“When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me.” (Psalm 138:3)
The phrase, “when I called”, appears in 4 verses in Psams, 18:6, 30:2, 99:6, 116:4. When we prayed, God answered us. Our prayer is different to those from religions, it’s like a son talking to his father, about his needs, feelings, thoughts, communication, etc. prayer is not only one-way, it’s not us telling God what to do, on the other hand, it’s more like Father and children. Yet often we treat praying liket business and customers, hence we will never get satisfied.
In David’s life, not all his prayers were answered according to his will, there were lots of problems in his life. Rev Daniel remind us that it’s normal to have things come against us, but we need to recognise that it’s not an accident when blessing comes to us.
It’s easy to remember bad things that other people have done in our life, but is it worth to do so? As Christians, how can we have the assurance and faith that God will answer me? We need to know the following principles:
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26)
Where is the confirmation? Just look around and we will see God’s blessings for us are always with us! We should stop complaining about our problems, but to always give thanks to whatever we have! It’s your decision to live in heaven or hell. No one knows our future, but God has already given us His confirmation that He will listen to our prayers and prepare the best for us!
2. This is the grace of God
“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)
Jesus did not come to judge but to save. Therefore don’t condemn, because Jesus has paid the price to redeem us so our relationship with God is restored. We receive the Grace of God not because how good we are in the church.
So when we know about God’s grace, as His child, we’d want to please Him like how we want to please our parents. We can do it by reading the Bible and understanding God’s heart
James 4:2b says, “You do not have because you do not ask God.” Do we ask God according to His heartbeat?
3. This is the mystery of God
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God” (Deuteronomy 29:29a)
We all want to know everything but we try to fix or control things using our own way. Rev Daniel shared with us that we need to have patience and waiting for God’s answer, don’t give up when our prayers have not yet being answered. But God will not put us in shame, He is preparing, and blessings are on the way!
4. This is our responsibility
Matthew 18:18 says, “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
God has given us the authority on this earth so we need to hold onto it. God will give us money and resources we need to bless others. So it is our responsibility to act, to walk out, to prayer for others for healing in the body and in the spirit. Moreover, to influence and bring revival to the community, the city, the nation and the world. God has given us the authority and ability to do so, we just need to take the first step!