A Prayer Of Faith
"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for ALL people. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants ALL people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for ALL people...." (1 Timothy 2:1-7)
Paul instructs us to pray for "all people" because God wants "all mankind to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth".
I have heard the phrase "prayer of faith" all my life. But what is that prayer?
Paul instructs us to pray for "all people" because God wants "all mankind to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth".
I have heard the phrase "prayer of faith" all my life. But what is that prayer?
It is asking God for what He wants - not what we want. If we pray for what God wants we can rest assured that it will be answered for God gets what He wants!
Unanswered prayer is simply not what God wants at the time. There is nothing wrong with praying for your wants and those of others. It gives us peace to place our wants in the hands of our Father. We are encouraged to do so by Paul.
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)
But praying for our wants is not a "prayer of faith”. That only comes when one is "enlightened" with "the spirit of wisdom and revelation" as God reveals to us in His word what He wants.
"Making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him... I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened..." (Ephesians 1:16-18)
God "wants all people to be saved" and asking for that is the prayer of faith that will be answered.
All other prayer is just asking our Father for stuff we want, like all kids do.
Unanswered prayer is simply not what God wants at the time. There is nothing wrong with praying for your wants and those of others. It gives us peace to place our wants in the hands of our Father. We are encouraged to do so by Paul.
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)
But praying for our wants is not a "prayer of faith”. That only comes when one is "enlightened" with "the spirit of wisdom and revelation" as God reveals to us in His word what He wants.
"Making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him... I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened..." (Ephesians 1:16-18)
God "wants all people to be saved" and asking for that is the prayer of faith that will be answered.
All other prayer is just asking our Father for stuff we want, like all kids do.