Day 2
I hope that during this 21 day prayer experiment, it won’t be business as usual, but that you will actually have a focused time to pray and to read your bible. If you are fasting, remember apart from praying and reading scripture, it’s just a diet! Draw aside from your daily routine and spend time with God. Get up an hour early. Skip your television programs at night. God is worth it.
Yesterday, we asked the question, what is your Jericho? In other words, Jesus is urging us to be specific with our prayers. Like the blind men at the gates of Jericho, He is saying, What do you want me to do for you?
What if God appeared to you? I don’t mean He whispered to your heart, or gave you an impression or a thought, but if he literally appeared to you and said, “Ask for whatever you want Me to give you.” What would you ask of Him? In other words, you are sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is going to give you what you ask for; otherwise, why would He appear?
I have a feeling that many of us would hesitate and/or stutter at this question. I wonder how many of us have actually thought through this question before. We have not because we ask not (see James 4:2). But do we really need Jesus to appear to us in order to believe that He wants to answer our prayers? After all, if we are in Christ, then the Holy Spirit lives inside of us. You can’t get any closer than that! Maybe we don’t really believe God wants to answer prayer. Before we get into a story that exactly describes the scenario above, we need to go back to square one, build a foundation for prayer, and ask does God answer prayer and if so, why?
1 John 5:13-15NIV I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (14) This is the confidence we have in approaching God: 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 what we asked of him (italics mine).
Those who know God by believing in the name of His Son can approach God confidently. Imagine that; those who believe in Jesus can approach God confidently. It’s worth saying again – confidently. Yes, we must know and discern His will or desire. We do that through the word of God (it is His will) and prayer.
If you believe in Jesus, you can approach God Almighty with confidence. Now we just need to ask! Tomorrow, we will talk a little more about the asking.
I leave you with a quote by pastor Craig Groeschel,
If God answered all your prayers this week, how would the world be different?
Prayer Resources
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