Opening the Gates of Heaven Perry Stone

Spirit—a promise for you, your children, and all who are afar off (Acts 2:39). The greatest promise in His will is the promise of eternal life for all who will receive Christ (John 10:28). Our prayers must be in agreement with the will of the Heavenly Father:

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 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 J OHN 5:14–15

When we begin understanding these basic laws of the Spirit concerning prayer, we can all pray with more faith, confidence, and expectation. The power of expectation cannot be underestimated. Often we minimize our expectations as we fear disappointments—“What if it doesn’t happen the way I have prayed?” However, throughout the four Gospels those who received miracles were those filled with expectation when Jesus was passing by. In Nazareth, His hometown, the people’s expectations were low, because He grew up there. Thus Christ could do no “mighty works” because of their unbelief (Matt. 13:58). Christ taught: