The secret of answered prayer is very clear in Scripture. Note how simple the Bible is on this point:

• "Have faith in God. For everily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, 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, Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them [believe that you have received them], and ye shall have them." - Mk 11:22-24.
• "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" - Heb. 11:6.
• "If any of you lack wisdom [or any thing else], let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him, but let him ask in faith nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." - Jas. 1:5-9

The central thought in all these passages is: "Believe that you have got it and you shall have it." Believe that it is already yours. See yourself with it. Believe that you have got it already whether you literally see it or not.

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" - Heb 11:1.

Faith laughs at impossibilities and counts all things possible. It "calleth those things that be not as though they were" - Rom. 4:17-22. One cannot have faith for something that he already has, for "hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? but if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it" - Romans 8:24-25.

Whoever uses faith can master all, have all he desires, and there are no bounds to what he can get. Faith will break through all barriers of reasonings, questionings, doubts, and thoughts of unbelief. It will take hold of what is wanted by an unshakable determination and will refuse to be denied. Faith will do all the Bible says it will do. Work what faith you have and refuse to be discouraged. Every impossible thing has finally yielded to pounding and increased pressure. What we do not use we lose is a divine law that never fails. Likewise, it is a divine law that whatever we use increases - Lk 8:18; Rom. 10:17; Gal. 6:7-8.

The Scriptures cited above also prove the unlimited possibilities of prayer if one will use the faith that takes. Jesus said, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth" - Mk. 9:23, and "All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive" - Mt. 17:20; 21:21-22.

This is how men got answers in Bible days (Mt. 9:2, 27-29; Heb 11). This is the only way men will get answers today; so we might as well stop deceiving ourselves that God might answer apart from firm, unwavering faith. He will not, for He said He will not, and He cannot lie (Heb. 11:6; Jas. 1:5-9).

Faith and prayer will move mountains, but faithless prayer will not move an ant hill.