"When I called, You answered me..."Psalm 138:3

God does answer prayer! We saw several verses in Scripture that made it clear that He answers when we ask, when we seek and when we knock! We also see in Scripture that on man's side of prayer, there are responsibilities.

There are personal requirements--
Of a pure heart:
The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 66:18,
"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear."

"The Lord is far from the wicked,
But He hears the prayer of the righteous." Proverbs 15:29 The Amplified Bible says, "...but He hears the prayer of the [consistently] righteous (the upright, in right standing with Him.")

John 9:31 (Where Jesus heals the blind man), "Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him."

Believing:
Jesus speaking to His disciples concerning faith and not doubting, "And all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
Matthew 21:22

In Jesus' name:
Jesus speaking in John 14:13,
"And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

According to God's will (this is key):
"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." 1 John 5:14

There are general requirements:
In simplicity and without many words as Jesus gives an example in Matthew 6:5-7, "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men, assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
"But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
"But when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathens do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words."
Then verse 8 tells us,
"Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him."

In humility and repentance:
Jesus speaking in Luke 18:10-14,
"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'"
"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God be merciful to me a sinner!'"
"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

In unity of Believers:
Jesus speaking in Matthew 18:19-20,
"Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

Confident expectation (faith):
Jesus speaking in Mark 11:24,
"Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Unceasingly:
"Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

We thank you Father that we live under an open heaven, that we may come to You at any time and You hear us. Help us Holy Spirit to know the awesomeness of this oneness in Christ that we have with Holy God who is the Creator of everything! It is beyond our comprehension and it will take eternity to KNOW Him!!
So we sing:
I stand, I stand in awe of You,
I stand, I stand in awe of You,
Holy God to whom all praise is do;
I stand in awe of You!
Amen