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Pray, Declare and Receive
by Steve Countryman It happens too often today with all of our problems locally, nationally and our daily issues that we forget about God. We forget to pray to God, thanking Him and praising Him. But when things get really bad then we turn to God. That is treating God as a god of convenience not a God you serve. I have caught myself sayingwell, I have tried everything else, I guess I'll give God a try. God doesn't want to be your last resort but your first answer. "But I don't want to bother God. He is so busy with other more important things than my little problems." God chose you before time began. God chose you for a time and place such as this. God who cares and loves you so much that He took the time and effort to know everything about you right down to numbering the hairs on your head. God knows you better than you know yourself. A God who loves you that much is a God who wants to be involved in every tiny thing and every big thing in your DAILY life. Most people treat God as something that they keep in a box for a rainy day. When they need Him they take Him down from the top shelf of the closet blow the dust off of the box that they put Him in then ask Him for help. There are those who go to church on Sundays to pray, worship and hear a sermon then the rest of the week they forget about God almost altogether. Most Christians don't feel comfortable or worthy praying to God. That becomes one of many excuses why they don't pray much or at all. Jesus said "You have not because you ask not." Luke 11:9-10 9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. The Lord's Prayer is a great way to start your prayers. God isn't interested in the flowery words or special "Christianese" phrases in your prayers, He is just happy that you prayed to Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you learn how to pray when you pray! In a recent vision I saw a side view of a man standing in front of a door praying. He wasn't certain what it looked like behind the door or who was listening to his prayers. Most of us have had a conversation with someone on the other side of a door. You hope that the other person on the other side is listening and that they will be receptive and responsive to your words. The door that the man was standing at was heaven's door. What I saw on the other side of the door was a huge room and God, whose head was almost as big as the door, was bent down and had His ear pressed up against the door. God was eagerly listening to the man's prayers. What love! Prayer is God's gift to us to communicate with Him. Does God hear everyone's prayers both saint and sinner alike? No, there is only one prayer that God hears from sinners and that is the prayer of salvation. Even the saint's prayers can be hard for God to hear clearly if they are living a sinful life. But "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." It's like talking over a ham radio, if you don't get the frequency or channel just right your message will not be heard clearly. When praying keep in mind to pray for others as the Bible directs, for both your brothers and sisters in Christ and for the lost. We are to pray without ceasing, that means praying beyond Sundays. Starting your day off in prayer, praying through out the day and finishing your day in prayer. Some religions have special times to pray daily. We are not required to do so because our prayers are to be honest, earnest and fervent prayers from our hearts not out of routine. Declaring should be part of your praying. You pray and ask in Jesus name according to His Word and His will. Praising God for His promises, His faithfulness, His mercy and grace and blessing God for His everlasting love. Praise and thank the Lord every day in ALL things is part of your declaring. Declare the goodness of the Lord and His blessings in your life everyday. Give thanks for what you have learned through your problems and trials. Praise Him in the storm instead of blaming God for the storm. Sometimes you have to go though some storms to appreciate the clear sunny days. Christians often blame God for putting them in their problems as if it was all God's fault. There are few things to keep in mind as you grow in the Lord. How you got into your problem and how long you stay there is totally up to you. How you got there was based on decisions that you made and the consequences for those decisions. EVERY decision you make both good and bad carries consequences. Those consequences can have an impact not only on you but on those around you and close to you. How long you stay in your problem is based on your ability to learn for your mistakes so as not to repeat them. For Israel, back in Moses day, when they were in the wilderness it was "one more time around the mountain" instead of going into the promise land. God has a way of turning those problem areas in your life into learning experiences that He will help you to grow out of. Declaring God's Word should always be included in your prayers. Taking God's promises and declaring them ties them to your prayers. There are over 77 promises in the Bible for prosperity alone! Receive the answer to your prayers. Visualize your answer in your "spirit's eye" that God has answered your prayer. Don't try to visualize how God will do it just "see" the end result of your prayer. Let God work out the details. If a sinner can visualize the sin he or she is about to commit, why can't a saint visualize God's answer to their prayer? Too often Christians pray once for something then they assume, having done their Christian duty, it is all up to God to complete it. The Bible says that you are to keep praying and praising God until you receive your answer. Does God answer all of your prayers? Yes He does but sometimes the answer is no or not yet. Just as you answer your child's request for something sometimes with a no. For your heavenly Father knows what is best for you. He has already seen ALL possible solutions to your prayers and answers them perfectly. What would you expect from a perfect God? Pray according to God's will, declare God's promises with praise and thanksgiving and receive your answer from heaven as you visualize the end result. Are you ready? It is time to stand!!! Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |