When it comes to prayer, Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church says Christians should follow Nehemiah's example and pray in earnest so God will answer their prayers.
In the Bible passage Nehemiah 1:11, the cupbearer to the king said to God, "Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favour in the presence of this man."
Nehemiah made prayer seemed so easy, but Warren knows that a lot of Christians struggle with their conversations with God. So on his website, Warren shares four tips on how Christians, just like Nehemiah, can get answered prayers.
The first thing people should do is base their requests on God's character. "Pray like you know God will answer you: 'I'm expecting you to answer this prayer because of who you are. You are a faithful God. You are a great God. You are a loving God. You are a wonderful God. You can handle this problem, God!'" says Warren.
Next, people must confess the sins. Nehemiah did the same thing when he said in verse 7: "We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees, and laws you gave your servant Moses."
Even though it wasn't Nehemiah himself who was at fault that Israel went into captivity, says Warren, he still admitted to being a part of the problem.
The third thing people must do is claim the promises of God. Nehemiah reminded God of His promises to Moses, but Warren says he was doing so not for God's sake, but for his own sake. "Does God have to be reminded? No. Does he forget what he's promised? No. Then why do we do this? Because it helps us remember what God has promised," the pastor explains.
Lastly, people must be very specific in what they ask for. If people make generic requests, Warren says there's no sure way they will know if it is answered. He adds that people must not be hesitant to ask God for success, just as long as it will fulfill "God's purpose for my life in faith, love, and the power of the Holy Spirit."
"That is a worthy life objective that you can pray for with confidence," says Warren.
