To become effective and fervent in your prayer life, do the following:

- Humble yourself before God.

- Ask God ( in the name of Jesus ) to search your heart to bring to mind any sin that needs to be confessed.

- Repent of your sins and forgive those who trespass against you.

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."           (Revelation 3:20)

- To pray is to let Jesus come into our heart.

- It is not our prayer which moves the Lord Jesus. It is Jesus who moves us to pray.  

- Our prayers are always a result of Jesus knocking at our heart's door.

- To pray is to let Jesus into our needs, to give Him permission to handle them.

- To pray is to let Jesus glorify His name in the midst of our needs.

- The results of prayer are not dependent on the power or ability of the one who prays.  

Prayer is something deeper than words. It is present in the soul before it has been formulated in words. And it abides in the soul after the last words of prayer have passed over our lips. Prayer is an attitude of our hearts, an attitude of mind. Such an attitude is immediately recognized by God as an appeal.

• -  Only he who is helpless can truly pray.

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• - Without faith there can be no prayer, no matter how great our helplessness may be.

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• - It is blasphemy toward God to turn to Him in prayer and not believe in answer to prayer.  

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• - We have faith enough when we, in our helplessness turn to Jesus. "and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and and minds through Christ Jesus."     (Philippians 4:7)

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• - The only way in which we can gather and keep collected our distracted minds and our roaming thoughts is to center them about Jesus Christ. We can find no rest and peace in prayer as long as we think that we can by our own will, keep our thoughts on God.

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• - As soon as we realize we are helpless to control our thoughts and let Jesus deal with these powerful foes of our soul, then the peace of God will descend with healing and blessing upon our distressed soul. Then the Spirit will be able to explain and glorify Christ anew to my soul. And then our thoughts will be laid hold of and taken captive by Christ, attracted to Him, and centered upon Him.

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• - Prayer has one function, and that is to answer Yes when He knocks, to open the soul and give Him the opportunity to bring us the answer.

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• - If it becomes difficult for you to pray, then offer this little prayer, Lord, teach me to pray, in Jesus name I ask. There is nothing that He, the Spirit of prayer would rather do. OS

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    Our Heavenly Father knows each sigh that       raises. Our heart ever nearer His heart so tender. For You are my joy and peace.  In Thee I have found release, My soul's Defender. Source: E.M.Bounds