The Apostle Paul to Timothy ‘my true son in the faith’--
“I urge, then, first of all that request, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--for kings and all in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”  1 Timothy 2:1-2

This is as urgent and true today as it was when Paul wrote this to Timothy.  The reason he gives is that believers may live in peace and holiness, but that is not all.  Verses 3-4 tells us that it pleases God and it is His desire for all to be saved.

“This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Concerning prayer, Scripture tells us (you know these verses):
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”  Matthew 7:7-8

“Now He (Jesus) was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not lose heart.”  Luke 18:1 
(Read the parable of the persistent widow: verses 1-8)

Jesus speaking to His disciples in His farewell discourse:
“Until now you have asked nothing in My name.  Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”  John 16:24

“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:18

How are we to pray?
With wholeheartedness:
“‘And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.  And I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD…”  Jeremiah 29:13-14

Pray in faith:
“Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted to you.:”  Mark 11:24

Pray in righteousness:
“…The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”  James 5:16

Pray in obedience:
“Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.”  1 John 3:21-22

Those are the conditions for successful prayer.  However, there is a key element we must adhere to; that is to ask aright.  We find this in 1 John 5:14-15,
“And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us.
And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.”  
(NOTICE: the Key element  'according to His will’)

How do we know what is His will?  We have His written word, and we have
the very Spirit of God indwelling us who knows God’s will.  Paul tells us in Romans 8:26-27,
“And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us, with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

Since Scripture tells us to pray for all, let us do so with hearts of compassion joining with God our Father who desires that none should perish!  Keeping those individuals in our lives before our Savior, that they may come to Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord!

Please always read the verses of Scripture in context for a full picture.

With thanksgiving we give all praise and glory to God!  Amen