Three Keys To Answered Prayer

Thanksgiving, praise, and worship are a very important part of prayer.  In fact, they are a forms of prayer.   As we approach the throne of grace with our petitions, we need to always start with thanking God for the things He's already done.  And when we reflect on the goodness of the Lord, praise is birthed, and our hearts our filled with worship unto God.  This is how we enter into the presence of God where we can then pour out our heartfelt petitions (request) before Him in prayer.

Sometimes life can be so hard, and we can be in a difficult season for so long, that we loose our praise, and we forget about what God has already done for us, so we fail to give Him thanks.  But if we look hard enough, our eyes will open up to the vast blessings that surround us.

One day as I was praying for things to change in my marriage, I had prayed every prayer I knew,  and I had done everything I knew to do, including fasting, and using anointing oil, and yet nothing happened.  Then I heard the Lord say, "Come not asking anything, but PRAISE."  I'm sure He was tired of me coming to Him about the same old thing, because from God's perspective the work had been completed.  In that moment I stopped doing what I had always done, and I started doing things differently.  As soon I made the shift from asking to praising, the answer came.

A Prayer of Thanksgiving

"Lord, I know I'm waiting to see certain things manifest in my life, but I thank you for the changes that I do see.  I'm thankful for the progress that has been made.  I thank you for the work that you have already done.  I may not be where I want to be, but I thank you for how far I've come.  You have been so good and faithful to me, and I thank you."  

Thanksgiving, Praise, and Worship are the keys to answered prayer.  The prayer above is an original prayer that I've prayed from my heart.  Feel free to use it in your own prayer time.

In His love,

Kathy

P.S. May Your Prayers Bear Much Fruit!