God Has Answered Your Prayer

By Winners Chapel International Nairobi

Your understanding determines your benefits in life. The reason many are weary in prayer is because they lack understanding of what happens in prayer or what to expect when they pray. Understanding is what sustains interest and excitement in prayer.

It instills faith in the heart and you know with faith nothing is impossible. One thing that will enhance your participation and results in prayer is the understanding that God is committed to answering your prayers.

We know God hears us when we pray according to His will (1 John 5:14). But, it is one thing for somebody to hear you and another thing for him to answer or grant your request. Many Christians lack assurance in this aspect. But Jesus said, “Ask, and it shall be given you…” (Matthew 7:7). Not “It may be given you” but “it shall be given.” And in verse 8 He said, “For every one that asketh receiveth…”So, answer to prayer is not reserved for a selected few, God will answer all that care to call. He is that committed.

Nobody gives his telephone number to somebody he doesn’t want disturbance from. So the reason God said you should call upon Him is because He is ready to hear you and give you your heart’s desires. And Ephesians 3:20 assures us that when God answers He does beyond what we can ask or think. There is no request you will ever make that can threaten or intimidate God. He is more than able to meet your need, because in Him consist the fullness of all things. Ever before you make your request, He has an answer ready. For “…Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him” (Matt 6:8).

And why will God answers your prayer? Hebrews 4:15 says, “…We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” During His earthly life, Jesus was attacked, opposed, and tempted as we are today. So He feels for us and identifies with our pains when we face challenges in life. God is compassionate towards you, and it is on this basis that verse 16 of Hebrews chapter 4 says,

God wants you to approach the throne of grace with the understanding that you are not alone in that battle, you have a God who cares about you and will not leave you to suffer. That is the mentality that will make you a full partaker of the grace you require for your help in the time of need.

God brought the Israelites out of bondage in response to their prayer because He saw their afflictions and was moved with compassion towards them (Exodus 3:7-8). I see that compassion flowing towards you today.

Meditate on these: Matt. 7:11, Psalm 50:15

God's Faithfulness

By Margaret D. Mitchell

"God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord."  -1 Corinthians 1:9

Recently, I’ve watched firey sunrises blaze up over mountaintops, burning off the low haze that tries to settle in on the placid river below my glass chapel in rural Tennessee.

Yes, a glass chapel that is pitched on a craggy riverbank, surrounded by decking and trees that stand around and hang over what I have lovingly dubbed The Son Room.

"But Christ is faithful as the Son over God's house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory."  -Hebrews 3:6

God led me to a cabin in the woods on the river’s edge to come away and finish my book and watch—in the stillness of the early mornings—His faithfulness shine upon me and His creations on earth.

And I sit silently. And I whisper praises.

To Him.

Of gratitude.

And birds sing in the glory of His new day—rejoicing over His fire of light, His strength of mountains, His peaceful waters, amid His provision. They are assured.

And I take it in. And I am thankful. For Him.

And I am assured, even more, that God is faithful in the simple and in the important, that…

·         Every morning brings an invitation for joy and new mercies.

·         No matter how small or large my faith, His faithfulness is certain.

·         He patiently and faithfully endures with me, even when I know I don’t.

·         His faithfulness never tires.

·         I can do nothing to earn it.

·         I can extend my faith to believe Him at His word to produce through me what He said He would by His grace.

·         I can trust Him consistently…in all things as I persist and as I rest. In all things.

And the sun rises and sets on another day of His glory. And I know that I am His beloved and that He is mine and that we will finish this assignment together because He is the author and the finisher of my faith (Heb. 12:2). Amen.

God’s Promises

In addition to salvation through Jesus, what has God promised you? What assignment is He helping you fulfill?

Hebrews 10:23 assures us that “…He who promised is faithful,” regardless of whether we are.

Do you realize that the fulfillment of God’s promise to you has an appointed time, that even if you waffle in your faith along your journey or you feel impatient at times, God will still faithfully lead you to receive the deliverance of His promise to you? You don’t have to fear that you will miss it. You don’t have to try to force it or forge out ahead unbridled or give up because you know you are not perfect. No, just follow The Holy Spirit’s promptings, and He will bring it to pass. He may lead you to speed up or slow down or to simply wait at times. But He is always on time.

And He is faithful. In all things. All things, even when we are not.

Just trust Him. Simply trust and obey and you will see the fulfillment of His promises.

Pray…

Dear Lord, Thank You that Your mercies are new every morning. Thank You that You took my sorrow at the cross and that You continue to faithfully turn my mourning into joy. Thank You that You will use everything I endure for good. Thank You for the reminder that You endured much more than I ever will, for which I am grateful. And thank You that your faithfulness meets my faith as I believe You at Your Word to fulfill all of Your promises in my life, according to Your righteousness. You are God, and I am not. I repent of all rebellion and arrogance. And I choose to yield my will to Yours, trusting in Your timing and strategies for Your purposes in my life and in others’ lives. Please open the eyes of my heart and mind to see life from Your perspective and to know You more and more along the way. I invite You to deliver me where You desire I be in this season and forevermore. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

How to Retain Your Blessing

“And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings…”- Malachi 2:1-2

“And now, O ye priests…” According to Revelation 1:6, God has made us kings and priests, so this passage refers to every believer, not only to pastors or preachers. “… Now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart…” It's one thing to hear, it's another thing to lay it to heart. You may forget what you hear but you can't forget what you lay to heart. God is telling us here that thanksgiving is a thing we must lay to heart; we must impress it upon our hearts.

When you lay something to heart it means you have made a decision to do it, your circumstances notwithstanding. Perhaps, the reason you are not consistent in some pursuits of your life is because you have not decided. The strength to carry out any duty or assignment is decision based.

God said, “…If ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you…” When you don't glorify God what looks like glory around you turns into shame. The absence of thanksgiving attracts curses. So, thanksgiving sustains blessings, it protects and shields your blessing from corruption.

We don't only thank God for what He has done we are also thank Him to retain what He has done. We thank Him to fulfill Eccl 3:14, “Whatsoever the Lord doeth it shall be forever.” Your blessings will endure only as long as your thanksgiving remains.

Thanksgiving will never leave you where it met you. Paul and Silas were in prison but as soon as they began to sing praises and give thanks to God, their chains gave way (Acts 16:25-26). No matter the pit you are in, when you start thanking God you start going up. Start thanking God in your low estate; you will soon end up in your high estate. I see you going up today!

Meditate On These: - Psalm 100:1-4

The wonderful ministry of Jesus Christ

The declaration of Jesus' coming to the world was unquestionably wonderful. The 40th verse of Luke 2 demonstrates that He likewise was Wonderful in youth: 40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. He was Wonderful in youth. No big surprise His Name ought to be called Wonderful. Later, He was Wonderful in ministry. When we consider His ministry, we contemplate the healing and the deliverance; we consider His whole ministry. It comprised in Word and works. Jesus said in John 14:12, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”12 We ought to deliberately examine and follow the work of Jesus. The Bible says concerning His ministry, “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, TEACHING in their synagogues, and PREACHING the gospel of the kingdom, and HEALING every sickness and every disease among the people” (Matt. 9:35). Our ministry ought to comprise of the same thing. We additionally see something about the ministry of Jesus in Luke 4:14, “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.” The Bible says He returned in the force of the Spirit. He was Wonderful in ministry. So we see that Jesus' ministry comprised first of instructing, then teaching, and, at last, healing.

During his ministry on earth Jesus accomplished more teaching than anything else. You'll find this on the off chance that you read through the four Gospels and underline the words "teaching" or "taught." Yet when we consider doing the works of Jesus, we typically consider healing the sick or maybe casting out demons. Those things are a piece of it, however showing the same is doing the works of Jesus. Presently see the 32nd verse: “And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.” Hallelujah! Then we note the 36th verse of this same chapter: “And they were all amazed, and spoke among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commanded the unclean spirits, and they come out.” They said that in response to what had happened in the 33rd verse: LUKE 4:33–37 33 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, 34 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. 35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. . . . As it were, Jesus said, "Be silent!" That's the way you need to address the devil instruct him to shut up. You can't be decent when managing the fallen angel. Whatever remains of verse 35 says: “And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.” That devil wanted to act up before he left. He knew it was his last chance, so he threw that fellow in their midst, but he came out and didn’t hurt him. 36 And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! For with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. 37 And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about. Obviously His popularity spread. At the point when individuals get healed and demons are cast out, individuals discuss it. . Jesus was Wonderful: In  ministry, Wonderful in works, and Wonderful in his Words. Peace be with you. In Jesus name.