James 4:3 (KJV)
"Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."
Many Christians believe their prayers will change the heart of God towards them or their situations. Unfortunately, that belief has caused a lot of frustration and disappointment. They have failed to recognize that their unanswered prayers result from a bad attitude, believing they can manipulate God through their prayers. This is what the Bible calls asking amiss or wrongly.
Notice it is the asking that is amiss and not necessarily the thing that is asked for. That means there is an attitude that can cause you to ask wrongly. Your motive can be incorrect because you ask for the wrong thing for the wrong reasons. But your attitude can also be incorrect in how you approach God in prayer. God cannot be manipulated, and prayer will never change God. Prayer changes you.
Prayer develops your attitude. If you leave the place of prayer and your attitude is still the same, you did not pray. Attitude is the fruit of the heart. Therefore, a bad attitude indicates that a change needs to take place in the heart. You cannot change your own heart. So, what do you do? It is simple. Have times when you pray with one request in mind: God, change my heart. And the best thing you can do is to pray in tongues. This allows the Holy Spirit to frame the requests of your heart perfectly. And as you give Him access to change your heart in prayer, your attitude will also change.
PROPHETIC DECLARATION
My heart is for God! I give Him access to every room of my heart. I am a walking, talking expression of His desire. As He is, so am I in this world!
FURTHER STUDY
Psalm 86:11
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