Do your prayers get answered? Does anyone even hear them? Many people do not realize there are requirements for prayers to be heard by God. The Bible indicates that prayers must be said in Jesus's name. In John 14:6, Jesus says, "No one comes to the Father except through me" (New World Translation). He is our mediator and the only way to address God is through Jesus. We should pray for things that are in harmony with God's will. If we pray for a new Cadillac to appear in our driveway, that prayer will likely not be answered. But if we pray for God's spirit to help us through a difficult time in our life, he can provide strength for us to cope.

Jesus gave a sample prayer that most religions recognize. In fact, the World Book Encyclopedia claims that the Lord's Prayer is one of the "basic statements of Christain faith." It shows us what things Jesus said it is appropriate to pray for. The Lord's Prayer is recorded in Matt 6:9. Jesus encouraged us to pray for God's name to be made known and to pray for his kingdom to bring blessings to earth as it has in heaven. It goes on to say that we can pray for the necessities of life, since we need that to survive.

Then Jesus said to pray for God's forgiveness. We know we are imperfect and that it is only through the ransom of Jesus that we have means of forgiveness. It also mentions forgiving others. We need to remember that all are sinful. Others need our forgiveness if the error is against us. The final part of the prayer shows that we should pray for deliverance from Satan. His influence is all around us and we need strength from God to resist that.

While praying, we are approaching the highest personage in the universe, so a humble and respectful attitude should be displayed. Hopefully after applying this information, your prayers will be answered.