Woohoo! So, I KNOW we must be on the right track, ladies, because what do I find in my inbox last night? An article about pushing through "unanswered prayers" with confidence, TRUST and speaking against FEAR! Aha! so, here is an excerpt from the article--enjoy!
It’s tough to pray someone all the way through a messy, hard, complicated situation and not see answers. Maybe you’ve been there. Maybe you’re there now.
Can I speak hope into your heart with three ways to press through unanswered prayers?
1. Know with confidence God hears your prayers.
First John 5:14 reminds us, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (NIV).
2. Trust that prayer makes a difference, even when you don’t see the difference.
It may take a while for you to see God answer your prayers. But don’t miss an “in the meantime answer” you can receive right away. Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us of the immediate answer to every prayer: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (NIV, emphasis added).
Did you catch it? It’s the peace of God that will guard your heart and mind in the process while you’re waiting for God to reveal His answer to your request. When you pray, you can trust you’re doing your part, and God will certainly do His part.
3. Tell fear it has no place in this conversation.
These prayers are your gateway to feel an assurance you don’t see yet. But fear will beg you to focus on the problem more than God’s promises. Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (NIV).
So--how's it going with our new topic: What IS Trust?? Like Confronting FEAR, Trust is a yet another biggie. Speak up and let us know what pathways the HolySpirit is directing you onto and how things are changing. transforming, clarifying--so we can change/transform/be clarified with you!
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ReplyDeleteFear is unnnecessary because like a child we only have to look up and grab our fathers hand to feel secure.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that, Helen! Good to see you have successfully arrived on the blog!! Yay!
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Delete#3 'fear has no place' - I love this proclamation. as Jesus said, 'Get behind me Satan', identifying the literal minions of the enemy trying to distract, shackle & distort our LOVE relationship with our Maker, God. and I love the explanation 'fear will BEG you to focus on the problem' yes, so true. 'more than God' - yes, taking us off course, away from our anchor & friend, Christ, blurring our vision with lies, unimportant time wasting issues & whatever it takes to veer us away from our ministries. and the sentence ends with 'more than God's promises'. I want to hold onto HIS Truth, not my concerns, breathing in More of HIM and exhaling my desires & concerns. leaving it with HIM to resolve, manage & pour out HIS love. I guess I now see the "fight" Mandy may have been referring to in this struggle of not letting go of our fears. tks for the insight. on a different angle, this weekend my daughter just read a Human of NY story interviewing a pastor during the Ruwandin genocide. he & his wife protected 100's fleeing the killings. militants stormed his property several times & they were all ready to be slaughtered. he said other pastors & parishioners did not stand up as he did because of FEAR. he recognized some killers as neighbors, parishioners, etc & he looked them in the eyes & said he would be with Jesus when he dies, where would they be when they die? many grumbled and walked away! the propert was spared! he wonders how many lives could have been saved had others had the courage to speak up and act. sometimes I have the courage/faith, other times I don't. I keep trying, growing and learning. tks everyone
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome testimony of strength and confidence in the midst of fear...and in face of the very real threat of physical death! How powerfully LIFE-changing is the steadfast belief that our lives do NOT end with death. How strong, powerful and effectual would my stance in the face of any threat truly be, if I could stand confidently upon my declaration that "I WILL be with Jesus when I die so therefore..." ...so therefore I do NOT fear...
DeleteWhoa...so much goes into that statement. Who IS the Jesus I declare? What DO I believe in when I say "I BELIEVE"? What manner of "death" is included in that--physical? soul? spirit?...wow i'm feeling all goose-pimple-y with that last one.
The distraction of FEAR is a huge one--and it has NO place in my conversation with a God upon whom all of my life depends!! Thank you, Ellen!! So Nice to see you here on the blog!