How To Receive Answers From Heaven

How To Receive
Answers From
Heaven!
What To Do When
Your Prayers Go Unanswered
Rick Renner
NOTE: Please observe the

Copyright Law.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may
be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or by
any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the
Publisher.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may

be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the
written permission of the Publisher.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of
the Bible.
How To Receive Answers From Heaven:
What To Do When Your Prayers
Go Unanswered
ISBN: 978-0-9903247-5-1
Copyright 2016 by Rick Renner
8316 E. 73rd St., Suite 207
Tulsa, OK 74133
Published by Institute Books
(A Division of Renner Institute, Inc.)
8316 E. 73rd St., Suite 207
Tulsa, OK 74133
1st Printing
Editorial Consultant: Cynthia D. Hansen
Text Design: Lisa Simpson,
www.SimpsonProductions.net
Printed in Canada. All rights reserved under
International Copyright Law.Contents and/or
cover may not be reproduced in whole or in
part in any form without the express written
consent of the Publisher.
7
And this is the confidence
that we have in him, that,
if we ask any thing according to his will,
he heareth us:
And if we know that he hear us,
whatsoever we ask,
we know that we have the petitions
that we desired of him.
1 John 5:14,15
Contents
Introduction........................................................ 7
1 Cast All Your Care on Him............................. 9
2 Persevere in Prayer........................................ 17
3 Be Specific.................................................... 21
4 Ask According to Gods Will......................... 25
5 Pray With Wisdom ...................................... 35
6 Be Steadfast................................................... 43
7 Call to Remembrance the Former Days........ 49
8 If You Dont Know How To Pray.................. 55
9 Cast Not Away Your Confidence................... 61
Scriptures for Prayer.......................................... 71
Prayer of Salvation............................................. 79
Introduction
Have you ever been in a situation when
you kept praying for something but never got
any answers? What should you do in cases like
that? Just give up and stop waiting? Abandon
all hope? Stop trusting God and quit praying?
If not, then how long should you wait before
you get an answer to your prayer?
Weve all been there. It often happens that we
pray, believe, wait yet the answer is delayed.
But Psalm 34:15 tells us, The eyes of the
Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are
open unto their cry.
In the following pages, well talk about the
answers to these questions:
How long should we pray before we get
an answer?
How To Receive Answers From Heaven
What else should we do for God to

answer our prayer?
What attitude should we take while
waiting for an answer to our prayer?
What should we do if we believe and
keep praying but still dont get any
answers?
So lets examine what the Bible has to say
about answered and unanswered prayer. Youre
about to learn how you can more effectively
receive Heavens response to your requests!
7
Cast All Your Care
on Him
irst, let me remind you that prayer is not

a mechanical act. Prayer is intimacy with
God. When we start to pray, we face God. Our
prayer should bring us into the presence of
God, and that is particularly important when
we fight our spiritual battles to break through
spiritual barriers.
The apostle Peter gave us a key in cultivating this intimacy: Casting all your care upon
him; for he careth for you (1 Peter 5:7). Let
me share my experience of how I acted on this
scripture in my ministry.
10
Years ago, we built a huge church facility in

Riga, Latvia. During the construction period, I
went through a great deal of worry and anxiety.
I often felt alarmed as the worries and stress
kept gnawing at me.
At the time, no credit was available for
building churches. This meant we had to
believe for all the finances to come in quickly
so we could complete the construction of our
new facility. Then the local authorities gave
us a deadline by which the building had to be
complete and occupied; otherwise, there was
a possibility we could lose everything we had
invested.
With this kind of pressure on me, I found
myself continually fretting that we wouldnt have
enough money to finish the project on time. I
was constantly fighting thoughts about losing
the building if we didnt make the deadline the
government had given us.
11
Cast All Your Care on Him
I would lie in bed at night, tossing and turning, unable to sleep because my stomach was
churning with acid and my mind was spinning
with doubts, worries, fears, reservations, and
concerns. I was on the verge of a panic attack.
My wife would tell me to quit worrying and
start trusting the Lord, but instead of appreciating her advice, I only got angry that she wasnt
worrying with me!
One night I finally lost my patience. I got
dressed, walked down the hallway to my study,
opened my Bible, and read those words in First
Peter 5:7: Casting all your care upon him; for
he careth for you. I had read this verse thousands of times in my life, but that night it was
as if the words reached out from the pages of
the Bible and grabbed hold of my attention. I
read it and read it and read it again. At last, I
picked up my Greek New Testament and began
to dig deeper into the verse. What I discovered
12
in that verse changed my life and set me free

from worry, anxiety, fretting, and fear!
Here is what I found out: The Greek word
epiripto, translated casting, is a compound word.
It is comprised of the word epi, which means
upon as on top of something, and the word ripto,
which means to hurl, to throw, to cast, or to violently throw or to fling something with great force.
This word is used in the New Testament one
more time: And they brought him to Jesus:
and they cast [epiripto] their garments upon the
colt, and they set Jesus thereon (Luke 19:35).
This verse correctly conveys the idea of the
word epiripto, which in secular literature often
pictured the flinging of a garment, bag, or excess
weight off the shoulders of a traveler and onto the
back of some other beast, such as a donkey, camel,
or horse.
We are not designed to carry the burden of
worry, fretting, and anxiety. This load is simply
too much for the human body and the central
13
nervous system to tolerate. In fact, the medical world has confirmed that a major source of
sickness is stress and pressure. Man was simply
not fashioned to carry pressures, stresses, anxieties, and worries; this is the reason his body
breaks down when it undergoes these negative
influences for too long.
But Jesus is calling out to you, Your
shoulders are not big enough to carry the burdens youre trying to bear by yourself. This load
will eventually break you so please let Me
be your beast of burden! Fling it over on to My
back, and let Me carry it for you! Now its up
to you to cast your burdens over on the Lord
and let Him carry those burdens for you!
But, you may ask, exactly what problems
and cares are we to throw over onto the shoulders
of the Lord? The apostle Peter wrote, Casting
all your cares on Him....
14
The word cares is the Greek word

merimna, which means anxiety. However, it also
means affliction, difficulty, hardship, misfortune,
trouble. In other words, cares could be anything that causes grief, whether the problem is
financial, marital, job-related, family-related,
business-oriented, etc.
So anything that causes you worry or anxiety is what you need to throw over onto the
shoulders of Jesus Christ. Nothing is too big
or small to talk to the Lord about, because He
careth for you.
The word careth is taken from the Greek
word melei, which means to be concerned, to be
thoughtful, to be interested, to be aware, to notice,
or to give painful and meticulous attention. Peter
used this word to assure us that Jesus really does
care about us and about the things that weigh
heavily on our hearts. In fact, He gives meticulous attention to what is happening to us. He is
interested in every facet of our lives.
15
Dont ever think that your problems are too

small or insignificant to bring to Jesus. The Lord
is interested in everything that concerns you!
Because of the Greek words used
in First Peter 5:7, this verse carries
the following idea:
Take that heavy burden, difficulty, or

challenge you are carrying the one
that has arisen due to circumstances
that have created hardship and struggles
in your life and fling those worries
and anxieties onto the back of the Lord!
Let Him carry them for you! The Lord
is extremely interested in every facet of
your life, and He is genuinely concerned
about your welfare.
When I saw these Greek words and
perceived how deeply Jesus cared about the
burdens that were weighing heavily on my
heart, I realized I was carrying a load I didnt
16
have to bear by myself. Jesus was standing right

at my side, longing to help me and inviting me
to shift the weight from my shoulders to His
shoulders.
And I did it. I heaved those financial cares
onto the back of Jesus and immediately felt a
sense of immense relief. The very One who had
given us the assignment in the first place would
make a way for us to complete it!
17
7
Persevere in Prayer
erseverance is one of the most important

qualities of prayer because it is a direct
expression of our faith. The apostle Paul said in
Colossians 4:2, Continue in prayer, and watch
in the same with thanksgiving.
Lets take a look at a few words from this
verse. The word continue comes from the
Greek word proskartereo, which is a compound
of the words pros and kartereo. The word pros
means to or toward, and the word kartereo
means to be strong, to be stout, to bear up, to
have fortitude, or to be steadfast. The entire word
depicts a strong, solid, never-give-up type of leaning toward an object.
18
This word also means that one needs to

make much effort to take an action. It pictures
someone who so fiercely wants something that
he relentlessly leans forward toward that prayer
and totally trusts God.
The apostle Paul encourages you to continue in prayer until you see a result. Make a
resolution not to give up until you get what
you want! If at first you get no answer, continue to trust God and pray. Some answers take
awhile, but they do come to those who refuse
to give up.
If you continue in prayer, remain vigilant,
and wait expectantly for the manifestation, all
thats left for you to do is thank God for the
answer. Thankfulness is the voice of true faith.
Thank God for your answer even before the
answer comes. A thankful heart has no room
for disappointment and sorrow.
19
Persevere in Prayer
With all this in mind,

this verse could be paraphrased
as follows:
Be committed to ongoing and relentless

prayer! You have to press toward that
answer you are seeking. You have to be
devoted to the goal of obtaining it as you
stay engaged in the robust, strong, stout,
never-give-up kind of prayer that brings
you straight into the presence of God!
While you are persistently and aggressively praying, you also need to stay wide
awake, constantly keeping your eyes open
as you look for and expect your answer.
And while you are doing all of this, dont
forget to stay in an attitude of thankfulness that gives thanks to God in advance
for the answers you are seeking.
20
7
Be Specific
hen our younger son Joel was learning

how to pray, he would repeat the same
prayer every day. When we knelt beside his bed
before he went to sleep, Joel prayed the same
prayer every time. If we asked him to pray over
the meal at breakfast, lunch, or dinner, we knew
exactly what he was going to say. When we were
in a car and asked him to pray about safety,
he would pray this exact prayer again. It went,
Heavenly Father, please bless my parents; bless
my brothers; bless my grandparents; bless the
whole world; and please give us a good day. I
pray this in Jesus name! Once in a while, for a
change, hed ask God to bless our dog.
22
When Joel was only five years old, Denise

and I enjoyed his amusing regularity in prayer!
But as he began to get older, it became time for
him to move forward in his relationship with
God and in his ability to pray more effectively.
I remember the day I looked into his blue eyes
and said, Joel, you need to be more specific
when you pray. Its all right to ask for Gods
blessing every time you pray. But if youll get
specific with God, He will give you specific
answers to your specific prayers!
So as Joel grew older, he learned how to
pray in a new way. Unfortunately, there are
many people who have known the Lord for
years, yet when they pray, they still pray like a
small child. They either pray to bless the whole
earth, or they simply beseech God to bestow
His blessings upon them and those they love
using general expressions.
Of course, its good to ask God to bless all
people, but He wants us to grow up spiritually
23
Be Specific
and to be specific with Him when we pray!

Because people have never learned to get specific
with God in prayer, they have little experience
seeing Him move mightily to answer specific
requests.
Why not take a moment to reflect on your
own prayer life before you read further and
determine to make needed adjustments? Ask
yourself, Do I pray using general and ambiguous
phrases, or am I specific in my requests?
24
7
Ask According
to Gods Will
here is nothing wrong with asking God to

do something for us. In fact, He invites
us to boldly come before His throne to receive
what we need (see Hebrews 4:16)! We only have
to make sure that what we ask for is according
to His will. First John 5:14,15 tells us, This
is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we
ask any thing according to his will, he heareth
us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever
we ask, we know that we have the petitions that
we desired of him.
26
I want you to understand the real meaning

of the Greek word for ask in these verses. This
is a translation of the Greek word aiteo, which
means to ask boldly with confidence, fully expecting to receive what one has requested. It destroys
any religious suggestion that you are a lowly
worm who has no right to come into the presence of God. Nor does it mean that with tears
in your eyes, you should incessantly and sorrowfully implore God to give you something.
On the contrary, He wants you to speak up,
speak out, and pray boldly and authoritatively
for your needs to be met.
On the other hand, the word aiteo doesnt
suggest that were permitted to be impudent or
presumptuous in demanding something from
God. We have no right to do that. In fact, the
word aiteo was used in Greek literature to portray a person who insists or demands that a specific
need be met after approaching and speaking to his
superiors with respect and honor. Additionally, it
27
Ask According to Gods Will
expresses the idea that one possesses a full expectation to receive what was firmly requested.
In addition, if we want God to hear us and
give us what we ask for, our prayer shouldnt
contradict His will. What God has promised
us in His Word is His revealed will to us. So if
we pray according to Gods will, we shouldnt
hesitate. God enjoys our authoritative and bold
prayers. He wants His will to be fulfilled in our
lives.
Forget about the idea that you can only
ask God for spiritual blessings. The principal
meaning of the Greek word aiteo was to ask for
material blessings, such as food, clothes, shelter, etc. Study the Scriptures to find out exactly
what God is willing to do for you, and then
boldly ask Him for that.
Furthermore, the word petition in verse 15
is from the Greek word aitema, and it describes
a specific, exact, explicit, precise, detailed request.
28
Yet the word petition shows that you should

be specific about what you want to receive. It is
a request so in-depth and comprehensive that
there is no room for misunderstanding exactly
what has been asked.
With these meanings in mind,
this passage can be translated
in the following way:
If we are sure that God hears us because

we ask according to His will, we can
also be certain that He will answer our
specific requests.
The apostle James also responded to believers who didnt understand why their prayers
often remain unanswered. He said, Ye ask,
and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye
may consume it upon your lusts (James 4:3).
The Greek word for amiss is kakos, which
describes something that is bad or wrong. As
29
James used it in this verse, it depicts a person

who is asking wrongly or inappropriately.
If we ask God for something that is not
according to His Word, the Lord wont answer
our prayer, no matter how long, how fervently,
or how adamantly we pray. Or when we pray to
Him about something that doesnt contradict
His Word, yet we are worried and concerned
whether He will answer our prayer, it means we
ask without faith. God is compelled to respond
to faith, not to fear or worry. Therefore, even
if we pray according to the Word of God but
have some apprehensions, we are praying in a
wrong way. This means that what we ask and
how we ask are both vitally important if we are
going to get our prayers answered!
An expanded translation
of the verse could read:
...You ask and you dont receive because

you ask wrongfully, not according to the
Word of God....
30
Especially when I was younger in the Lord,

I made the mistake of asking things wrongly
when I prayed. Perhaps my intentions were
right, but my prayers were not in agreement
with the truths revealed in the Bible. There
were other moments when I finally got my
prayers in agreement with the Word of God,
but I was so motivated by anxiety and fear that
I couldnt ask in faith.
Consumed with worry, I paced back and
forth across the floor as I prayed, yelling and
screaming out for God to move on my behalf.
I was so filled with fear regarding the situation
I was praying about that all of my fear-fueled
efforts did nothing more than agitate my emotions, produce frustration, and give me a sore
throat!
Have you ever had the experience of asking
God for the right thing in the wrong way and
then never receiving what you asked for because
you prayed in fear? Praying scripturally and in
31
faith is essential if you want your requests to be

answered positively.
When John wrote, This is the confidence
that we have in him (v. 14), the word confidence is the Greek word parresia. It describes
confidence, boldness, or assurance. It pictures a
person so confident that when he speaks, he has
no doubt about what he is saying. Completely
assured that he is in the right with what he asks,
this person asks unashamedly and confidently.
What can give you this kind of confidence?
Verse 14 goes on to tell you, If we ask any
thing according to his will, he heareth us. So
when you know Gods will and ask Him to do
something that is in agreement with His will,
you can be 100-percent sure that He will hear
you and grant your request!
This means you have solid ground on
which to stand as you pray in agreement with
the revealed will of God, the Bible. Since your
32
request is in agreement with what God has

already revealed in His Word, you know that
you can be bold when you make your request!
And there is no need for you to pray out of fear
and anxiety either. Just quiet down, and let the
Word of God fill you with peace. Then ask in
faith.
First John 5:14 guarantees that if you ask
anything in agreement with Gods will, He will
hear you. In fact, verse 15 goes on to promise
you, And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions
that we desired of him.
Knowing what to pray and how to pray is
vitally important. So always keep this in mind
as you get ready to make your requests known
to God. He listens for His Word, and He responds
to faith. When He hears His Word prayed from
a heart of faith, He is compelled to act.
33
The success of your prayer life is up to you,

friend, so dont ask amiss when you pray. As
you make sure you are asking correctly and in
a true spirit of faith, the answers you seek will
manifest in your life.
34
7
Pray With Wisdom
nother condition for a successful prayer

life is that we must pray with wisdom and
discernment. We cant pray effectively unless
we understand whats going on in the spiritual
realm, what God wants to do, and what our
role is in cooperating with Him. So in this
chapter, I want to talk about wisdom.
When our sons were little, I would ask
them to do something they didnt feel like
doing and expect them to obey. I was never
angry with them if they asked why I wanted
them to do it. If I couldnt give them a satisfactory answer or they didnt have enough
36
life experience to understand my answer, I

still expected them to trust me and do what
I asked without any explanations. At times,
they wouldnt understand or like my answer.
But they knew me well and understood that I
loved them. Because I was older and had more
life experience than my sons did, they totally
trusted me. They knew I would only require
good things for them. Our relationship made
them believe that they could absolutely trust
me, even if they didnt understand why I asked
them to do this or that.
God isnt angry when you ask Him to
explain what you need to understand. Maybe
you dont understand His answer. Maybe you
dont like His answer. Or maybe youre not
mature enough to properly understand His
answer. But you should know that your Father
will never become angry with you if you ask
Him for explanations or clarification of His
instructions to you. As it is written in James
37
Pray With Wisdom
1:5, If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask

of God....
The word if means that sometimes you
will need God to clarify something for you.
The word lack is the Greek word leipo, a word
that pictures a deficit of some kind. In the Septuagint, the word meant possession of something
only in part, not entirely. That means that the
remaining part is lacking.
For instance, a man may have had a measure of provision, but it was only a tiny part
of what he really needed. Later on this word
described a shortfall, a shortage, a scarcity, or a
deficiency. In James 1:5, this word means not
to have something, to want, to need, to lack, to
have a shortage of something, to have a limited
amount of something. In the Greek text, this is
exactly what it means. Having these meanings
in mind, we can translate the first part of the
verse this way: If any of you lack wisdom... or
if you understand that you lack wisdom....
38
What did James mean when he wrote

about wisdom? The word he used for wisdom is the Greek word sophia, which could
describe enlightenment or even special insight or
discernment that can be used in real life. This is
clarification, insight, and enlightenment that
can be used in practice. So we can paraphrase
the verse like this: If any of you lack a special
insight [into a problem]....; If any of you lack
knowledge about what to do...; If any of you
lack understanding on how to proceed; or If it
seems to you that someone needs clarification as to
what to do....
James continued by telling us what we are
to do in this instance: ...Let him ask of God....
The word ask is the Greek word aiteo. As
weve seen, the word aiteo means to be adamant
in requesting and demanding assistance to meet
tangible needs, such as food, shelter, money, and
so forth. It also expresses the idea that the one
asking has a full expectation to receive what has
39
Pray With Wisdom
been firmly requested. It means that the matters

we bring before God may be related not only to
spiritual needs but also to practical needs.
God does have a condition we must meet,
however, before He will fulfill our request
when we ...ask of God.... The word of is
the Greek word para, which means alongside
of, close, next to, or side by side. It contains the
condition that God expects us to meet so He
can answer our prayer. Here is the condition:
To get an answer from God, we have to draw
close to Him right up next to Him.
The Father wants to give clear and full
answers to our questions. He will not withhold
His wisdom if we meet this condition when
we ask Him because God not only wants to
give us the answer we need, but He also desires
for us to be next to Him, close to His heart.
Like a father holding his child on his lap,
our Heavenly Father longs for us to spend time
40
in His presence, pressing up close to Him so

we can receive His love and hear His words
that have the power to cleanse and change our
souls. And as we wait before Him, positioning
ourselves side by side with God, He begins
to open His hand and reveal what we need to
know and understand about the situations we
are facing. As we deliberately and diligently
draw near to Him, the Father will undoubtedly
hear our prayers.
With this in mind,
this verse can be interpreted as follows:
If any of you lack understanding on

how to proceed, ask God to give it to you.
Yet His first requirement for you is to
draw closer to Him. This is Gods request
of you before He can give you the answers
youre looking for.
Now I want to tell you what God promises
if you will draw closer to Him and stand next
41
Pray With Wisdom
to Him. When you lack wisdom, God offers to

give you the insight you need. Your request for
an explanation will not make Him angry.
Moreover, according to James 1:5, He
encourages you to do so. You may not like
the answer or you may not be mature enough
to understand what He says, but one thing is
clear: God wants you to turn to Him for clarification if you need it. So draw near to the Lord
and ask Him to give you the wisdom you lack,
and He will give it to you.
One of the most uncomfortable moments
we could experience is when we ask someone a
question and we know that he has the answer
yet he doesnt give it to us. Instead of helping
us, he beats around the bush, equivocates, hides
what he knows, or simply wants to control us
by keeping us ignorant and we dont like it.
Some people think that God acts like
that. They know He has answers to all their
42
questions, but they dont believe He will actually come through. Instead, they believe God
is baiting them with the answer. No sooner do
they try to grab it than He snatches His hand
away and hides it behind His back. They erroneously perceive God as a cruel taskmaster who
doesnt let them get up from their knees but
enjoys keeping them in that subservient position. But the truth is, James 1:5 guarantees that
God doesnt act like that at all.
Remember that God doesnt get angry or
upset when you ask Him to solve some issues
youre facing. He invites you to come to Him
and ask for the answer. If you meet this condition and draw close to the Father, He will
draw near to you. And in that place of close
fellowship, with your spiritual ear attuned to
His Spirits voice, the Father will certainly give
you the answer you need!
43
7
Be Steadfast
f course, prayer is one of the key signs

of faith. We start praying based on the
Word of God that we have heard or read. So
we need to have faith not only when we pray,
but also before we pray. We also need faith after
we pray, as we wait for Gods answer. It is while
were waiting that we develop patience and our
trust in God is tested.
The apostle James wrote, My brethren,
count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your
faith worketh patience. But let patience have her
perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire,
44
wanting nothing (James 1:2-4). The word

patience is the Greek word hupomeno a
compound of the words hupo and meno. The
word hupo means under or to be underneath
something. The word meno means to stay or to
abide. You could say that the word meno means
to remain in ones spot; to keep position; to resolve
to maintain some territory that has been gained.
It is the state of mind that says, This is my spot,
and Im not moving!
The determination inherent within the
word hupomeno is clearly seen when it was used
in a military sense to picture soldiers who were
ordered to maintain their positions even in the
face of fierce combat. Their order was to stand
their ground and defend what had been gained.
To keep that ground, the soldiers had to be
courageous to do whatever was required no
matter how hard or difficult the assignment
may have been. Their goal was to see that they
survived every attack and held their position
45
Be Steadfast
until they had outlived and outlasted the resistance. These soldiers had to indefinitely and
defiantly stick it out until the enemy realized
they couldnt be beaten and decided to retreat
and go elsewhere.
Thus, the word hupomeno conveys the idea
of being steadfast, consistent, unwavering, and
unflinching. It is the attitude that declares, I
dont care how heavy the load gets or how much
pressure Im under, I am not budging one inch!
This is my spot, and Im telling you right now that
there isnt enough pressure in the whole world to
make me move and give it up!
Although the King James Version translates
this word as patience, a more accurate rendering would be endurance. One scholar calls
it staying power, whereas another contemporary
translator calls it hang-in-there power. Both of
these translations adequately express the right
idea about hupomeno. This is an attitude that
46
never gives up! It holds out, holds on, outlasts,

and perseveres.
Revelation 1:9 uses the word hupomeno
when it refers to the patience of Jesus Christ.
In Second Thessalonians 3:5, this word is
also used in the phrase, the patient waiting for Christ, which could be translated,
the patience of Jesus Christ that attitude
that hangs in there, never giving up, refusing to
surrender to obstacles, and turning down every
opportunity to quit. This word illustrates the
patient endurance Jesus demonstrated during
His trial, scourging, and crucifixion. Even though
the assignment was the most difficult task ever
given to anyone, Jesus stayed with it all the way
to the end.
Keeping all this in mind,
James 1:4 could be interpreted:
But let patience have her perfect work.

Im talking about the kind of attitude
47
Be Steadfast
that hangs in there, never giving up,

refusing to surrender to obstacles and
turning down every opportunity to
quit.
The Early Church called patience the
queen of all virtues for good reason. They
knew that as long as they had this character
trait working in their lives, it wasnt a question
of if they would win their battles it was only
a question of when they would win. So we also
have to be steadfast and never give up, even
if we have to spend some time waiting for an
answer from the Lord.
48
7
Remember the Days
Gone By
hen we have to wait for the Lords

response to our requests and prayers,
two opponents of faith can pay us a visit
despair and doubt. We may wonder, Will God
ever help me? But when those kinds of doubtfilled thoughts come to mind, we are to follow
His admonition: But call to remembrance the
former days, in which, after ye were illuminated,
ye endured a great fight of afflictions... (Hebrews
10:32).
This verse was written to believers who
were so discouraged that they were tempted to
50
give up and throw away their strong position

of faith. They had been waiting a long time
to see Gods promises come to pass, and they
had begun to feel like their answer would never
come. And right at that moment, they read this
verse that reminded them about the time when
they were illuminated.
The word illuminated comes from the
Greek word photidzo, which means to lighten
up, to shine, to illuminate, to make visible, or
to radiate. We get photography from this
word. This word is used here to help believers
put their present hardships on pause for a
few minutes so they can remember what they
experienced when they heard the Word of God
for the first time and were illuminated.
Maybe you can remember a time in your
own life when it was as if someone suddenly
flipped the light switch and turned on the
light, removing the darkness from your eyes so
you could see things clearly. Thats exactly how
51
Remember the Days Gone By
I felt when the Spirit of God finally revealed

the truth of the baptism in the Holy Spirit to
me. I saw it! I understood it! I was illuminated
by that truth. The Holy Spirits brilliant flash of
light upon my mind was so strong that it made
a permanent and lasting impression on my life.
In fact, Ive never been the same since!
Can you think of a time in your life when
the Holy Spirit illuminated you regarding
some truth? Perhaps He illuminated you regarding healing. Did it feel like your eyes were finally
opened and you understood the work of the
Cross in a new and different light? Or perhaps
you were illuminated about the power of giving.
After struggling with giving for all those years,
it was like someone pulled back the veil that
blinded your understanding and boom! You
saw it! You were illuminated about giving, and
the light of that truth made a permanent and
lasting impression on your life!
52
Do you remember the first time the Word

of God shot through your being like a bolt of
lightning? You saw the truth, and it brought
perfect order out of the chaos in your life! How
about the first time God spoke to your heart
about His dream of greatness for your life? Do
you remember the joy you felt?
When you get discouraged and are
tempted to give up, you have a choice on how
to respond. Times may be tough, and your
faith may not be finding its fulfillment as
quickly as you desire. But when you get in that
situation, you must decide to put everything
on hold. Tell your mind to be silent, and command your emotions to be stilled in the name
of Jesus. Then take time to respond according
to your spirit, and remember when you were
first illuminated to the truths of Gods Word.
That is precisely why Hebrews 10:32 urges us,
But call to remembrance the former days, in
which, after ye were illuminated....
53
Remember the Days Gone By
The words former days is from the Greek

word proteron. This word points the readers
back to earlier times when they first met the
Lord and when they were filled to overflowing
with joy, hope, and faith. But by the time these
words were written, years had passed. These
believers had gone through a lot of struggles,
and weariness had set in. Many of their prayers
remained unanswered; the devil was telling
them that none of the answers they were waiting to see manifested would ever come to pass;
and they were tempted to give up and quit.
Sometimes when you are discouraged, its
good to hit the rewind button in your mind in
order to recall earlier experiences with the Lord
when faith was simple and life was uncomplicated. Do you remember how precious those
days were? Do you remember how changed
you were by the power of God? Can you relive
the laughter and joy you experienced? Its good
for you to rehearse those experiences because
54
they stir you up, encourage you, and summon

strength for the battle you are facing right now.
In light of these Greek words,
Hebrews 10:32 conveys this idea:
You need to remember and never forget

what it was like back in the early days
how your eyes were opened and you really
saw the truth for the first time....
Your divine calling, your God-given dream,
must be an illumination in your heart that you
can call to remembrance over and over again.
Do you remember how and when God first
spoke to you? Meditate on the promises He
made to you. This will help you get past the
weariness thats trying to pull you down. Keep
your dream shining brilliantly in your heart
and mind it will be a powerful illumination
and revelation that lights your way!
55
7
If You Dont Know
How To Pray
ne of the reasons our prayers remain

unanswered is that we dont know how
to pray. Have you ever said, O Lord, I dont
know how to pray about that. Please help me.
If something like that ever happened to you or
is happening now, I have great news for you:
The Holy Spirit will help you pray!
The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:26,

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray
for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh
56
intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

This verse is packed with gems from the
Greek that let us know the Holy Spirit wants to
help us when we dont know how to pray! The
word helpeth comes from the Greek word
sunantilambetai, which is a very complex triple
compound word. But the first part of the word
is the Greek prefix sun, and this is what I want
to draw your attention to right now because its
so important for you to understand.
The little Greek word sun carries the idea
of partnership and cooperation. For instance,
in Second Corinthians 6:1, when Paul wrote,
We then, as workers together with him..., he
used the word sunergos to depict our partnership with God.
If Paul had wanted to depict a person who
was working alone, he could have used only
the word ergos, for by itself, this word would
57
If You Dont Know How To Pray
picture a single, solitary worker. But when the

word sun is attached to the front of ergos, it is
transformed into the word sunergos and pictures
two or more people who are working together
like partners on the same job. This is no longer
the picture of a lonely, solitary worker; now
there is an entire team working together to
get a job accomplished. Because of this, some
newer translations render Second Corinthians
6:1 this way: We then, as co-laborers together
with him....
There are literally scores of places where
the word sun is used this way in the New Testament; however, this one instance in Second
Corinthians 6:1 is sufficient to express the
impact of the word, which conveys the ideas
of partnership, cooperation, collaboration, teamwork, or a joint effort.
As Paul continued in Romans 8:26, he
used the word infirmities to depict our spiritual predicament. The word infirmities is the
58
Greek word astheneia, which really should be

translated weaknesses. But Paul is not writing
about a physical problem; hes writing about a
spiritual one. He identifies this problem when
he says, For we know not what we should
pray for as we ought....
The word what is the Greek word ti,
which means the very little thing. It underscores our total ignorance about how to pray,
demonstrating that we dont even know how
to pray about the little things, not to mention
the larger issues in life. Because we are limited
in our view, we are simply unable to see all
the facts and details that are required to pray
effectively. This is why we need divine guidance
and help.
Praise God, we are not left to try to figure
it all out on our own! Remember, the Greek
word sun in the word helpeth lets us know
that the Holy Spirit comes to partner, cooperate, collaborate, and join efforts with us in
59
If You Dont Know How To Pray
moments when we feel weak and helpless and

dont know how to pray!
The apostle Paul described this supernatural assistance of the Holy Spirit when he wrote,
But the Spirit itself maketh intercession for
us. It is the Greek word huperentugchano,
and it is used only in this one place in the New
Testament to describe the unique, powerful,
and wonderful intercessory ministry of the
Holy Spirit!
The word huperentugchano is an old word
that means to fall in on behalf of someone else.
It is what we might call a rescue. For instance,
if someone fell into a deep cavern, you would
have to descend down into that cavern where
that person was in order to rescue him and get
him out.
That is precisely the idea of this word
huperentugchano. By using this word, Paul was
telling you that the Holy Spirit performs this
60
special work of intercession when you are at

a loss for words and dont know how to pray
or when you feel trapped and you dont know
what to say or do. Suddenly and supernaturally,
the Holy Spirit falls into that place of helplessness with you to join you as a Partner in prayer
in the midst of your circumstances.
Are you one of those people who has experienced moments when you didnt know how to
pray? Have you been in a tight spot you didnt
know how to get out of? Have you prayed,
Lord, Im so confused, I dont even know
what to say! Please help me? If your answer is
yes, you are a perfect candidate for the help of
the Holy Spirit! He is your Divine Partner
standing by, ready at any moment to come to
your rescue! Just cry out today and say, Help
me, Holy Spirit!
61
7
Cast Not Away
Your Confidence
ave you ever gotten so exhausted from

waiting for Gods promise to come to
pass that you were tempted to say, Forget it!
Ive waited long enough! Im not going to sit
here and wait any longer. Ive given enough of
my life to this, and Im tired of it! If this is
a temptation for you, then you need to read
Hebrews 10:35 Gods strong warning that
urges us to never quit and to never give up:
Cast not away therefore your confidence,
which hath great recompence of reward.
62
The words cast not away are taken from

the Greek word apoballo, which is a compound
of the words apo and ballo. The word apo means
away, and the word ballo means to throw something, such as a ball, rock, or some other object.
When these two words are compounded, the
new word means to throw away, to discard, or
to get rid of something no longer desired, needed,
or wanted.
A vivid example of the word apoballo is
used in Mark 10:50. Jesus had just finished
His ministry in the city of Jericho, and He and
His disciples were about to leave the city, along
with a great number of people who were following Him. As Jesus passed down the road,
he walked right past a blind man named Bartimaeus. And when he [Bartimaeus] heard that
it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out,
and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy
on me. And many charged him that he should
hold his peace: but he cried the more a great
63
Cast Not Away Your Confidence
deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me

(Mark 10:47,48).
Jesus was so struck by Bartimaeus insistence that He ...stood still, and commanded
him to be called... (v. 49). Then it goes on to
say, And he, casting away (apoballo) his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. This means
that Bartimaeus didnt simply take off his
garment and lay it aside. Bartimaeus garment
was wrapped so tightly about his body that it
restricted him from getting to Jesus, so he forcefully took it off and threw it aside so that he
could move unrestricted in the direction of his
miracle!
Why is this example of blind Bartimaeus
so important? Because the verse we started
with was written to believers who had suffered
much for their faith. They endured hardships
but still remained faithful to the call of God
and to their firm belief in Gods promises. But
by the time the book of Hebrews was written
64
and they read this verse for the first time, they
had already been praying and believing for
many years that God would turn their tragedies
into victories. It is quite possible that they had
begun to wonder:
Is God ever going to turn our mourning into
rejoicing?
Can we really count on Him turning our
ashes into beauty?
How much longer do we have to wait for the
promises of God to come to pass?
Did we misunderstand what God spoke
to our hearts?
Are we waiting for something that is never
going to happen?
Cast not away therefore your confidence.... Because the words cast not away
are from the word apoballo, this verse suggests
65
that these believers were so tired and frustrated

with waiting for Gods promise to come to pass
that they were tempted to chuck this whole
faith thing and forget the promises of God
they had been holding on to for so many years.
They were beginning to think that living by
faith was what had restricted, bound, and kept
them in the same place all those years.
Maybe they even thought: If we hadnt
stood so firmly on the Word of God all these years,
at least we could have done something else with
our lives. Lets just forget the promise God gave
us that has held us back. At least then we can
begin to move on with our lives and do something
different. Weve held on long enough! Enough of
this fantasy that God is going to do something
miraculous for us!
But God cried out to them: Hold tight and
never let go of the promises Ive made to you!
And He is saying the same thing to us today!
66
The word confidence is the Greek word

paressia. This word means boldness and depicts
a very bold, frank, outspoken kind of language. It
carries the meaning of being forthright, blunt,
direct, and straight to the point.
In this verse, this word refers to the bold,
brave, fearless declarations and faith confessions regarding Gods promises that these
believers had been making. They had been
professing, declaring, and laying claim to the
promises of Gods Word for their personal lives.
They had done it boldly, audibly, and publicly.
However, now that the results werent forthcoming and they were growing tired, they were
feeling tempted to toss it all away and count it
as nonsense. But this verse urged them to hold
tight and to keep believing!
You, too, must hang on to Gods promises,
just as these Hebrew Christians were told to do.
67
Hebrews 10:35
could be rendered to read:
Dont discard, dispel, dismiss, dump,

or cast off your bold declaration of faith,
because it has great recompense of reward.
In conclusion, let me ask you some questions to help you locate your own heart in light
of this verse:
Do you pray with confidence that God
hears you and receives you as His cov
enant child?
Do you come to God boldly without
shame or hesitation, or do you feel
unworthy to ask God for answers about
specific situations?
What are your current life situations
that you want to get immediate answers
from God about?
68
Have you prayed to Him about it and

confidently asked Him to guide you?
Why dont you make a list of questions
on your heart and the answers to
which you would like to receive from
the Lord? And then come to Him with
the list in Jesus name!
Im urging you, friend: Dont toss away your
faith! Youve waited too long and have invested
too much of your life into Gods promises for
you to give up now! If you walk away from what
He has promised you after waiting for so long
to see the manifestation, the time you spent
holding fast to your faith will be for nothing!
The manifestation of your dreams is probably just around the corner. That is why the
devil is working overtime right now to discourage you! He wants you to discard your faith
because he knows that if you hang on much
longer, youll see the desire of your heart come
69
to pass. So hold on and keep believing because

it wont be much longer until you are standing in
the middle of the long-awaited manifestation of
your dream!
70
Scriptures for Prayer

Comfort
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be
comforted (Matthew 5:4).
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient
for you that I go away: for if I go not away,
the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I
depart, I will send him unto you (John 16:7).
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the
God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all
our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort
them which are in any trouble, by the comfort
wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God
(2 Corinthians 1:3,4).
72
Encouragement
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;
but of power, and of love, and of a sound
mind (2 Timothy 1:7).
Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like
men, be strong (1 Corinthians 16:13).
...For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor
forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The
Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man
shall do unto me (Hebrews 13:5,6).
Healing
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages,
teaching in their synagogues, and preaching
the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every
sickness and every disease among the people
(Matthew 9:35).
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body
on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should
73
live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye

were healed (1 Peter 2:24).
And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and
the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him (James
5:15).
Forgiveness
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn
not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive,
and ye shall be forgiven (Luke 6:37).
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one
another, if any man have a quarrel against
any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye
(Colossians 3:13).
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
74
Faith
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall
say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and
be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt
in his heart, but shall believe that those things
which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have
whatsoever he saith (Mark 11:23).
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).
But without faith it is impossible to please him:
for he that cometh to God must believe that
he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6).
Patience
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer (Romans 12:12).
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye
have done the will of God, ye might receive the
promise (Hebrews 10:36).
75
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them

who through faith and patience inherit the
promises (Hebrews 6:12).
Strength
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in
reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in
distresses for Christs sake: for when I am weak,
then am I strong (2 Corinthians 12:10).
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and
in the power of his might (Ephesians 6:10).
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me (Philippians 4:13).
Marriage and Family
Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed
undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers
God will judge (Hebrews 13:4).
76
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ

also loved the church, and gave himself for it
(Ephesians 5:25).
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord (Colossians 3:18).
Repentance
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in
heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more
than over ninety and nine just persons, which
need no repentance (Luke 15:7).
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38).
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise,
as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should
perish, but that all should come to repentance
(2 Peter 3:9).
77
Provision
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall
we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these
things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly
Father knoweth that ye have need of all these
things (Matthew 6:31,32).
And God is able to make all grace abound
toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good
work (2 Corinthians 9:8).
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus
(Philippians 4:19).
Salvation
For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life. For God sent not his Son into the world
78
to condemn the world; but that the world

through him might be saved (John 3:16,17).
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not
of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians
2:8,9).
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the
Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt
be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made unto salvation (Romans 10:9,10).
79
Prayer of Salvation
When Jesus Christ comes into your life,
you are immediately emancipated totally set
free from the bondage of sin! If you have never
received Jesus as your personal Savior, it is time
to experience this new life for yourself. The first
step to freedom is simple. Just pray this prayer
from your heart:
Lord, I can never adequately thank You
for all You did for me on the Cross. I am
so undeserving, Jesus, but You came and
gave Your life for me anyway.
I repent and turn from my sins right
now. I receive You as my Savior, and I
ask You to wash away my sin by Your
precious blood. I thank You from the
depths of my heart for doing what no one
else could do for me. Had it not been for
80
Your willingness to lay down Your life for

me, I would be eternally lost.
Thank You, Jesus, that I am now
redeemed by Your blood. You bore my
sin, my sickness, my pain, my lack of
peace, and my suffering on the Cross.
Your blood has covered my sin, washed
me whiter than snow, and given me
rightstanding with the Father. I have
no need to be ashamed of my past sins,
because I am now a new creature in You.
Old things have passed away, and all
things have become new because I am in
Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 5:17).
Because of You, Jesus, today I am forgiven; I am filled with peace; and I am a
joint heir with You! Satan no longer has
a right to lay any claim on me. From a
grateful heart, I will faithfully serve You
the rest of my days!
81
Prayer of Salvation
If you prayed this prayer from your heart,

something amazing has happened to you. No
longer a servant to sin, you are now a servant
of Almighty God. The evil spirits that once
exacted every ounce of your being and required
your all-inclusive servitude no longer possess
the authorization to control you or to dictate
your destiny!
As a result of your decision to turn your
life over to Jesus Christ, your eternal home
has been decided forever. Heaven is now your
permanent address.
Gods Spirit has moved into your own
human spirit, and you have become the
temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19). What a
miracle! To think that God, by His Spirit, now
lives inside of you!
Now you have a new Lord and Master,
and His name is Jesus. From this moment
on, the Spirit of God will work in you and
82
supernaturally energize you to fulfill Gods will

for your life. Everything will change for you
now and its all going to change forthe best!
83
Reference Book List

1. How To Use New Testament Greek Study Aids
by Walter Jerry Clark (Loizeaux Brothers).
2. Strongs Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
by James H. Strong.
3. The Interlinear Greek-English New Testament
by George Ricker Berry (Baker Book House).
4. The Englishmans Greek Concordance of the New
Testament by George Wigram (Hendrickson).
5. New Thayers Greek-English Lexicon of the
New Testament by Joseph Thayer (Hendrickson).
6. The Expanded Vines Expository Dictionary of
New Testament Words by W. E. Vine (Bethany).
7. New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (DNTT); Colin Brown, editor
(Zondervan).
84
8. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament

(TDNT) by Geoffrey Bromiley; Gephard
Kittle, editor (Eerdmans Publishing Co.).
9. The New Analytical Greek Lexicon; Wesley
Perschbacher, editor (Hendrickson).
10. The Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament by Fritz Rienecker and Cleon Rogers
(Zondervan).
11. Word Studies in the Greek New Testament by
Kenneth Wuest, 4 Volumes (Eerdmans).
12. New Testament Words by William Barclay
(Westminster Press).
85
About the Author

Rick Renner is a prolific
author and a highly respec
ted Bible teacher and lea
der in the international
Christian community. Rick
is the author of more than
30 books, including the
bestsellers Dressed To Kill
and Sparkling Gems From
the Greek 1, which have sold more than 3 million copies combined.
In 1991, Rick and his family moved to
what is now the former Soviet Union. Today
he is the senior pastor of the Moscow Good
News Church and the founder of Media Mir,
the first Christian television network in the former USSR that today broadcasts the Gospel to
countless Russian-speaking viewers around the
86
world via multiple satellites and the Internet.

He is also the founder of Rick Renner Ministries and the president of Renner Institute,
which publishes books through its printing
division, Institute Books. Ricks wife and lifelong ministry partner, Denise, along with their
three sons Paul, Philip, and Joel and their
families, lead this amazing work with the help
of their committed leadership team.
87
Teaching You Can Trust

A Division of Renner Institute, Inc.
8316 E. 73rd St., Suite 207
Tulsa, OK 74133
918-893-3433
www.InstituteBooks.com
Email: Contact@InstituteBooks.com
88
contact renner ministries

For further information about RENNER
Ministries please contact the RENNER
Ministries office nearest you,
or visit the ministry website at
www.renner.org.
All USA
Correspondence:
RENNER Ministries
P. O. Box 702040
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(918) 496-3213
Or 1-800-RICK-593
Email: renner@renner.org
Website: www.renner.org
Moscow Office:
RENNER Ministries
P.O. Box 789
Moscow 101000, Russia
+7 (495) 727-1467
Email: partner@rickrenner.ru
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RIGA OFFICE:
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