Proverbs 8
Imagine Jesus, the eternal Word [John 1:1-3], saying this as you read it. He is wisdom. All of the OT speaks of Jesus [Luke 24:27], this is one of the passages where He is more clearly seen.
Mark 11:22-26
The prayer in accordance with God’s will [James 4:3], without any doubt, and with only forgiveness and love in the heart, is a very powerful prayer that does indeed invoke the change of things.
Our prayers are very hindered by our doubt of an answer, and any lack of forgiveness for anyone in our heart. This could very well be a reason for any unanswered prayer you’ve experienced.
I highly suggest R.A. Torrey’s How To Prayer for an excellent, concise treatment of prayer. In it, he includes the seven hindrances to prayer from the Scriptures that I found very helpful. In brief, they are:
- Asking amiss to fulfill your own pleasures —James 4:3 “The true purpose in prayer is that God may be glorified in the answer.” -R.A. Torrey
- Habitual sin —Isaiah 59:1-2
- Idols in the heart-anything that takes the place of God, that is the supreme object of our affection–Ezekiel 14:3
- Shutting your ears to the cry of the poor–Proverbs 21:13
- An unforgiving spirit–Mark 11:25
- Wrong relation between husband and wife–1 Peter 3:7
- Doubt, lack of faith–James 1:5-7