Day 21 - #obediencechallenge - Effective Prayer

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

One of the wonderful blessings of obedience to the Father's instructions for our lives is that we are able to partake in His authority for certain things, like healing, provision, protection, etc. As we begin to walk in obedience, we begin to see our prayers actually coming to fruition, something that seemed rare before. Or at least, that was the case with my journey. Why is that, though? Why aren't our prayers answered as often as we had hoped? I hope to answer that below, and provide you with some specific scriptures to give you both confidence in your prayers, and also something to verbalize as you pray for a situation.

I know many people pray for other people to be healed, and I believe that the following scriptures can be prayed over someone and claimed as promises.

I must first add a caveat... if you are not right before the Father, He may not answer your prayers. He still MAY, but He is under no obligation to do so, according to His Word. So repent (confess sin and TURN FROM IT) and get right with Him before approaching Him with your petitions, otherwise, don't be surprised if He doesn't answer. I know that sounds harsh, but I just want to be real with you. It's important.

Claim that you know He hears you based on the following verses:

"The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

James 5:16

"The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous."

Proverbs 15:29

Claim that you know He WILL answer them based on the following:

"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it."

John 14:13-14

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."

John 15:7

"Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven."

Matthew 18:19

"And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us."

1 John 5:14

According to James 5:14-15, claim this:

"Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven."

Claim the authority to cast out demons and heal as according to Matthew 10:8:

"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give."

Claim Psalm 118:17 over them:

"I will not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD."

Claim Isaiah 54:17 over them:

"No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the Lord."