What things so ever you desire when you pray believe that you receive them and you shall have them’
- DAILY READING 1 Corinthians 3; 1 Kings 15:33-16:34; Joel 3
Through the ages, there have been many great men of God, known for their exceptional prayer lives. These men stood resolute in the place of prayer and prayed until sometimes, even whole nations were moved. One of such men was John Hyde, who became nicknamed ‘Praying Hyde.’ This man spent most of his adult life on his knees. God would send him into towns that were under the power and dominion of the devil and he would pray as God led him and see major breakthroughs in the spirit realm. He ceased to live for himself and lived only to see the Kingdom of God manifest through him. As a result, multitudes were set free. God used him mightily to break the hold of darkness in cities, and bring many souls to Christ. Indeed he was a man possessed by the Spirit of God and used mightily by God in his generation. John Hyde often persisted in the place of prayer, until he received answers.
James 5:16 says: ‘The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much’.
A man who will fervently persist in the place of prayer, will have his answers. Much is achieved through prayer. Prayer does change things, prayer does level mountains. Indeed prayer works. However we must be willing to pay the price of persistence, if we want to see answers to our prayers.
Many people give up too soon before their answer comes. After a few prayers and nothing seems to be happening they just decide it is not going to work and they give up and conclude that God did not answer their prayers. But God answers prayers.
Mark 11:24 tells us ‘What things so ever you desire when you pray believe that you receive them and you shall have them’
This is the promise of God. That whatsoever we desire, when we pray God will answer us. It doesn’t matter how impossible the situation, as long as we commit to pray about it, God is committed to answer.
Getting answers in prayers requires resoluteness and a certain stubbornness. You have to decide that you will not quit until you get your result.
God does not store prayers, He answers them.
But we have to learn to persevere until the answer comes. The key is persistence. Refuse to give up. The enemy knows that if you persist you will receive, this is why he tries to discourage and weary you to give up before your answer comes. But tell yourself, it doesn’t matter how long it takes I will keep praying because I know God has promised me an answer and He keeps His promises. You will reap if you faint not.
If only you will dig in your heels and refuse to quit until your answer comes.
As long as you continue to call upon God, your answer will surely come. If you don’t give up praying God will eventually answer.
Perhaps you are believing God for the salvation of your loved ones, or for a breakthrough in a certain area, make up your mind to push in prayer until something happens.
In Luke 18:1 Jesus says “Men ought always to pray and not to faint”. Then He goes further to illustrate this principle by a parable in Luke 18:2-5, of how the widow’s persistence finally leads the Judge to avenge her.
We must learn the lesson from this determined widow not to quit praying!
We all have expectations for the year; there are goals, we desire to achieve at some set time. But the truth is: that we have to be persistent in prayer to see the manifestation of those desires. Things don’t just happen, they are made to happen. Certain doors might not be opened to you except you engage in violent prayer. There are many things that are rightfully yours, but you must contend through prayer to possess them.
Often times when God opens great doors for us, challenges and contentions arise.
1 Corinthians 16:9 says ‘For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries’.
But you do not just give up because there are many adversaries. Rather you enter the war room of prayer, and decide never to give up until your victory is established.
Indeed prayer works, and if we don’t quit, in due time ,we will surely receive our answer.
PRAYER: Lord, please give the grace to persevere in the place of prayer until my answer comes, help me not grow weary but to persist until I see my desired result. .
quote
Until you cry out in the place of prayer certain things won’t happen
– WORDBITE 222.
[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]