Claim. A prayer of faith follows a strict order — God first, then Jesus, then the prophets and saints, then the nation and world, then one’s children, and only last oneself — because the order embodies the public-to-private direction in which providence itself moves.
Elaboration. SMM treats prayer as protocol-governed: “If you go into a sanctified spiritual realm, you will feel that you should pray for God first. Then afterwards, you must also pray for Jesus; only after that will you understand the historical heart. Then you must pray on behalf of the multitude of people who fought for the great dispensational will… After that is all fulfilled, you can pray for your loving children and then pray for yourself. That is the way of heavenly law” (6.1. Greetings require protocol, 7-328, 1959.10.18). Faith-in-prayer is non-negotiable: “When you pray, you should not foolishly doubt whether your prayer will be answered or not… God cooperates with you only when you are in such a position” (ibid, 31-290, 1970.6.4). Prayer is also self-substitutional: SMM in prison “did not pray for myself, even when I went into prison” (ibid, 26-20, 1969.10.14). The fruit of prayer must be matched by behaviour — kicking a crying child after a beautiful prayer destroys the household (ibid, 233-210, 1992.8.1). Prayer is therefore both an ordered hierarchy and a substantial commitment.