Musings from my Journal
In Psalm 71, the author (most believe it to be David in his later years, perhaps during Absalom's rebellion), began by petitioning the Lord for answers to his difficulties. Interestingly enough, he ends the psalm by praising God for the answers even though those answers had not come yet. How can you pray something and in the same prayer, thank God as if you had already received what you prayed for?
Hmmmm...that sounds like a scripture I see in Mark 11:24. Many treat this verse as if it's toxic, as if it was written by some prosperity preacher, but it's wasn't. These words are in RED in my Bible, which means Jesus Himself said them. In Mark 4:22, Jesus begins a discourse on the prayer of faith. Yes, that's a thing that goes all the way back to Biblical times and is essential to the Christian life today, at least that is what I believe, based on this passage. It didn't start with Christian TV. So many trip over these verses and say they are "name it, claim it" verses, but they aren't. They are simply what Jesus said. Just because it is not our experience all the time does not negate, diminish or relegate them to a place that we never talk about. They're there and we need to deal with them honestly. They are part of the whole counsel of God.
David had a big problem, so he prayed. He prayed a prayer of faith. He told God his problem, asked for the Lord's help, and thanked God for the answer that he knew was already his, even though there was no physical manifestion. It did come, but not until some time after, but in the meantime, David was at peace because he knew God would answer. We all know that prayer answers are always a spiritual reality before they are a physical manifestation. When Daniel prayed, his answer was delayed due to spiritual warfare in the heavenlies, but the angel told Daniel, from the moment you prayed, God answered. God immediately responded to Daniel's plea. However, it took 21 days for that answer to reach Daniel.
Now, back to David in Psalm 71. David knew that, now please get this, PRAYER CHANGES THINGS! Prayer is our main weapon against the enemy of our souls! When we connect with God in prayer, much power becomes available. James 5:16 say that the effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much...it makes much power available, one translation says! In this, we also see the qualifier, you MUST be righteous.
There are several reasons for unanswered prayer which I don't have time to go into. This verse is saying that if you are righteous, if you believe in the power of prayer and the willingness of God to keep His Word, and if you are praying the will of God from a pure, sinless heart that desires to see God glorified-even more than you want the anwer, you will recieve the answer to your prayer. Yes, that's a tall order but doable through the Spirit that resides within us.
So many times, we make up excuses or lean into theologies that are counter to what the scriptures plainly say, when our experience doesn't line up with what the Bible clearly states. We explain away, twist, skip over, or put the "God is Sovereign" sticker on whatever seems to be at odds with our current understanding and experience. What might happen if we just honestly went before the Lord and admitted that maybe, just maybe, we were wrong or we missed something when situations don't turn out the way scripture states they will or when all Hell is breaking out in our lives? When the disciples could not cast out the devils, they were told that fasting and prayer were needed to accomplish this. Prayer and fasting are spiritual disciplines that strengthen and cultivate a closer relationship with God. Perhaps, they needed a more mature faith to see these answers to prayer. A more mature faith more easily discerns the will of God, enabling us to pray in faith that we are praying that perfect will of God, which is what Jesus is saying will bring prayer answers.
Now, you might think I'm full of cow fluff, and that's okay. These are, after all, just my musings and thoughts. However, they are also very much my experience. I don't see my prayers as a shot-in-the-dark-maybe-God-will-answer kind of practice. Often I will pray more about what God's Will is than I pray about the problem because I know that if I will pray God's will, He will answer. Where do we find God's will, you might ask? God's Word is God's will. We find all we need to know in God's Word. An accurate translation of Matthew 18:18 tells us that if we will loose or bind what has already been bound or loosed in heaven, it will be bond or loosed on the earth. That is coming into agreement with the will of God through the prayer of faith. Honestly I wonder how much I have suffered by not taking this more seriously when it is very plain in scripture because I put my "experience" above what is plainly written.
Does this always work for me, honestly, no, but it has worked for me too many times to count. I know that God's thoughts are higher than mine, that I will never fully know the mind of God or understand all the workings of His plan in my short span of time on earth. I know that I miss it sometimes, that there are hidden things in my heart that may hinder answers to prayer. I also know that living in the meantime believing that God hears our prayers and honors His Word is a much better way to live than to just allow myself to be the devil's punching bag and accept whatever happens as God's answer. For instance, I believe that it is not God's will that any man perish, yet people perish every day. God does not always get His way because of men's choices and beliefs get in His way. Seeing God's answer come to fruition sometimes takes prayer battles. I may be very laid back in the natural, but in my spirit, I'm a fighter. I'm that woman with the unjust judge and I'm open to hear from God when I'm missing it or when I just need to keep pressing in.
I know many don't believe this way, and that's okay. That's up for them to sort out with God, but this way of thinking, believing and living has served me very well and I have seen God do miraculous and powerful things in my life as a result of believing prayer. God is not dead, nor is He far away. He wants to glorify His Name on the earth and show Himself strong. He starts by doing this in the lives of individuals who then testify of His greatness and power to the world.
In Psalm 71, the author (most believe it to be David in his later years, perhaps during Absalom's rebellion), began by petitioning the Lord for answers to his difficulties. Interestingly enough, he ends the psalm by praising God for the answers even though those answers had not come yet. How can you pray something and in the same prayer, thank God as if you had already received what you prayed for?
Hmmmm...that sounds like a scripture I see in Mark 11:24. Many treat this verse as if it's toxic, as if it was written by some prosperity preacher, but it's wasn't. These words are in RED in my Bible, which means Jesus Himself said them. In Mark 4:22, Jesus begins a discourse on the prayer of faith. Yes, that's a thing that goes all the way back to Biblical times and is essential to the Christian life today, at least that is what I believe, based on this passage. It didn't start with Christian TV. So many trip over these verses and say they are "name it, claim it" verses, but they aren't. They are simply what Jesus said. Just because it is not our experience all the time does not negate, diminish or relegate them to a place that we never talk about. They're there and we need to deal with them honestly. They are part of the whole counsel of God.
David had a big problem, so he prayed. He prayed a prayer of faith. He told God his problem, asked for the Lord's help, and thanked God for the answer that he knew was already his, even though there was no physical manifestion. It did come, but not until some time after, but in the meantime, David was at peace because he knew God would answer. We all know that prayer answers are always a spiritual reality before they are a physical manifestation. When Daniel prayed, his answer was delayed due to spiritual warfare in the heavenlies, but the angel told Daniel, from the moment you prayed, God answered. God immediately responded to Daniel's plea. However, it took 21 days for that answer to reach Daniel.
Now, back to David in Psalm 71. David knew that, now please get this, PRAYER CHANGES THINGS! Prayer is our main weapon against the enemy of our souls! When we connect with God in prayer, much power becomes available. James 5:16 say that the effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much...it makes much power available, one translation says! In this, we also see the qualifier, you MUST be righteous.
There are several reasons for unanswered prayer which I don't have time to go into. This verse is saying that if you are righteous, if you believe in the power of prayer and the willingness of God to keep His Word, and if you are praying the will of God from a pure, sinless heart that desires to see God glorified-even more than you want the anwer, you will recieve the answer to your prayer. Yes, that's a tall order but doable through the Spirit that resides within us.
So many times, we make up excuses or lean into theologies that are counter to what the scriptures plainly say, when our experience doesn't line up with what the Bible clearly states. We explain away, twist, skip over, or put the "God is Sovereign" sticker on whatever seems to be at odds with our current understanding and experience. What might happen if we just honestly went before the Lord and admitted that maybe, just maybe, we were wrong or we missed something when situations don't turn out the way scripture states they will or when all Hell is breaking out in our lives? When the disciples could not cast out the devils, they were told that fasting and prayer were needed to accomplish this. Prayer and fasting are spiritual disciplines that strengthen and cultivate a closer relationship with God. Perhaps, they needed a more mature faith to see these answers to prayer. A more mature faith more easily discerns the will of God, enabling us to pray in faith that we are praying that perfect will of God, which is what Jesus is saying will bring prayer answers.
Now, you might think I'm full of cow fluff, and that's okay. These are, after all, just my musings and thoughts. However, they are also very much my experience. I don't see my prayers as a shot-in-the-dark-maybe-God-will-answer kind of practice. Often I will pray more about what God's Will is than I pray about the problem because I know that if I will pray God's will, He will answer. Where do we find God's will, you might ask? God's Word is God's will. We find all we need to know in God's Word. An accurate translation of Matthew 18:18 tells us that if we will loose or bind what has already been bound or loosed in heaven, it will be bond or loosed on the earth. That is coming into agreement with the will of God through the prayer of faith. Honestly I wonder how much I have suffered by not taking this more seriously when it is very plain in scripture because I put my "experience" above what is plainly written.
Does this always work for me, honestly, no, but it has worked for me too many times to count. I know that God's thoughts are higher than mine, that I will never fully know the mind of God or understand all the workings of His plan in my short span of time on earth. I know that I miss it sometimes, that there are hidden things in my heart that may hinder answers to prayer. I also know that living in the meantime believing that God hears our prayers and honors His Word is a much better way to live than to just allow myself to be the devil's punching bag and accept whatever happens as God's answer. For instance, I believe that it is not God's will that any man perish, yet people perish every day. God does not always get His way because of men's choices and beliefs get in His way. Seeing God's answer come to fruition sometimes takes prayer battles. I may be very laid back in the natural, but in my spirit, I'm a fighter. I'm that woman with the unjust judge and I'm open to hear from God when I'm missing it or when I just need to keep pressing in.
I know many don't believe this way, and that's okay. That's up for them to sort out with God, but this way of thinking, believing and living has served me very well and I have seen God do miraculous and powerful things in my life as a result of believing prayer. God is not dead, nor is He far away. He wants to glorify His Name on the earth and show Himself strong. He starts by doing this in the lives of individuals who then testify of His greatness and power to the world.
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