God is not a vending machine,

The price to commune with God is not prayer..

The price was hung on a Cross for us, so that we can live and commune with God forever. Prayer is the constant conversation and interaction we have with God.

We can not demand things from God. His will is what will be done, and it is that aspect of Faith in Him that is hard for people with out faith in Him to believe.

Prayer should be
Recognition... Our Father
Worship.. Holy is your name.
Understanding who is in control... Thy will be done, on earth and in heaven.
One of his providing our basic needs ... Give us our dally bread.
One of guidance.... Lead us not unto temptation,
Salvation... Deliver us from evil.
Adoration. For thine is the kingdom the power and the glory forever.

Use what ever words you want. Beyond how Jesus taught to pray we become demanding of God, and who are we to challenge and demand of him?

It is ok to pray for provision of Rain within God's will, or Financial needs within God's will... God will answer prayer, we just have to be prepared for the answer, because sometime his silence on the matter is an answer.

Demanding of God and not trusting his will, will leave a person disappointed...

God wants people to trust him, to know that he is in control. Sometimes we have to accept a NO from him, and move on, or see the other avenues he may be opening to you.

EXAMPLE: I have been praying for discernment about entering the ministry, basically asking God if it is in his will put the path in front of me if I am to go to Bible College. Now this is something I really want to do. God is not putting the answer in front of me as I would have hoped. He is however opening up other avenues for me to share my Faith and hope of salvation. If I had just closed myself up to his will, and keep on down the path on my own to Bible College, I may not have seen these other avenues open up. Avenues after further examination are just as appealing to meet my desire.

My selfish prayer to fulfill a desire to follow my own path will never be answered by God.

Prayer is effective as long as we are praying for things to be done with-in Gods will, prayer is ineffective if we pray demanding our selfish desires will be fulfilled.

Essence of prayer is a communication with God. This should be a constant thing, so a person knows if they are making the correct decisions, or looking for discernment on a decision. God's will or not he still gives us the freedom to make decisions on our own.

Heb 13:18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things.

2Th 1:11 To this end also we pray for you always that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power;

Pray without ceasing!