Life is a marvelous, beautiful gift from God. It’s an exciting adventure that can hold unexpected twists and turns, but it’s never going to be completely carefree. When trouble shows up, we can either choose to muddle along by ourselves, or ask God for help with the situation. Prayer that comes from our hearts is the key to victory in this area.

God will always answer our heartfelt prayers. They provide an opportunity to commune with Him and receive divine guidance and direction. Opening our minds and hearts to what He tells us causes us to see amazing results that we could never achieve through our own efforts. “…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16).

Most people don’t understand the purpose or essence of prayer. They see it as a torrent of words poured out, or a ritual of begging God to do what He’s already done. We must learn to pray from our hearts, and not simply repeat intellectual phrases we memorized as children. “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him” (Matthew 6:7, 8). God already knows our thoughts before we think them; our prayers in agreement with Him lead to success.

Prayer isn’t always about asking for things. When we begin thinking about all of the good things that have happened in our lives for which Jesus is responsible, praise and thanksgiving come automatically. God loves us and wants the very best in life for us—this is His will. We can rejoice because of His promise to give us our request when we ask according to His Word. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” (Matthew 7:7, 8).

Our prayers bring us into God’s presence and give us victory over situations that defeated us in the past. Giving thanks is an integral part of this; it causes us to meditate on the times He intervened on our behalf, and to count our blessings. Consistency here leads to overwhelming joy that can’t be contained. “Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms” (Psalm 95:2).

Prayer isn’t just for the good times, but for the bad times as well. When the situation looks grim in the natural realm is when our prayers can make the biggest impact. “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:17, 18). Even in the midst of our circumstances, mixing praise and thanksgiving with our prayers delivers a powerful one-two punch to the enemy.

Like the loving Father He is, God is always eagerly waiting to hear from us. The beauty of prayer is that it lets us talk to Him anytime and anywhere. It doesn’t have to be anything long or complicated, just something real and genuine. Frequent heart-to-heart conversations with Him give us a tremendous advantage.

For more on how authentic prayer brings us closer to God and brings about change for the better, click on the link below for the two-DVD series, The Purpose and Essence of Prayer.