Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)

The simple truth about prayer is that it is a form of intimacy between a Father and a child, the Creator and the created, the Worshipped and the worshipper. This is why Paul says in Romans 8:15-16 “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. This means that God is delighted to hear from us, the bible says so in Proverbs 15:8 “The prayer of the upright is His delight.” God wants us to pray, and He is willing to answer said prayer. Jesus Himself declared “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (Matthew 21:22)

Here are some principles of effective prayer courtesy of Christian author Derek Prince:

• Reverent Submission: prayer is a direct, personal approach to God who is holy, righteous and all powerful, our prayers must reflect this reality. Jesus Himself concluded a prayer with “Not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). God accepts total submission and nothing less

• In the Name of Jesus: Christ is the way the truth and the life. No one goes to God except through Jesus and we are not exempted. If we do not acknowledge that Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf gives us access, we cannot obtain said access

• Thanksgiving and Praise: We cannot expect God to do more for us when we have not thanked Him for what He has already done. In Luke 17:17-18, Jesus healed ten lepers and only one came back to give thanks. He asked “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” God is displeased when we are ungrateful

• Boldly and Without Condemnation: Effective prayer demands that we approach God boldly, without a sense of condemnation. To carry around guilt in our heart is to disregard the price that Christ paid. Paul says in Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” The Psalmist says in 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.”

• For God’s Glory: God searches the hearts and minds of His children and understands our motives. If our requests are not for His glory, then our requests have no standing. Make sure your requests are genuinely tied to God’s glory. John 14:13 says, "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

• Clear Conscience: Part of the Lord’s prayer reads “And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” The commandments are also summed as Lord God and love your neighbor (Matthew 22). If our relationships are not right, our prayers are weakened

• Lean on the Holy Spirit: “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Romans 8:26). The Holy Spirit is our advocate and intercessor, invoke Him and lean on Him

• According to Scripture: “It is written: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4). The word of God is where we draw our power and sustenance

So, Jesus said to them, “Because of your [e]unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17: 20-21)

The best advise I ever got about a relationship with God is that it is a marathon not a sprint. Much the same applies to fasting and praying. While seasons of fasting and prayer may seem like sprint, we should always have it in our foremost thoughts that it is a marathon. And so, the goal must be to make it a regular part of our spiritual lives – this typically means quality over quantity and regular cadence over Guinness book of world record efforts. We must also guard against any form of legalistic bondage. In Galatians 5:18 Paul says, “If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.” This means fasting and praying is not a one size fits all, it also means that we can adjust as we get feedback from the Holy Spirit and from our bodies.

Derek Prince in his book Shaping History Through Prayer and Fasting gives some insightful tips

• Enter into fasting with positive faith. God requires faith of this kind in all who seek Him. “Now without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6)

• Remember that “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17) Fasting should be done based on conviction from the scriptures and nothing else

• Fasting is not an emergency operation that we only do when faced with challenges. It is better to begin fasting when you are spiritually up. “God is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)

• If you are new to fasting, begin with reasonable efforts not Olympic medal performances. If you set too lofty goals and fail to meet it you may become discourages

• Fasting without prayer and bible study is ineffective. (In my view this is just self-inflicted starvation and nothing more). “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:4)

• Like new year resolutions, set goals for your fast. Write down what you want God to do through your fasting and prayer. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (Philippians 4:6)

• Avoid religious ostentation and boastfulness. Fasting is an engagement between you and God, it is not a badge of righteousness. Apart from periods of prayer and other spiritual activity, your life should be as normal and unpretentious as possible. “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:16-18)

• Each time you fast, check your motives and check them again and again. Understand the motives and attitudes that are pleasing to God and ones that are not