Faith

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PREVAILING IN PRAYER PART TWO

HOW TO PRAY AND OBTAIN ANSWERS

“It’s good that a man should hope and wait for the salvation of Yahweh” Lamentation 3:26

“But if we hope for that which we don’t see, we wait for it with patience” Romans 8:25

Summer was still three months away when Linda’s father broke the news. “Sweetheart, your mom and I have decided to take you to Disneyland this summer break.”

Linda’ face shone with brightness as she gasped for breath looking intently at her father as if to say, “Did I hear you say Disneyland, Dad?”

“Is it true, Dad? Do you promise that you will take me to Disneyland?” she asked still surprised. Linda just turned ten. She had never visited Orlando, although most of her friends had. This was her turn to brag about her escapades when school re-opened.

The time set for the trip was, at least, three months away, but that was all right. She took her father’s promise seriously and looked forward to the final day. Linda could not wait for the next morning to break the news to her friends at school. Summer was way away, but already it felt so closely near. Linda’s only problem was how to wait in anticipation to the day of the trip. She has not seen Disneyland with her naked eyes, but she began to form mental images based on what she had seen on television. She could see herself already there. She looked forward to a wonderful summer even though it was three months away. The idea of going to Disneyland filled her with joy.

“Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not have, we wait for it patiently” (Romans 8:24b, 25).

As parents, we marvel at our children’s simplicity of accepting our advice or explanation. We quietly smile at how they innocently trust and understand when we give them reasons why they cannot do or have something. Good kids will leave us alone, trusting that our reasons are the best for them. Bad kids will continue to push the button, throwing themselves into tantrums just to get us to give in to them.

We don’t like kids who cannot simply wait or be of good behavior. We insist they wait or be of good behavior if they are ever going to receive what we have promised them. Every parent likes a child who stays close to home, who helps in the household chores, and who is open with Mom and Dad. As parents, we will go all out for them.

God sees us through the eyes of a father who has promised to take his children on a vacation. His words must be trusted. Our Disney experience, even though we have not as yet got there, must be relived every moment of our lives. Just like Linda, we must believe each of God’s promises to take us to a place of joy. It is a promise. What we need to do, as good kids do, is to be of good behavior, be patient, and wait upon the Lord (Psalm 27:14).

How long then must we spend praying for something? And how do we know if we have prayed enough on an issue?

Waiting on God to get back to us with an answer is one of the most difficult tasks a believer faces. As some rightly say, “God is infinite, and we are finite.” How do we know how long we have to remain in His presence praying? Some argue that long prayers are not necessary. They belong to those who are not yet matured in faith. If this is true then Jesus was the most immature spiritual leader ever-lived. He spent longer times in prayer than an average person would.
Our attitude toward prayer must be revisited. While there is no hard and fast rule to show how long we need to spend in prayer, there are ample evidences to suggest otherwise.

The early men of God didn’t grow up with fast food, slot machines, and quick fixes, as we know of our world today. They regarded relationships as how much time you are willing to invest in. Family, work, and spirituality were all treated the same way: with equal time and attention given to each activity.

Patience in waiting is completely against this generation’s philosophy. Information is at the fingertips of every average American. Time, they say is money. You lose much money when you spend all your time in the presence of the Lord.

In the end, we miss our Disney vacations because we either push God too much or leave His presence too quickly with despair. Prevailing in prayer until we hear His unmistaken voice is what we need. There’s comfort to know that your inner spirit is at peace within you. You must determine that you have no conflict in your spirit leaving the outcome of your prayers for God to handle.

If anything scares the average Christian who is hard-pressed on every side with issues, it’s how to wait for God to honor His part of the Covenant agreement. We love to hurry into everything. Children are hurried into adulthood. Marriages are hurried as people race to become couples. Computers have not blessed us either. At a click of a mouse we receive much information. Our problem is how to sift through thousands of information and find the best to suit whatever we need.

Unconsciously, we rush through prayer and Church meetings. The greatest challenge facing Preachers in recent times is time: how to manage their time in the pulpit before they lose the attention of the congregation. A whole week of sermon preparation culminates in a thirty-minute preaching. No one cares too much about waiting for the promises of God. Many of the modern day Christians believe that patience belongs to old theology. Our quick-fix society makes the divine attribute of patience and long-suffering an outdated term. We need to have it, and have it now. Everyone is searching for that great theological “keys” that will unlock the door to our “Disneyland of joy unspeakable”

We forget so easily that wherever we turn in the Bible, “we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses.” The writer of Hebrews encourages us not to throw in the towel yet, but instead, “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, and (now) sat down at the right hand of the throne of God,” (Hebrews 12:1,2).

W are called to “Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” as you seek answers from God.

Consider Jacob for example. When he needed courage to face Esau (a blessing we all need), he wrestled all night in prayer. Our Esau is out there waiting to meet us. We know it and we are most often terrified by it: the hostile world. Jacob knew that the only way he could survive was through the blessings of God. He spent all night in prayer and when the Lord appeared, he held on tight to Him, wrestled all night until dawn (Genesis 32:22-32). In the end, he prevailed.
The Bible is full with men and women of prayer.

Many prayed in earnest and got God’s ear.
Let us profile Jesus’ life as an example of one who prayed in all and every situation.

Jesus derived His power, not only because He was privileged or highly favored by God. Instead, He prayed more than we have been taught to believe. There was no time that Jesus wandered about daydreaming. He knew His role was to save the world. He knew that God sent Him on a difficult mission. His only assurance of victory was by adopting a constant and consistent prayer life. What level is your prayer life?

I am convinced many Christians will be surprised to learn that Jesus’ amazing power did not come to Him automatically. Many will be surprised to hear this statement. But hang on with me, will you?

I will submit to you, my dear reader, that Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, whose name and presence spelt trouble for demons, prayed unceasingly. Going away more frequently by Himself into the mountains to pray was Christ’s normal practice. In Christ’s humanity as the Son of Man, He developed a disciplined prayer life that was consistent and intensive.

Tracing His early life, the Gospel of John says of Jesus, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
The word “flesh” in Greek is called “sarx” which is translated to mean, having natural generation and decent, and consequently kindred. Jesus was born into a family with siblings (half brothers and sisters). His own brothers refused to recognize His divinity because of the common relationship they all shared.

Luke also gives us a glimpse of how Jesus grew up. “When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was with Him” (Luke 2:39,40).

First, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Then secondly, “the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was with Him (grace--God’s unmerited favor). He grew up as a normal child blessed with wisdom and grace—gifts you and I have.
As we follow this line of thought, we realize that Jesus lived a normal life whilst growing up. When he stepped out into full ministry, having been baptized in the Jordan, He went into the desert to be tempted by Satan.

For forty days Jesus fasted and prayed day and night. After the temptation, He retuned to Galilee (his hometown) in the power of the Spirit, “and news about him spread through the whole country side” (Luke 4:14).

Did Jesus stop praying? No! He prayed on every issue and situation. At times, he spent the whole night praying in relatively simple things such as choosing His apostles: those who would be with Him throughout His ministry. One would think the Son of God would have answers right at the tip of his fingers, but no. He chose to pray to God, His Father to align His Will with that of His Father’s.

Why should Jesus spend an entire night praying to choose twelve men out of many to be His disciples? One would think, as the Son of God, he should have tailor-made answers to all His needs.

Luke 6:12 give us this account; “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountain side to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When the morning came, he called His disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated apostles.” Remember the time. He had been in prayer for about NINE to TWELVE hours.

If there lived anyone on the face of the earth who prayed, it was Jesus. His love for His Father sent Him constantly into His presence. He always wanted to hear God’s voice, not His own. He wanted to be led by God’s will, not His own. On almost every situation He prayed and asked God, and got confirmation before He embarked on an action.

The Son and His Father stayed in close communion. Jesus did or said nothing without the Father’s consent.

This is what He said of his works and teachings:
"Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing His work,” (John 14:10). This should serve as a blow to the many egos we have on Christian Television today.
This is how Jesus responded when His disciples urged Him to eat. He told them, “My food is to do the will of He who sent me and finish His work” (John 4:35).

Again in His priestly prayer, Jesus said, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do,” (John 17:4). What glory are you hoping to show to God whilst you live? Jesus was humble enough to give glory to God in everything He did and said.

His extraordinary faith was because He allowed God to speak and work through Him. And this unity was achieved through nights and moments spent in ceaseless prayer.

When was the last time you spent two straight hours alone in prayer? Beloved, faith is not generated simply by reading the Bible or mimicking the name of Jesus.

Faith is the information we receive from God through His Word. This information is obtained through studying God’s Word and spending time with Him in prayer. Don’t wait until there’s a crisis before you spend all the time seeking instant solutions.

Daniel did not leave the presence of King Nebuchadnezzer depressed and troubled. He knew exactly what to do, who to turned to, and where to direct his prayers—to God of Israel (Daniel 6:10).

From His transfiguration on the mountain, Jesus came down to find His disciples struggling to cast out a demon from a little boy. The boy’s father pleaded with Jesus for help. Jesus told him, “Everything is possible for him who believes.” He commanded the demons to leave the little boy and they obeyed. Back in privacy, the disciples asked Jesus why they could not do it.
Jesus response? “This kind can come out only with fasting and prayers (Mark 9:14-29).

How many of us take decisions by consulting God? At times, family and friends will ridicule us if we rely too much on God. Let us remember that Jesus had a mind of His own. Earlier on we were told in Luke 4:39,40 that “He grew with wisdom and full of Grace.”

In another instance, Jesus sent His disciples away after feeding the five thousand. After that event, He went up to the mountains to pray (Matthew 14:23-33). Around the fourth watch of the night (about 3:00 a.m.), Jesus went out to them walking on the water. The terrified disciples were amazed and relieved to see that it was Jesus. He had been in prayer for over NINE hours.

Waiting on God is very difficult. We must have very good reasons to spend one hour with God. On the contrary, we can spend hours doing things of our: e.g. jobs. Jesus spent time in prayer.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed all night. He waited on God. When He heard nothing he went back again and prayed the second time. Each time Jesus did not receive an answer, He went back and intensified his pleadings.
Waiting upon God is a test of our faith and this faith produces patience (James 1:3). Our asking must be with intensity. Jesus asked God’s will with “sweat that looked like blood.”

As C.H Spurgeon puts in his devotion, “It may seem an easy thing to wait, but it is of the postures, which a Christian soldier learns not without years of teaching. Marching and quick marching are much easier to God's warriors than standing still. There are hours of perplexity when the most willing spirit, anxiously desirous to serve the Lord, knows not what part to take. Then what shall it do? Vex itself by despair? Fly back in cowardice, turn to the right in fear, or rush forward in presumption? No, but simply wait. Wait in prayer, however. In dilemmas between one duty and another, it is sweet to be humble as a child, and wait with simplicity of soul upon the Lord”

The ultimate question we should be asking in prayer is, “What is God’s ultimate purpose for allowing us to remain on our knees longer than we would have liked? He reacts according to the issue at stake. There may be some rough edges in our attitude He wants to prune to make us yield better fruits. It does not matter to God how long you have been in prayer. What is important to Him is how to prepare you to inherit all the PROMISES He has for your life.

Hebrews argues for perseverance so that when we have done the will of God, “we shall inherit the promise,” (Hebrews 10:36). James also reveals that, “the testing of our faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that we may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:3,4).

Therefore, do not stop praying. The delays are always in your favor. It is God’s ultimate plan to help us grow and become spiritually complete, and not lacking anything. Yes, lacking absolutely NOTHING!


“The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride,” (Ecclesiastes 7:8


PART THREE: Why does it take God so long to answer our prayers? What must we do as we wait?

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