When it comes to prayer and getting result, your expectation is important. Do not expect anything natural from the spirit, or anything spiritual from the natural. Each one is different from each other. The natural things are the evidence of what occurred during the spiritual encounter. If you master this concept, you are on your way to seeing result. 

Prayer has been called old fashion and out dated, but to the one who has experience the wonderful result of seeing it’s worked in their life, it’s a working ability that changes lives in a dramatic way when it is use correctly. The first stage to experience result is your EXPECTATION. Expectation is the combination of faith and believing. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1 KJV). When you kneel down to pray, you must first have faith in what you believe will occur when you pray. 

Prayer is like the coming of a storm. At first there is a clam in the air like nothing is going to happen; all of a sudden you begin to feel the effect slowly. A little breeze and a cloudy sky will signify that you should raise your expectation. In other words something is coming. Don’t be misinformed by the quietness before a storm. This is not the time to let down your guard or your expectation.  

The purpose of a storm is to bring change, although the change may not be in the form of good news, however, it brings change. For example, a removable result occur when a powerful storm arrive. Now picture the after effect of a powerful storm. Devastation and destruction is the right words to describe what a storm could do. But at the same time, the things that were there before the storm is surly not there anymore, change is occurring. 

Here is where you are challenged to take a good look and visualize the purpose of a storm. Yes, it is true that tragedy does occur during a storm. However, there is another side to a storm. You must look at the bigger picture in a spiritual way. The old things pass away and a collection of new things about to appeared.  

Now, the after effect from a storm is for the purpose of building something new, just like pray comes to change and remove. As a result, you now are building something different to what was there before. 

This is how it works. If you pray, at all times, according to the Bible, result is eminent. In other words, result will come. However, there are a few problems that seem to always occur when pray is being conducted.  

Just before a storm or any kind of devastating occurrence about to happen. The authority will give warning advised about what to do in preparation for the storm. Some people do it and some don’t, this brings us to the second stage, which is, LISTEN. This is where most of the mistakes are made when it comes to praying, because praying is not a natural thing; you would not feel or see the natural effect with the natural eyes. If praying was a natural thing, Jesus would not instruct us to “go into out private place and pray. And when we pray, our father (God) who here in secret would rewards openly”. 

If you listen carefully when a storm is about to come, although it will be very quiet with a clear outlook in the sky, you will here a distinguished sound. This is just like prayer, the quiet and silent moment that you encounter after you finish praying is for you to listen carefully with your spiritual ear, and you will here something/instruction from the Holy Spirit. This is very important. If you do not do this, this is what will happen: 

You will begin to say things like I give up. I am tired of praying for the same thing with no result. Why does God answer him/her prayers and not mine? Then you will find yourself asking this question, does praying really work? But I say to you, do not give up or give into the silent period of praying. There is a purpose for this period, listen and you will hear. Then after you concurred the silent moment and you hear what the spirit said to you, You now enter into the third stage, which is ACTION. Simply said, follow the direction of what was said by the Spirit. 

At this stage is where the enemy will begin to play tricks with your mind. As you start to act, kept in mind that disbelieve is also present. The enemy will try its best to discourage you and plant a seed into your mind that what you’re doing is a waist of time. This is wrong. Do not believe his words. Let’s not forget that he is a liar and an accuser of the brethren. So why would you listen to a liar. The only thing that a liar could tell you are lies. Do not let him discourage you and change your mind.  Praying does work, so keep on doing what you are doing. 

Just as there is good and bad in the natural world, there is good and bad in the spiritual world. In other words, God and the devil, two forces will challenge you to believe and trust them. This is why the calm before the storm (silent moment) is so important. If you do this right and listen to the Holy Spirit, when the enemy comes and attempts to play tricks with our mind after you decide to act. You already know what to except because you listen when you had to. Now you could ignore the enemy and he will flee.  

This will not be easy, some of the negativity from your past might surface and try to make a seen. Many attacks will be throws into your direction by the enemy. He will come in like a flood and try to over power you.  However, this is just part of the procedure that you must go through. In the end, you will experience results. 

This article was written by Carl Mathis - Taken from the book  entitled, “PRAYER IN MOTION” www.carlmathis.com