From Martin Luther...
Praying in Faith
Prayer is a special exercise of faith. Faith makes the prayer acceptable because it believes that either the prayer will be answered, or that something better will be given instead.
This is why James says, "Let him who asks of God not waver in faith, for if he wavers, let him not think that he shall receive anything from the Lord."
This is a clear statement which says directly: he who does not trust will receive nothing, neither that which he asks nor anything better.
From this it follows that the one who prays correctly never doubts that the prayer will be answered, even if the very thing for which one prays is not given. For we are to lay our need before God in prayer but not prescribe to God a measure, manner, time, or place.
We must leave that to God, for He may wish to give it to us in another, perhaps better, way then we think best.
It is amazing that a poor human creature is able to speak with God's High Majesty in heaven and not be afraid.
When we pray the heart and conscience must not pull away from God because of our sins and our unworthiness, or stand in doubt, or be scared away.
When we pray we must hold fast and believe that God has heard our prayer. It was for this reason that the ancients defined prayer as an Ascensus mentis ad Deum, "a climbing up of the heart unto God."
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