Waiting in the "Not Yet"
Today's topic is an alternative to yesterday's study of God's answer of "No" to our prayers.
We are encouraged to persevere in the waiting for answered prayer (aka become a member of #TeamNeverQuit).
Sometimes God's response to our prayers is "Not yet" because He requires spiritual development and submission from us first.
Once a believer's heart and will are aligned with the Lord's, the healing or situational adjustment can take place.
For example:
Luke 18:1 NLT
“One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 'There was a judge in a certain city,' he said, 'who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, "Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy." The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, "I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!" Then the Lord said, 'Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will He find on the earth who have faith?'”
If ever there was a current day encouragement to keep praying though the world's injustices seem unbearable, this is it.
Galatians 6:9 NLT
“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”
Again, join #TeamNeverQuit.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV
“...Pray without ceasing...”
Where are my Prayer Warriors at?
Romans 12:12 NKJV
“...rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer...”
We are urged to develop patience in our afflictions and to constantly pray.
II Chronicles 7:14 NKJV
“...if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
What are we waiting for? A French revolution?
James 4:6 and 4:10 NKJV
“But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'”
“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
Psalm 66:18 NLT
“If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”
Matthew 6:6-8 NKJV
“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”
These James-through-Matthew verses outlined here are the verses that lead us to submission and development while waiting in the "Not yet."
On the flipside to the "Not yet" of God's answered prayer, many nonbelievers' healing comes first so that God can be acknowledged and His handiwork glorified.
Naaman (2 Kings 5:1-19)
Naaman, a Syrian military commander, was healed of a longstanding case of leprosy after obeying the prophet Elisha’s instruction to wash seven times in the Jordan River.
Initially, Naaman refused the instructions because of a preconceived notion of how Elisha should behave and respond to his initial request.
Naaman eventually submitted to the prophet's directions in humility.
This passage emphasizes his physical cleansing and subsequent recognition of the God of Israel rather than a prior internal repentance.
King Abimelech of the Philistines (Genesis 20:1-18)
This heathen king is tricked by Abraham into thinking that Sarah is his sister, not his wife. The king takes Sarah, but God warns him away from her in a dream. The king and his household were rendered barren while Sarah was under the king's control.
After returning Sarah untouched, the king scolded Abraham for not telling him Sarah was Abraham's wife. Abraham then prayed for the king, and God restored the fertility in the king's household. Then the king acknowledged that the God of Abraham was indeed with Abraham in all that he did (Genesis 21:22).
Even a Philistine recognized God's power and sovereignty when put on display.
Hagar (Genesis 16:7-15)
Hagar’s faith is characterized by her trust in God despite being an Egyptian slave who faced rejection, abuse, and exile. She is distinctively noted as the only person in the Bible to name God El Roi ("the God who sees me") after an angel appeared to her in the wilderness.
What is interesting is that she acknowledged that God saw her towards the beginning of humanity while she was a non-believer.
God blessed her anyway, knowing she would bear a child pivotal to the Islamic faith/cult. Ishmael's descendants continue to attempt the annihilation of God's chosen people through the centuries.
These Old Testament stories deal with individuals that exhibited zero evidence of faith in God previously. Their faith transformations occur after their healings and restorations, all so that God's glory would shine through to hardened hearts.
From the New Testament:
The Man Born Blind (John 9)
Jesus heals a man who had been blind from birth. When the disciples asked whose sin caused his blindness, Jesus responded that his blindness was not punishment, but so God's works might be displayed through this blind man.
Here, the long-standing infirmity was the necessary context for the miracle.
It would lead to the blind man’s spiritual awakening and the revelation of Jesus’ identity, a result that might have been less profound without the severity of his condition.
Lazarus (John 11:1-44)
Jesus’ close friend Lazarus became ill and died. Jesus deliberately waited four days before raising him from the dead.
The prolonged suffering and death were essential to demonstrate Jesus’ power over life and death, creating a more significant impact on the witnesses’ faith than an immediate healing would have.
As believers, we sometimes take a "Show me" stance in our prayer expectations. While this is understandable for a person with skeptical or shaky faith (like Thomas, John 20:24-25), we are to develop a faith that is rooted in trust.
We trust that God has our backs based on His Word and previous blessings, not because we constantly demand proof through miracles and answered prayer.
Remember that the rainbow is God’s promise of "Never again." We can trust Him at His Word
He's got us.
Mush
SHARING THE GOSPEL
by Calvary Chapel FTL
The Gospel Is Global
By Pastor Dan Hickling
“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”—Romans 1:8 (NKJV)
Over the past few days, we’ve seen that the gospel is global. It’s capable of taking root, growing, and flourishing in any environment. The gospel is for everyone, everywhere. And because the gospel is global, so are its followers.
Consider this for a moment: If you’re a Christian, at this very moment there are men and women on every other continent who share your deepest beliefs and pray to the same Father. There are brothers and sisters on the other side of the world seeking the Lord’s wisdom for their next decision just as you do. Christians thousands of miles away are pouring over the pages of Isaiah, Psalms, Luke, Galatians, and the rest of the Bible just like you!
In Christ, we are truly part of a global community. We are connected to something so much bigger than ourselves . . . a family of faith wrapping around the world. If you’ve ever been part of a family, you understand how the whole family celebrates when one member achieves something. Maybe a goal was scored, a performance went perfectly, an article was published, or a promotion came through. Everyone in the family comes together in celebration when one member succeeds.
Put all of this together and you get a sense of what Paul is saying to the Christians in Rome in the passage above. He’s telling them that word has gotten out about their faith. Despite being in the heart of a pagan society, they’re blazing a spiritual trail for the gospel, and the entire worldwide family of faith is hearing and cheering them on. Imagine the impact this had on them!
The nature of the gospel and the family of faith hasn’t changed. As Christians, we’re still part of a global community connected by our faith in Christ. And our faith in Him has the effect of encouraging the rest of our spiritual family and vice versa.
Word gets out about the faith of our Christian brothers and sisters living in the Middle East, Far-East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and it humbles and challenges us in our own spiritual lives. We may not live in places as heavily persecuted, but make no mistake, our faith in Christ has the power to encourage others regardless of where we’re located. What effect is your faith having on the rest of the family as word gets out?
DIG: What feature defines our family of faith?
DISCOVER: Why is it so important to recognize this? What effect is your faith having on the rest of the family?
DO: Encourage a member of the worldwide family today. Write an e-mail to a missionary, or call a friend in another part of the country or the world. Share an encouraging word with a brother or sister who is bringing the gospel to the ends of the earth!
PRAYER:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Forgive us our lapses in trust and faith. Help us in our times of disbelief to remember all of the times You've delivered us from catastrophe and illness. Forgive us our doubts and skepticism. In Jesus' name, Amen.