So often, when we do not get the answer that we want, we think God is not answering our prayers. We think, "God does not care about me. God does not care about this situation. He's too busy to deal with this prayer request."
Is this true?
I think God wants us to learn the difference between "praying for" and "praying through."
Remember Jesus' teaching about the persistent widow who kept coming back day after day to an unjust judge? Finally, the unjust judge granted her request.
I like Eugene Peterson's translation of this in Luke 18:6-8 (Msg) "Then the Master (Jesus) said, 'Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? So what makes you think God won’t step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won’t he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?'"
We all need this continual reminder, God answers every prayer. It might be a "yes," or a "maybe," or a "not yet," or a "no." I believe God wants us to wrestle in our prayers until we understand which way He answered our prayers. If we get a "maybe," or a "not yet," then what is God trying to communicate? Is He trying to tell us that we need to change our motives, confess sin, grow in some way, prepare somehow, change something?
If we get a "no," then what is He saying to us? Anything similar?
This gets even more challenging when we are praying specifically for Jesus' vision and His specific will to be done and He still gives us other answers besides "yes."
So, let's not just pray for Jesus' mission to be accomplished this Easter season. Let's pray through this Easter season for Jesus to accomplish His mission. Let's approach the throne of grace with boldness and confidence by daily asking Jesus to loosen the grip of our Fab 5 and 1,000 homes around church who are grasping onto the gates of hell. Let's ask Jesus to loosen up their fingers. Let's ask Him to open their eyes to the reality of who God is and who they are.
Let's be like the Nation of Israel and keep marching around Jericho until God knocks down the walls. Six times around those walls were extremely exhausting. Aren't we so glad they did not stop after six?
How would our stopping affect our Fab 5?
Continuing to join Jesus in wrestling for lost people to be found,
Pastor Chris
Is this true?
I think God wants us to learn the difference between "praying for" and "praying through."
Remember Jesus' teaching about the persistent widow who kept coming back day after day to an unjust judge? Finally, the unjust judge granted her request.
I like Eugene Peterson's translation of this in Luke 18:6-8 (Msg) "Then the Master (Jesus) said, 'Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? So what makes you think God won’t step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won’t he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?'"
We all need this continual reminder, God answers every prayer. It might be a "yes," or a "maybe," or a "not yet," or a "no." I believe God wants us to wrestle in our prayers until we understand which way He answered our prayers. If we get a "maybe," or a "not yet," then what is God trying to communicate? Is He trying to tell us that we need to change our motives, confess sin, grow in some way, prepare somehow, change something?
If we get a "no," then what is He saying to us? Anything similar?
This gets even more challenging when we are praying specifically for Jesus' vision and His specific will to be done and He still gives us other answers besides "yes."
So, let's not just pray for Jesus' mission to be accomplished this Easter season. Let's pray through this Easter season for Jesus to accomplish His mission. Let's approach the throne of grace with boldness and confidence by daily asking Jesus to loosen the grip of our Fab 5 and 1,000 homes around church who are grasping onto the gates of hell. Let's ask Jesus to loosen up their fingers. Let's ask Him to open their eyes to the reality of who God is and who they are.
Let's be like the Nation of Israel and keep marching around Jericho until God knocks down the walls. Six times around those walls were extremely exhausting. Aren't we so glad they did not stop after six?
How would our stopping affect our Fab 5?
Continuing to join Jesus in wrestling for lost people to be found,
Pastor Chris
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