Delay is not Denial
Pray - (1/2 minute)
Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."
Read: Psalm 40:1-5
We live in a society time of immediate gratification. If you want something, you can get it soon and if the wait is too long for you one place, you can look for another place to get something sooner. If that expectation is carried into your prayer life, it can lead to discouragement and disillusionment when a prayer is not answered either in the way you asked or in a time you wanted. But delay is not denial. God is always at work and He has purpose in the delay.
One purpose is to test the desire. James 4:3 points out that "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." God loves to give good gifts and blessings to His children, but some prayers that are for ourselves may not actually be the best for us. A second purpose is to strengthen your character. Delays in answer give opportunity to deepen your faith and walk with Christ. A third purpose is to teach spiritual warfare. Paul pointed out that the weapons of spiritual warfare are not of this world. Prayer takes you into the armory of heaven to bring about spiritual victory in your life and in this world. Don't quit praying because the answer is not immediate. Keep praying. The answer will come.
Apply - (2 1/2 minutes )
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)
Read - (2 1/2 minutes) - "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."
Read: Psalm 40:1-5
We live in a society time of immediate gratification. If you want something, you can get it soon and if the wait is too long for you one place, you can look for another place to get something sooner. If that expectation is carried into your prayer life, it can lead to discouragement and disillusionment when a prayer is not answered either in the way you asked or in a time you wanted. But delay is not denial. God is always at work and He has purpose in the delay.
One purpose is to test the desire. James 4:3 points out that "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." God loves to give good gifts and blessings to His children, but some prayers that are for ourselves may not actually be the best for us. A second purpose is to strengthen your character. Delays in answer give opportunity to deepen your faith and walk with Christ. A third purpose is to teach spiritual warfare. Paul pointed out that the weapons of spiritual warfare are not of this world. Prayer takes you into the armory of heaven to bring about spiritual victory in your life and in this world. Don't quit praying because the answer is not immediate. Keep praying. The answer will come.
Apply - (2 1/2 minutes )
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)
Recent
Archive
Categories
no categories