Opening the Gates of Heaven Perry Stone

mouth closed. While there are different forms of prayer, all prayer involves asking or petitioning God. Asking comes in several forms. At times a person will pray a simple prayer, similar to a normal conversation between two people sitting across a table from each other. Asking in prayer can move to a level similar to when a person desperately cries out for help. Many of the people healed in Christ’s ministry became so desperate for Christ’s healing touch that they literally cried out with loud voices to gain His attention (Matt. 20:30; Mark 1:23; 9:24). There is a spiritual principle throughout the Bible that God does nothing to meet a need for a believer on the earth until He is first asked. God spared Lot because Abraham petitioned God on Lot’s behalf (Gen. 18). God spared Israel from complete destruction because Moses interceded (Exod. 32). King Hezekiah was given a death sentence. However, when he asked for God to extend his days, the Almighty added fifteen more years to his life (Isa. 38:5). When Peter was in prison with plans for his execution to take place following the Passover, the church did not cease from praying, and God released an angel of the Lord to free Peter (Acts 12). The first law of prayer is this: praying means to ask , or to form words from your heart and speak them as a petition and request before God. 2. You must ask in faith.