The Kind of Prayer God Answers

By Rick Warren

“According to your faith let it be done to you” (Matthew 9:29b NIV).

There’s only one kind of prayer that God answers: the prayer of faith. Matthew 9:29b says, “According to your faith let it be done to you” (NIV). We see so little in our lives because we expect so little in our lives.

What is faith? You may say, “I believe God can do it!” But that’s not faith; that’s just a fact. God can do it whether you believe it or not. “I believe God might do it” is not faith either. That’s hope. “I believe God will do it” -- that’s faith.

Some people are praying about their spiritual, financial, and health goals, and they think because they’re asking for good things that they want, God will answer their prayer. But desire is not faith. It can lead to faith, but it’s not faith.

If I take a seed and plant it in the ground and in a few months, it sprouts and I get a tomato plant from it, is that a miracle? No. I simply cooperated with the laws of God’s universe, and it happened. When I pray, believing and following the conditions laid out in Scripture, and God answers, is that a miracle? No. It is simply in line with the universal laws of life that God has ordained.

The Bible says, “according to your faith,” not according to your ability, your education, or how good a person you are. If you have met the conditions of Scripture -- you have an honest relationship with God, you have forgiven others, you're willing to share the results with other people, and you're asking God in faith -- you have every right to expect God to answer your prayers.

Talk It Over

What would you say to God in a prayer of faith?

How can desire lead to faith?

Why does God want you to pray in faith?