Prayer is meant to be simple – it is conversation between you and your heavenly Father. It is not meant to be routine or overly difficult or manipulative (as in, “what words will it take to get God to hear me?”). Prayer is for average, everyday believers. Here are 3 principles of powerful prayer for average people.

Prayer or praise are always appropriate, when you are suffering, when you are cheerful, even when you are sick. Sickness is a time for you to call the church leaders to come and pray with you, and to make sure you are getting appropriate medical attention (this may be the idea behind “anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord, see Luke 10:34).

But does praying in faith always result in healing? Ultimately, praying in faith always rests in God’s will and in his ultimate control (sovereignty). 1 John 5:14 says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” Paul, in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, had a “thorn in the flesh,” some physical problem that God refused to remove, even though Paul asked three times for it to be removed.

Regarding the “prayer of faith,” there is great simplicity in genuine belief in God and his power to accomplish his will. There are no magical words or formula. It is simply asking God, believing that he hears and will respond according to his will.

Sometimes, not always, there is a relationship between persistent sin and sickness. In 1 Corinthians 11:27-32, Paul says that “many are weak or sick, some have died” – for failing to uphold unity in the church! God may use physical sickness to get the attention of his people when they are living in rebellion against him. Thus it is necessary for Christians to confess their sins to God and to one another Confession to one another is vital if you have committed a sin against another person, but it is also good to have accountability by talking about your sins with a small group of people who can pray for you and support you.

Effective, powerful prayers are prayed by “righteous” people. This does not suggest perfection, but it does describe someone whose heart is seeking to follow after God, who is seeking to become all that God desires. Psalm 66:18, says “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” If you have sin in your life which you are not willing to deal with before God, you have no promise that God is going to anxiously listen to your prayers. Your communication with him suffers when you hold on to sins that he will help you let go of.

Prayer is not for “super-Christians” only. The story of Elijah is in 1 Kings 17-18, and he saw many miracles. We might be tempted to put him into the category of “super-hero” of the faith. But James emphasizes that Elijah was a human being just like us, that he had the same fears and struggles and temptations the rest of us have. Yet God heard his prayers and answered in big ways, according to his will. We can experience the same thing.

There are golden telephones in some churches. They have a sign that says, “$10,000 a minute” for a direct line to God. (A church in Texas had a phone that was only 25 cents, because it is a local call.) But we already have direct access – there’s no need to pay $10,000 or even 25 cents! So pray confidently.