How You Pray Affects Your Heart

The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. James 5:16 (AMPC)

‍

What and how you pray has a stunning effect on your heart. In fact, incorrect prayers can actually sabotage your faith.

Maybe you’re thinking, “Well, God understands my heart.” I get that. However, God created principles for praying, just like He created principles governing our hearts. It is to our detriment to ignore those principles.

Let me give you an example. In Luke 22:42, Jesus prays to God, “If it is Your will.” That is a powerful prayer of dedication: a prayer of making sure you line up with the will of God. Notice that Jesus prayed that prayer only once.

Here’s the thing—you should never pray a prayer of dedication over a situation where you know God’s will, because it has a dire effect on your heart. For instance, if you’re dealing with sickness, you wouldn’t pray, “Lord, if it’s Your will, please heal my body.” Why? Because in the case of physical healing, you already know God’s will for you. 

Jesus qualified you for every promise. He already paid for your healing and deliverance from the curse of sickness and disease. Now, you must work to renew your mind and convince your heart to believe God’s promises, because your heart grows your future.

So, when I pray over illness, I speak to it and command it. I might say something like, “In Jesus’ name, sickness I command you to go. I declare that health and healing flow in my body!”

It is crucial to understand how earnest prayer, spoken under the right principles, makes tremendous power available to you every day!

‍