Speaker: Dr. Harold J. Sala | Series: Guidelines For Living | This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 1 John 5:14

How To Pray and Grow Rich! There was the title in bold print, advertising something that compelled you to read the fine print in the ad. The pitch began, “THIS OFFER MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT OF YOUR ENTIRE LIFETIME!” Now that sounded exciting. I read on, “In this book you will discover how to pray and grow rich, and I promise you immediate results,” says Dr. Joseph Murphy. The table of contents read like this: “Your right to be rich. The three steps to riches: How to pray and grow rich. Where to discover a gold mine. The multi‑million dollar formula.” Now it is not that I am an unbelieving sort of skeptic. But with the price of the book what it was, I began wondering, “Who really grows rich—the author or the person who reads the book, How to Pray and Grow Rich!

I know a lot of churches that specialize in prayer, but for some reason I am left with the impression that they are not exactly rich. In fact, to hear the passionate comments at offering time, I doubt that they have ever heard about Mr. Murphy’s book. I know another fellow who should have had the book. His name was Peter. He was a fisherman. Luke, in Acts 3, tells us he was on his way to the temple to pray (side comment by Dr. Luke), when a lame beggar stopped him. Peter had to tell him, “Silver and gold have I none.” But I like what Peter did tell him, which indicates something of the real, not the prostituted nature of prayer. Peter said, “…but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 3:6). And Dr. Luke tells us that the lame man did just that.

In the years that I have spent studying for a Master’s and Doctorate degree in Bible, I cannot remember a single reference from Scripture that says anything about “praying and growing rich.” I do remember that Christ once commented on the effectiveness of poverty programs. Candidly He said, “The poor you will always have with you…” (Matthew 26:11). Jesus said a great deal, though, about prayer and its effectiveness.

There is a school of thought today that suggests prayer is kind of an inside pull with God, string‑pulling, a kind of technique that gets you whatever you desire. Such a concept wholly misinterprets the nature of prayer and what the Bible says about prayer. Prayer is not just a plea of “gimme’s‑‑gimme this and that”—any more than your relationship with your earthly father is constantly, “Give me some money, Dad.”

Prayer is communication with God. The disciples came to Christ, and He sat them down beside blue Galilee and taught them. He said, “After this manner, therefore you should pray.” He began saying, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name” (Matthew 6:9, KJV).

Prayer speaks of a relationship to God, made possible by what Christ did. Of Himself, Christ said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Again Christ said that our requests should be directed to God in His name. He said, “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:14). Paul said that our requests should be made to God with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6). That is not a bad idea!

For what are you thankful? The next time you feel led to ask God to make you rich, I suggest that you sit down first and count your blessings. Begin to thank God for what He has already done. Thank Him for the prayers that have already been answered, and I think you will begin to realize you are already rich. You will realize the riches that really count are not those that are kept in a bank vault. They are the riches of health and happiness, children, character and influence. Well, didn’t Jesus say “…a man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses”? (Luke 12:15, KJV).

Resource reading: Philippians 4.