Pastor’s Blog 10.16.19

A few weeks ago in a message I said, “The Lord will only take your prayer life as serious as you do.” Let that sink in. We all have the exact same access to the Father after all, the name of Jesus! I have no different access than you.

John 14:12-14 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. NKJV

I remember when we were discussing this portion of scripture in Bible college, the class teacher had made a comment that I’ll never forget. “When asking something in the name of Jesus, is it something that is in His name? What is in the name? Healing, deliverance, prosperity, freedom, wisdom, knowledge, miracles ect. What is not in His name? Someone’s self will, envy, greed, strife, rebellion, bitterness, ect. I’m sure you get the picture. So when you pray and invoke the name, the prayer must be worthy of the name.

1 John 5:14-17 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. NKJV

So based on this, we could surmise that anything “in His name” is according to His will. If it is not His will, it’s not in His name so our prayer doesn’t produce the outcome we desire. James seems to echo this truth by his instruction when he adds that prayer isn’t granted if we are just asking to consume on our own pleasures.

James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. NKJV

The Passion Bible says that you “ask with corrupt motives”. I think almost everything with the Lord reverts back to motives. He judges after the heart and the heart aligned with His word and His will can expect to be heard and the request will be granted. I know what a challenge this is and I have struggled and wrestled with prayer as I am sure you have. But I just keep on and I do see many prayers answered, and some not of yet.

Patience is so much a part of this. We, in our human nature, don’t like to wait and don’t understand delayed answers. This is where trust and faith come to play. Again, we must ask in faith believing. Doubt and unbelief are the enemies of our prayers. Time is also a huge factor and one of the first things I learned about faith is that our timing is usually not the Lord’s. Our faith is only as powerful as our patience and endurance to see it through.

Let me say that again….Our faith is only as powerful as our patience and endurance to see it through!

Think about all the things you urgently requested from the Lord but in 30, 60, 90 days the urgency lifted and apathy set in that it wasn’t going to happen. A statement we have made in the past is that with the Lord, “faith is the constant and time is the variable, but how many times have we reversed this?

Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. NKJV

It is believed though not recorded in detail, that it took Noah 60-120 years to build the ark. Even if we look at the low end of 60 years – wow! I prayed for about 15 years to see my daughter turn to living for the Lord and that was a battle. I have prayed for people to change for 20-35 years and then seen my prayer answered! So I encourage you today, let faith be the constant and time the variable! Do not waiver in your prayers. Patience and endurance will see you through!

Be blessed!