How Does Prayer Work?

[How Does Prayer Work?](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) Current Teaching Series [The Invisible War](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) [Listen to Today's Broadcast](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) [How Does Prayer Work?](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) By Rick Warren — July 9, 2020 [Facebook](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) [Twitter](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) [Pinterest](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) [Email](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) [Devotional image from Rick Warren](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” 1 John 5:14-15 (NIV) Have you ever wondered if prayer really works? Maybe Satan has whispered to you, “Prayer is a waste of time. Forget it! Who do you think you are? What do you think you’re doing? God isn’t even listening.” But here’s the truth: Prayer works because God is in control. In fact, the basis of all miracles is God’s sovereignty. What does that mean? It means he is God Almighty, who has all power in heaven and on earth, so his purpose and his will prevail. It’s why we learn to trust his wisdom and his goodness. It’s why we learn about his loving nature and his generous character. And we mature in faith as we understand that God has a better view of our circumstances than we do, and that he knows what is best for us. He can see our future, and we can’t. The Bible says, “But his plans endure forever; his purposes last eternally” (Psalm 33:11 GNT). God’s unlimited resources are available to you. Twenty times in the New Testament it says, “Ask.” Isn’t it encouraging to know that things out of our control are not out of God’s control? You may not be able to change a situation, but you can pray and God can change it. You may be thinking, “If I can pray and ask God to change things, and if God is really in control of everything, why don’t I get everything I pray for?” Here are three reasons: God is not a genie.Just because we pray, that doesn’t mean we get whatever we want. If every prayer were answered, we’d be spoiled brats. If you’re a parent, do you give your children everything they ask for? Probably not. As an adult, you know what’s best for them. You can see the bigger picture. If we can see the bigger picture for our kids, how much bigger is the picture that God can see for us? Sometimes Christians pray in conflict.Sometimes Christians pray for different outcomes, even though they’re praying about the same thing. Which prayer is God going to answer? God can’t answer every prayer in the same way at the same time. God knows what’s best, and we don’t.The Bible says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15 NIV). That’s how Jesus prayed: “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Luke 22:42 NLT). Prayer works. It isn’t a waste of your time. God is in control, and he wants to hear your prayers—he is listening! [PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) Talk About It - What does it mean to ask according to God’s will, as 1 John 5:14-15 says? - How has God shown you that he was listening and that prayer does work? - How might your prayers change, knowing that God is listening and that he will answer? [Facebook](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) [Twitter](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) [Pinterest](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) [Email](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) 6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r [Get The Invisible War Scripture Box when you give a gift to support Daily Hope](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) Every day, our faith is assaulted by the world’s values, our sinful nature, and forces of evil. But wielding God’s Word, you can find the wisdom to discern, the strength to endure, the grace to grow, and the power to fight and win this battle. And this set of 52 full-color Bible verse cards in a silver, vegan leather Scripture box can help you do that as you memorize God’s Word and use it as your offensive weapon against Satan’s attacks. [LEARN MORE](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) 6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r [Complete Audio Series (Purchase)](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) Includes 8 full-length messages from Pastor Rick's series The Invisible War. [LEARN MORE](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) 6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r [Series Summary](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) Message 1: When You Feel Like Giving Up Message 2: Winning the Battle Inside Me Message 3: Set Free from Me Message 4: Making the Hard Changes in Me Message 5: Why is Life in This World So Hard? Message 6: Being Faithful in A Faithless World Message 7: When Your World Falls Apart Message 8: Never Fight Your Battles Undressed [PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) Pastor Rick Warren [Facebook](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r)[Twitter](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) [Instagram](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) [Linkedin](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) Enjoy today's devotional? Listen to Pastor Rick’s daily audio teaching at [PastorRick.com](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) Did someone forward this devotional to you? [Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional.](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) As the founding pastor of Saddleback Church with his wife Kay, Dr. Rick Warren leads a 30,000-member congregation in California with campuses in major cities around the world. As an author, his book [The Purpose Driven Life](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) is one of the best-selling nonfiction books in publishing history. It has been translated into 74 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in all formats. His book [The Purpose Driven Church](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the century. Rick also founded [The PEACE Plan](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r) to address five global issues—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. You can listen to Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope, his daily 25-minute audio teaching, and sign up for his free daily devotionals at [PastorRick.com](6XbJnHbGN:m:1:2618166767:CFD43391967E107875C707C0BCAD2E8D:r). © 2020 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe by clicking the link below. This message was intended for: {EMAIL} You were added to the system December 23, 2016. For more information [click here](. [Unsubscribe](