Saturday Motivation: April is for Asking!
4th April 2020
Saturday Motivation! April is for Asking! Winners let`s glow!
Text: Matthew 7 v 7 – 8
Ask and it shall be given unto you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you, for everyone that asks receives and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Mark 11 v 24:
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.
Matthew 21 v 22:
And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith
John 16 v 24:
Until now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive that your joy may be full
John 14 v 14:
If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it
Introduction:
Having read through the entire Bible, there are over twenty verses of scriptures telling us to ask. This month also, God is admonishing us to ask, to keep asking and to never get weary of asking.
Some would say, I have been asking from time immemorial. Another set of people would say I have asked for so many things and I have not gotten the answers yet. Others would say, I have stopped asking because I am tired of waiting for answers.
That brings me to the topic of today. Why are we asking and not receiving response or should I say why are we asking but the situation refuses to change but is in fact worsening?
Factors that delay answers to prayers
I can do it on my own mentality:
A lot of people hate to ask others for help. They believe they are self-sufficient. The bible however encourages us to be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when we need help and brave enough to ask for help.
Sometimes people do not want to ask for help because they donot want to feel like a burden. Other times, people do not want to ask for help because of the fear of being turned down.
Others want to be always in control and cannot stand being at the receiving end.
I know that the Bible says that it is better to give than to receive but there is nothing wrong with seeking help or being at the receiving end once in a while.
As Winners, the bible encourages us to ask God for help on a daily basis because without Him, we can do nothing (John 15 v 5b). If we want to get far in life, we must not rely on our own strength. We must in fact do away with the (I am all – sufficient mentality) because no man born of woman is self-sufficient.
Asking contrary to God`s Will:
When we are put in a condition or situation by God, He wants us to ask for help. Without God`s help, we cannot do his will. This is because our spirits might be willing but our flesh is weak. God is the only one that can guide us on the right path. Believing that we can do everything on our own often leads to failure. The way it works is this; sometimes, God helps us by doing things Himself and at other times, He helps us through other people. We must never hesitate to ask for help from God orseek counsel from people that are experienced in the area where we require help.
Eradicate the belief that asking is a sign of weakness:
Asking for help does not mean one is weak rather it means that you are strong and wise. Not wanting to ask for help as a result of pride is contrary to biblical principles. Being proud, arrogant and boastful is a sin.
A lot of people refuse to ask for help even when they desperately need it. If we want to continue winning, we need to constantly ask the Lord for help and strength daily but we cannot do this until we realize that it is impossible to live our lives without Him.
Some think God is too busy and does not like to be troubled:
A lot of people do not know how God works. They think that God operates the way man operates. They think that God does not want to be troubled with their constant coming and asking. The way to trouble God is not to come at all. When this happens, the man is left to himself. Refusing to ask God for help is giving up on God and not giving Him a chance to be helpful. God is never weary or tired of our coming to Him. In fact, He is waiting patiently for us to come to His throne of grace and mercy so that He can show us His love and compassion. He is a faithful God and those that wait for His help are forever blessed.
Double- Mindedness:
Another reason why answers to prayers are not forthcoming is because of double-mindedness. James 1 v 8 says; A double minded man is unstable in all His ways. This simply means that the loyalty of this man or woman in question is divided between God and the world. They are unstable in everything they do. Such people should not expect anything from God. Their desire can never be satisfied by God and so when it seems to them like God is late, they devise their plan B, C and D.
If we want to continue winning, we must not have a divided heart, one lifted up to God and the other turned away from Him.
Pride:
The main reason that a lot of people do not want to ask for help from God is because of pride. They do not seek God. They have no room for God in their lives. They are self-consumed. The bible admonishes us to humble ourselves before the Lord so that He can exalt us. These same set of people will seek mediums and fortune tellers for help because they are in a hurry for answers. They prefer to get automatic results to their requests or should I say are optimistic about instant solutions to their problems and as such seek for magic in form of miracles.
Asking Amiss:
This is a situation where people make their requests to God in order to manipulate Him. They are believers who do not trust God totally to provide for their needs. They live according to the destructive wisdom of the world and are driven by envy and ambition. They do not trust in God to provide all they need and much more and as a result, their lives are consumed with fights and quarrels all in a bid to get what they want. They would be displeased if they asked from God and His answer is a no or wait. They do not understand that sometimes when God says no, it is for their best interest. Their prayers are not really requestsbut rather, their prayers are an effort to make God serve their selfish interests. They do not ask because they trust God as a Father who could provide for all their needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus, because He loves them and wants the best for them but instead, they try to plug God into their socket of worldliness where they can get whatever they want.
God on the other hand would not allow himself to be used to serve any selfish or envious ambition. He wants us to trust inHim totally that He can give us the best at the perfect time.
As winners, we must repent and trust God to provide for all our needs and to lift us up in His time. We must humble ourselves and acknowledge that all our plans are dependent on Him andthat He alone can change them at any moment.
Unbelief:
Romans 1v 18-21: says; For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world, His invincible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made so that they are without excuse . For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
The above scripture makes us understand that unbelief in God or in the things of God can lead to disastrous consequences. It can also lead to asking and not receiving because if you ask from a God that you do not trust or believe in, you do not get positive results. All you will get is total silence. Unbelief is very dangerous because it leads to lasting sorrow and prevents people from enjoying a relationship with God or experiencing His promises.
Biblical Examples of Asking and Receiving!
Whenever we go through a period of asking without receiving, rather than questioning the validity of our faith and wonder whether God really exists, we should go back to scriptures and dig up examples of people who asked and received.
Let`s look at the following examples;
• King Hezekiah: King Hezekiah was sick unto death and to make matters worse, God sent prophet Isaiah to inform him of his impending death. King Hezekiah however did not accept this message and rather than indulge in self-pity, he turned his face to the wall and prayed. He reminded God of his faithfulness and of how he Hezekiah had walked with God from his youth. According to scriptures we were told that God answered King Hezekiah`s prayer and sent the prophet to tell him that 15 years has been added to his life. This goes to prove that God will answer if we ask in faith. Isaiah 65 v 42 says; it shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.
• Joshua: In Joshua 10 v 11-14; when the Kings of the Amorites decided to attack Gibeon for forming an alliance with the children of Israel, they cried out to Joshua for help. Joshua responded by assembling his army of mighty men to war against the five Kings of the Amorites. God answered Joshua`s prayer and because it was getting dark and the war was not over, Joshua commanded the sun and the moon to stand still. God answered this second prayer as well and the sun stood still in heaven and did not go down for a whole day. This shows us that God is reliable and dependable and will answer us speedily if we ask in faith.
• Jabez: In 1 Chronicles v 4: 9 – 10: we read the story of Jabez who was more honorable than his brothers but he had a (but) in his life. His name meant sorrow and he was addressed and called Mr. Sorrow. Sorrow followed him everywhere until he took a step of faith and prayerfully asked God to keep him from evil so that he would not cause pain. God in His faithfulness answered his prayers. This means that as winners, we can prayerfully reject whatever we do not want in our lives.
• Hannah: Who had married into polygamy and was constantly berated by her rival Peninah was also childless. Her rival on the other hand had many children. However Hannah never ceased to go to the house of the Lord yearly. (1 Samuel 1 v 17). Her rival constantly provoked her and this left Hannah crying and losing appetite for food due to provocation from Peninah. Hannah did not say because she was sorrowful, she would not pray. She did not say that because God did not answer her on time, she would stop seeking His face or stop worshipping Him. She continued going to Shiloh and prayed fervently. The result of her fervency was Samuel and five additional children. This story motivates us to seek God for who He is and not for what we can get from Him.
• The Church when Peter was Imprisoned in Acts 12 v 1-17: The fervent prayers of the righteous resulted in God sending an angel to miraculously rescue Peter from prison where he was bound in chains. Peter was rescued and the soldiers that kept watch over him did not even realize that Peter had left the prison until daybreak. This miraculous escape from prison motivates us to continue praying without ceasing
Desperate situations of the kind we are in presently require desperate actions but people are sleeping. Some are so self-consumed that they are carrying on with life as if we are in a state of normalcy. At this crucial time, a lot are not sensitive in the spirit. They do not understand the times and the seasons. They do not know that the time of Noah has suddenly come upon us. A lot are not ready. They are not praying, they are not keeping vigil. They are not asking.
Remember that doors answers to keys, but it`s only when you have the right key that the door you are trying to open will open. Worldly wisdom cannot and will not proffer solutions to (this kind problems or Jabez like situations).
It is high time we begin to keep vigil and turn our faces to God in the place of prayer like never before. This is not a time to eat, drink and forget our sorrows. It is a time to plead for mercy and lift up our eyes to the hills.
If we begin asking in faith and avoiding the reasons for asking and not receiving mentioned above, our situation will change all over the world.
Prayer
Prayer for God`s mercy all over the world. Let`s pray for USA, Italy, Spain, China, France, UK, Germany, Canada, etc. Prayers for African countries in general; may this plague not wipe them out. They do not have the medical resources. We must keep in mind that countries that have the medical capability cannot cope. We therefore need God more than ever. Let us lift up our eyes to the hills. We shall not end up in any of the concentration camps in Jesus Mighty Name! Amen!
Reminder: Constantly plead the blood of Jesus over yourself and your household. Meditate on Psalm 118 v 17, Psalm 23, Psalm 24, Psalm 91 and Psalm 121.
It is well with our lives and our destinies in Jesus Most Holy Name! Amen!
Shalom!