Most Christians pray. Far fewer expect an answer. There's a kind of spiritual resignation that gets dressed up in reverent language — 'Whatever is God's will,' 'If it pleases Him,' 'Perhaps in His timing' — that functions as theological cover for the belief that answered prayer is rare and unpredictable. But Jesus made a statement that has no room for that kind of ambiguity: 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you' Matthew 7:7. That's not a suggestion. That's a guarantee with conditions.

Last time we traced the Dispensation of Promise and God's unconditional covenant with Abraham. Now we get practical: how do you actually access God's provision through prayer and faith?

Here's the good news: if you truly master these truths and commit to practicing them faithfully, you'll never have to wonder why your prayers go unanswered like so many people do. You really can get what you want from God if you simply do what He says. The certainty of receiving from Him is as solid as anything can possibly be—if you follow the instructions laid out here.

God cannot fail. His promises cannot fail. And you cannot fail if you're just as determined to refuse failure as most people seem determined to accept it. Let's dive into these great lessons on prayer until asking becomes second nature and receiving becomes your normal experience.

So what exactly is prayer? It's bringing your desires for things you need, things that are lawful, and things God has promised—with a humble confidence that you'll receive them through Jesus Christ, for God's glory and your good.

Think of it like pleading your case in God's courtroom. It's reaching out for help in matters beyond your own power. It's a personal appeal to a personal, present God—based on His will, His Word, and your legitimate desires.

Prayer is cooperating with God's willingness to show His goodness to everyone who has faith in Him and depends on Him for help. Simply put, prayer is asking and receiving from God—and that's what this whole lesson is about.

1. COMMANDS TO PRAY: 1 Chronicles 16:112 Chronicles 7:14Psalms 105:4Isaiah 55:6Matthew 7:7-11Ephesians 6:18Philippians 4:61 Thessalonians 5:17Hebrews 4:16.

2. TIME TO PRAY: "daily," in the morning Psalms 5:3Psalms 88:13Psalms 143:8; "twice daily" Psalms 88:1; "thrice daily" Psalms 55:17Daniel 6:10; "without ceasing" 1 Thessalonians 5:17; "at night" Mark 1:35Luke 6:12; "night and day" Luke 2:37.

3. ATTITUDES IN PRAYER: "standing" Luke 18:13; "sitting" Acts 1:14Acts 2:2Luke 10:13; "lying" 2 Samuel 12:16-20; "kneeling" Psalms 95:6Daniel 6:10Luke 22:41Acts 9:40Acts 20:36Acts 21:5; "weeping" Ezra 10:11 Samuel 1:10; "talking" Genesis 18:23-33; "meditating" Psalms 5:1; "agonizing" Luke 22:44; "groaning" Romans 8:26-27; and "in the Spirit" Ephesians 6:18.

4. WHERE TO PRAY: "in closets" Matthew 6:6; "on mountains" Matthew 14:23; and in homes, in temples and everywhere Acts 1:13-14Acts 2:46Acts 3:1Acts 12:121 Timothy 2:8.

5. HOW NOT TO PRAY: Jesus taught that you shouldn't pray like the hypocrites who want to be seen by others, and not like the heathen who think God hears them because of their many words Matthew 6:5-8.

6. THE PURPOSE OF PRAYER: The main goal of all prayer should be to glorify God and to make your joy complete John 14:13-15John 16:24.

7. GROUND FOR ASKING AND RECEIVING: The true foundation for prayer and its answer is being born-again and having a right relationship with God. Only true, saved people have the right to ask and receive whatever they want from God.

Sinners who rebel and refuse to surrender their lives to God have no real grounds to approach Him. They have no foundation for their faith. Now, God in His mercy does sometimes help sinners and hear their cries of despair—but He's not obligated to do for them what He's promised until they obey Him. He helps them simply because He wants to prove His love and mercy, even to rebels.

Paul said, "the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance" and "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us" Romans 2:4Romans 5:8.

The first promise a sinner can legally claim through Christ's death is forgiveness and cleansing from all sin Acts 2:38Acts 3:191 John 1:9. Once someone truly repents and gets born-again, they're immediately on praying ground for anything else God has promised. A right relationship with God is the true foundation for asking and receiving Matthew 7:7-11Luke 11:1-13John 14:12-15John 15:7, 16John 16:23-261 John 3:20-241 John 5:13-15.

With the proper relationship with God, it becomes your family right, your legal right, your redemptive right, your gospel right, your needful right, and your creative right to ask for and receive anything the Father has promised His children. There should be no question about your personal rights or the outcome of prayer—all things belong to God and His children, and His sons will inherit all things when rebellion is finally put down Romans 8:17-181 Peter 1:2-5Revelation 21:7.

If all things belong to us and we'll eventually inherit them, why not get what we want of them here and now? At the very least, why shouldn't it be our right to receive what God has already promised and provided?