“Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42:11.

Your hope must be in God. We come across people who place hope in their career, business, wealth, beauty, reputation, etc. However, don’t you know none of these things are guaranteed for you? If God enabled you to build a business or amaze wealth, very good. God gave you the wisdom and knowledge and needed help. Thank Him. However, continue to put your hope in God only. Not on the things God gave you. Place hope in its right place-not on the gifts but on the gift giver.

Your career, beauty, good name also are gifts from God. Keep in mind none of these are guaranteed for a long time. People lose career. People lose their beauty. They lose their health and good name over the years. However, if you place your hope in eternal God, you would end up winning no matter what happens to you over the years.

On the contrary, there are people who constantly worry. The reason is they think they do not have enough resources to meet their and their family’s need. And so they worry what is going to happen to them.

Now, I will tell you a few secrets that always works. First, you stop worrying. When you worry, you are in essence act like an atheist. Because your worries and anxieties signal God who loves and cares about you does not exist. If God who loves you and cares for you exists, He would meet your needs. He promised it. Jesus said if God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not more clothe you? If your heavenly Father feeds the birds of the air, although they do not sow or reap or store in barns. How much more valuable you are to God? He said to stop worrying. (Matthew 6:25-34). Therefore, first, stop worrying.

Second, you kneel down and pray to God. If you have spouse and children, call them and together seek the Lord in prayer. Make prayers a daily habit of your life. Jesus said and it is recorded in John 16:23-24, “Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

Third, pray in the name of Jesus Christ for your needs. Pray with your family. Persevere in prayer. Do not quite. And see how God will open the doors and circumstances for you.

James says in 4:2(c) that you simply do not have because you do not pray to God. You do not have because you do not have the habit of seeking God’s face in prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. Bible also says why some of your prayers are not answered in James 4:3. It says, when you pray, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. Two acid tests. Is it for the purpose of spending on your pleasures? Are your motives right?

If the answer to the first question is ‘no’ and the answer to the second question ‘yes’, then pray boldly to God in the name of Jesus Christ.

Fourth, after praying be alert and look for the opportunities he opens up. It could be an opportunity for a new job. It could be a help through your friend/family member. It could be a Godly idea he places in your heart. Take some steps boldly in the right direction leaning on the Lord. Be watchful and alert to receive answers to your prayers.

Prayer in the name of Jesus Christ makes a huge and wonderful difference in your and your family’s life. It makes a good difference in your children’s life and future. Try it out. Pray individually. Pray all of you together as a family. And discover the hand of God moving in your favor in getting answers to your prayers.

Now you may ask how do I do it? Simply begin praying today. Ask God to forgive your sins and shortcomings. Do not keep unconfessed sins in your life. Ask God’s forgiveness. Understand Jesus died for your sins. He can forgive all your sins when you ask him to forgive. Genuinely turn to God in the name of Jesus Christ.

Say, Father in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ. I come to pray along with my spouse and children and we together seek your face for help. Ask God for forgiveness by claiming Jesus for you. Then submit you need to God. Thank God for answering your prayers. End the prayer by saying, “I pray these in the name of Jesus Christ.”

Rich and wealthy must hope in God only. Poor and less fortunate also must hope in God only. Put your hope in God, for you will yet praise and thank him again, your savior and God. Because God will answer your prayers in the name of Jesus Christ and you will praise and testify His goodness.