The Apostle James said: "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. {8} Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 4:7-8).

How do we draw near to God? Through Prayer and Bible Study. We study our Bibles so we can learn "God’s will" and to live "by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4 ).

Why should we pray? We pray to God in order to give Him praise and adoration and to make petitions of God for our prayers and our requests.

Notice that God wants His people to pray and He wants them to be humble. "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright is His delight" (Proverbs 15:8).

God knows our needs before we ask, but He wants us to ask: "Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him" (Matthew 6:8) .

We must keep asking, seeking and knocking: Jesus said: "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. {10} "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened" (Luke 11:9-10).

The Bible reveals seven keys to answered prayer:

Ephesians 5:17: "Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is."

1 John 5:14-15: "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. {15} And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."

1 John 5:10: "He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son."

Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." {6} "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

Romans 6:16: "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?"

John 9:31: ""Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him."

1 John 3:22: "And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight."

Psalms 112: "Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments. {2} His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. {3} Wealth and riches will be in his house, And his righteousness endures forever. {4} Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. {5} A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion. {6} Surely he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. {7} He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. {8} His heart is established; He will not be afraid, Until he sees his desire upon his enemies. {9} He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor. {10} The wicked will see it and be grieved; He will gnash his teeth and melt away; The desire of the wicked shall perish."

1 Peter 5:6: "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,"

Joel 2:12-13: ""Now, therefore," says the LORD, "Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." {13} So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm."

James 5:16: "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

Luke 18:1-8: "Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, {2} saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. {3} "Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.' {4} "And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, {5} 'yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'" {6} Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. {7} "And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? {8} "I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?""

John 14:13: "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

In Conclusion: God wants to answer our prayers and supply our needs (Philippians 4:19). Apply these seven keys of answered prayer and see if you don’t have more answered prayer.