Friday, June 1, 2018

June 1 Thought for the day...having prayers answered


So many tell me, I pray but never get answers. Has that ever happened to you? Perhaps I can give you some answers today.

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

The Holy Spirit is instructing us through James to not ask "amiss," meaning wrongly, badly, or inappropriately. We can ask in a way that goes against God's Word. We can ask with an un-Christlike attitude. We can ask with all the right motives and attitude but without faith. All of these things will stop us from receiving our answer. Your passion in prayer does not move God.  It is your right heart, aligning with God's Word, and motivated by a true trust that God hears and will answer prayer.

The Holy Spirit makes it more clear in 1 John 5:14 "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." The word "confidence" means boldness, with complete assurance, unashamedly.

How is it that we can pray this way? 1) we know we are asking according to God's Word, 2) our relationship with the Lord is strong enough that we know it is God's will. When we have that going for us, we know 100% our prayers will be answered. If we know God's Word, we are reading it and living it every day we will quickly understand His will!

God listens to His Word, and He listens to faith. You can not expect God to move mountains for a stranger, but someone that knows Him, and He knows will have every prayer answered. Spend time with Him, spend time in His Word. As you do these things, your heart is moved by His heart, and you will always have your prayers answered. Maybe not in the way you want, but it will be in the way that will bless you the most!

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