Message Board
BELIEVING GOD
Jesus said to ask and that it would be given to you, to seek and you would find, to knock and the door would be open to you. He also said that all things whatsoever we ask in prayer, believing we shall receive. Yet, the Sons of Thunder asked if they should call down fire from heaven. Why didn't that happen? Well...Jesus turned and rebuked them and said you know not what spirit you are of. The mother of Zebedee's children asked if her sons could sit on Jesus' right and left hand when he entered into his kingdom. Why didn't he grant that? Well... He told her that she didn't know what she was asking and went on to let her know (amongst other things) that these positions weren't his to give, but belonged to those whom the Father was to prepare. So, they did ask... and they DID RECEIVE... not what was asked for, but they did receive an answer and it wasn't necessarily no, but rather a correction... a redirection into what his will is. He really wants us to know what his will is so that knowing it, we can ask and nothing would be impossible to us as we are armed with heaven's understanding, timing, etc., which is often NOT linear. So, I encourage you to WAIT for your answer AND weigh your heart... what SPIRIT your request is of, and if you are even really KNOWING what you are asking and some of its basic conseqences. Have we truly sought out heaven for an understanding of that which we are asking for or are we being hasty? Being that he lives within our hearts, but outside of time, Father knows best. I believe Jesus is the yea and amen (the yes and so be it)... but ONLY to the glory of God. He really is the God of Yes, but again, only to the glory of God. John said that if we ask according to his will, he hears us. This in particular brings in the sovereignty of God. I think often the sovereignty of God is mostly settled for many topics, but he has put many of those things (not all) underneath our authority and is waiting to see what decisions we will make as well as when and how we will make them. In other words, the sovereignty of God often is in fact many times waiting on the sovereignty of each of us... what spirit we are of... and knowing what we are actually asking for, whether it is to the Glory of God or something else like our own flesh.
ASK WITH RIGHT MOTIVES
James 4:3 reads, "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." This is also the will of God being hung up on the will of man. It implies that they would receive if they asked with correct motives. The story of Mary sitting at Jesus' feet and Martha busy serving and wanting Jesus to tell Mary to help details how each of us can easily think we are doing God's will though our serving, but can also easily have wrong motives in the things we ask. That's man's mixed sovereignty... the willingness to do good and having evil right there next to it like Paul talked about. I believe it is a given that Mary eventually served throughout her life, but one thing was required for that particular moment... and that was to sit at Jesus' feet... and as he said... it wouldn't be taken away from her. So, really... are we asking for him to do things on our behalf in some small way to our glory, or is it really to his glory that we are asking? Sometimes, it is our timing, a yes from him, but in a little while... And then we wither like the seed sown on the path that didn't have depth of earth as time and tribulation comes. I personally believe that when it comes to sickness, his will is that we are 100% whole... on earth as it is in heaven. Our family has pressed toward this in the grace of God and has a lot of stories of how God has come through for us to keep us healthy. Even still, we have our areas that we've fallen short of what we had hoped. I can also name those. Why aren't those things the way we hoped? I don't exactly know, but I know his will is 100% healing. His bread was broken that my bread would be made whole. Forgiveness of sins and salvation were provided at the cross when he died, but the first whip mark upon his body provided for my healing. Moreover, eternal life and more was granted at his resurrection. As long as he lives, I can live. As long as he is whole, I can be whole., etc. So, I don't believe it can be classified as just simply "not his will" when things don't happen the way I think they should and I don't want to use this idea to make excuses on God's behalf for what could seem to be unanswered prayer and thereby embark on a life with a powerless God - especially when all along I may have been the one who didn't have the patience and steadfastness to persist in prayer, ask with right motives, diligently search out the matter to understand it, heaven's timing, etc. Of course, other things can affect this as well, but I figured to start here... the problem is often on my side more than on His. Instead, I will focus on the testimonies of what he has done and continue to work out my salvation with fear and trembling... reaching for a greater understanding of Him and what I am asking for, if it is truly for his glory, and of the right spirit, and in the right timing.
NOT JUST PRAYER ASKING GOD, BUT ALSO DECLARATION
Jesus said "Truly I say unto you, that whosoever shall say to this mountain, be removed, and cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he says." This details that sometimes our own DOUBT is an issue and sometimes we've asked and asked God and his will for that moment is that we DECLARE. All of this is probably classified under believing him and what he says about any given subject... that we are who he says we are and can do those things that he says we can do. So often though, we wrestle with feelings of inadequacy and think that we aren't worthy... we are so haughty, evil and wrong to doubt his goodness by thinking evil constantly about ourselves... or others for that matter. So often we try to believe the best about ourselves while truly believing the worst about ourselves...(I'm ugly. I'm not good enough. I'm not smart enough. I'm a failure..., etc.) and at the same time believe the worst about others, while secretly admiring them or feeling jealous of them. This is the epitome of pride. In this place, we have exalted ourselves up against the knowledge of God and have believed a lie instead of the finished work of the cross... That we are lovely because he says we are lovely... that we are worthy because he says we are worthy... that we are forgiven because he says we are forgiven... that we are sons and daughters of the Most High God who serve because he says we are. I could say, "I am a real estate agent", but that's not what I really am. Because of who Jesus is and what he has done, I am a son of the Most High God who serves through the area of real estate. I don't mind saying I am a real estate agent, but I know what I really am. If you are in a position that you think is unimportant or even esteemed lowly by man, just remember that what you are doing in that position and the position itself do NOT define you. As I said before, you are a son or daughter of God who is serving in such and such capacity. If you are in a position that is esteemed highly by man, also remember... you are NOT defined by that position, but you are a son or daughter of God. We are sons that serve. He calls us friends. Even still, with that revelation of sonship, we are to take upon ourselves that we are as unprofitable servants when asked to do something, whether seemingly significant or insignificant. We aren't to think greater of ourselves than we truly are nor are we to think lesser. We are sons. So, we have no place believing bad stuff about ourselves (self-doubt) or others and we have no place believing we are God's gift to humanity or that others are as well. We are the Bride of Christ... He loves us dearly and does not withhold his goodness from us. There's nothing he wouldn't do for us that is truly for our good and to the glory of God. No matter what, we must apply grace that we are going to miss the mark and fall short, that we are even going to be unfaithful at times, but hallelujah that even when we are unfaithful, he remains faithful because he cannot deny himself. We stand up, repent, and move on. We confess our sins and he is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We no longer have to hold our heads low in shame. Glory to God! His love endures forever! And... he is always here for us in our time of need as he will never leave us or forsake us.
DEBT
Moving on from this, I want to gently remind you that the scriptures say that "the borrower is servant to the lender." So, be super prayerful about going into debt in the name of "believing God" for something because it may be outside of his will for you in such manner. What you are believing God for may be 100% his will, but how you do it is important too. Most of us agree that praying and fasting is part of God's will... but praying and fasting to secretly be admired by others or the like, is not. Keep going into that secret place... your prayer closet... where it is just you and Him. An evangelist that Brandy and I both like, says, "Underground prayer produces above ground results." I like that, but I'd lie to you if I said that I am even close to being always on my face before the Lord. He is good. I am only good because he says I am. I am only clean because he has washed me. If it weren't for his Spirit, I would have denied him long ago. In fact, my own personal unfaithfulness testifies well to the fact that I have already denied him many times... and I didn't even hear the rooster crow once! But... alas... I don't get the last word. He does, and he says I am already clean because of the word spoken to me, that I am the head and not the tail, the lender and not the borrower, that I am forgiven, that I am seated with Him in heavenly places. Glory to God! His mercy endures forever!
I've carried on long enough. God bless you guys!
Ervin