Revelation 8:4 And the smoke of the incense went up with the prayers of the saints, out of the angel’s hand, before God. Praise is the most powerful form of prayer. Petitions without praise have no power to rise up to heaven. Praise is like the thrust to an aircraft during takeoff. Praise is the momentum that accelerates our prayers and petitions into the throne room of God. The smoke of incense in the verse above refers to “praise and worship”. Praise along with the prayers of God’s children went up to heaven. Praise must precede and succeed all prayers and...

Luke 18:11-12 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ Vain words and repetitions are ‘empty and powerless prayers’.  They are like clouds without rain; like the fluff that is dispersed by the wind. Prideful prayers, judgemental petitions and false humility are supplications without sincerity, substance and significance. Jesus said, ‘And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many...

1 Kings 19:4 He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” Unscriptural prayers will not be heard or answered. Elijah was a powerful man of God but when he was intimidated by the threat of the adulterous queen Jezebel he prayed unscriptural prayers. Fear and frustration made him throw in the towel. God in His grace shuts His ears to unscriptural prayers. Elijah prayed a quick 60 seconds prayer and fire fell from heaven and...

Mark 11;22-24 22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Doubt and disbelief are faith killers and prayer diffusers. The fiery darts of doubt from hell attack the mind, clouding it with confusion and countless imaginary outcomes to the trials we face. Doubt that travels from the...

Matthew 20:20-21 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” Salome, the mother of James and John, and the wife of Zebedee came to Jesus with a prayer request.She requested that her sons take the right and the left seats in the Kingdom of Heaven, right next to Jesus. Jesus rejected her request. The unanswered prayer...

Mark 11:25 “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Hoarding offense and unforgiveness forms a thick black cloud separating us from divine interaction and intervention. Prayers cannot penetrate through the canopy of unforgiveness and offense. Life is too short to be spent brooding over hurts and insults. One of the underlying reasons for unforgiveness is pride. Those who are unable to forgive others are presumptuous and have forgotten the mercy that the Lord God has lavished on them. They live under the false...