God Speaks I Listen

 

 

 

I‘ve struggled with this question on and off during my Christian walk.  But ever since I did a blog on predestination a few weeks ago I have been like…”why pray if God has already predetermined everything.  I’ve been thinkin’…”God’s gonna do what God’s gonna do”.

I wasn’t happy about my recent way of thinking and so I’ve been praying to God for clarification about my question….”why pray?” This is what the Spirit opened my eyes to…..

The first answer I received and that was made very clear to me is… because God commands us to in His word.  I was like…”duh!”  I know that but I wasn’t thinking that at the moment. So it kinda hit me upside the head…like thump…duh!  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests…..  (Ephesians 6:18)

My second answer is because something happens to US when we pray.  We receive peace which will keep our heart and mind in check.  If our heart and mind are protected… then the devil will not be able to penetrate it and we will not become weak, depressed, and discouraged. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

We are not puppets. God allows us to make choices and we must pray so we can make good biblical decisions for ourselves.

My third answer is that we can receive good gifts from God our Father if we ask Him.  Good gifts doesn’t necessarily mean money, things or anything you ask Him for…but gifts that line up with His word, His will and purpose for our life.  It could be provisional things, emotional things, material things or spiritual things.   I know for a fact that it will be good and what is BEST for us from God’s perspective. If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Mathew 7:11)

My forth reason to pray is to stay focused so you will keep from doubting.  When you take your eyes off of the Lord you will get a sinking feeling.  Fear will rush right in… so you pray often to stay focused on who can really help and support you. Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. (Daniel 6:10)

My fifth reason for praying is that it shows Father God that you are trusting in His ability to take care of you.  It’s telling God that you trust in Him, respect His authority in your life and that He”is” the supreme ruler.  This sets off something in God’s mind and He Said’s to the other two of the trinity(Jesus and Holy Spirit)…”My daughter/son believes everything about me.  They have faith in us and believe that We are powerful.  I want to bless them because I see them as righteous in their heart and mind.  I want to bless them because I love them so.”…. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16)

God can and does do amazing things when we pray.  I have MANY instances of amazing answered prayer but for the sake time which would result in me writing a book on the subject… I’ll tell you one great true story.

After having 3 children which were all girls I became a committed Christian and for some reason I felt like my husband and I should have a son.  I never wanted one before…but after reading about God’s Son I wanted one.  For many years my husband and I tried but no pregnancy.  I discovered I had large fibroid tumor and no chance of pregnancy but I didn’t let that stop me from asking God for a son. 6 long years went by and no child.  I prayed like you would not believe.

When I tell you I begged God….I begged really bad.  I told Him that He had a Son so He must think it’s important.  I continued my begging and then it happened….I’ll leave out the details LOL!…but I knew the day my prayers were answered!!  I did get pregnant and God told me to name my son…Joshua.  The events surrounding His is birth is a story for another blog…but I tell you this… next month my son Joshua will be 30 years old.  I believe with all my heart that God blessed me with something I wanted really bad because I really believed that God could do it.  I believe it was His good pleasure to give me something I really wanted.  He doesn’t always do that with me because I would be a spoiled brat and I know that in my heart of hearts.

There are a few strange things about our prayer connection to God I’d like to share.  God collects our tears.  Yup… He keeps our every tear we shed in prayer…good and bad.  Our prayers mean something to Him.  They are important because we are important to Him!!!!   His ears hears our prayers, He is not far from us, He will never leave us and He covers us with His feathers, He keeps eyes on us and here is how He does it….He uses angels….and this is our greatest help for answered prayer….the power of HOLY SPIRIT!  God is all over us so ….Why pray?  Because we are going to get help because God preplanned for us to get help and our needs met in our lives. That’s why we 1Peter 5:7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.

Will we fully understand the question…why pray in light of God’s sovernity?  Absolutely not!  There are MANY MANY things that we’ll never understand about our Father God because we are human and imperfect.  But one day…we will see Him face to face….we will experience the “I AM” and we will know and understand the mysteries of God.  Until then….we need to continually pray to Him.  Not only pray but…trust Him.

P.S. – Here is a great true bible story of answered prayer….learn and gleam from it:

2 Kings 20:1-7 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.

² Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying,

³ I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

⁴ And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying,

⁵ Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord.

⁶ And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.

⁷ And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.

Let’s all pray all the time without stopping. We need to do this for God?….No We need to pray for us!!