Have you heard that a believer can name it and claim it? We pray, God gives. Right? Isn't that how it's suppose to work if we ask in His name?
"Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for." 1 John 5:14-15
See, it isn't according to our flesh wants. It's in accordance with His will. We are to be so in tune with our Lord that when we pray it's what He wants us to pray for.
"In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit's mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." Romans 8:26-27
Prayer isn't our time to get our flesh list out and start with the top and work our way to the bottom. Prayer is communion between the believer and her Savior. A sweet time of reflection. Sure, it's being honest and sharing all with our Lord, but it's giving Him time to speak to us that truly gives us peace. This is where we can struggle. We pray our flesh, what we think should happen or not happen. We kind of like to tell God what He needs to do, right? I know I'm not alone there. But see, when we are united with Him and allow the Spirit to move through us, we are no longer praying our wants, but His will.
It's quieting our soul so that we can hear the Spirit speak. Sure, we need to share every aspect of our lives with Jesus. He already knows our need and our want, but what's even more important is that we need to remember that He knows our perfect need. He has perfect timing.
"Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. and the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
Ever pray and get angry because what we expected or wanted to happen didn't? So we lash out at God. We think He doesn't care or isn't in control. It's just the opposite. He's in total control. He chose us. Do we really think He would want anything less than perfect for His children? He sees far beyond what our vision allows. This is where trust and faith grow.
"You did not choose Me, but chose you. I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. This is what I command you: Love one another." John 15:16-17
When we are united with Christ this is when we are complete. This is when the Spirit moves through us to accomplish the will of God. Praying God's will isn't always easy. Sure, it's easy when it's what we want, but if He doesn't want that healing here on earth? What if healing is complete on the other side of heaven? What happens when the job we have wanted for years goes to someone else? Could it be that God has another direction for us? Could it be that in our journey of seeking His will we truly find ourselves in Him?
"Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints."
Ephesians 6:18
This life isn't easy. Being a Christian isn't a cake walk. Just because we believe doesn't mean we get what we want or think we deserve. It's praying for His will, whatever that will is, we learn to quiet ourselves and rest in the fact that He is in control and He wants nothing but the best for His children.
"Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Don't stifle the Spirit." 1 Thessalonians 5:17-19
Prayer is having a conversation with our Savior, our Friend, our Father. It can't be one sided. He isn't a genie in a bottle. He doesn't just want us to go to Him on the whim when we decide we want something. He wants communion with us. He wants all of us, not just our wants.
We gain strength and peace through prayer when we pray for God's will. It's when we leave the Spirit out of conversation and allow the flesh to take over that we are left anxious and angry. Things don't go our way and what happens? We stop talking to God.
I've been in those one sided conversations when I've wondered when the person speaking was ever going to just shut up and let someone answer. We like to talk about ourselves, don't we? I sometimes I ramble on with the Lord and He listens graciously, but there He speaks straight to my heart, "Oh, daughter, if you could only stop talking long enough to hear Me, you would understand more and grow more and wisdom would abound." Do we ever just stop long enough and ask God what He wants for us?
"Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:1-5
The Lord takes pleasure in us coming to Him with our every need. We too should take pleasure our one on One times with the Lord. These are not just willy nilly times, they are moments when we surrender our flesh and allow the Spirit to move. I'm learning to quiet myself more and more. It's these moments that I let my guard down that I have learned to totally rely on Him and to trust His answers. I can't say that I always understand. Can't say I even always like the answer, but I'm growing to trust Him. This is part of our journey.
