his death, his people were in danger, his enemies were present to mock him, but his people were out of harm's way. It was the right time for Samson to die - his people were safely away and his enemies were present to die with him. His simple prayer at the end of his life defeated more enemies in death than he ever did in life. Samson knew his death would be the result of his answered prayer and accepted it and prayed his prayer anyway. Honesty in prayer is important because prayer really changes things. When you pray, you must make an honest assessment in regards to the effects of an answered prayer. Many of our prayers are not answered because the ultimate effect would be contradictory to what we really want. Sometimes we may ask for a new job or a promotion, but we are not really willing to take on the additional responsibilities the position requires. Some of us would have no job if God had given us the job we thought we wanted! Just because something looks or sounds good, doesn't make it good for us. The idea of some blessings are attractive, yet so dangerous. Honesty in prayer launches us into the best results when the prayer is answered. Great thought has to be come before prayer, just as John the Baptist came before Jesus