Pray with Results

Prayer isn't just a religious ritual or a roll of spiritual dice. It's an intelligent release of power that brings heavenly influence to earth. When we understand prayer correctly, we can move from hoping for results to actually experiencing them.

What Does It Mean to Pray with Results?

Prayer is human interference with an earthly trajectory to bring heavenly influence here on earth. It's not about overcoming God's reluctance, but laying hold of His willingness. When we pray with results, we're partnering with God to see His will accomplished on earth as it is in heaven.

The Power of Making Something from Nothing

Just as God created the universe by speaking it into existence, prayer operates on the principle of making something good out of nothing through faith. While worry and fear can make something bad out of nothing, faith in God has the power to create beautiful outcomes from seemingly impossible situations.

Why Don't Some Prayers Get Answered?

Wrong Motives and Selfish Desires

James 4:2-3 reveals a crucial truth: "You do not have because you do not ask. Or you do ask God for what you want, and yet you fail to receive. Why? Because you ask with wrong purpose or wrong motives and evil, selfish motives."

Prayer is not meant to manipulate others or control situations for our own benefit. When we pray with jealousy, hatred, or selfish ambition, we're actually engaging in a form of spiritual manipulation that God cannot honor.

Cognitive Dissonance in Prayer

One major hindrance to effective prayer is cognitive dissonance - the internal war that occurs when our beliefs oppose our actions. When what we believe in our hearts doesn't align with what we speak with our mouths, our prayers lack power.

Romans 10:10 teaches us that "with the heart man believes, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." True spiritual authority requires harmony between our inner faith and our spoken words.

How Should We Pray for Leaders?

Praying Doesn't Mean Sanctioning

First Timothy 2:1-4 instructs us to pray for all people, including those in authority. However, praying for someone doesn't mean we're endorsing their actions or putting our trust in them. We can pray for leaders while maintaining our trust solely in God.

Trust in God, Not People

Jeremiah 17:5 warns that we are cursed when we put our trust in people, but blessed when we trust in God. Whether seeking health, financial guidance, or political solutions, our trust equity must remain fully invested in God, not in human beings.

What's the Difference Between God's Power and Witchcraft?

God's Power Respects Free Will

True spiritual power from God never overrides free will or manipulates others. Jesus leads us but doesn't push us - we always have the choice to follow or go another direction. This choice is essential to our God-given design and the activation of spiritual authority.

Witchcraft Seeks Control

Any attempt to use spiritual power to control, manipulate, or coerce others is witchcraft - even when done by religious people. This Jezebel spirit is antichrist and will completely short-circuit our ability to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.

How Can We Use Our Words Properly?

Words Have Creative Power

Proverbs 18:21 declares that "death and life are in the power of the tongue." Our words are spiritual formulas that can either release blessing or cursing, life or death. We must learn from God's Word how to speak blessings and life rather than curses and death.

Prayer as Spiritual Word Formula

Prayer is essentially a sequence of words that expresses outwardly our faith inwardly. Just as Jesus taught His disciples a specific prayer to activate God's will on earth, we need to understand that our words carry authority to authorize either right or wrong here on earth.

Why Did Jesus Teach the Lord's Prayer?

If God's will is automatically done, why do we need to pray for it? Because God has given us authority here on earth. He's looking for people who will believe and speak His will so He can help and save this world.

When we see evil happening, it's often because too many people are either misusing their authority or doing nothing with it. We cannot be passive agents of God's kingdom, tolerating a vacuum that allows chaos and disorder to be unleashed.

Life Application

This week, examine your prayer life for cognitive dissonance. Are your prayers aligned with God's will, or are they motivated by selfish desires? Challenge yourself to pray the Lord's Prayer daily, speaking it out loud and meaning every word. Focus on authorizing God's will on earth rather than trying to manipulate circumstances for your own benefit.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Am I trusting in God or in people for the answers I need?

• Are my prayers motivated by love and God's will, or by selfish desires and control?

• Do my words align with my faith, or am I experiencing cognitive dissonance?

• How can I use my spiritual authority this week to bring heaven's influence to earth?

Remember, you were made for power - God's power flowing through you to bring His kingdom to earth. Don't settle for powerless religion when you can experience the supernatural results that come from praying in alignment with God's heart and will.

-Dr. Stephen Marshall