HOW TO PRAY AND GET ANSWERS!

How to Pray and get answers-Fruitful Prayers
1 Corinthians 10:11 KJV
Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Gleaning from those gone ahead, we can learn from Jacob’s encounter  before his meeting with Esau on his return from Laban and as our Lord Jesus said;
"And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch", what God did with Jacob, He can do with you and I.
And here are some secrets to answered prayers which I have also experienced in my life:

In Genesis 32, we see Jacob who had cheated Esau his brother of his birth right and eloped returning back to his homeland as God has instructed him and now was close to being.confronted with him greatest fear - Esau.

We love the testimony that came forth from Jacob's wrestling encounter  that produced the name -ISRAEL which still remains till today,  Umh!  Thats what you call a real real breakthrough, Open doors for generations even yet unborn! Awesome!

Genesis 32:24-28 KJV
And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. [25] And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. [26] And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. [27] And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. [28] And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

How did Jacob get this kind of  result?
To get your prayers answered, Prayers that yield Results, Fruitful Prayers?

1. Be assured of the presence of God:

And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. Genesis 32:1-2 KJV

When you come to God, you must be assured that God " is" not was,not will be, He is existing now  and has the capability to solve that challenge,he is with you, if you are His child-always (Hebrews 11:6 Matthew 28:20 ).
Jacob named the place - Mahanaim-double camp meaning - God is here, I am here.

2. Fight with God  on your side.
Don't handle your battles physically -Jacob tried,it didn't work.

And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: [5] And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight. [6] And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. [7] Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; -Genesis 32:4-7 KJV

Always solve your problems first and foremost spiritually,The scriptures says we are not wrestling against flesh and blood (not a man or woman  but the forces controlling them(Ephesians 6:12) even our weapons are not physical nor carnal weapons but they have the ability to pull down  long standing  challenging situations ( 2 Corinthians 10:4).

The flesh failed Jacob, Esau was not  bought with his fleshly tactics, he was coming to meet Jacob with 400 men!
Fight with God's tactics, fight with God's weapons- when God  makes you, no man can un-make you.
3. Be specific:
Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. - Genesis 32:11.

When you come to God have a target, Jacob was precise-" Lord this is my need". It's possible to pray amiss ( James 4:3 ). Amiss is to pray  the wrong way- to consume on your own lust ,praying;  "Lord kill my enemies’ instead of  ‘Lord sort me out’,  ‘Lord kill Esau’ instead of ‘Lord deliver me from this trouble’), i.e. on your own desire or delight.
You can’t be heard for much speaking- just saying - O God ! O God. Make your prayers fruitful- God bless me, how?in what?
When you come to God, you must mean business- He knows what you need, but it is your asking that qualifies you to receive.
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Matt 7:8.KJV

4 .Pray in Jesus name-

Jacob called upon the name of hisGod such that there is no mistaking of who is He was praying to.

And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: - Genesis 32:9.

In the New testament we have precise instructions on how to call upon God :
If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. -John 14:14
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: [10] That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;- Phil. 2:9-10

5. Be Kingdom Driven.

Seek to advance God's kingdom - Jacob reminded God of His plan to advance the lineage of Abraham, He seemed to be telling God, "God if this happens ( Esau wiping them out), your plan will be truncated "
And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. - Genesis 32:12.

Let our desire when we come to God be first and foremost  our prayers for the advancement of God's kingdom on earth, God' plan to be fulfilled.
The disciples requested of Jesus to teach them to pray and the first prayer request after worshipping God was and still is ;

(Matthew 6:10 KJV) -"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven".
To receive answers to prayers, let your prayers before your own personal needs be " Let your kingdom expand and advance mightyly on earth"

6.Remind God of His promises.
Numbers 23:19 KJV
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it ? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

That's exactly what Jacob did. He reminded God of His promises  saying" God you promised ! "

And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: -  Genesis 32:9 KJV

What does the Word of God say about the situation you are presenting?  Is it prospering,success,health,marriage,offsprings? The Bible is filled with God's promises concerning  all challenges..Dont come to God empty- handed. Come with words :

Produce your cause, saith the Lord ; bring forth your strong reasons , saith the King of Jacob. -Isaiah 41:21 KJV

Remind  God " God you said,  God your word promised me this, ..  concerning this.. "

7. Be Determined

Jacob was determined not to take "No" for an answer, He was ready to give it all it took (He had no choice anyway,  he either met God before He met Esau or he was done for)

And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. - Genesis 32:24 KJV

There is always a  price to pay - the price of prayer  and  often coupled with fasting,  self denial, consecration ,word-study etc.

Whatever this breakthrough will demand from you (in God- not some diabolical means) ,you must be prepared not to relent until you get your victory.
Whatever is operating in your life which is not the new life in Christ you must reject and forcefully dislodge from your life.

8.HAVE FAITH IN GOD

 - that your request will be granted. Elijah prayed intensely and with dogged assurance  for the rain,  it took his servant  seven times  of checking to confirm ,but He believed God till it came through ( 1 Kings 18:41-42 )

Let's see Jacob; And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had. - Genesis 32:23 KJV
Jacob believed God will show up,  He sent His family ahead, He trusted that before they met Esau, He would have met with God. Do you have faith in God?)

9.    Push! : Be persistent!  - Pray Until Something  Happens !

And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. [26] And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.- Genesis 32:24,26 KJV
.
 Pray, Keep Praying, Don't stop Praying, till your turnaround appears-
Praying always with all prayer  (all manner of prayer) and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; -Ephesians 6:18 KJV.
Now the scriptures  talk about all manner of prayer, different types of prayers. - prayers of supplication, intercession, of faith, of confessions, of warfare, of worship, of consecration, of forgiveness, of thanksgiving etc ( we will discuss these prayers in details some other times)

10. Be Thankful
Your prayers are incomplete without thanksgiving.
Philippians 4:6 KJV
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Give God quality thanks as you conclude your prayers, it makes your prayers acceptable and in faith!  That's what Jacob did:, He thanked God in faith,  he saw it as done ( though he was yet to meet with Esau)
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. - Genesis 32:30 KJV.

In conclusion, God is waiting to intervene in our situation, our persistent demand based upon His word because of the price of Jesus'sacrifice and shed blood ( that's one of the reasons we call in Jesus name ) gets us the victory.
Breakforth into your new levels !  breakthrough the limits ! ,overcome the challenges !
It's yours in Jesus name. Amen
Ibukun Williams.