Prayer 101

You Get Results When You Know What You’re Doing

Introduction to the 30 Thousand Foot Prayer – Part 2

For too long, I’ve heard people, my friends, and even family members say their prayer was not answered.  I also know too many people who’ve given up on prayer, misused it, and frankly just don’t know how it works, prayer that is.  So, Pamela and I have decided to do something about it, since I have over four decades of prayer experience. We want to help those interested get from 10% to greater than 90% answered prayer results.  Is that really possible? I bet that’s the question you’re asking. You’ll just have to stay with us through the next message series to find out.

But before we can get to any of that great content, we must first introduce you to the concept of this all-too-common, 30 thousand foot prayer.  Over the next few weeks, we will need to discuss the following ideas to get you ready for what’s to come.

• My prayer is taking too long to be answered. 
  If you’ve never felt this way before, you’ve never prayed for something extreme or out of your control.  Most people (51% or better) will have prayers that go unanswered. So why is it taking so long if God is an “on-time-God?”  There’s no way that the devil is more punctual than the almighty, all-knowing, all-present God. You might want to bring someone else along with us for this ride; it’s going to be good.
• Why are my prayers not being answered? 
  There are reasons why a prayer goes unanswered.  Forget the answered prayers that’s taking its time, what about the ones that never seem to get answered?  Just because you have a request doesn’t mean you deserve to have it answered. Who do you think you are? If you had the power to command God, then you wouldn’t need Him to answer your prayer, you’d be answering His.  Stop being “common”; that’s what the ordinary, average, ungodly person thinks. It’s time to grow up a little and find out how this thing really works. Let’s uncover why a prayer may not get answered. Knowing this will tell us what we can do or stop doing to get an answer.  I know it’s rough, but don’t change the channel.
• What’s prayer?
  Did you know that most Christians (51% or more) don’t know what prayer is and how to pray?  Since that’s the case, how much more uncommon is knowing what prayer is amongst the entire population?  If you don’t know what it is, how then can you effectively do it? Take the prayer test, ask a family member to prayer over your next dinner or you do it.  You will see how uncomfortable others are with prayer which is an indication that they don’t pray and possibly don’t know how. Knowing that, then how can you even get upset when you don’t get the results you expect?  Heck (h-e-c-k) you can’t even pray over a meal which is something you should want to do at each meal each day. Sounds like a less than mediocre pray-er (person who prays). If you don’t know what prayer is and how to do it, then you need to understand that first before saying it doesn’t work.  It surprises me at the number of people who say it doesn’t work and they don’t even have a clue as to how it should be done. The next time someone says they prayed over some situation, ask them how’d they pray? We’re just getting warmed up, so stay with me.
• Why do some people get their prayers answered and others don’t? 
  This is an amazing question.  It’s really a good one. Does God have His picks and chooses?  Or are we disqualifying ourselves? The interesting thing is that everyone has the same opportunity for answered prayers.  The ordinary just keep settling for the unanswered ones. You can’t get an answer when you don’t know the rules of prayer. So what gives, we’ll discuss a few missing pieces.  Don’t drop out on us yet, this you must know.
• What prayer is not?
  Let’s turn this around; sometimes it just works better to say what something isn’t.  For you to understand prayer, it’s equally important to understand what prayer is not.  Ordinary habits have us doing things that are not prayer as if it were a prayer. If that’s the case most will think they’ve prayered and communicated with God but have not.  It’s that interesting? It’s time to sit up in your seat for this one, because you may be a pray-er-not.
• God can hear.
  Some people actually believe that God doesn’t hear them or can’t hear them.  I can think of some people who wish I couldn’t hear at times. So if I can hear you, so can God.  It’s important to know that God can hear you and what to do when you think He’s not. Whether you think He can or not, it’s up to Him.  What does this mean for you and the outcome you wish to receive? It would be easy to accept that God doesn’t hear you than you trying to figure out what might be stopping your prayer from being answered.  I’m not going to let you have the easy way out of this one, just so that you can blame our gracious God. It’s time to pay attention and do what needs to be done.
• What does “30 thousand feet” have to do with prayer?
  It’s time you asked this question for yourself.  Staying at 30 thousand feet will make sure you don’t see what’s happening on the ground which needs your attention.  It’s the work on the ground (much ground-work) that has the potential of changing the landscape you see from 30 thousand feet.  Let’s take a closer look by descending to ground-level, the smallest level you can see or touch that can have an impact on your 30 thousand foot prayer.  This is huge; are you ready?
• Big prayers take time and actions.
  This is important to note because any thing that big and time consuming needs a well thought out plan to follow.  Am I saying you need a plan to pray? I know you don’t want to hear about planning, if you’re normal, average, or mediocre.  This stuff, getting 30 thousand foot answered prayers, isn’t normal stuff. It’s like getting a degree, starting a business, or building a house.  There’s a lot of work and time needed to see these desires fulfilled. Yes, you need a plan. Put “normal” away, there’s no room for it in the 30 thousand foot prayer request.
• Nehemiah’s story illustrates the 30 thousand foot prayer.
  Nehemiah gives us an example to follow.  It’s always good to take a look at an example.  I chose Nehemiah because his story is a perfect illustration for how the 30 thousand foot prayer works.  You might know his story, but if you don’t, you’re in for a treat. Nehemiah prayed a big prayer, his big prayer was answered, and so can yours if you follow Nehemiah’s example.  Let’s agree that we’ll do it like Nehemiah, stay with us to see how it’s done and how his request turned out.

If you can’t tell, I’m a little pumped about this material.  I know these lessons are going to help a number of people. Unfortunately, it’s not going to help everyone (while it can).  Everyone is not willing to take extra-ordinary steps and that’s just what it takes. It takes steps that the common person is not taking.  I’m excited to bring you this message on the 30 thousand foot prayer, a prayer we will all pray at some point in life, but only a few will ever see it through to get answers.  I’m glad you’re joining us for this ride that will surely be a ride of a lifetime.