How do we get God to hear our prayers?

But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, because your heart was penitent, and you humbled yourself before the Lord, when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. 2 Kings 22:18-20

Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. Daniel 10:12

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you. James 4:10

How do we get God to hear our words? It is in the attitude of our heart. How many times do we pray expecting God to comply and do what we ask Him to do? How often are our requests for selfish reasons? How often do we come before Him with pride, or fear, or discontentedness at the root of our requests? Are we praying from the guidance of the Holy Spirit or from our fleshly wants or desires?

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith. Matthew 21:22

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. James 1:6

What really is faith? It is that mysterious substance which is divinely deposited by God Himself within you. It is Him that places that faith inside of us. Our part is to trust Him. Do we agree with the Holy Spirit when He speaks to us? Do we humbly admit our sin before Him? Do we ask Him to increase our faith? Do you understand that this process comes with trials?

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. Romans 12:3

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. James 4:3

If we truly want God to hear us – we must come before Him with a REAL humble heart. Many think that they can deceive God with fake humility or self-justification, when God KNOWS the real intent of our hearts. Do you really want what He wants? Or is it what you want? This is the real battle that rages within us. We often like to shift blame onto someone or something else, but the real issue is usually our own iniquity and sin. Can you admit to yourself and to God that you need His help? Can you really humble yourself before Him and your spouse?

How much do you really want God to hear you?