Ask in Faith, Expect an Answer!

By CBN.com

Five Faith-Building Steps To A Powerful Prayer Life

1. Endure: Don’t lose heart. Keep praising God for His goodness. (James 1:1-4)

James encourages us to “consider it all joy” when we encounter trials that test our faith. That may sound difficult. But as we endure these trials, pressing on in faith and believing God has our best interests at heart, we will emerge from the experience “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Often, God allows us to go through difficult challenges because those very experiences shape us to receive the answer He has already prepared. Even in the midst of pain, if we can press on — praying, standing on His Word, believing His promises — we will see His goodness bring us to a better place.

2. Stop worrying: Ask God for wisdom concerning your situation. (James 1:5)

God gives wisdom to everyone who asks Him. He gives it generously. He doesn’t think any less of us for asking. In fact, He loves it when we come to Him with our concerns. But the catch is, we have to ask for wisdom to get it. Too many of us reason out problems and come up with solutions on our own — coming to God only as a last resort. God tells us in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” If we come to Him as soon as we encounter difficulties, He promises to give us His perspective on our situation. He can show us ways to deal with our trials that may never have occurred to us.

3. Deal with doubt: Come to God in faith — and expect an answer! (James 1:6-8)

When you ask God for help, remember that He is faithful. When Jesus invited Peter to walk with Him on the water, Peter was able to do it — as long as he kept his eyes on Jesus and focused on his circumstances — looking at the waves around him and the water beneath him, he sank. When you ask God for help, focus on His Word and what He is speaking to your heart to believe for, rather than letting your faith be determined by your situation.

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