Message of the week:
Series: The Power of Prayer in the Christian Life
Walking forward in faith
So, as Lord revealed His plan, 'PARITRAN', The Church in the House starts with the mission for preparing God's children to become a part of the body of Christ.
Series: The Power of Prayer in the Christian Life
Walking forward in faith
“Jesus
said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him
that believeth. ” (Mark 9:23)
God’s will for us is to always move forward in the Christian life in
faith while we are contending and pursuing in prayer to see the
manifestation of His promises in our lives. The majority of the body
of Christ today is in a misconception that prayer moves God to work
in our lives. The truth is just the opposite. God has already moved
through His Son Jesus Christ on this earth. He has done His part in
the eternal blood covenant made with us through His Son. Now it is
our part to act upon His Word in faith in full cooperation with the
Holy Spirit in order to experience His promises in our life. So,
what prayer does is it moves us from the inside out. In other words,
prayer activates the application of faith working in us and makes us
effective receivers of the answer to that particular prayer.
Undoubtedly, we will require the help of the divine helper – The
Holy Spirit in this process who actually delivers us the promises of
God in this physical realm.
In many places in the scriptures, especially in the Old Testament
the Bible refers the righteous crying out to God for help from
above. In Psalms, 34, it says, “The righteous cry, and
the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.”
(Ps 34:17) We must know that God has accounted the
perfect righteousness of His Son Jesus Christ to us, but He has
never promised us a trouble-free life. But what He has promised us
“I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Heb 13:5)
No matter whatever challenges we face in life, He will be with us
carrying us through all of them victoriously. A classic example from
the Old Testament wherein the people of God received the answer of
their cry unto God is in the book of 1 Samuel 7, where God delivered
the Israelites from the hand of the Palestinians. We read that due
to the rebellion and sin against God the arc of the covenant
representing the presence and the glory of God had departed the
Israelites for twenty years. Finally when the turned away from their
wicked ways and sins to God and asked forgiveness accompanied by
prayer and fasting and crying. The prophet Samuel led them in this
process of repentance. Immediately after that when the Palestinians
heard that the Israelites have assembled in Mizpeh, they went up
against them. The scripture says, “And when the children
of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. And the
children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the Lord
our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the
Philistines. And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a
burnt offering wholly unto the Lord: and Samuel cried unto the Lord
for Israel; and the Lord heard him.” (1 Sam 7:7-9) So
while we cry out to God for His help we must not stop there, but
rather move forward in faith, believing we have received what we
have asked for, according to His will which is revealed in His Word.
Therefore, it is imperative to have the knowledge of His Word. Faith
is actually saying, that I believe, that I have received. Prayer is
a powerful tool given to us for using in our daily life targeting
every situation with the Word of God. But we got to be strong in
faith in order to receive the manifestation of His Word.
In order to become a strong receiver, we must first search out areas
in our lives where doubt and fear are prevailing and blocking us
from receiving the answer to our prayer. Then bring it to the Throne
of Grace in order to receive grace and mercy in the time of need.
Many a times it has been seen in the lives of the believers that the
answer of a particular prayer came as part of a divine plan upon a
specific person’s life but not at the receiver’s end. As for example
if we read the book of Acts chapter 12, from verse 1 to 17, we read
the account of the supernatural deliverance of the apostle Peter
from imprisonment. On one side, we read that ceaseless prayer was
being offered unto God for Peter. But when the Lord had send His
angel and took Peter out from the prison, he came at the house of
Mary the mother of John wherein many were gathered in prayer. The
scripture says, “And as Peter knocked at the door of the
gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. And when she knew
Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and
told how Peter stood before the gate. And they said unto her, Thou
art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said
they, It is his angel.” (Acts 12:13-15) In other words
here we see that God is present, the answer is ready but there was
no recipient. On other occasion when there is unbelief mixed with
faith it blocks the expectation even to believe for something good
to happen. A similar case took place with the healing of the demon
possessed boy and his unbelieving father who was the real deal in
the account of the gospel of Mark chapter 9. When the disciple was
unable to heal the case was brought upto the Master. The father had
asked the Master in unbelief that if He can help his boy in this
matter. The Lord answered, “So He asked his father, “How
long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.
And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to
destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and
help us. Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are
possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child
cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!
When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the
unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you,
come out of him and enter him no more!” Then the spirit cried out,
convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one
dead, so that many said, “He is dead.”But Jesus took him by the hand
and lifted him up, and he arose.” (Mark 9:21-25) This
unbelieving father represents the majority of the believers today in
the body of Christ who are in unbelief and are not experiencing the
victory which they are looking for. Let us therefore bring all those
areas of unwillingness to obey the Lord before the Holy Spirit and
follow His leading while we pray, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.
Therefore as we do that we are going to move forward in faith.
Ps(s) Ps 34, 1 Sam 7, Heb 13:5, 3:16-19, Acts 12:1-17, Mark 9:14-29.