Last week we were dealing with the question of effectual prayer and gave the example of how the Tabernacle was set up and how this teaches us about how to approach God for effectual prayer. The Tabernacle is called the Mishkan in Hebrew. It means the "dwelling" and it was were the Shekinah, Kivod and the Ruach Ha Kodesh manifested. You can see the root for "shki'nah" (shekinah as most say it, but it's "shki'nah") in the word "Mishkan" (tabernacle). It was called the House of Prayer, as was the succeeding Temples. In Exodus 25.8 God showed Moses the "tavnit" or pattern of the Mishkan and that was where He would dwell. He goes on and gives Moses the pattern for everything connected with the Mishkan and its construction. Then in Exodus 40 He tells Moses to set up the Mishkan, and then tells him how to do it. In a way, that is how the Lord see's us. If He is in the Holy of Holies looking out, that is how it was set up, from the inside out. That is how He sets up His "mishkan" in us, from the inside first, working outward. But, when we approach the Lord in prayer it is just the opposite. Coming into his presence (shki'nah), the first thing you encounter is the veil at the door and an anointed priest (Yeshua) and then we come to the Altar (cross). Then we come to the Laver that held water (the Word of God). Moving past that Laver we enter the Mishkan and on the north side ( north speaks of intellect) we have the Table of Bread ( which speaks of provision not only spiritually but physically). On the south side (south is the direction of faith) we have the Menorah (speaks of bearing the light). In the middle, before the veil we have the Altar of Incense (speaking of prayer) . Then we have the veil (speaks of a barrier of space or understanding) and then the Ark of the Covenant (God's commandments await you). All of these speak of the Messiah also and this is not the time to go into all the pictures we have of these articles but there is something being said here. This is how we come to the Lord, not only in salvation but daily. Most believers have no problem coming in, encountering the priest and the Altar. They have no problem with the Laver which symbolizes the Word. They have no problem moving on with the idea of God's provision of "bread" (altar of Bread) or understanding, the"light" of the Menorah or even prayer (altar of incense) but many stop right there. They have a problem with that "servant" business. They say "All I need is Jesus" (the priest) or "All I need is back out there on the Altar." They will say "I want the mercy (mercy seat on the Ark) but I don't want what's down there in that box!" But in the New Covenant, the Torah will be written on our heart's (Ark) as God builds us into His Mishkan. For effectual prayer, we must ask "Are we following the pattern He gave us to "approach" Him? Will you follow the pattern given to Moses? Many believers say that following the pattern given to Moses is "legalism" but Moses had effectual prayers. Yeshua followed Moses and His prayers were effectual. The apostles followed Moses and they had effectual prayer. What some call legalism, God calls obedience. So, for effectual prayer ask yourself "How is my Tabernacle set up?" When things don't go right we need to make sure things are "set up" according to the pattern. That is, in order and everything in the right place, nothing missing. Ask yourself, "Have I got water (word of God) in the Laver?" "Have I got bread on the table?" "Have I got the commandments in the Ark (my heart)?" For effectual prayer, start looking at these things and see if you are approaching the Lord according to the pattern He has set up. If everything is in order, then wait and the Lord promised that He would speak to you "between the wings of the Cherubim" of the Ark of the Covenant. I hope this helps you with your question about effectual prayer.