Joshua prayed a prayer, which was impossible and even improbable to answer, yet God commanded the sun to stand still at Joshua’s request. Scientists discovered that this actually happened (Joshua 10:11-14). God knows what we need, and already committed that He would supply all our needs with His glorious riches (Philippians 4:19-21).
As we pray and walk in His will for us, God even promises to move mountains at our request (Matthew 17:20). He is simply waiting for us to ask. When we pray with a heart that is in fellowship with our Father God, we receive answers (James 5:16). However, sin separates us from God, and it causes Him to hide His face from us, so He will not hear us (Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:2).
If we confess our sins with a repentant heart, He faithfully draws near to us, withholds His just judgment from us, and forgives us (1 John 1:9). God prunes us as a branch connected to the Vine of Christ, and He purifies us from every desire to live a life in habitually sinful behavior (John 15:2).
As we pray in the holy and powerful name of Jesus, our Christ, His forgiveness is quick and cleansing (John 14:13-14). In fact, another key to receive answered pray is to pray even for our enemies with the spirit of forgiveness toward our family, friends, and foes that wound us, use us, or abuse us (Mark 11:25).
Forgiveness does not exempt that person from their guilt, but it frees us from the bondage to the event that caused our need to forgive (Matthew 5:23-24). With every issue we have, God resolves them one by one. We may have continual trials, but that is because Satan is trying to get us to give up our Christian walk.
Prayer:
Father God, sometimes You delay Your answers to our prayers just because You want us to persevere in prayer and not to lose heart (Luke 18:5-8). Your Word tells us about those who persisted in prayer to teach us the importance of this habit. Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for Your promise of a son. Teach us that waiting on You is resting quietly and peacefully and joyfully until You speak or act.
In fact, Abraham and Sarah’s discouragement in Your delay in granting this desire of their heart caused them to lose hope. They ended up taking matters into their own hands and they made a huge mistake. The world, especially the Jewish nation and Christians, reap the destruction of their actions to this very day through many of the descendants of Ishmael. Help us to walk in Your Spirit, to trust in Your timing, and to seek You more than the answers to our prayers.
Thoughts for the Day:
Jesus promises us that in this world we will have tribulation; however, we can have a cheerful heart, because Jesus already overcame these trials for us. We can believe in faith that He will deliver us through of all or our troubles, because He promised that He would - not in our timing, but in His.
- John 16:32-33
