INGREDIENTS for ANSWERED PRAYERS

God’s Recipe for Answered Prayer God really, really wants to answer your prayers. That’s why the Bible contains a recipe for effective prayer. Imagine baking bread. The result rides on the right balance of water to flour. That’s how it is with prayer. Your desire is the water, and God’s will is the flour. The proper combination creates the perfect recipe for answered prayer.

First Add Water What do you want in life? Helping people, creating art, building a family? God has put inside of you unique desires that will build His kingdom and bring you fulfillment. He wants you to get in touch with them so He can lead you in your purpose. How do you get in touch with your desires? Ask God to show you what He made you for. The Bible promises, “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

Next Add Flour The second ingredient is God’s will for your life. Here’s an equation to help you figure out what that is: God’s Word=God’s Will. God wrote the Bible so you could know about His plans and desires. The more you read, the more you will know God’s will. You can wake up each morning and learn a little bit more about His will for you that day by reading the Bible. It’s exciting and it will give you peace!

Now Mix Have you ever had mushy bread? Too much water, not enough flour. That’s what happens when you come to God with only your own concerns in mind, and never His. If you’re ever in doubt, add more flour. That’s what Jesus did when He was facing crucifixion. His desire, naturally, was to not be crucified, but He added more flour: “Father, if You are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine" (Luke 22:42).

Let’s Get Cooking God wants to give you a great-tasting loaf of bread. So this week, let’s practice mixing His ingredients: your desires plus His will. But keep in mind: what you want right now may not be quite as good as what God has in store for you. For example, I used to want to be a hairdresser, but then I realized that God had an even better plan. He says to you today, “For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). Ask Him this week to show you your true desires and His will for you. Then start to pray…

So this week, let’s pray together that:

• We would get in touch with our true heart’s desires

• We would read the Bible and hear God speaking to us