Prayer in Hard Times Part of the Process
by David Brenneman
"And he said, "Go again," seven times." 1 KINGS 18:43 ESV
Success is certain when the Lord has promised it. Even if you've prayed month after month without evidence of an answer, it is not possible that the Lord would be deaf when His people are earnest in a matter concerning His glory. The prophet atop Mount Carmel continued to wrestle with God, never for a moment giving way to a fear that Jehovah's court would rule against him. Six times the servant returned, but on each occasion nothing was said except, "Go again.
We must not dream of unbelief, but hold on to our faith even to "seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:22 kjv). Faith sends an expectant hope to look out from Carmel's peak, and if nothing is seen, she sends out hope again and again. Far from being crushed by repeated disappointment, faith is animated to plead more fervently with God. She is humbled, but not upset: her
groans are deeper and her sighing more passionate, but she never lets go with her hand. Flesh and blood prefer a speedy answer, but believing souls have learned to be submissive, finding it good to wait for, as well as upon, the Lord.
Delayed answers often cause the heart to search itself, leading to contrition and spiritual reformation - deadly blows are struck at our own corruption and minds are cleansed. The great danger is that people should faint, and miss the blessing.
Reader, do not fall into that sin --continue in prayer and watching. At last, in 1 Kings 18, a little cloud was seen, the sure forerunner of torrents of rain. And it will be so with you--the hint of the coming good will surely be seen, and you will rise as a prevailing prince to enjoy the mercy you have sought. "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours" (James 5:17 esv) his with God did not lie in his own merit. If his believing prayer was so effective, why shouldn't yours be? Plead the precious blood with unceasing prayer, and it will be as you desire
Morning and Evening by C.H. Spurgeon for the evening of September 28th.
Waiting...waiting is never been my forte. Probably has never been yours either.
Patience...having this in abundance also hasn't been my stong suit either.
There's a movie quote that was a conversation that goes along the lines of if we pray for patience that God's not going to just give us patience but rather opportunities to be patient.
We are a people who learn by doing. Not too good on learning by receiving. Those who just get rarely have the wisdom to incorporate it into their lives.
We don't look to the repercussions of our requests only that we make them because of this or that.
Delayed answers are often necessary to get us to be sure of what it is we're really requesting.
Success in the world and success in the eyes of God are not even the same thing.
The world sees death as a finality of things. That all things are done with. To the Believer in Christ as their personal Lord and Savior its the pinnacle of victory and the beginning of eternity for them.
The world seeks to further itself.
Those in the Lord seek to further His plans for the world.
It may take time but it's time we must not waste. We should be about the Father’s business regardless of what the situation looks like. We must keep our priorities as His priorities. Whatever He puts before us to be doing we ought to give our all to accomplish.
There's been many times when times of what appears to be unanswered prayers has been things in my life needing to be pruned or my attitude needing to be adjusted. My focus needing to be where it ought to be and not on the situation.
We are professionals at this thing of having situations figured out. Yet in God's economy we haven't even figured out what font was used in writing the instructions for the situation let alone what encompasses the whole situation.
We make life much easier to navigate when it's His will being done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
We make life much easier when we agree with the Lord in the Spirit.
We make more of life when we admit what we have been denying before Jesus so that He can address it.
Success will come in due time but we must trust in the Lord with all our hearts and to not lean on our understanding.
There's a great many things that I am convinced that I know.
There's a great many things that I have figured out.
But I know nothing in the grand scheme of things in light of eternity.
I am months into a job search but know that I am also being taught, refined, in God's school of life to prepare me for what's in His plans for me. Jesus wastes nothing in what He does or how He does it.
Life is only lived when we live as God's Word directs.
To be blatantly truthful...we are easily deceived. Satan's minions have been studying us since we were born. Learning what buttons to push to get us to self sabotage the efforts of the Spirit of God in our lives. We often are days, months, years, decades into wrong thinking or living until we finally realize the error of our ways.
Responding in obedience to when the Spirit brings up such things is what we're called to do.
Acknowledging as true what the Spirit says is true is on us.
If we're told to keep praying we keep praying.
We are to be fully devoted followers of Jesus. We aren't part time followers of Jesus.
If we truly believe that God does nothing but by the prayers of His people...what manner of people ought we to be?
Idolatry will be a part of everyone's life. What we do about it is what is important before Jesus. We know this to be true because of the words of Jesus in the Scriptures. We have warnings to beware of it therefore its either here in our lives or at the door knocking. If it's here already and we don't see it we need to ask the Spirit to open our eyes and to help us get rid of it. Paul wrote of this.
Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication
Pray fervently without ceasing.
Don't trust your point of view if it's not aligned with Jesus's point of view.
We are likely within years of Jesus returning...are your affairs in order?
Are your priorities right?
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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