- Why aren’t more of our prayers answered?
- Are we praying amiss, with too little awareness and practice of the law of Faith?
- We are told, “The Kingdom of God is within us.”
- Is it that the victory of Christ in us is fought and won within?
- Is it true, what is won within is won without?
- The world says, “Seeing is believing.” Christ says, “Believing is seeing.”
- “Faith is the substance (creative power) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” as yet. (Heb. 11:1)
Faith IS, NOT SHALL BE! Faith begins NOW, with the willingness to believe God is able, God is willing, and God is faithful. In faith, believing is HAVING and SEEING. That which is already evident (seen) does not require faith, merely a willingness and obedience in reaching out and receiving it.
God’s Word says, “Commit thy way unto the Lord, TRUST also in Him and He SHALL bring it to pass.” “God worketh.” Commit, trust and He worketh. This is an unqualified promise of God.
As we are definite in our decision in dealing with God, (pray and commit ourselves to Him) and believe He accepts that which we have given Him, then the results are no longer our responsibility.
To continue to pray and ask for the same thing, weakens and negates our prayer of faith. It is evident that we are not believing, and thus we pray ourselves OUT of faith.
After committing our prayer, if we begin to waiver and become concerned, then we may affirm, “Lord, I believe You and I thank You.” It is destructive to faith to go back again and again praying for the same thing, begging God to be God.
It builds our faith as we praise and thank God that He HAS accepted our request. “He hears us always.” It is a lack of trust if, after we pray, we are restlessly planning and working for the answer to our prayer. It is in our confident, restful praise because we believe, that “He worketh.”
We pray ourselves OUT of faith as we center our thoughts on our difficulties rather than on God. “We which have believed do enter into rest.” (Heb. 4:3)
Then we are not subject to, and used by our negative feelings, symptoms or our own lack of faith. Thus we cooperate with God and begin calling the things we have prayed for ours, and thank and praise God for them before they are evident. God is faithful. He will not, cannot deny Himself.
Joshua dared to claim a promised victory on the authority of God’s Word, “While as yet there were no signs of the victory being accomplished.” According to his faith, God did unto him. The Bible is full of the faithfulness of God as people listened, trusted and obeyed.
Likewise, the same is true of consecration and surrender to God, as in prayer. If we consecrate and re-consecrate over and over again, each repetition discounts the one previously made.
If we give a gift to anyone and return again and again offering the same gift to them, a person would never know if the gift was theirs or not. Scripture tells us when an offering was once laid on the altar, then it belonged to the Lord and no man dared to stretch forth a hand to re-take it. After surrendering anything to God, we believe (trust and claim) that He has accepted it, and it is His.
To commit means bringing the matter to God, but it also means LEAVING IT WITH HIM. Then as we trust, He worketh. If we fail to leave it with Him, we have negated our commitment. Commit, trust and God worketh.
“Never dig up in unbelief what you have sown in faith.” The self-effort evidences lack of our firm commitment.
Trust and obey for there is no other way to let God become a living reality in our lives until we commit, trust and obey. This is the Law of Faith. “By prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God. (Eph. 1:18) God wills good for every member of His family. “It is the Father’s good pleasure to GIVE you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)
Our response must be more than a mental willingness to believe; it must be a FAITH FOUNDED ON GOD’S PROMISES. And, we need to believe it is God’s will to answer this definite prayer. Let us then thank Him with honesty and an overflowing heart. Then our faith is sufficient for Him to work, because we have opened our hearts sufficiently to receive the good He has prepared for us. “The promise is to you and your children.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt” be open to receive God’s good.
As we STAND in faith, affirming, over and over again, “I believe You and I praise YOU” and then in the silence, rest (abide) in the fullness of the Word, every moment of this practice of the Law of Faith is a moment of God’s working in us, whether we feel it or not.
God is truth; God answers prayer. God wills to answer our prayers of committal. This is effective, empowered prayer; this brings forth a spiritual anointing.
Commit, trust, depend upon God, resting confidently and expectantly in Him, praising Him despite outer appearances. Even though we don’t feel it, we affirm and claim it. “You are in control, God, and You have the solution for our every need.” As thou hast believed, so be it done unto you.” (Matt. 8:13) Let us practice daily in this school of faith, so that we may move into the life of faith.
The victory of Christ in us is first fought and won within us. The battleground is ourselves. The victory is the transforming Spirit of Christ. What is won within is won without.
“In the beginning God ……” “God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound (faith-filled) mind.”
This is the Will of God.
