Anyone for a Prayer Sandwich?

This is a little formula for effective prayer that, if you will follow it, will bring about the desired results.

For the first slice of "bread" in this sandwich, you are to "enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise." (Psalm 100:4) Acknowledge Who He is, e.g., You are the Lord who heals, You are the Lord who protects and keeps us safe, etc. (Notice you're putting the Lord first.)

How do you come with thanksgiving and praise? That's easy. Just look around you. Count everything that you treasure. Just simple things like the beautiful sky that was blessing me all the way home today. Gorgeous!

And how about that sunset last night? The Lord's infinite variety never ceases to amaze and thrill me. The cool of the night (after a season of hot, muggy weather) was a welcome refreshment before bed last night as well.

Then there's your family and loves ones, your health, your freedom, your tangible and intangible blessings. This part will and should constitute most of your prayer sandwich. Rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15), begin and end your prayer sandwich with the Bread of Life (John 6:22-59).

As for the sandwich filling, the main part is the "meat," (your part) the "purpose" of the prayer. But meat can be really dry, so we have to embellish it so that it is tasty. We have to be sure that the Lord likes the sandwich we are making and offering to Him, so that's why we have to be sure that we are praying according to the Lord's will (His Word).

We then have to be sure we mix it with plenty faith (Hebrews 4:2), for without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). Since this part is where you ask, be sure to ask in the Holy Name of Jesus, whether your request is for yourself or for someone else. And make no mistake here: intercessory prayer shows that you care for others, and if you makes these requests first, you may never get around to your own, because, generally speaking, we can all look around and see someone needier than we are.

But make no mistake about it; there is no use putting in a request unless we actually believe that the Lord is not only able, but most willing to fulfill it-again, so long as it is according to His Holy Will, and in order to know His Will, we have to have more than a cursory knowledge of the Bible.

Now it's time to top our sandwich with the remaining bread, the finishing touch, and that is to thank the Lord for having already brought it about in the spiritual dimension. And if you did not realize it, as soon as you ask the Lord for something according to His Will, if it is right for you, it is instantly created in the invisible domain. As to when it manifests depends on the Lord's judgment as to when it will be best for you, and if you are ready to receive it.

For instance, say you are praying for financial blessing. But if you are not a wise steward over that which you already have, that means that you are not ready to receive such a blessings yet, and it will elude you, because the Lord sees your heart.

But if you are a wise steward and a good money manager, rest assured that you have your request as you have spoken it, and from that moment on, you thank and praise the Lord for already having answered your prayer.

However, remember James 1:8, "a double minded man is unstable in all his ways," so do not waver (James 1:6), or you will not receive anything (James 1:7). Believe in your heart, with every fiber of your being, that you already have your blessing.

So, now, you have praised and thanked, then asked and believed, and praised and thanked again, and it is done.

Both the Lord and you have enjoyed this most fruitful time together, and your prayer sandwich has satisfied both of you.