For prayer to be "effective" it must be according to the will of God for you. How do you know it is God's will for that which you are praying to happen? This is step one to prayer. Seeking the will of God and being assured that you are praying according to the will of God.
*****
THY will be done in my life:
Can you trust God to do the best thing for you? Can you pray in faith for God to show you HIS will for you?
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
***
Guarantee from God concerning prayer:
I John 5
15 And if we know that HE hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of HIM.
***
Proverbs 3
6 In all thy ways acknowledge HIM, and HE shall direct thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
***
Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and HE shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
(I believe this means delight in the scripture and God will put HIS desires into your heart.)
***
***
Are you praying for more money? Consider this warning from the apostle Paul.
I Timothy 6
If a person considers gain to be a sign of godliness, v.5 supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
(Remove yourself from such people. I know entire church groups who think this. The faith movement believes this and focuses on this.)
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
---
18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
If you are following after money in your decisions, you will likely make deadly mistakes and end up going in the opposite way to the will of God and bring upon yourself much trouble and grief in this present life.
***
Matthew 6:33 Jesus says: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
***
If you hate your job, pray for God to help you to find a job which you enjoy.
A word from God: "One step at a time ... One step at a time ... It is enough."
Be sensitive to the directions brought to you by the Holy Spirit.
* The Holy Spirit teaches us all things. ( John 14:26)
* The Holy Spirit reminds us of all that Jesus has said. (John 14:26)
* The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth. (John 16:13)
* The Holy Spirit shows us things to come. (John 16:13)
Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
If there is any evil or hypocrisy in the job, you can know you are not in the situation where God wants a child of God.
The wisdom that is from God: is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. (James 3:17)
If you are following after more money, you are going the wrong way. Follow after scripture and your area of interest.
Isaiah 55:12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace:
***
Marriage?
Set your mind for God to choose what HE wants for you. Then trust God either way.
Paul says: ... he that giveth in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth not in marriage doeth better. (I Corinthians 7:38)
But it is all according to the will of God for you! This is what each of us should seek.
To find a Christian mate? Beware: For the church groups are full of ungodly men and women who say they are Christians but show they do not love the scriptures.
It is far better to trust God than to seek a mate for yourself.
God will not fail you if it is HIS will for you. And we often deceive ourselves.
Beware of going in the way of this world for at the time of sexual intercourse the two become one flesh, even if you have sex with a prostitute says Paul.
I Corinthians 6
15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith HE shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith HE shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
***
If a divorced woman remarries, she commit adultery according to the Bible. (Matthew 5:32; Romans 7:1-3; Mark 10:12; I Corinthians 7:10-11)
And the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Matthew 5:32)
Heed the scriptures: Go in the way of the scriptures: Take your wisdom from the scriptures:
(Looking back, you will be very glad you did not go in a way opposite to the scriptures! You spare yourself many griefs and traps by choosing to go in the way of scriptures.)
***
Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
***
Can you trust God to set the best way in front of you regardless of how it seems to yourself and to others?
*****