In the previous excerpt, Charles Finney had realized God promised to answer pray under certain conditions. The conditions for prevailing prayer are as follows.
(a) Faith in God as the answer[er] of prayer. This, it is plain, involves the expectation of receiving what we ask.
(b) Another revealed condition is the asking according to the revealed will of God.
(c) Unselfishness is a condition of prevailing prayer. “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts” –James 4:3.
(d) Another condition of prevailing prayer is a conscience void of offense toward God and man. –1 John 3:20-22: “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight…” Here two things are made plain: first, that to prevail with God, we must keep a conscience void of offense; and second, that we must keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
(e) A pure heart is also a condition of prevailing prayer. –Psalm 66:18: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”
(f) All due confession and restitution to God and man is another condition of prevailing prayer. –Proverbs 28:13: ” He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
(g) Humility is another condition of prevailing prayer. –James 4:6 “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
