

### Victory in Prayer

Putting Faith into Action

Written by Kimberly McRae

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;" Hebrews 12:2

Copyright 2013 Kimberly McRae

All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Smashwords Edition

**This book is available in print. Visit** http://www.kimberlymcrae.com **for more information.**

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Permission is granted to give this book in its current form without changes to anyone free of charge. It may NOT be sold, included as part of a sale package, or placed on a website selling goods without prior permission.

Request for permission to use any portion of this publication should be submitted to info@kimberlymcrae.com.

All Scripture references used in this book are from the King James Version and are not under copyright restrictions.

A Note on Royalties

_Freely ye have received, freely give_ – Matthew 10:8

This book is being offering in eBook form free of charge to anyone. For links to additional eBook formats, visit http://www.kimberlymcrae.com.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, for the death He paid on the cross for me and for His guidance throughout the writing of this book. He is the light in my life and the rock beneath my feet.

In loving memory of my sister-in-law, Wendi McRae, whose strong faith in the power of prayer had always been an encouragement.

To my dear friends and prayer warriors, Charlie and Tammy Tyree, our continued prayers for one another mean a great deal to me. May God continue to bless you and keep your faith strong!

To Tessa

For encouraging me during a time of need with your wonderful testament of answered prayer. May the Lord continue to increase your faith and bless you for your kindness.

### Table of Contents

Are You Living in Defeat?

Does God Have Time for Me?

Approaching God

The Repentant Heart

Becoming Dependent on God

Discerning the Will of God

Gaining Godly Wisdom

Seeking God's Protection

Praying for God's Mercy

Intercessory Prayer

Fasting Prayer

Key to Victorious Prayer

How Does God Answer Prayer?

Praise and Thanksgiving

Afterword: When Minions Attack

Appendices

Why We Use the King James Version  
What is Salvation?  
About the Author

Are You Living in Defeat?

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Romans 8:31-32

Christians all around the world are living in defeat; beaten down by circumstances within their life and allowing their joy to be stolen in an instant. Every Christian will face this feeling of discouragement at some point in their life. The difference between living in defeat and suffering a momentary setback can be seen in how the child of God approaches these times of trial.

_Victory in Prayer_ is a call to action for all Christians. As I write this book a storm rages overhead while sirens are ringing in the distance. Our emergency workers have been called into action to assist those that have been affected by the storm. Are we not living in stormy times today? Souls need salvation, the sick need healing, people need jobs, the afflicted need deliverance, the homeless need shelter, and we need victory over circumstances.

Will you walk with me on a journey of discovery in the Bible to learn how others throughout history have communed with God in prayer to bring about a change in their lives? Many have had true victorious battles where the odds were against them and God brought the victory. Others have sought complete recovery from afflictions or deliverance from difficult circumstances. We have a prescription for good health, financial stability, wisdom, protection, and guidance all within our grasp.

God's Resources to His Children

When I look around me I see sadness and suffering in the lives of my Christian brethren. I am grieved that they are not experiencing the peace and joy that comes from our faith in Christ. While we have not been promised a life that will be easy we do have a wonderful place where we can receive comfort through any trial we face. We can rest within the loving arms of our blessed Saviour knowing that He understands our circumstances. He is no stranger to suffering. He bore pain for our sins and experienced persecution for His proclamation that He is God the Son.

_He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. -_ Isaiah 53:3

The Lord has provided us with three tremendous resources to help us throughout our Christian walk. Our first resource abides within the body of every believer. Our Father has given us the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us. He brings to remembrance the things we have learned in God's Word. He also brings the power to overcome temptation and conviction when we are living in sin. If you have accepted Christ as your Saviour you can take comfort in knowing that the Holy Spirit lives within you and will never depart from you.

_And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. -_ John 14:16-17 (Words of Jesus)

_But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. -_ John 14:26 (Words of Jesus)

Do you remember reading stories as a young child where the hero would find a giant chest filled with great riches? You may have daydreamed of all the wonderful things you could do with such a treasure trove. Every one of us has something far more valuable that fits within our hands. It is the blessed Word of God.

Through His Word all of us have found our dear Lord and Saviour and then continued to find an abundance of knowledge and wise instructions to guide us through all of life's pathways. Studying God's Word can help us to discern false doctrines, make better decisions, and encourage us in our daily walk. The Bible equips us to handle any situation that we may be facing and guides us through all of life's uncertainties.

_As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. -_ Psalm 18:30

_All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. -_ 2 Timothy 3:16-17

This resource is not just available to Christians. The lost will find the gospel message within Scripture when they earnestly seek the truth. While the Holy Spirit does not dwell within the unbeliever, He does bring about conviction that they are separated by God as a result of sin and need for salvation. This can lead to repentance of sin and a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Each man, woman and child is responsible for their decision to accept or reject Christ. When you accept Christ you become a child of God.

_But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. -_ John 1:12-13

A great resource that all children of God have to help them gain victory over the trials of life is an intercessor, our Lord Jesus, sitting at the right hand of the Father. What a tremendous promise this is to every believer.

_For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; -_ 1 Timothy 2:5

_Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For 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._ \- Hebrews 4:14-16

We can take great comfort in knowing that we need only go to the Father in prayer in the name of Jesus and He will hear us. We could not ask for a better ally to speak to God the Father on our behalf.

God Can Bring Victory over Circumstances

We are very blessed to have these three wonderful resources available to us to help us through difficult times. Many Christians believe that if we are being obedient in all aspects of our walk with Christ that our life will be free from adversity. We have not been promised that our life will be an easy one. In fact, we are told just the opposite in God's Word.

_Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. -_ 2 Timothy 3:12

There is no denying that the child of God will suffer some form of persecution, suffer afflictions, and be subjected to trials -- but there is hope. God does not want us to be filled with emotional turmoil. He wants us to anchor ourselves to our faith in Christ and in our relationship with Him. We strengthen that anchor through the reading of God's Word and spending time with Him in prayer.

Around the world there are some Christians that have suffered physical harm or had to worship in secret for fear of a violent outcome. In countries that allow Christians to worship freely they may suffer other forms of persecution such as ridicule, loss of a job, division of family, or legal action for speaking the truth. Regardless of the degree of persecution that a Christian may be experiencing it can be a discouragement which can hinder their service and walk with Christ. God can carry you through these difficult trials. We can have victory over persecution today!

_As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. -_ Romans 8:36-39

Church prayer lists are filled with Christians in great need. Chronic health conditions and cancers afflict many, often accompanied with uncertain outcomes. The majority of these lists include the names of many who have not yet accepted Christ. The children of God are grieved by the spiritual state of their loved ones who are suffering without the peace that only Jesus brings. The Lord can deliver you from these circumstances and can bring about change for those that you love. We can have victory over afflictions!

_Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. -_ Psalm 34:19

Economic hardships have befallen cities, businesses, families and individuals. People have lost their homes and jobs. Many have chosen to cling to despair or depression instead of turning to God for the help they need. We are promised that God will provide for His children but that does not mean that we will be living on easy street. We need to take a step back from our financial condition and reevaluate our lives from God's perspective. We can have victory over lost jobs and economic trouble!

_Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. -_ Matthew 6:31-33

Now is the time for the children of God to take up the shield of faith and believe that He is able to bring us victory over _all_ our trials and troubles. We can triumph through prayer and unwavering faith in Christ Jesus. With a mighty Father watching over us and hearing our petitions do we need to fear what is to come tomorrow? Christians should not be embracing anxiety, fear or depression. God can bring you peace and joy while giving you courage to face each day. Our Heavenly Father gives us a wonderful promise of love, protection, and provision in Romans 8.

_What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? -_ Romans 8:31-32

One of the beautiful traits of our Father is that He is unchanging. The same God that used Moses to part the Red Sea and who brought down the walls of Jericho can tend to our needs today. He has already fulfilled our greatest need by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sin.

... _It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? -_ Romans 8:34–35

A Biblical Example of Victory through Prayer

With such tremendous promises why is it that Christians are accepting defeat? Is not our Father greater than any trial we are facing? Let us look to Scripture for guidance on how to handle adversity.

There are many examples of God's people triumphing during times of trouble. Scripture shows us that men of faith sought His counsel and intervention in times of need. Let us examine the petition of Asa, king of Judah, to see the victorious wonder of answered prayer when one of God's children turns their eyes to Him and Him alone.

Before we look at the prayer of Asa we need to take a brief walk in history to be reminded of the one great commandment given to God's Chosen People in Deuteronomy. They were commanded to love the Lord God with all of their heart.

_And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, -_ Deuteronomy 10:12

One of the kings of Judah that truly loved God and followed His commandment was David, the great-great-grandfather of Asa. This king was not perfect but God was pleased with him:

_Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. -_ 1 Kings 15:5

The matter of Uriah the Hittite spoken of in 1 Kings 15:5 refers to the two great sins of David. King David committed adultery with Uriah's wife, Bathsheba. Uriah met with a most unfortunate fate that was a direct result of David and Bathsheba's adultery. After Bathsheba came to David to inform him that a child had been conceived David sought to get rid of Uriah in a desperate act to conceal the adulterous relationship. David had given a commander in his army, Joab, a directive to place Uriah at the forefront of battle and to leave him there to die. Joab complied with his king's command which resulted in the death of Uriah.

We often look back at the great things that David accomplished but he was a man born with a sinful nature. There has ever been only one perfect person in this world and that was Christ Jesus, God in the flesh. Our Saviour was born into this world through a virgin woman which assured that He would not receive the sin nature passed down from Adam.

Psalms 51 is David's confession and repentance of his sin which we will look at further in this book. God forgave David and continued to use him, but David paid a steep price. Among the consequences of his sin were the death of the newborn child, the taking of his kingdom by Absalom, civil war, and eventually Absalom's death. The wages of sin have always been death.

God requires true repentance for sin which David did have for the sins he committed against Uriah. We see in 1 Kings 15:5 that David had found favor with God. The next few generations following David were granted either mercy or blessings for his sake.

Following David, his son Solomon reigned over Judah. Solomon had turned his heart away from God on more than one occasion which angered the Lord. God's Chosen People worshipped false gods, graven images, and idols. These actions made the Lord exceedingly angry. Despite God's anger towards Solomon He showed him mercy for David's sake because David had pleased the Lord.

_And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. -_ 1 Kings 11:9-12

Solomon's influence was seen in the generation that followed. His son, Rehoboam, picked up right where his father had left off. The people were allowed to worship false gods, forsaking the one true God. The Bible draws our attention to the fact that the tribe of Judah was influenced by the actions of these two kings.

And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah...And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done. For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. - 1 Kings 14:21-23

This ungodly behavior continued through yet another generation. Abijam, son of Rehoboam, was influenced by false gods while he reigned over Judah just as his father had been.

_And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father. Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: -_ 1 Kings 15:3-4

God had mercy on Abijam because David had pleased Him. Following David's reign, Abijam was the third king that had reigned over the tribe of Judah whom allowed the people to worship false gods. King Abijam reigned over Jerusalem for three years before his son, Asa, inherited the throne.

Can you imagine the magnitude of false god worship that must have been rampant in the tribe of Judah after these three kings had allowed their people to stray so far from the one true God? Asa had a choice to make when he became king. Asa could allow the people to continue to worship their false gods or he could try to bring the people back to the Lord.

It is important to note Asa's actions as they reflect directly on an important aspect of prayer -- approaching God. King Asa removed the altars built for idols, broke the graven images, and destroyed the groves where they had been worshipping false gods. He took a stand on what was right with the Lord and made an effort to correct the wrongs of his forefathers.

_For he took away the altars of strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: -_ 2 Chronicles 14:3

_And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. -_ 1 Kings 15:12

When we go to God with our petitions in prayer it is important for our heart to be in the right place. Sin will always come between man and God. A man that has never repented of his sinful nature and accepted Christ does not have fellowship with the Lord. A Christian who does not repent of sin will have their prayers hindered. Every man, woman, and child must approach God with the right heart during times of prayer.

Scripture tells us that Asa's actions were pleasing to God.

_And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father. -_ 1 Kings 15:11

_And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: -_ 2 Chronicles 14:2

Asa was strong in his stand as he enforced the destruction of idols. The pagan worship of false gods occurred in his own home by his mother Maachah. Asa boldly corrected this wrong by destroying the idol she had made and removing her as queen.

_And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron. -_ 1 Kings 15:13

We learn from 1 Kings that throughout Asa's life his heart was set on the Lord. He exalted God and commanded Judah to turn away from the idols and strange gods they had been worshipping. He knew that his people needed the one true God and that the Lord required their obedience to His laws and commandments.

... _nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days. -_ 1 Kings 15:14b

_And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:...And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. -_ 2 Chronicles 14:2,4

Because of Asa's faith the Lord provided Judah with peace for a time. During this time of peace Asa had walls built around the cities of Judah. Meanwhile the nation of Judah prospered and developed a large army of 300,000 men. The tribe of Benjamin (which dwelt with the tribe of Judah) had an army of 280,000 men. When the Ethiopian army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots descended upon them Asa turned to God for intervention. We can see Asa's prayer in 2 Chronicles 14.

_And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. -_ 2 Chronicles 14:11

There was no question that the armies of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin were not equal to the Ethiopians. Asa believed with his whole heart that God's power was greater than all. He knew that if God was with them then none could stand against them. Asa's prayer was not only heard but also answered swiftly by the Lord. God smote the Ethiopian army and they were victorious.

_So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. -_ 2 Chronicles 14:12

When the army returned to Jerusalem after pursuing the Ethiopians the Spirit of God came to Asa via the prophet Azariah. Through the prophet Asa was reminded of the sin of Israel (the neighboring kingdom to the north of Judah) in forsaking God and encouraged by the affirmation that as long as Asa continued to follow Him the Lord would be with Judah. The nation was given a time of peace for their faithful worship of the one true God.

The triumph of the nation of Judah was a direct result of prayer for God's intervention by a man that placed strong value on following the Lord completely. We can use Asa's prayer as a model for our prayer life today to gain victory over circumstances.

As we look at prayer we need to understand that victory can come in many forms. Sometimes it is simply the peace of knowing that we have given our troubles over to the Lord. When we leave our circumstances in His hands and trust in Him without doubt we can take comfort in knowing that regardless of the outcome God is in control. He knows what is best for us and will work in our life to enable us to grow in our Christian faith, equip us to serve Him, and be a blessing to others.

Whether you are struggling with fears, overcome with sorrows, or facing trials and troubles God wants to hear from you. Seek the Lord for counsel and help during your time of need to experience the victory that only He can bring.

_Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. -_ Psalm 60:11

_God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. -_ Psalm 46:1

### Does God Have Time for Me?

_Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows_.

Matthew 10:29-31

My heart breaks whenever someone tells me that God does not have time for them. This is often spoken by those that have yet to accept Christ. They feel that they are insignificant in the grand scheme of things because there is so much going on in the world that God is too busy to be bothered by their thoughts, feelings or needs.

The same sentiments have been uttered by Christians who feel they are unworthy of going to God in prayer. Sometimes the child of God has refused to let go of sin in their life and has turned away from the Lord. We must remember that God forgave you of all your past sins when you accepted Christ and He is willing to forgive you if you are living in sin today.

Be cautious not to allow a lack of self-worth derived from your former life to inhibit your relationship with the Father. God does not want you to feel that sort of loneliness or lack of acceptance. He has given us several verses of Scripture that show us that He desires fellowship with us and that we are valued by Him. We need to not only read His Word but trust in the fact that God's Word is true.

God Desires for All Men to Seek Him

Let's take a look at Scripture found in the book of Acts that shows us that God desires for us to seek Him:

_God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in the temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:_ \- Acts 17:24-27

Scripture reminds us that we have all been created of one blood, through Adam, and that God's desire is to have a personal relationship with each of us.

_God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth...And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth...That they should seek the Lord_... - Acts 17:24, 26, 27

In order for us to truly know God we need to also know how He views us. Through Adam's blood we all are sinners in the eyes of God.

_For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God._ \- Romans 3:23

His desire is that none should perish without Christ. He loves us so dearly that He willingly sent His own Son to die on the cross to pay for our sins.

_For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved._ \- John 3:16-17

God's tremendous love for mankind, despite our sinful nature, can be difficult to comprehend for some. Love is a basic human emotion that draws us to other people. When we love someone we don't desire to be apart from them. We have a desire to hear from them, talk with them, spend time with them and even share in their burdens.

To mankind there are varying degrees of love but to God there is only one. His love for us is so great that He was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for us all. We have been given the choice to either accept that love which has been freely given or to reject it.

_That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, though shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation._ \- Romans 10:9-10

Parents Love for a Son

I have one child, a son. When I consider John 3:16 it is hard for me to imagine a parent making such a sacrifice. I have often marveled at the tremendous faith of Abraham when he followed God's command to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham believed the covenant that God made with him to make a great nation from the seed of Abraham. He had faith that a substitute would be provided for Isaac for the covenant to be honored. God rewarded his faith by providing a ram for the sacrifice in Isaac's place. (Genesis 22:2-13)

My one child, Keith, is a wonderful son and a good friend. My son recently attended the United States Military Academy. While participating in a "runback" during summer training he began suffering from heat related complications. Following the run another cadet recognized the seriousness of his condition and brought him to the medics where he was treated for heat exhaustion. The medics gave him an IV, oxygen, and covered him with ice packs.

The runback marked the end of training for cadets in his class. After the runback the cadets were allowed to return home for a brief period. Keith was unable to leave for the airport with the other cadets in his class but was allowed to return home later that day when he was in stable condition. It was a very hot day in New York and he continued to suffer from heat related complications throughout his trip home.

On the day prior to the runback another cadet had passed away due to heat stroke. When I received the call telling me that our son had been treated for heat complications my heart sank. I was in shock because it was the last thing I expected to hear. I immediately gave thanks to God in prayer for sparing my son and continued to ask God to comfort the other boy's family. Later in the day when I saw the photos of Keith in the runback it was clear that he had been in physical distress.

My husband and I went to the airport to pick Keith up. All I wanted to do was hug him and have him home with me. After the plane arrived we waited patiently for him to arrive at the baggage area. Our son's inability to walk normally due to knee injuries combined with the heat distress made our wait much longer than we anticipated.

We continued to watch for our son in the baggage area when we suddenly realized that a man with swollen red and purple limbs was actually our son. Keith was unrecognizable to his own parents as he was still suffering from heat complications. Along with physical signs of heat related trauma he was also showing mental confusion and difficulty while communicating. These symptoms were characteristic of heat stroke. Words cannot express the depth of sorrow I felt seeing him in this condition. Learning that the Army had allowed him to travel under these circumstances was distressing. It was further distressing to learn that the cadets in charge of him chose not to file a written report of the incident to prevent a bad mark on their company records.

When we saw Keith we were at a loss for what to do. It was clear that he needed medical treatment but earlier attempts to have him treated for his knee injuries had proven futile. He had been refused treatment by local doctors to assess his knee injuries due to TRICARE coverage. Daniel and I did the only thing we knew to do, seek God's intervention. We knew that God was greater than our son's health trials and that He was able to protect Keith during his time of need. We did our best to keep the environment cool for Keith, watched over him for any signs of change, and continued to pray. By the grace of God our son did not die that hot summer day in New York and within a few days he was returning to normal. Keith still suffers the effects of this heat trauma today as his body does not regulate temperature as well as it should. Though Keith still suffers long-term effects from the heat trauma he is able to live a normal life in any environment he chooses.

Daniel and I knew that when we supported Keith's desire to join the military that our country was at war. Keith's commitment to the Army would be a minimum of nine years. While we knew there was an uncertain outcome involved with a career in the military it had never occurred to us that our son could suffer heat complications while on U.S. soil. We had faith that God would see Keith through and praise the Lord for His tender mercy.

Despite facing this difficult trial with my own son I cannot begin to imagine the strength of Abraham's faith when we was told to sacrifice his son Isaac. Nor can I fully understand the kind of sacrifice God made for man by sending His Son to die on the cross for us. It was not an uncertain outcome but a certain death. I am humbled by God's tremendous sacrifice and His unwavering love for man. There is no greater love!

_Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends_. - John 15:13

Can you imagine that a God that loves us to such a magnitude would not have time for us? The loneliness that must be felt when a person has needlessly separated themselves from the Father must be very difficult to handle. Not only would there be a feeling of loss but there would be a constant state of unrest and hopelessness. Where would your next meal come from? How would those bills get paid? Who would protect you when facing difficult situations? Where would we find peace during the storms of life?

That emptiness can only be filled by Jesus. We noted that the Bible gives us assurance that if we have received Christ that we will never be alone again. We have been left with the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and be our Comforter during difficult times.

_And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you._ _-_ John 14:16-18

Through Scripture we have seen that God wants us to seek Him, loves us deeply, and will always be with us. Does this sound like a God that does not have time for you?

God Cares about _ALL_ Aspects of Your Life

What would we do if we did not have assurance that God would hear our prayers because we did not know if we were contacting the Lord at the right time? Would He put our urgent request on hold because He was busy cheering for his favorite football team? Did Little House on the Prairie reruns distract Him from noticing that a young man ran a red light and careened into the side of your spouse's vehicle? We can take comfort in knowing that although man is easily distracted by the things of this world our Lord is not. _He sees all and knows all._

_The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth._ \- Psalm 33:13-14

_The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good._ \- Proverbs 15:3

God cares about every detail of your life both large and small. The Bible tells us that the very hairs of our head are numbered while comparing our worth to that of the sparrows which are so tenderly cared for by our Father.

_Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows._ \- Matthew 10:29-31

I love to imagine the hands of our Heavenly Father holding a precious little sparrow. We often think of the Lord as a God of judgment but we need to remember that He is also a God of mercy, love and grace. His love is enduring and unending. While sin can come between God and man it does not change His love for us. There is nothing that can separate us from our Lord if we have received Him as our Saviour.

You Are of Great Importance to God

A Christian's worth to God is measured in another way within Scripture. Jesus speaks of us as pearls in the book of Matthew.

_Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it._ \- Matthew 13:45-46

One interpretation of this parable is that the merchant is our Lord Jesus Christ who bought us for a great price, His death at Calvary. Had you been the only person in need of salvation Christ would still have come to die for your sins. That is how important you are to God!

Let us reflect for a moment more on the pearl. A pearl is made from foreign matter such as a grain of sand that enters a mollusk. The sand is coated with layer upon layer of nacre, a lustrous material within the mollusk. The result is a beautiful shimmery pearl. This lustrous pearl is a great treasure.

It can take several years to turn the grain of sand into a thing of great beauty. Sand only becomes a pearl when it is separated from the world within the mollusk's shell. We can only be molded into the man or woman that God wants us to be when we turn our sights to Him and Him alone.

As treasured pearls of more value than many precious sparrows God has time for us. He desires fellowship with His children. Regardless of the size of your burdens they are important to Him. Let us remember to give to the Lord our love and devotion by reading His Word and spending time with Him in prayer.

### Approaching God

Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God?...He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Micah 6:6,8

Do you believe that God is capable of answering your prayers? Do you believe that God hears your petition? Have you seen God's hand at work in your life or do you feel as if your prayers are being met with silence?

To be victorious through prayer we must be willing to approach God with the right heart. In order to ensure that we are not hindering our prayer life we should examine what the Lord requires of us within Scripture. Our prayer life can be affected by many different aspects of our Christian life but our Father has ensured that we would clearly know what is required of us.

Micah 6:6,8 tells us that God requires our humility along with a compassionate, forgiving heart while living our life free from the bondage of sin. In chapter 6 Micah reminds the people what happened to Israel when Balaam gave consul to Balak on how the king of Moab could entice the children of Israel to sin and turn away from God. The Lord speaks through the prophet of what He requires from the man or woman who comes before Him. We cannot consider this verse lightly or as merely a suggestion. To live a victorious life through Christ it is required that we do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

How Can a Man be justified to God?

How do we fulfill the requirement to "do justly"? Our justification to God comes through our faith in Christ Jesus. Through Christ's redemption on the cross of Calvary we are no longer held bondage by our sinful nature. This does not mean that the child of God will not be tempted to sin or commit sin in their life but it does mean that through repentance of that sin we are forgiven by the Lord.

_That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life._ \- Titus 3:7

_Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:_ \- Romans 3:24

_Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:_ \- Romans 5:1

There are doctrines that erroneously teach their followers that they can be justified to God through works. Everyone should consult God's Word directly to ensure that their teachers and preachers are following Scripture and not leading them in the wrong direction. The Bible tells us that we cannot be justified by works of the Law of God.

The law was given to the Jews during Old Testament times and included many observances that were required of the people. God shows us the law which Israel had been under to help us to understand that through His grace we were provided with a perfect means of justification in the eyes of the Lord. God gave us His only Son to pay for our sin through His death on the cross.

_Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified._ \- Galatians 2:16

_Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus._ \- Galatians 3:24-26

Once we have accepted Christ as our Saviour it is still required that we "do justly". Salvation does not mean that we are given license to carry out our lives with reckless abandon. There is no "Get out of Jail Free" card that makes us unaccountable for sin we allow in our life.

_What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?_ \- Romans 6:1

Sin can hinder our prayer life. If we approach God with our petitions without a repentant heart we have allowed sin to come between us and the Lord. You should always seek God's forgiveness for sin in your life before you seek His aid. The Lord has told us that we will be forgiven if we are truly repentant.

_If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness_. - 1 John 1:9

If you feel that your prayer life is being hindered first examine whether there is some sin you are holding on to. Sin will not only hinder our prayer life but will make our service and walk ineffective. We will be like the withered branch that cannot bear fruit. Whether the sin is overt or hidden from the eyes of your fellow man Satan is using it to make your petitions ineffective. If we repent and turn our eyes and life back to the Lord we can experience a victorious prayer life.

Seek to be Compassionate and Forgiving towards Others

There are some additional requirements to how we are to approach God. Micah 6:8 tells us that we are to "love mercy". This means that we are to be compassionate towards others including those that have mistreated us. We are to forgive them for their transgression just as the Lord has forgiven us.

We can take great joy in the fact that God is merciful and sent us His Son so that we would have a way to receive forgiveness for our sins. There is no end to the Lord's compassion as noted multiple times in His Word that "his mercy endureth for ever"

_Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever_. - Psalm 106:1

We are given guidelines on the form of prayer in the book of Matthew which includes the importance of forgiveness. Jesus tells us what God will do if we forgive or not forgive others.

_For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses._ \- Matthew 6:14-15 (Words of Jesus)

_And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses._ \- Mark 11:25-26 (Words of Jesus)

We see from Matthew 6:14-15 that if we are not forgiving it can come between us and God. This type of spirit can lead to bitterness, murmuring, and anger. If we are having trouble forgiving someone for a transgression it is important for us to ask God to help soften our heart toward that person. Ask the Lord to help you to see that person through His eyes so that you can show him or her mercy.

In the book of Luke we see that Jesus tells the disciples that if a Christian brother has sinned against you and comes to you asking for forgiveness that you are to forgive him. Jesus says that even if he does so seven times you are to forgive him each time.

_Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him._ \- Luke 17:3-4 (Words of Jesus)

One of the disciples had questions about this which are noted in Matthew 18. Peter wanted to know how many times he was to forgive a brother that sinned against him. Jesus' response was not seven times but seventy times seven.

_Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven._ \- Matthew 18:21-22

We are simply to forgive as we have been forgiven.

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Jesus continues his lesson to Peter by telling him a parable of the unforgiving servant. In this parable one of the king's servants owed him ten thousand talents. The servant was unable to pay the king so the king commanded that the servant, his family, and all that he had be sold to pay the debt.

_Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made_. - Matthew 18:23-25 (Words of Jesus)

The servant was repentant and bowed down before his king asking for mercy. We see that the king was moved with compassion and forgave him.

_The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt._ \- Matthew 18:26-27 (Words of Jesus)

Many of us have seen this same scenario take place in our lives. Either we have had compassion on another that asked for forgiveness or we have been on the receiving end. Can you ever recall a time when you had forgiven someone and then seen that they were unable to forgive someone else for the same transgression they had committed against you? In the parable of the unforgiving servant we see that the servant was unable to forgive another that owed him an hundred pence.

_But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt._ \- Matthew 18:28-30 (Words of Jesus)

The Bible shows us that there were consequences for the servant's inability to forgive another. We see that the actions of the servant were viewed by other servants who reported their observations to the king. Our King knows whether we have forgiven others for their transgression against us. He sees all and knows all. We cannot hide from God. If we are unable to forgive another like God forgave us our prayers will be hindered. We are shown the consequences of the servant's lack of forgiveness and given a warning to forgive our brothers for their trespasses.

_So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses._ \- Matthew 18:31-35 (Words of Jesus)

The world around us is unforgiving. People feel a need to get even with others when they have been wronged. Some will go to great lengths to get their personal form of justice.

Viewing the World through God's Looking Glass

As Christians we need to view the world through a different looking glass; God's view. We need to have compassion on those that have not yet accepted Christ. They are sinners in God's eyes and are greatly in need of Him just as we were. Ask yourself whether they would be more willing to listen to your testament of Christ's love if you are compassionate or vindictive.

_For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another_. - Titus 3:3

Just before Jesus died on the cross He asked for the Father to have compassion on those who were crucifying him.

_Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do..._ \- Luke 23:34

If our Saviour could forgive the men and women that persecuted him should we not be willing to forgive those that have mistreated us. We are commanded to love our enemies and not to seek vengeance as the world does.

_But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;_ \- Matthew 5:44 (Words of Jesus)

_Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good._ \- Romans 12:19-21

Are you harboring bitterness towards an enemy, a Christian brother, a family member, or co-worker? Are you having trouble forgiving someone that hurt you in some way? Do you feel broken hearted because of something that has been done to you?

You can have victory over these circumstances by going to God in prayer. God requires us to forgive but if we truly desire to forgive someone and are struggling to be compassionate we can ask for the Lord's help. He can heal a broken heart and help us to forgive. As a child of God we are often moved with compassion towards the lost because we can clearly see the path of destruction that they are on. We have a strong desire to see all come to know Christ as their Saviour and to be freed from their sinful nature. Petition the Lord to bring witnesses into their life and ask that their hearts will be stirred by the gospel message.

A Prideful Heart Hinders Prayer

God gives us another requirement for approaching Him in Micah 6:8. We are told to walk humbly with our God. We cannot have victory in prayer with a prideful heart. Let us not confuse a sense pride about one's family, job, or an accomplishment with the pride that God sees as sin. When we take glory away from God and feel a sense of self-importance or superiority then we have a prideful heart. This type of pride can be very dangerous to the Christian.

The children of Israel in the Old Testament struggled with pride just as men and women do today. If we use God's Word to take a walk back in history we see that the first sin that God speaks of is not the sin of Eve in the garden. The book of Isaiah shows us that the devil was once an angel named Lucifer. This fallen angel wanted to be equal to God; when Satan thought to "be like the most High" he was testifying that nothing was, or could be, greater than God. His pride was his downfall.

_How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds: I will be like the most High._ \- Isaiah 14:12-14

It is no wonder that one of the methods that Satan uses to tempt a man or woman to sin is the pride of life. As the serpent he convinced Eve that if she ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil that she would be like God. How have you been tempted by the pride of life?

We are warned about pride and the consequences of this sin in the Bible. God tells us that pride will bring destruction and shame.

_Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall._ \- Proverbs 16:18

_When pride cometh, then cometh shame:_ \- Proverbs 11:2a

The consequences of Lucifer's transgression is an example of the destruction of pride:

_Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?_ \- Isaiah 14:15-17

All of mankind has suffered due to Adam and Eve's fall in the garden. The serpent told Eve that she would not die but that she and Adam would be like gods if they ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam made the choice to eat of the fruit following Eve. Sin is now transferred to every man, woman, and child via the blood of man as a result of their disobedience.

_Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:_ \- Romans 5:12

A Biblical Example of a Prideful Fall

Let's take a look at the book of Esther. Here we see a man named Haman that allowed his desire to be revered by men to bring about his destruction. When a Jew named Mordecai refused to bow before Haman the man's anger overcame him. Haman sought to destroy all the Jews for Mordecai's offence.

_And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence... And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath._ \- Esther 3:2,5

The opposite of pride is humility and it is interesting to note that God used a humble, orphan girl to save the Jews and bring about Haman's destruction. Esther, the queen and niece of Mordecai, spoke on behalf of their people to the king. When the king realized that he was being deceived by Haman he was very angry. Haman was hanged from the gallows. His pride brought his destruction.

_And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen... So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified._ \- Esther 7:6,10

For us to be victorious in our Christian life we need to humble ourselves before God. If we allow pride and self-righteousness to place our own importance above the Lord we will suffer consequences for that sin. God always requires repentance for sin and the sin of pride is no exception to that rule.

The Pride of Hezekiah

In 2 Chronicles we see an interesting account of one man's pride. Hezekiah, the king of Judah, along with the prophet Isaiah, cried to the Lord for help as Sennacherib, king of Assyria, brought his army against Jerusalem. The Lord sent an angel to cut off the army and saved Jerusalem. Although it was the Lord that saved the people Hezekiah allowed his heart to become prideful when he was magnified by the people concerning the victory.

Hezekiah became sick and was facing death. He went to the Lord in prayer but his heart was filled with pride and God brought judgment against Hezekiah, Judah, and Jerusalem for his sin of pride. Both Hezekiah and all of Jerusalem humbled themselves before the Lord which saved them from the wrath of God throughout the rest of his days.

_Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah._ \- 2 Chronicles 32:26

Scripture tells us that God provided Hezekiah with an abundance of all things after that time. God will honor a humble spirit that exalts the Lord.

_For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word._ \- Isaiah 66:2

_Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud._ \- Proverbs 16:19

Humbling Yourself before God

The Bible tells us that it is honorable to be humble in spirit and whoever will humble themselves like a child is the same as the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

_A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. -_ Proverbs 29:23

_Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven._ \- Matthew 18:4 (Words of Jesus)

If you are struggling with self-righteousness God can help you to remove the pride. Be honest with yourself and with God by confessing your sin to Him. Renew your mind by placing a greater importance upon the things of God. Spend time in His Holy Word, be obedient to Him and follow His direction with faith that He is the Almighty God. In Paul's letter to the Roman church he urgently asked them to be not conformed to the world but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. Paul expressed their great need to turn to Him.

_I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God_. - Romans 12:1-3

When Paul urged the Romans to renew their minds by turning to God, he knew from his own experience how important it was that God be exalted. Paul understood that pride could come between him and God and felt that a "thorn in his flesh" was brought to him to keep him humble lest he exalt himself. After asking the Lord to remove this thorn in the flesh from him three times God said that His grace was sufficient for Paul.

_And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness..._ \- 2 Corinthians 12:9a

There is strength in weakness. Our God is stronger than any trials or troubles we may be facing. We can have victory if we humbly submit ourselves to Him and seek His guidance in all manners of our life. There is honor in exalting the Most High God. One day every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord.

_Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ_ _is_ _Lord, to the glory of God the Father._ \- Philippians 2:9-10

What a wonderful promise we have that Christ will be magnified by all! There is no one greater in all the world. As we go before the Father in prayer let our hearts be in the right place. Let us set our sights upon Him, living our lives with compassion for others, and humbly submitting every aspect of our life to His care.

### The Repentant Heart

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Psalm 51:16-17

Do you feel that your prayers are going unanswered due to a hindrance in your life? Is there a besetting sin that has placed a wedge between you and the Lord? Perhaps you have not yet accepted Christ as your Saviour and are struggling to understand the true repentant heart that God requires of you. You may be surprised to know that many Christians do not know what it means to repent.

A little over ten years ago my husband and I were assisting our pastor in processing a spiritual gifts analysis test for our church members. This test is a great way for you to learn how you can best serve God with the gifts He has given you. As we inputted the answer sheets we were both very surprised to see the vast number of Christians who answered that they did not understand the meaning of repentance. There was no doubt that they had heard strong sermons declaring a need to repent for sin yet they preferred to remain confused rather than ask the pastor to clarify it for them.

The word " _Repent_ " can cause a variety of individual responses. Many that understand the meaning of repentance can look back fondly at a time when they repented of sin and were forgiven. Some may recognize the word while staring at the pastor as if he were speaking a foreign language. For the Christian who will not let go of sin it can bring anger as a result of conviction. For the lost it will either create disdain or help them to see their need for Christ.

What is Repentance?

If one were to examine the word repent in a dictionary they would discover that it means to have a genuine remorse for wrong-doing. When it relates to our faith we need to understand the difference between a head and heart knowledge. Let us also not confuse the sorrow of a particular aspect of our life or action, as in remorse, with the repentance required for salvation.

_For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death._ \- 2 Corinthians 7:10

Many people will say that if the Bible account is accurate then it would be logical to presume that Jesus did die for the sins of mankind. In fact many believe that He did die for the sins of mankind but not all men or women that profess to be Christians are born-again.

_Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity._ \- Matthew 7:21-23 (Words of Jesus)

What a sorrowful day that will be for those dear ones when Jesus says, "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." It would be a tragedy for one of our loved ones to go through life without the blessed assurance that they will spend eternity in heaven. A heart knowledge brings conviction, leading to repentance and a desire for God's forgiveness. When we follow with a confession that Jesus is Lord will be eternally forgiven.

_And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel._ \- Mark 1:15 (Words of Jesus)

_Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;_ \- Acts 3:19

I remember when I was seeking Christ and asking why I could not simply say that Jesus had died for my sins and have those sins forgiven. It seemed logical at the time to 'make a decision' that Christ likely did die for sin and all would be fine. This was a "head knowledge" of the gospel. The gospel message made sense if it were, indeed, true. I praise God that He would not allow me to be ignorant regarding the gospel message because I had a genuine desire to know the truth.

One of the people that spoke to me about salvation wanted to be certain that I understood what God required of me to truly be saved. Looking back at the eight months between the times I began searching for the truth and when I accepted Christ I can see the many witnesses that attempted to discuss the gospel message with me. It was the final witness that I listened to because his life reflected his faith. We had numerous conversations about the Bible and the topic of repentance was explained to me in great detail. Deep within I knew the answers I sought would be found in the Bible so I asked what type of Bible I should by and what to read within it. As I finished a book of the Bible I would return to the man asking for another passage to read as I sought the truth of the gospel.

While reading Romans chapter 3 I finally understood what a "heart knowledge" was. I know exactly how God saw me and that my sinful nature had a hand in Christ's death on the cross. This was something I knew deep within my heart. No longer was it merely a head knowledge to make a decision. I felt a strong yearning to ask for God's forgiveness and correct my standing with Him. I had a repentant heart which God required for my salvation. Oh the joy that I felt when the burden of sin was lifted and I accepted Christ as my Saviour! I am grateful that the Father brought a witness that made repentance clear.

For many this heart knowledge comes without the understanding of what repentance is. They simply recall the convicting spirit of the Lord that brought a true understanding of their standing with God and a strong desire to ask Him to forgive them for their sinful nature. This may be felt and understood by the knowledge that the lost soul is destined for hell unless they ask for God's forgiveness and accept Christ; as is often seen in childhood salvations. Your salvation experience is unique to you yet there will be some form of conviction that leads you to the Lord.

We need to remember when we are witnessing to the lost that conviction of sin cannot come from our prodding. The Holy Spirit is the one that does the work of stirring the conscience to cause their relationship with God to weigh heavily on their soul. They will know beyond a shadow of a doubt where they stand with God.

_Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me:_ \- John 16:7-9 (Words of Jesus)

Jesus makes it very clear that all are required to repent of their sin regardless of whether someone thinks their sin is more severe or trivial than another.

_And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish_. - Luke 13:2-5

Will God Hear Everyone's Prayers

A point of great contention for those that have yet to accept Christ is whether their prayers will be heard. While it is painful for some to read what God says about this subject, it is important to note. For the lost there can only be fellowship with God after that person has a truly repentant heart, seeks forgiveness and accepts Christ. Sin will always come between you and the Father.

Scripture tells us that God will not hear prayer from someone who has never accepted Christ.

_Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth_. - John 9:31

God has provided a way of fellowship with Him when He gave His Son to die for our sins. As we noted earlier in this chapter salvation requires repentance.

_Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me._ \- John 14:5-6

Our Heavenly Father does not want anyone to be without the truth and will honor a prayer for knowledge of the gospel.

All of mankind has been affected by the sins of Adam and requires salvation through Jesus for eternal life. We are sinners at birth due to the birthright of sin from our father Adam.

_Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me._ \- Psalm 51:5

We are also sinners by choice from a very early age.

_As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:_ \- Romans 3:10

_For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;_ \- Romans 3:23

The only way for our sinful nature to be forgiven by God, making us righteous in His sight, is through faith in Jesus Christ. For this reason all who have not accepted Christ will not be heard by God. This is not a decision made by man. It is God's directive as seen in John 9:31. God will hear your prayer for forgiveness and salvation today if you have a truly repentant heart.

_That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation_. - Romans 10:9-10

_For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved._ \- Romans 10:13

If you are struggling with the assurance of your salvation, or want to learn more about salvation, please download a free copy of _Living by Faith_ , for links visit http://www.kimberlymcrae.com. These topics are covered in depth in the first few chapters. The remainder of this book will only apply to those that have been saved through faith in Christ.

Repentance and the Christian's Prayer Life

Why is repentance important in the prayer life of a Christian? _Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish._ This statement is of great importance since everyone is required to repent to see the kingdom of heaven. In the life of a Christian unrepented sin stands between the child of God and the Father but has no bearing on your salvation. You cannot lose your salvation once you have accepted Christ as your Saviour.

_My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one._ \- John 10:27-30 (Words of Jesus)

How comforting to know that once you have accepted Christ you can never be separated from Him! Yet unrepented sin can hurt your fellowship with the Lord. He desires your fellowship, obedience, and faith. To have victory in our prayer life without hindrance we must confess our sin to God and ask for forgiveness.

There is no man or woman that is perfect. We are all subjected to temptations and our world has been forever affected by Adam's fall in the garden. The study of God's Word along with the complete surrender to Him can help you to avoid falling into sin. If you stumble God will forgive you allowing your fellowship with Him to be repaired making a positive impact on your prayer life.

_If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness_. - 1 John 1:9

When a Christian comes under conviction for a sin in their life Satan may try to use tactics to distract them from seeking God's forgiveness. The devil wants to make you ineffective in your work for the Lord by hurting your fellowship with the Father. He may try to tell you that you are unworthy to go to God in prayer, that the Lord does not have time for you, or that your sins are too great for His forgiveness. At times such as this remember 1 John 1:9 along with the knowledge that God is unchanging, unwavering, and true to His Word.

This is one of the many promises that we can rest on within the Scriptures. God says that He will cleanse us from " _ALL_ " unrighteousness. When you are saved all of your former sins are forgiven. You have no need to ask again for forgiveness for your past. After salvation if you follow 1 John 1:9 and confess your sin He cleanses you completely. He will work in your heart to conform you to the man or woman He desires you to be.

_For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren_. - Romans 8:29

When the child of God removes the sin that has been hindering their prayer life they will be able to go to the Father with the peace that He is listening. For a strong prayer life we should daily surrender to our Lord, stay strong by studying His Word, and maintain our faith that God is able to answer our petitions. Even for prayers that appear unanswered God can give us peace that His silence is an answer. We do not always get our way but we will always receive God's best.

Biblical Example of Repentant Prayer

King David was a man that loved the Lord and we can learn a lot from his personal struggles. God gave us an example of Christian repentance in David's prayer in Psalm 51. We discussed David's sins of adultery with Bathsheba and the death of Uriah. This psalm is an example for us on how to confess our sins to God so that we can once again have fellowship with Him and restore our spiritual walk.

_Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin._ \- Psalm 51:1-2

David pleads to God for mercy and the cleansing of his sins. We saw in 1 John 1:9 that the Father is willing to forgive and cleanse us from our sins.

_For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest_. - Psalm 51:3–4

With great humility David acknowledges his sin before the Lord. God was already aware of his actions but we are to honestly confess our sin to the Father. Confessing our sin is an acknowledgement of our actions and the taking of 100% responsibility for them.

David was plagued by the sins that he committed and had finally come to the point of repentance. When we commit any sin it is rebellion against the Lord. All sin has consequences that can affect any aspect of your life including your work, school, family, friendships, and marriage as well as financial or health struggles. Note in verse 4 that David states that God would be justified in bringing judgment to David for the sins he committed. We must always remember that we are sinning against the Lord and He requires our repentance in order to restore fellowship with Him.

_Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom_. - Psalm 51:5–6

In David's prayer of repentance he acknowledges his sinfulness. This is the same sinful nature with which we all have been born. He also states that he understands what God desires of him. All Christians know that God would prefer that they walk uprightly, live in obedience to Him, and study to gain godly wisdom. David knew that what he was doing was wrong at the time he sinned against the Lord.

_Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit_. - Psalm 51:7–12

What a beautiful plea to the Lord for cleansing and forgiveness! Imagine the weight David was feeling from sin. His desire to be restored and walk uprightly in the eyes of the Lord is that same desire we feel when we know we've committed a sin against God. David knew he would not have peace until the matter of his sin was settled. He desired complete restoration to experience the joy of the Lord again.

_Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise_. - Psalm 51:13-15

As a part of David's plea for God's forgiveness he makes a promise to teach others about God's ways, bring sinners to the Lord, and praise Him. We need only read many of the psalms to see that David is still doing as He promised. God used David as a powerful example of both a man that followed the Lord and a man that was imperfect.

_For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good in thy good pleasure in Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar._ \- Psalm 51:16-19

Closing his prayer of repentance David notes that what God requires of us is that we come to a point of true repentance. It is an acknowledgement of his broken spirit that only the Lord can heal through the forgiveness of his sin.

There is not a day that goes by that we do not need the Lord. Through His Spirit we are guided in every aspect of our life. We are encouraged and comforted through prayer and the reading of Scripture. When we allow sin and worldly living to come before the Lord it will hinder our prayer life. But through prayer we can seek forgiveness and a renewing of our spirit so that we will be better equipped to serve the Lord and gain victory over the trials of life.

### Becoming Dependent on God

_Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths_.

Proverb 3:5-6

The world has taught men and women to be independent. We are indoctrinated to believe that any and all accomplishments in our life are the results of our own efforts. Many believe that our super computer, also known as the brain, can overcome anything. We are told "mind over matter" or "you can accomplish anything you set your mind to". When these beliefs lead to self-reliance it is a form of pride that places you above God.

Breaking Down the Walls of Independence

For the first few years after accepting Christ I struggled with the idea of giving control completely over to God. I did not pray with the conviction that God could handle my petitions because for years I had believed I needed to rely only on myself. The Lord had to break me down to help me see His hand at work in my life. Like the apostle Paul I needed a constant reminder that God's grace is sufficient so that I would no longer rely on self and, instead, become dependent on Him.

I remember the day that God allowed my world to change in the summer of 2001. Notice that I said "God allowed" this trial in my life. The Lord had complete control over all the circumstances. This trial could have been prevented if God had chosen to do so but instead He used the trial to bring me closer to Him. Three years after I had accepted Christ as my Savior my faith would be put to the test.

Those that know me well understand that computers are simply an extension of my life. Rarely am I found without some form of technology influencing my day to day tasks. Prior to embarking on my writing career I had held a variety of jobs related to computers from software development work to support to server administration. These jobs often required work during the off hours and one evening in 2001 was no exception.

While working on a project at home on my computer sharp pain began radiating through my wrists. This type of pain was not unfamiliar to me as there had been multiple occasions while working at Microsoft when I had struggled with wrist pain. As I proceeded to work through the pain I would very quickly discover that this incident was much different. Pain only mildly describes what I experienced that evening as the majority of joints within my body became excruciatingly, unbearably painful. Only my shoulders were spared the pain.

I was living in Wisconsin at the time, a single mother of a 9 year old. I called my fiancé on the phone to tell him what was wrong and ask for his help. Although he offered to take me to the emergency room I was reluctant. He came over and prepared some ice packs for me hoping that it would help. The ice provided a little relief but not enough. We once again considered going to the hospital emergency room but I feared that they would not take me seriously. I had never heard of symptoms like this before. I could barely walk and the pain was overwhelming so my fiancé gave me some Tylenol. The pain eventually became tolerable and my fiancé returned home.

The next morning I saw my doctor who suspected arthritis. Arthritis! How could a 31 year old have an old person's disease? I was completely unaware that there were multiple forms of arthritis. Most people equate arthritis to the degenerative osteoarthritis as I did at the time.

After a few months of dealing with the pain to no avail I requested that my family doctor send me to a Rheumatologist. The diagnosis was an easy one for the new doctor to make, Sero-negative Rheumatoid Arthritis. This form of arthritis is an auto-immune disease that affects multiple joints at the same time. In addition to causing joint damage it can cause a whole host of other issues over time.

To say that I was distraught over the diagnosis was an understatement. I rarely ever got sick from even a cold and suddenly I found myself with a disabling disease. The fact that my body had developed an auto-immune disease in which the body attacks itself felt like a betrayal. Biological medications to treat the disease were only on the horizon and all research material on the topic talked about 'life expectancy' and 'disabilities'. I was overwhelmed and feeling very defeated.

I prayed and prayed for God to remove the disease to no avail. My prayer life became an important part of my daily routine because I needed God just to help me get through the day. More than anything I wanted to know why the Lord had allowed me to be afflicted with RA and I sought Him for those answers. The Holy Spirit worked on me as I read about Paul's thorn in the flesh. God revealed to me that this disease was my thorn. I realized that I had been putting too much emphasis on taking care of myself and not believing with conviction that when I gave something over to God in prayer that He would handle it. I might not always like the way He handles it but He knows what is right for me.

I still struggle with the pain of Rheumatoid Arthritis daily. But my God has never forsaken me and I believe with my whole heart that He is capable of providing for all my needs. My faith was strengthened through the time that I have spent with Him over the years in His Word and in prayer as a result of my health trials.

After my faith in Him was strengthened and I began to lay everything at the Father's feet there were a distinct change in the answer to my prayers. I began to have victory in my prayer life. Some prayers were answered in miraculous ways while others were answered with silence. I'm equally thankful for the silence and doors that have been shut as I am with the definitively answered prayers. I believe with my whole heart that God hears my petitions with the intent to bring about the circumstances to perform His will for my life. I would rather wait on Him to receive His best than rely on self and miss His blessings.

How do we give the reins over to God, relinquishing our own control to let Him be our guide? We need to learn to put our faith and trust in the Lord to handle any petitions that we bring to Him.

What does it mean to Trust Someone?

Merriam-Webster defines trust as "an assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something." Regardless of who you are or what your circumstances you likely have an opinion on the topic. Some believe solely in self-reliance due to past hurts or preconceived notions. Others have learned to put their complete trust in someone under any circumstance. Each of us likely have people whom we believe can be trusted and those whom we must remain cautious around.

When we put our trust in ourselves, or in mankind, we often have expectations which are not always sustainable. The nature of sin can create disappointment when that trust is broken. Trust builds relationships, creates peace, and provides us with strength during difficult times. We can protect ourselves from the hurts of broken trust by learning how to rely on God, the only One who never changes, always upholds His Word, and never forsakes us.

By learning to place your trust in Almighty God you can have the assurance that no matter what fiery trial you may experience there will be no circumstance too great for God to see you through. How can you know that God can be trusted?

God Does What He Says

We all make promises to others. No doubt they are made with the full intention of carrying out the promise that was made. This often leads to our inability to follow through.

Can you think of a time when you broke a promise to someone despite a valiant effort to stand by your word? Broken promises are not always within our control. A parent may tell their child that they will read the child's favorite book just as an urgent phone call steals their time. A spouse may promise to be home at a specific time yet the boss demands a last-minute overtime effort. A friend promises to pay back on a loan you gave them until they discover their paycheck is smaller than they expected. A doctor provides a great outlook on surgery but the body does not recover as expected.

While promises are often broken by people God never breaks a promise that He makes to His children. A classic example of this is the covenant that God made with Abraham in the book of Genesis. God promises Abraham that He would make a great nation of His seed and that He would give them the land of Canaan.

_And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed._ \- Genesis 12:2-3

_And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him._ \- Genesis 12:7

God's covenant with Abraham was renewed with his son, Isaac, and grandson, Jacob.

It would be over 400 years before Moses would lead the children of Israel out of Egypt and to Canaan but God kept His promise. God's timing is always perfect and the children of Israel numbered nearly 3 million, a great nation, when they left Egypt. Four hundred years seems like a rather long period of time to us but God was working in the situation to bring about His purpose.

God Does Not Lie

One of the quickest ways to lose someone's trust is to tell them a lie. Lying can cause a multitude of problems. It is very important for Christians to tell the truth. We are to be a reflection of Christ to the lost. If we were to lie to the lost and try to tell them about their need for Christ we would likely be labeled a hypocrite and our message would not make it much further than our lips as we spoke.

Scripture tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ is truth. If the truth of the gospel and our need for salvation through Jesus is of the utmost importance should not every word that we utter be right and without deception?

_Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me._ \- John 14:6

_He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit._ \- Proverbs 12:17

The truth spoken of here in Proverbs 12:17 is the truth of the gospel message: Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. In contrast Scripture tells us that Satan is the father of lies.

_Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not._ \- John 8:42-45

This is such a powerful message to convey the nature of deception. We should be obedient by speaking honestly to others and leaving the consequences in the hands of Almighty God.

I am often teased by my family regarding a time when I told the truth. My vehicle had a flat tire on the side of the road and I was unable to fix it myself. The police stopped to assist me and helped me change my tire. While the police were there I realized that my tag was out of date. I told the police my tag was out of date and asked if they needed my license and registration to give me a ticket. While this may seem a little odd to others I believe, as a Christian, it is important that we tell the truth. Why would someone believe a Christian who tells them about Jesus if that person has shown themselves to be a liar? The police appreciated my honesty and did not write me a ticket. I also prayed with them prior to leaving, giving thanks to the Lord for their assistance with my tire and asking the Father to bless them.

While we cannot always trust others to speak to us honestly we can trust the One who will never lie to us because the Bible tells us very clearly that God is truthful.

_He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment, a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he._ \- Deuteronomy 32:4

_God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?_ \- Numbers 23:19

When you read the promises within God's Word often you may find an answer to a prayer for direction. Always look to Scripture to verify that what you are reading or hearing, of a spiritual nature, is the truth. This is why it is so important to take notes during sermons or Christian seminars. You want to be certain that what you are being taught is not false doctrine. False doctrine can easily lead us astray.

_Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world._ \- 1 John 4:1

_And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so_. - Acts 17:10-11

Take great comfort in knowing that when you bring your petitions before the Almighty that He does not lie and He follows through with His promises. He is a God of truth!

_Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth_. - Psalm 31:5

God Does Not Change

One important aspect of trust is sustainability. If our actions are always changing or we are unable to clearly stand by our convictions without wavering it will be difficult to gain someone's trust.

God does not change and is not double-minded. You will not find God contradicting Himself in His Word. For this reason there is no need for Scripture, or the interpretation of Scripture, to change with the times.

_Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning._ \- James 1:17

_For I am the LORD, I change not;_ \- Malachi 3:6a

_The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever._ \- Isaiah 40:8

Remembering that Jesus IS God the Son we can also look to this verse of Scripture:

_Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever._ \- Hebrews 13:8

What happens when you experience uncertain changes in your life? Do they leave you feeling uneasy or frightened? Where are your stress levels as you face these trials?

God can bring you peace and comfort through prayer. It is important for us to remember that He is unchanging. We are often comforted by Bible verses with promises of strength and courage. The Lord can answer your prayer with a stillness as you go through the trial. Scripture gives us an example of a man afflicted that prayed to our God for help during his trial.

_Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee. Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily. For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth. My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread._ \- Psalm 102:1-4

When we are suffering from affliction we should go to the Father in prayer just as this psalmist did. Notice his cry to God. He asks the Lord to hear his prayer and allow him to cry out to the Father. He pleads for the Almighty to listen intently and answer speedily. Can you feel the sadness and despair that the author of this psalm feels as he pours his heart out to the Lord? His spirit is broken and he needs to feel the peace of God through his difficult trials.

He goes on to speak of his troubles yet midway through his prayer we see his tone change to one of faith in the Lord. He speaks of the children of Israel holding on to the stones of Jerusalem. This is a message of hope that the Jews would be restored because the psalmist believed in the strength of God.

_But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations. Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour in the dust thereof._ \- Psalm 102:12-14

As the psalmist closes he rests on the "unchanging God" who is the same today as He was at the creation and during the time the psalm was written.

_Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end._ \- Psalm 102:25-27

When we pour our troubles out to the Father we too can seek strength in His enduring love knowing that He will bring us through the trial in His due time. We can rest in the fact that God does not change nor does His Word.

God's Timing is perfect

Think of the way that society works today. We can instantly send someone a message using our cellphone, email, or by visiting a web page. Mankind has expectations on when something should occur and frequently Christians inwardly create expectations regarding answered prayer. We want things to work out in a specific way and within our timeframe.

If we do not get our way there are some Christians who decide not to wait on the Lord. We can miss out on God's best if we choose to rely on self.

God does not work to conform to our requirements. A strong foundation in God's Word can increase your faith and help you to trust that the Lord knows what is best for you. His timing is always the perfect timing for our situation.

_And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose_. - Romans 8:28

Knowing that God is trustworthy, His Word is true, and He does not lie why would you want to take matters into your own hands when the Lord says that all things work together for good to them that love God.

_But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faith._ \- Isaiah 40:31

Each time we have to wait on the Lord we learn a little more about how to be patient. This is a wonderful trait that can be of benefit to us as we deal with the struggles that Christians are faced with in the world today. We are commanded to be patient toward all men. When the Lord chooses to answer a prayer with silence or delay there is always a purpose. Many times this purpose is to perform a work within us or to protect us.

_Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men_. - 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15

These are merely a few of the aspects of God that we can take great comfort in as we learn to trust in Him. There is no greater way to learn how to trust Him to meet all your needs than to spend time in His Word and with Him in prayer. Sometimes man overlooks the small blessings that can bring tremendous encouragement. Consider keeping a record of all the things that God has done for you and any prayers that have been answered. Looking back on this record during times when you feel overwhelmed will be of tremendous encouragement.

Let us always remember to place our trust in the Lord and not in ourselves or in the world. If you are struggling with giving over the reins to God when you go to Him in prayer ask Him for help. Then wait patiently for Him to work on you by submitting yourself completely to Him.

_Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths._ \- Proverbs 3:5-6

Discerning the Will of God

If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

John 7:17-18 (Words of Jesus)

Throughout our daily lives we are faced with a variety of decisions to make, some small and others weighty. There are mundane decisions made without any thought and others that may require more insight that only the Lord can provide. Knowing that God has infinite wisdom we should rely on Him for guidance.

Seeking the direction of our Heavenly Father is important to protect us and guide us through some of the more difficult questions we face. Perhaps you are seeking a new job, considering a home purchase, or wondering if you should marry. You may be asking the Lord to reveal the actions He may wish you to take in your Christian walk to draw you closer to Him. How can you discern the will of God in a particular matter for which you have gone to Him in prayer?

Seeking God's Will through Scripture

After we have brought our petition to our Almighty Father we should spend time in the Bible to see what God has to say on the subject. There may be a passage of Scripture that gives you peace regarding your petition or you could find that it is in direct opposition to God's Word. As we gain more wisdom through the study of Scripture we will become more attuned to God's will in different circumstances.

_For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure_. - Philippians 2:13

_Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth._ \- 2 Timothy 2:15

When we ask the Father for direction in prayer we need to earnestly allow Him to determine the outcome. All too often Christians have already made up their own mind on how they want their prayers to be answered. They may search the Bible solely for a single supporting verse. We must consider the Bible as a whole to ensure that we are seeking to know God's thoughts on the matter. God also requires our obedience and our willingness to submit ourselves to Him with the knowledge that He has our best interests at heart.

_I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God_. - Romans 12:1-2

_Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation._ \- 2 Peter 1:20

Actively Listening for a Still Small Voice

Every believer has been indwelt with the Holy Spirit to magnify, exalt and lift up the Lord Jesus Christ as we spread the gospel.

_What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?_ \- 1 Corinthians 6:19

How does the Holy Spirit help us to discern the will of God? He is a living person within each believer that brings feelings of peace or conviction as we study Scripture, guides us as we talk with others, or brings to remembrance Biblical principles to help us in our daily walk with Christ.

A year after I accepted Christ I was faced with the decision of whether to accept a new job in Wisconsin. To be frank, I had no desire to move halfway across the country. I sought God's direction in what to do but did not wait upon Him for an answer. At the time it was hard to believe that the Lord would pick me up and move me. After all, there were plenty of jobs in the area. I made up my own mind instead of waiting and declined the offer. Within a few months the job offered returned. This cycle repeated itself again as I had not learned my lesson to wait upon God for guidance.

When discussions of the job arose the third time I was given peace from the Holy Spirit that it was within God's plan for me to leave the Carolinas for the shores of Lake Michigan. The peace I received was like a still, small voice guiding me. There was no audible direction, simply a serenity that God would be there carrying me through while I traversed the path He set before me.

Within Scripture there are examples of the Holy Spirit directing men of God. In the book of Acts we learn that Paul desired to preach the gospel in Asia Minor, specifically Bithynia, yet he was prevented from doing so by the leading of the Spirit.

_Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not._ \- Acts 16:6-7

We learn of God the Spirit as a still, small voice in the Old Testament.

Elijah was a prophet of the Lord that had defeated the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal on Carmel as the Lord brought an end to a drought within the land (as noted in 1 Kings 18). When Ahab brought the news to Jezebel she sought to kill him the next morning. Elijah was distraught and journeyed through the wilderness where he asked the Lord to take his life. Imagine the despair he must have felt.

As Elijah slept under the juniper tree where he asked the Lord to take his life an angel touched him twice telling him to arise and eat. The angel knew that Elijah needed strength for his upcoming journey. Elijah was told by the angel to go up to stand upon the mount before the Lord. The last place that Elijah knew the Lord had made an appearance was Mt. Sinai. Elijah sought refuge within a cave at Mt. Sinai where the word of the Lord came to him asking why he was there.

_And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice_. - 1 Kings 19:11-12

After the tumultuous time brought on by a great wind and earthquake there was a stillness. It was a silence during which Elijah knew it was time to listen to God. In the stillness Elijah heard audible directions from the Lord. While the Father no longer speaks to men audibly there is a stillness that helps us to discern the will of God if we intently and earnestly pay attention to the peace that the Spirit brings.

We are given a promise in the book of John that should give us comfort when seeking the wisdom to discern God's will. Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things and bring those things to our remembrance. Through our study of the Bible the Spirit is able to teach us and enables us to make better decisions that are pleasing to the Father. He can guide us in our service and walk with Him.

_Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you._ \- John 14:23-26

Striving to be Christ-like

When we accepted Christ we became a new creature. God works to conform us to be like Christ which enables us to more effectively spread the gospel message and serve Him. We begin to have a zeal for the things of God and a desire to be separate from sin. New believers have a thirst for the Word of God but must be discipled to ensure that they do not become ensnared in their old way of life.

_For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren_. - Romans 8:29

As we are conformed to be like Christ we gain a greater understanding of Scripture and a love for the lost. Seeing a man, woman or child come to know Christ as their Saviour can bring tremendous joy to the believer. Jesus is the pattern each of us should be working to emulate.

We can examine the life of Jesus to discern God's will. Christ's compassion, humility, mercy, and grace are all a wonderful model for our behavior. Consider Jesus' actions and character when you are praying for the Lord to help you forgive someone or soften your heart towards another. Can you show Christ's love through your treatment of others? Is there an action that God may want you to take to bless another Christian or reach out to the lost? What would Jesus do in your situation?

Prayer Litmus Test

_Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work._ \- John 4:34

Seeking to understand the will of God in your prayer life is admirable. Jesus said that He was here to do the will of the Father which was to die on the cross for our sins. We have been commanded to spread the gospel of Christ yet we all have different forms of service in our churches and our communities.

There is one great litmus test that we should consider when we bring any petitions to the Father.

Will my prayer enable me to better serve Him? Will my prayer bring someone else closer to the Lord? Will my prayer encourage another in their Christian walk or service to Him?

As an example let us also contemplate the man that has been given a job opportunity which, on the surface, appears to be a great offer. Perhaps this man works diligently in the youth program of his church. The new job may prevent him from continuing to serve the Lord. Luring him to take the position is a large salary increase. Praying for the Lord to answer the questions above may help him to discern God's will.

Consider the woman struggling with anger towards a child's temper tantrums. She seeks the Lord's help in prayer. When the Father helps the woman to become more patient, loving and kind it will better equip her to teach her children to follow the Lord. Not only will this affect her relationship with her toddler but learning patience may help her as she reaches out to the lost for Christ. We can help others to experience the love of Christ through our words and deeds.

We need to keep Jesus as the center of our lives, our rock and foundation that we build our faith upon. When we obey the Almighty's commandment to love the Lord God with all our heart our prayer life will often reflect that love. Our thoughts will turn to others with compassion, desiring to see their lives be transformed. We will lift them up to the Father in prayer with hope that God will answer our petitions. Let us always strive to understand how we can better serve Him while being a blessing to both believers and the lost.

God Works through Others

We have been given many accounts of the prophets' attempts to turn the children of Israel away from their sin and back to the One True God. Today the gift of prophecy remains alive as men and women feel compelled to speak to another about a Biblical truth.

There may be times when we receive our answers to prayer through other people. Frequently this occurs as we listen to a sermon. While the pastor has one message which God lays on his heart the message works in different ways for those that hear it. Our Father knows precisely what we are in need of and provides discernment or wisdom through these men who have been called to watch over the Lord's flock.

God will also use the layman to deliver His message. While not all Christians have the gift of prophecy the Lord may place a burden on your heart to speak to someone about a passage within Scripture that may be of assistance.

A Testament of God's Answered Prayer

While preparing this chapter I spoke with Wendell, a man of faith, about his personal testimony of God using a perfect stranger to deliver His message during a time of great need.

Wendell had been working a long delivery route that involved driving a 160 mile loop. One Saturday afternoon in April he had been moving rocks on his property which caused a back injury.

Wendell went to God in prayer asking for His healing and direction. Weeks passed during which his injury continued to worsen since he was unable to take time off of his job to heal. Unanswered prayer combined with the deteriorating condition caused Wendell to be overcome with depression. Struggling to complete his work one day along his route he related the difficulties to a store manager who was also a Christian brother. The manager prayed with Wendell which was a great encouragement but did not bring any relief to his physical condition.

As the weeks passed Wendell wondered why God was not hearing his prayer. On June 3, 1991, he would receive a surprising answer from the Lord. At one of the grocery stores on Wendell's route a man came out to his delivery truck and told him when he got home that night to look up John 14:14. The man then walked away.

This messenger for the Lord was a produce manager in the store but he did not know Wendell. God placed a burden on this man's heart to tell Wendell to read the verse. At the time Wendell did not know the verse as he was still learning about the Bible. Wendell did have peace that the message was from God. His wife had been sitting in the truck and Wendell asked her if she had a New Testament in her purse. She pulled out the New Testament and together they read John 14:14.

_If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it._ \- John 14:14

Wendell was so moved by the answer to his prayer for the Lord's guidance that he broke down weeping. The renewed hope after waiting for so long to receive an answer to his prayer was overwhelming. When he returned home that night he prayed a different prayer. This was his petition to the Lord:

Lord, you know I need a strong back and you know I need to work. But whatever it is for my life I want it to be pleasing to you.

Within a few days Wendell's back was healed. He has never forgotten the message that God brought to him through a stranger. The remembrance is so strong that he can tell you where he was, what time of day it was, and even the sights or smells he experienced. God brought Wendell hope and direction.

There is a lot we can learn from this wonderful testimony of God's answered prayer. Waiting on God's timing is extremely important. Had God instantly healed Wendell's back it may not have been such a memorable lesson that could be of help to others. We must learn to be patient with assurance that the Father knows precisely what we need and when we need it. The stillness that comes from knowing the will of God is worth waiting for. If we abide in Him with the confidence that He will provide us the direction we seek, God will honor our request for guidance.

Our most important lesson from Wendell's testimony is that victory in prayer can come when we willingly submit ourselves into the hands of the Father. Wendell wanted whatever God's decision was to bring glory to the Lord and it did just that.

David's Lack of Presumption

We saw in Wendell's situation that he waited on the Lord and did receive an answer in God's timing. All too often we want to force the Lord's hand with time limits or presumptions. Scripture shows us the importance of not assuming that God's answer for one circumstance will be the same for a similar petition.

David had been anointed king over all of Israel. The Philistines went up to challenge David and his army in the valley of Rephaim. The new king sought God's direction in prayer asking if his army should go up against the Philistines.

_And David enquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? and wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thine hand._ \- 1 Chronicles 14:10

Listening to God's directive David's men defeated the Philistines and he gave God the glory for the victory.

_So they came up to Baalperazim; and David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mind hand like the breaking forth of waters: therefore they called the name of that place Baalperazim._ \- 1 Chronicles 14:11

Surely David trusted in the Lord completely as he obeyed God's command. David's faith was rewarded with victory for his people. The Philistines choose to go up against David a second time as they spread themselves throughout the valley. At this time David could have made the assumption to attack again by relying on his own knowledge. Instead he brought the petition before the Lord once again so that he would know God's will.

_And the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley. Therefore David enquired again of God; and God said unto him, Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. And it shall be, when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for God is gone forth before thee to smite the host of the Philistines. David therefore did as God commanded him: and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gazer. And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations_. - 1 Chronicles 14:13-17

The outcome may have been very different had he chosen to rely on self instead of God. The Lord had a plan for Israel's victory which was carried out. We need to remember not to rely on ourselves but to lean on the Father to reveal His will to us. Let us not be presumptive in our Christian walk or service.

Proof of God's Call

There may be times when we feel we have been given direction by God but we desire a little more assurance that we are following Him obediently. Scripture gives us an example of a man that personally felt he was incapable of answering God's call to save Israel from the hand of the Midianites.

_And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour._ \- Judges 6:12

Gideon had trouble accepting that the direction from the angel of the Lord was God's call. He was discouraged and feeling forsaken by the Lord.

_And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites....And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man_. - Judges 6:13,16

There may be some prayers that are answered in ways that we have trouble accepting. This may be because we feel incapable of carrying out God's directive or perhaps because the task seems daunting. The Lord shows us through Gideon's request that God will allow us to ask Him for confirmation that we have interrupted His answer to our prayers correctly.

_And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou will save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water_. - Judges 6:36-38

Gideon asked for God to reveal to him that God would do as He said. Gideon's test for the Lord was that the fleece would be full of dew and the ground would be dry. God had patience with Gideon and did provide him with the confirmation he sought but Gideon still felt uncertain. He asked for confirmation a second time.

_And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on the ground_. - Judges 6:39-40

God provided Gideon with the proof he humbly asked for. The Lord was with Gideon and we later see that He helped Gideon to defeat the Midianites.

Almighty God has provided us means to discern His will today that do not require us to lay out the fleece as Gideon did. We have the Bible to examine, the Holy Spirit to guide us, Jesus as our example, and others to provide Godly wisdom. As we bring our petitions to the Father let us always seek to discern God's will and not our own.

_And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him._ \- 1 John 5:14-15

### Gaining Godly Wisdom

_Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the_ _city._

Ecclesiastes 7:19

Godly wisdom is precious and should be sought by all Christians. To have wisdom is to gain the insight to determine what is right and wrong in the eyes of God. This knowledge leads to an understanding of Scripture which can protect us from harm, illuminate our way, and strengthen our faith.

_He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered._ \- Proverbs 28:26

What is the difference between godly wisdom and intellectual knowledge? Where does this wisdom come from and how can we attain it?

Biblical vs. Intellectual Wisdom

What comes to mind when you think of someone that is intelligent? Reasoning or the ability to come to logical conclusions is the basis for intellect. This type of wisdom is a worldly knowledge that originates in the brain. We increase our intelligence through learning, reading, and application of things we have been taught. Attaining worldly knowledge is admirable as it can assist you with many walks of your life, however, this type of wisdom is merely a temporal understanding. Intelligence alone cannot help men to discern Biblical truths.

_Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth._ \- 2 Timothy 3:7

_But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?_ \- Job 28:12

Men can only receive Biblical wisdom from the Father. When a new believer accepts Christ they are given wisdom and understanding by God. The knowledge of God, as Jesus Christ the Son, is godly wisdom we receive with salvation.

_But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ._ \- 2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Scripture tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all knowledge. Let us not confuse this concept of Godly fear with the emotion of fear that causes anxiety and distress. We first experience a fear of the Lord when we are shown our spiritual position with God. This is the knowledge that He is sovereign with both the power to forgive us of our sin and the desire to see us come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit uses this to guide us towards Him.

Through our Christian growth our fear of the Lord evolves to a greater appreciation of our position with the Almighty, a reverence for His Majesty. We respect His position as our Lord and Master with a desire to please Him through our obedience or service. This type of fear leads to purification in the life of the Christian.

_The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction_. - Proverbs 1:7

_The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding_. - Proverbs 9:10

Studying wisdom within Scripture you will see God draws our attention to fools, those that are lacking spiritual insight. This spiritual insight can only come through salvation and is a gift from God. Fools equate to those without Christ. They are unable to fully understand Biblical truths with the exception of the gospel message. Does this mean that they are ignorant or less of a human being than the Christian? Absolutely not! We are all sinners who are given a chance to respond to the gospel message with repentance and acceptance or rejection of Christ.

We see a sharp contrast between godly wisdom and worldly wisdom in the book of James. We are first told that a man with godly wisdom should apply that spiritual knowledge to his actions and daily living.

_Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom_. - James 3:13

The characteristics of worldly wisdom produce envy, strife and confusion. Scripture shows us that this wisdom is not from God.

_But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work._ \- James 3:14-16

Godly wisdom has many beautiful characteristics that will be a blessing to us all.

_But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace_. - James 3:17-18

Studying God's Word we can see that the deeds and actions of the wise should be applied to our Christian living while those of the fool serve as a warning. Biblical wisdom should come from the heart of a believer. Understanding the will of God is important to every aspect of our Christian life.

_See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is_. - Ephesians 5:15-17

Earnestly Seeking Godly Wisdom

God desires us to seek wisdom because He knows that it can help us in every aspect of our walk with Christ. We should strive to increase our knowledge through prayer and Biblical study. The Father will honor our request for knowledge and understanding of His Word.

_For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding_. - Proverbs 2:6

The Spirit can work through our request for wisdom and our study to better equip us to share the gospel message with the lost.

_Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual._ \- 1 Corinthians 2:13

For us to earnestly seek to have our wisdom increased we need to obediently follow the Lord's commandments, approach Him with a humble heart, and submit ourselves to Him. If we allow rebellion in our hearts, or set our hearts on worldly things, it can prevent us from growing as a Christian. God requires our sincerity as we pray for wisdom and understanding.

Our Father shows us that His wisdom is pure, gentle, peaceable, full of mercy, and produces good fruits. These are all wonderful traits that can bring peace and joy into our daily life with the application of godly wisdom.

In Paul's letter to the church of Ephesus he stated that he prayed for them to have wisdom and understanding. Let us earnestly pray for one another in like fashion.

_That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,_ \- Ephesians 1:17-20

Seeking Wisdom through Prayer

Our Lord tells us that He will give wisdom to those that request it and believe with unwavering faith that we shall receive it from God. Scripture tells us that we will receive a generous portion of wisdom if we earnestly seek it.

_If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed._ \- James 1:5-6

Scripture reaffirms this principle within the book of Proverbs. The Lord compares wisdom as a treasure that we should keep near to our hearts so that the Spirit can use it as a buckler, or shield, for believers to help them walk uprightly before God.

_My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly._ \- Proverbs 2:1-7

Let us humbly bow down before the Father in prayer asking that He increase our wisdom and understanding of His Word. Studying the Bible diligently to enable the Spirit to bring to our remembrance Scriptural principles to keep us on the path that God has set before us.

Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom

_And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father:_ \- 1 Kings 3:3a

King Solomon, the son of David, loved the Lord. His father, David, desired to build a temple to house the Ark of the Covenant but God forbad him from doing so. During this time the people worshipped in high places. Solomon was allowed to build a temple unto the Lord yet before he did so he went to Gibeon to worship the Lord. The Bible says that Solomon made a thousand burnt offerings upon the altar in Gibeon. The Lord appeared to him in a dream asking Solomon what he desired from God.

_And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in._ \- 1 Kings 3:6-7

This humble prayer for wisdom began by drawing God's attention to His mercy and favor towards Solomon's father David, who was a righteous man. Solomon understood that he was not prepared to lead God's chosen people but that his help cometh from the Lord Almighty.

_And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?_ \- 1 Kings 3:8-9

Solomon knew that God could help him to discern what was right and wrong in the Lord's eyes in order to rule the people righteously.

_And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing_. - 1 King 3:10

Solomon had humbled himself before the Lord and submitted himself completely. This is a great model for our prayer life as it is pleasing to the Father.

_And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee._ \- 1 Kings 3:11-12

God's response to Solomon's request for wisdom shows us that it is both honorable and pleasing to Him when we seek His guidance, wisdom, and understanding. When we seek him earnestly while studying to increase our understanding we will be rewarded with a greater knowledge of His Word by the leading of the Spirit.

### Seeking God's Protection

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

Psalm 46:1-3

All Christians are in need of protection on a daily basis. Our world is full of myriad temptations that can cause any man, woman, or child to stumble in their Christian walk. Falling prey to sin can shipwreck our faith making us ineffective in our witness for the Lord. Our testimony is precious and we should take steps to ensure that it remains untarnished.

There may be a variety of reasons why we need the protection of the Lord. Whether you are facing legal troubles, dealing with the wrath of unjust men, suffering affliction or being persecuted you can turn to the only One that can overcome the evil you face. We can receive strength, courage, and hope when we rely on Almighty God to see us through.

A Spiritual Battle Ensues

There is a battle raging right now as you read this book. If you are a Christian you are on the winning side and need only to embrace the all-powerful God for strength and protection. This spiritual warfare is occurring daily in our homes, schools, communities, and even in our churches.

We can choose to acknowledge it and fight back through prayer and surrendering ourselves to the Lord or we can ignore it while hoping for the best. Overlooking the problem makes life as a Christian a little more difficult.

Why are Christians in a spiritual battle? It all began long before Adam and Eve's fall in the garden. The very first sin was the sin of pride by a fallen angel named Lucifer, the devil. Lucifer desired to be equal to God himself.

_How are thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds: I will be like the most High_. _-_ Isaiah 14:12-14

Satan will be bound for 1,000 years while Christ reigns on the earth and when he rebels again he will be defeated.

_And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season._ \- Revelation 20:1-3

_And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever._ _-_ Revelation 20:10

There are always consequences to sin and Lucifer's sin is no exception. He will spend eternity in hell.

_Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?_ _-_ Isaiah 14:15-17

In the meantime, Satan is working daily to prohibit our service and discourage us from seeking to save souls. He may be interfering with your prayer life in hopes that you will doubt the power of God to answer your petitions. Some may be experiencing a feeling of being unworthy of God's love due to past sins. These are all lies and deceit to cause you to stumble. Satan has _NO POWER_ over believers.

_And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)_ \- Ephesians 2:1-5

_Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:_ \- Colossians 1:12-14

When you repented of your sinful nature asking for God's forgiveness and asking Jesus to be Lord of your life, you were forgiven! There is no past sin that you need forgiveness for because He cleansed you from all your sins. Satan cannot use anything from your past against you because the slate is clean.

_Neither give place to the devil_. - Ephesians 4:27

We need not give any place to the devil as he is merely a fallen angel. Our God is greater than the devil. The Lord can give you the strength and courage to face anything that comes your way. We can be victorious against the enemy because we have God on our side.

Vigilance is the key to our protection. We can keep a careful watch to ensure we will not be caught up in a snare of the devil.

_Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:_ \- 1 Peter 5:8

We should examine our lives and motivation to ensure that we do not allow pride or idol worship to come before our relationship with the Lord. The sin of pride is hated by God while embraced by the devil. It was the basis for his sin.

Praying for Protection

We need to pray with authority for God to bind the forces of Satan, strengthen us, keep us from temptation and place a hedge of protection around us. God's Word gives us a model for prayer in Matthew, the Lord's Prayer. God tells us to pray for protection from temptation and evil daily.

_And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen._ \- Matthew 6:13 (Words of Jesus)

The Lord can protect you and your family from all sin, harm, and evil placing a hedge of protection around you. Satan recognizes when the Lord has placed a hedge of protection around His children as we see in Job. No harm can come to you without God allowing it. We need to remain steadfast within the will of our Father and embrace our Lord through faith. Understanding that when God does allow trials and tribulation to enter our life that the Lord has a purpose. When we allow sin in our life we can give place to the devil which will inhibit our service and walk with Christ.

_And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land._ \- Job 1:8-10

In Paul's letter to the church of Ephesus he tells them to put on the whole armor of God to stand against evil.

_Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand._ \- Ephesians 6:10-13

Our strength to endure comes from the Lord. His mighty power can overcome our trials. Do you feel as if your prayers are being hindered with no apparent cause? Are you overcome with anxiety, depression or fear? Is there a specific sin that seems to be a continual temptation? Do thoughts of unworthiness, unforgiveness, or self-recrimination hinder your Christian walk? Pray for God's protection today to help you through these difficult times.

Protection for God's Service

Churches are not immune to trials and difficulties. Compromise is a great source of trouble in churches today. It is a slippery slope that leads to ever-increasing compromise on the principles of God. We need to pray for our churches to remain strong in their faith, unwavering, and standing firmly on the Word of God.

_Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry._ \- 2 Timothy 4:2-5

Pastors also need daily prayer for protection. There are a variety of sources of discouragement that can affect our pastors including fear of legal troubles for speaking the truth, sheep that have gone astray, financial struggles, weariness from long hours, and temptations. Remember that our pastors, while called of God and to be greatly respected, are men who were born with a sinful nature just as we were. Their job is very demanding and time consuming. At the same time it can be very rewarding as they see people come to know Christ as their Saviour or watch a young Christian grow spiritually.

The Bible tells us that our pastors are worthy of double honor and we should esteem them highly. Pray daily for the Lord to encourage, strengthen, and guide your pastor. Most of all ask that God protect these men from all sin, harm, and evil.

_And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake_. - 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13a

_Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine_. - 1 Timothy 5:17

There are a variety of ministries that are seeking to reach the lost or strengthen believers. Satan can use the lure of increasing outreach through compromise to cause these ministries to stumble. Pray for the Father to direct their paths, protect them from compromise and bless their ministerial efforts today.

Let us examine two petitions for God's protection that can be found within Scripture.

Jehoshaphat Seeks God's Protection

In 2 Chronicles we follow Ahab king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah as they went to battle with Syria at Ramothgilead. Ahab had disguised himself in battle but told Jehoshaphat to wear his kingly robes. The king of Syria had commanded his army to only fight with the king of Israel. When the captains of the Syrian army saw Jehoshaphat they thought that he was Ahab. There was only one way for him to be protected and saved in battle. He cried out to the Lord to help him.

_And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him._ \- 2 Chronicles 18:31

The Bible tells us that when they realized that he was not Ahab king of Israel they stopped pursuing Jehoshapat.

Habakkuk's Prayer for Justice

Before Judah was taken into captivity by the Babylonians the prophet Habakkuk was grieved by the violence, strife and contention among the people. He cries out to the Lord asking why there has been no justice when the children have not obeyed God's law.

_O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention. Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth_. - Habakkuk 1:2-4

The Lord answers Habakkuk that He will bring justice and correction by bringing the Chaldeans, Babylonians, in to take over the land and take them into captivity for correction of their sin against God.

While the Lord's answer may have been confusing to Habakkuk it is a good lesson to us all. In Judah's situation their captivity was used as a means of correction to turn them back to the One True God. There are times when we, or our loved ones, may need protection from ourselves, as well as our enemies. Pray today for the Lord to place a hedge of protection around you to keep you from sin and temptation.

### Praying for God's Mercy

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

Psalm 4:1

Do you feel as if you are unworthy of the blessings that God pours forth to His children? Is there a besetting sin that you are holding on to and feel as if the Father cannot forgive you? Are you plagued by a feeling of being separated from the Lord? Rest easy, friend, our God is a merciful God.

God's Mercy towards Mankind

Through the sins of Adam and Eve all of mankind has suffered the consequences of sin. That sinful nature passed down through the generations has separated man from God. It was not possible for man to follow the laws of God without blood of atonement. Our rebellion kept us from being righteous in the eyes of the Lord. We were not worthy of His forgiveness or compassion.

_To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets_. - Daniel 9:9-10

As God's creation we are His possession. He has the right to be either merciful or judgmental with us. Consider the servant that has been rebellious towards his king, perhaps he has stolen from the king's pantry. He bows down before the throne humbly asking the king to spare his servant and judge him fairly. Fair judgment would mean the imprisonment (or worse) of the servant. The king examines the court filled with men from all over the kingdom. Shall he deal with the servant with compassion or sentence the servant to death? Sending the servant to his death would make the people fear him but showing mercy could bring the servant closer to the king. Mercy is the act of grace tempering judgment.

_Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us_. - Psalm 123:1-2

The Lord is our King and we are His servants. Praise God for His wondrous mercy and the grace.

_The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy._ _-_ Psalm 103:8

He showed His love towards us by sending His Son to die on the cross for us; extending unmerited favor, or grace unto salvation. The Lord also shows mercy to the lost. His desire is that all should come to know Jesus as their Saviour. Almighty God will extend His mercy to the lost in an effort to woo them or draw them to Himself.

_But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation_. _-_ Psalm 13:5

One Man's Plea for Mercy

A Christian man, we will call Scott, found himself in the depths of despair over the course of ten years. Listening to him retell the experience you could sense the heavy weight of sorrow that the man had been under. The oppression he felt from shame and a perceived separation from God had been overwhelming. For years he cried out to the Lord pleading for mercy. His prayer was answered in God's timing. May the testimony of his trial be a blessing to all those that may be suffering through affliction.

On the morning of October 6, 1996, Scott was studying his Bible while preparing a Sunday school lesson for the youth at his church. As he was reading Scripture, memories of a time in his childhood when he was angry flooded his mind. As a boy Scott had wondered if he had committed the unpardonable sin:

_Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come._ _-_ Matthew 12:31-32 (Words of Jesus)

_Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:_ \- Mark 3:28-29 (Words of Jesus)

God had given him peace that he had not committed this grievous sin while he was still a boy but as he prepared his lesson that morning the feeling came back to him. He began questioning once again whether he was guilty of committing the unpardonable sin. Scott went to church that morning speechless yet God helped him deliver the Sunday school lesson. There was such a stark contrast in his emotional state that morning that his wife could tell something was wrong.

The sense of guilt was overwhelming yet there was no real evidence weighing against him. He had settled the issue years prior. Scott could not get the same peace he once had. Every morning he woke with the weight of his trial hanging over him like a dark cloud preparing to release storms of fury. The pressure and awareness that he could go to hell were suffocating.

A month after his ordeal began the memory of every sin that he had ever committed came back with a vengeance. The moment he would get one sin settled the thoughts of another would come to him. It was as if his soul was being tortured by a continual barrage of recrimination. The devil will often use this tactic to dissuade us from our service and walk with Christ. Satan will tell us that our sins have made us unworthy of God's love and grace. If you are struggling with feelings this strong, read on as there is hope.

After dealing with this struggle for a year and a half Scott became emotionally numb. Every year on the anniversary of October 6 he would once again be plagued with the question of whether he was guilty of committing the unpardonable sin. There were times when the burden was so great that he physically collapsed crying out to God for mercy. God heard his plea for mercy but answered it within His timing.

As the seventh year was closing in Scott had renewed hope that perhaps God would settle this question for him. He remembered that the Hebrew servant was released from his service after seven years and hoped that he would be released from his burden. Scott prayed for God to reveal to him whether he was guilty of the unpardonable sin.

_If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing._ \- Exodus 21:2

_And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:_ \- Deuteronomy 15:12-13

God did not release him from his burden that day but He would not allow the man to deal with more than he could handle. Scott knew that it would take divine intervention to get peace. The Lord sustained him through his affliction.

_Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved._ _-_ Psalm 55:22

Through burdens and trials God is often working in our life. We do not always realize what He is doing until much later. Through Scott's trial he spent a great deal of time studying the Bible; his faith was growing even stronger. His turmoil over whether he was guilty made him realize how much he wanted God and God alone. Scott trusted in the Lord to handle this situation for him and often sought refuge in Psalm 107.

_O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;...They they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!_ _-_ Psalm 107:1-2,13-15

Renewed hope came in unusual circumstances. Scott had been checking mail for a friend and saw a brochure for a prophecy seminar in the pile of letters. He had an interest in prophecy and was perusing the topics to see if there were any sessions he may want to attend. Among the topics the words "The One Sin God could not Forgive" jumped out at him. The session on the unpardonable sin was scheduled for October 6, 2006, the tenth anniversary since his affliction began. He knew that this could not have been a coincidence.

As the time grew closer to the seminar Scott began to dread going because he was fearful of God's answer. He clung to the possibility that this uncertainty would finally be settled. At the conference the speaker had the people turn to Matthew 12. The speaker discussed a man that he had worked with previously that had come to the altar asking for prayer because he thought he had blasphemed the Holy Ghost. He said that he told the man that if he had blasphemed the Holy Ghost there would be no reason for him to be worried about it; the Holy Spirit would not have been with him nor would he have cared. Rather than continue his presentation on the unpardonable sin the man began to talk about baptism.

Scott knew that the brief message was meant for him because the matter was settled before the speaker went off topic. Scott would not have cared about His relationship with the Lord if he had blasphemed the Holy Spirit. The Spirit would not have been with him. After ten years the burden was lifted. He once again felt peace.

_For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God_ : - Romans 8:14-16

Whether you are wondering if you have committed the unpardonable sin, struggling with assurance of your salvation, or feeling the oppression from extended affliction, hold on to the hope that God can hear your cry for mercy. He will answer your humble plea for assurance or give you direction in what He would have you do. Let us remember that when we have accepted Christ we became His possession. He will never leave us nor forsake us. We belong to Christ and Christ belongs to the Father. What a tremendous promise!

_And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's._ \- 1 Corinthians 3:23

Scott looks back now and sees that God was helping him through that difficult time while working in his life. May the testimony of his trial give you renewed hope for answered prayer. Hold on to the Lord during your time of need and wait patiently on Him.

_Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him:_ _-_ Psalm 37:7a

Cain's Cry for God's Mercy

The tragic tale of the brothers Cain and Abel brings with it an answered prayer for mercy. Abel was a shepherd and his brother a farmer. When the time had come for the men to bring their offerings unto the Lord, Abel brought the best of his flock, the firstlings. Cain, no doubt, brought the finest of his produce – but the only acceptable sacrifice was a blood sacrifice. The only offering that was acceptable to God was that of Abel. Cain was overcome with jealousy and murdered his younger brother.

Cain knew that both his offering and his actions were wrong. When the Lord asked him where his brother was Cain tried to hide his sin from God. There are no secret sins as the Almighty can see all.

_But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out._ \- Numbers 32:23

Every sin has consequences. The Lord told Cain that he would then be cursed from the earth and that his farming would not yield the fruits it once did. God said that Cain would be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth meaning that his farming would consume his time to produce a small amount of results. Cain was distraught and pleaded with God for mercy.

_And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me._ _-_ Genesis 4:13-14

Cain worried that he would be killed by other men when they discovered the judgment of God brought down upon him for his sin. Merciful God choose to place a mark on Cain so that everyone would know that they were not to kill him. The Lord did not revoke the penalty of sin that Cain would suffer but did show mercy by sparing his life at the hands of other men.

_And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him_. - Genesis 4:15

Jeremiah Pleads for Judah

The children of Judah were distraught due to a drought that was in the land. This tribe had forsaken God and committed several sins against the Lord. The prophet Jeremiah asked God to show mercy towards Judah despite their sinfulness.

_O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night? Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O LORD, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not_. - Jeremiah 14:7-9

God was displeased with Judah and told Jeremiah not to plead for them. They would have to pay a penalty for their sins.

_Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence._ \- Jeremiah 14:10-12

Although God told Jeremiah not to plead for the people, he cried for mercy once again yet this prayer was one of repentance. He admitted they had sinned against the Lord and pleaded with God for His name's sake to keep the covenant with them. Jeremiah acknowledged the Almighty power of the Lord and their reliance on Him alone.

_We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee. Do not abhor us, for thy name's sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us. Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things._ \- Jeremiah 14:20-22

God will always forgive the truly repentant heart but we will still have to face consequences for our actions.

Joshua Cries for Mercy

The Lord helped the children of Israel conquer Jericho. When one man of the tribe of Judah, Achan, laid eyes on the spoils he desired greatly a Babylonish garment, silver, and a wedge of gold. He took the items and hid them in the ground beneath his tent. Although Achan hid this from his fellow men the Lord saw his transgression. God's anger extended to all the children of Israel.

After sending spies to Ai to assess the area for battle. Joshua sent only 3,000 men to Ai after receiving a favorable report from the spies. The men of Ai chased and killed some of the men. The children of Israel were distraught. They had expected an easy victory with the Lord on their side as they had when conquering Jericho. Clearly something had changed and Joshua pleaded for God's mercy on the children of Israel.

_And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?_ \- Joshua 7:6-9

The Lord illuminates the situation for Joshua in His response. He tells Joshua that someone of the children of Israel has taken of the spoils, the accursed thing, and that it is to be removed from the children of Israel before the Lord will continue to aid them in possessing the Promised Land. The Lord commanded that they should be brought in by tribe, then families, households, and man by man until the perpetrator makes a confession of their sin. In addition, the accursed thing was to be burnt by fire.

Joshua did as the Lord had commanded. When he questioned Achan the man confessed to taking of the spoils. Achan told Joshua the items he had stolen along with their hiding place. Achan, along with all of his family, animals, possessions, and the spoils were brought to the valley of Achor. All of Israel stoned them, burned them with fire and heaped stones upon them. The Lord turned from his anger and helped the children of Israel once again.

_And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land: And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it_. - Joshua 8:1-2

Achan had looked upon the temptations of the spoils and gave in to the sin. His consequence for sin was death. We are so blessed to have been shown mercy by the Lord when by His grace He sent His Son to pay the penalty for sin in His death on the cross.

Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican

The Pharisees considered themselves to be righteous and held strictly to the Mosaic Law. They looked down on others and despised the Lord Jesus. Jesus gave them a parable of the Pharisee and the publican to show that God honors the humble, repentant heart.

We learn that the two men were in the temple praying. Jesus tells us that the Pharisee prayed by himself noting all the things he did. This prayer was filled with pride and meant to exalt himself instead of God.

_The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess_. _-_ Luke 18:11-12 (Words of Jesus)

The prayer of the Pharisee was far different than that of the tax collector. The publican's prayer for mercy showed that he was humble before God with a repentant heart seeking the Lord's forgiveness.

_And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner._ \- Luke 18:13 (Words of Jesus)

Jesus tells us that the publican was justified because he was humble and exalted God.

_I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted_. _-_ Luke 18:14 (Words of Jesus)

This cry for mercy confirms that our approach towards God in prayer is important. The Lord is the one that should be praised and revered. God will strengthen the humble in spirit and help them through their afflictions.

_Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up._ \- James 4:10

### Intercessory Prayer

It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Romans 8:34

Within the book of Romans we have a wonderful promise that Christ is sitting at the right hand of the Father intervening on our behalf. If you are a child of God, hold on to this guarantee with confidence that your prayers are being heard. The Lord knows what we have need of and has our best interests at heart.

Scripture shows us that we are also to pray for others interceding on their behalf. Consider your own prayer life. Do you pray for your immediate family daily? When your friends are in need do you bring their petitions before the Lord? When a Christian brother or sister asks for prayer do you pray or ignore their request? Are you interceding on behalf of the lost?

What is Intercessory Prayer?

Most people are already performing intercessory prayer on a daily basis. Do you pray for your children or spouse? Are you praying for a friend that has yet to accept Christ? Intercessory prayer is the act of praying to intervene with the Father on behalf of another person.

The Lord tells us in His Word that we are to confess our faults to one another and pray for each other. Scripture shows us that the fervent prayer of a righteous man can be effective. A righteous man is one who has been justified in the eyes of God through faith in Christ. Remember that sin can come between the believer and the Lord so we must always repent of that sin for our prayers to be effective. Fervent prayer is praying with intensity, a strong burden for the person for whom we are interceding.

_Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much_. - James 5:16

We pray for the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of others. The people we intercede for may be family, friends, Christian brethren, or strangers. There may be times when you pray for someone and do not even know their name. God knows the hearts and minds of His children. He will know precisely to whom you are referring.

_I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings._ \- Jeremiah 17:10

_The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man,_ _-_ Psalm 94:11a

Looking at the life of Christ we see that He had great compassion for even those who persecuted him. He intervened on their behalf just before His death on the cross with His prayer to the Father to forgive them.

_Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do._ -Luke 23:34

We should strive to be like Christ and remember others in our prayers daily.

Spouse's Prayer Heals Marriage

One day I was speaking to a woman about the wondrous power of God to answer our prayers. The topic of prayer is something that often comes up when I am speaking with another Christian. I was a " _brand plucked from the fire_ " when I accepted Christ. This attributes to my strong faith and love for the Lord along with a firm belief He can and will answer prayer. That day we were discussing the importance of praying for our spouses and children on a daily basis. With her permission I will recount the beautiful message of love, hope, intercessory prayer, and the impact it had on her life.

The woman spoke of her broken heart in dealing with her spouse. Emotional distance had begun to plague their marriage. Combined with the daily routine created by work, family obligations, and personal stresses the woman was beginning to grow concerned about the future of their marriage. She was at a loss and did not know what to do.

She started to pray fervently for her husband; intercessory prayer. The humbleness of her requests to God were being answered. Rapidly she began to notice a change in the way her husband treated her. There was a tenderness and care that she had not seen for some time. The Lord was healing their marriage from the inside out.

You may think that perhaps she had been praying for God to change her husband. All too often people pray for the Lord to 'fix' the people for whom they are praying; to bend them to their will. This woman was praying for Almighty God to bless her husband's position in his job, help him to find happiness in his day, protect him for harm and keep him healthy. Change was requested, however, she asked God to change her. She wanted the Lord to help her to be a patient, loving and supportive spouse.

What a wonderful example of intercessory prayer for married couples whether they are newlyweds or enjoying their golden anniversary!

Let us examine some Biblical examples of intercessory prayer.

Moses Intercedes for the Israelites

We will take a walk back in history to the time of Moses when he was communing with the Lord upon Mt. Sinai, creating the two tablets of testimony in stone written with the finger of God. As Moses was on Mt. Sinai with the Lord the Israelites grew restless waiting for him to come down. They went to Aaron and asked him to make them gods that they could worship. Aaron had them break off the golden earrings which they were wearing and fashioned them into a molten calf for the people to worship.

_And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt._ \- Exodus 32:4

God was exceedingly wroth with the children of Israel for their idol worship. While Moses was still on Mt. Sinai communing with the Lord he was told of the sin of the Israelites. God told him to go down to the people.

_And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiffnecked people: Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation._ \- Exodus 32:7-10

The Lord sees all and knows all. He saw that the children of Israel had committed this great offense. Imagine how Moses must have felt when he was told what the people were doing while he was away. The burden of the people's unwise decision and imminent demise must have weighed heavily on his soul. Moses pleaded with the Lord to spare the people. In this prayer of intercession he pleaded with the Lord to spare them for the Lord's name sake and the covenant He had made with their forefathers.

_And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever._ \- Exodus 32:11-13

The Lord repented of the evil He had thought to do to the children of Israel for their transgression. Moses went down from the mount into the camp. When he saw the people worshipping the molten calf Moses' anger overcame him causing him to throw the stone tablets on the ground, breaking the tablets in pieces.

Moses confronts Aaron about the worship of the golden calf. He then asked who among the men in the camp were on the Lord's side. The sons of Levi gather with Moses and were commanded to slay the men that were worshipping the molten calf. Scripture tells us that three thousand men fell that day though there were more that had sinned against the Lord.

After the death of the three thousand men Moses addressed the people regarding their sin.

_And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin._ \- Exodus 32:30

Returning to Mt. Sinai Moses interceded on behalf of the Israelites again. He was taking responsibility for their sin by being willing to take their place in death. Moses' asked the Lord to forgive them and if He could not then to remove Moses from the Lord's Book of Life to spare the people.

_And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written._ \- Exodus 32:31-32

To have his name removed from the Book of Life would mean that he would not see heaven. Before Christ's death on the cross the only way for a person to get to heaven was to follow the Mosaic Law completely. Today, all those that have repented and put their faith in Christ Jesus are in the Lamb's Book of Life.

_Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you: but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven_. - Luke 10:20 (Words of Jesus)

_And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life_. - Revelation 21:27

Once you have accepted Christ your name will forever be in the book of life.

_He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels._ _-_ Revelation 3:5 (Words of Jesus)

Those that are not in the book of life cannot enter into heaven.

_And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire._ -Revelation 20:15

That was a tremendous price that Moses was willing to pay for the children of Israel. Moses, as a type of Christ, was willing to pay for the sins of the people within his charge just as Christ willingly died on the cross to pay our sin debt. The Lord addressed this prayer of intercession made by Moses. God told Moses that he would remove from the book the names of the people that had sinned against him but not the name of Moses. The Lord did not slay the Israelites yet there was consequences to their sin.

_And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them. And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made_. _-_ Exodus 32:33-35

The children of Israel were led into Canaan that was promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel). Moses' intercession for the Israelites shows his faith while the Lord's response shows God's great mercy by sparing an undeserving people from His wrath.

Miriam's Leprosy Healed

The children of Israel were often murmuring, or complaining, about one thing or another. Man's sinful nature leads to this discontent which brings with it strife. Moses married an Ethiopian woman which angered Miriam and Aaron. Moses was above all the children of Israel. Miriam and Aaron used his marriage to the Ethiopian woman as an excuse to question his authority.

_(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)_ \- Numbers 12:3

_And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it._ \- Numbers 12:1-2

This questioning of Moses' authority angered the Lord. He called the three to come unto the tabernacle of the congregation where He appeared in the pillar of a cloud. The Lord expressed that He chose to speak with and through Moses. God asked them why they spoke against Moses. The Lord was angry with Miriam and Aaron leaving Miriam leprous when He departed.

_With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous_. - Numbers 12:8-10

Aaron repented of their sin and pleaded with Moses to help Miriam.

_And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee._ \- Numbers 12:13

Moses' prayer of intercession for Miriam was not a long prayer but it was spoken with great urging for another human being. The Lord heard his prayer and gave Moses' instructions which would need to be followed for Miriam to be healed of leprosy. Obeying the Lord they did as He had commanded and Miriam was healed.

The Lord's healing is still available today. He can remove any disease or heal any physical affliction from which we may be suffering. Seek him today with a prayer of intercession for the healing of your friends and family.

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

Another Old Testament example of prayer of intercession occurs in the life of Abraham. The Bible verses that will be shown here will refer to Abraham as Abram. His name was changed by the Lord in Genesis 17:

_Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee_. - Genesis 17:5

Abraham had followed the Lord's command to leave his father's house and go to a land which the Lord would show him. His nephew Lot departed on the journey with Abraham and Abraham's wife. When they travelled into Canaan the Lord showed Abraham the land that his seed would inherit. Abraham built an altar unto the Lord to worship Him. They journeyed from there to a mountain east of Bethel where Abraham built another altar to worship the Lord.

Due to a famine in the land they had to move south into Egypt. Abraham had his wife deceive Pharaoh by saying she was his sister for fear that they might kill him to take her. The Pharaoh was attracted to Abraham's his wife Sarah (Sarai) and treated Abraham kindly for her sake. He gave Abraham sheep, oxen, asses, servants, and camels. When he discovered that Sarah was Abraham's wife Pharaoh sent them away with all that they had.

He journeyed once again with his nephew Lot to the south and back to where he built the altar east of Bethel. He had been blessed greatly with riches among all the other gifts from Pharaoh. Because their substance was so great Abraham and Lot could not live in the same place. There was strife between the herdmen of Abraham's cattle and those of Lot's cattle. Abraham let Lot choose which part of the land he wanted to live in. Lot saw the lush land around the plain of Jordan where the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah stood and choose to go to Sodom. Abraham stayed in the land of Canaan.

Scripture tells us that the men that lived in Sodom were wicked and sinners.

_But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly_. - Genesis 13:13

It is interesting to note that everywhere that Abraham stopped he built an altar to worship the Lord. His heart and mind was set on following the Lord. Lot lifted his eyes towards the world and saw what appeared to be good on the outside yet it was corrupt and vile on the inside. This is all too often how God's children can get caught up in worldly sin. The lust of the eyes is often the first step towards sin.

The Lord had chosen to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wickedness and sin. He considered keeping this information from Abraham since He had planned to make Abraham a great nation and He knew that Abraham would command his household to follow the Lord. God chose to tell Abraham his intentions.

_And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know._ \- Genesis 18:20-21

Abraham knew that his nephew Lot was in Sodom and would be destroyed. He also knew that Lot would be reluctant to leave. Abraham chose to plead for Sodom with the Lord. He reasoned with the Lord asking if there were fifty righteous people found in the city would he still destroy Sodom.

_And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?_ \- Genesis 18:23-25

The Lord's response was that He would not destroy the city if fifty righteous were within. Abraham continues his plea asking if there be just forty-five righteous would the Lord still destroy the city. Once again the Lord agrees to spare it for forty-five. Now Abraham knew the wickedness of Sodom so he continues to dwindle down the numbers asking if there be forty righteous. God says he will not destroy it for forty's sake. Abraham asks the Lord to hold back his anger as he asks yet again.

_And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there._ \- Genesis 18:30

This dialogue between Abraham and the Lord continues until he agrees not to destroy the city if ten righteous people dwell there. Abraham returned to his place and the Lord left him.

God knew that there were not ten righteous men in Sodom but He did send two angels to Sodom to save Lot and his family from the destruction. The angels explained to Lot that they were there to destroy the city for the Lord.

_And there came two angels to Sodom at even;...And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it._ \- Genesis 19:1a,12-13

Lot told his sons-in-law that they needed to leave the city but they mocked him. The next morning the angels told Lot to take his wife and daughters to leave the city. They were reluctant to leave and had to be taken outside the city by the angels. This was done because the Lord was showing them mercy for Abraham's sake and because Lot was a righteous man even though he dwelt in Sodom.

_And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)_ \- 2 Peter 2:6-8

_And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city_. _-_ Genesis 19:16

Lot recognized that his life had been spared due to the grace and mercy of the Lord.

_Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life;_ \- Genesis 19:19a

They went to the city of Zoar before the LORD brought destruction down on Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot's wife did not heed the angel's warning and looked back. She was turned into a pillar of salt.

_Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt._ \- Genesis 19:24-26

Abraham's prayer of intercession did not save Sodom as there were not ten righteous within the city but the Lord heard Abraham's prayer. God understood that Abraham's desire was to see that Lot was spared. He provided a way for Lot's safety yet Lot, along with his family, was given a decision to make. If they turned back to the wicked and evil Sodom they would lose their life.

We can intercede on behalf of others but their choices are not our responsibility. They ultimately make the decision on whether or not to follow the Lord and turn away from the world. God can show mercy and grace to the sinner or the wayward son. I urge you to pray for your lost loved ones today that God will show them mercy.

Great Prayer Meeting

An example of a group intercessory prayer is seen in the book of Acts when Peter and John were persecuted by the Jewish authorities for preaching the gospel of Christ. After the men were released they returned to report all that had been said to them. When they heard what had happened to Peter and John the group prayed. It was not a prayer for vengeance or justice. The prayer was for the Lord to help them to preach of Jesus without persecution, with power and boldness.

_And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done_. _-_ Acts 4:24-28

We see in the preceding verses that the people prayed together, with one accord, and that they acknowledged the Almighty power of God the Creator. They were humbly bowing before the Lord to make their petition together.

_And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus._ \- Acts 4:29-30

Their unified prayer brought a mighty answer. There was an earthquake when they had finished praying. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost to spread the gospel boldly. Scripture tells us that they were of one heart and one soul. Unification occurred beyond their prayer, they brought all that they had together to help one another and further the cause of Christ. They had all things common.

_And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common_. - Acts 4:31-32

There prayer was answered; the Bible tells us that the apostles spread the gospel with great power. God gave them grace to perform the work they had been called to do.

_And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all._ \- Acts 4:33-34

Praying as a group with a singleness of our heart to intercede on behalf of another person or group can bring great victory. We see in this account that the apostles' evangelistic efforts were blessed by the Lord thanks to the interceding prayer of many.

Scripture tells us that where two or more are gathered in Jesus' name He is there in the midst.

_Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them._ _-_ Matthew 18:19-20 (Words of Jesus)

Pray together daily with your spouse and children for victorious prayer at home. Gather with your churches to pray intercessory prayer for those that are sick or suffering afflictions. Pray with a deep conviction that God is able to answer your prayer. Watch and wait patiently to see how He is going to work in the situation.

Intercession Brings Victory in Prayer

While there are many examples of intercessory prayer in Scripture there is one that can bring you tremendous hope through your affliction. We will turn to the book of Job and see how his prayer of intercession brought victory and restoration. Regardless of the extent of the afflictions you may be experiencing you will likely identify with some aspect of Job's story.

The book of Job opens showing that praying for intercession was part of Job's life. He prayed continually for his seven sons.

_And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually._ \- Job 1:5

We need to keep our children in prayer daily as they are exposed to a great deal of wickedness in our world today. Let us remember to pray that God places a hedge of protection about them daily.

As we examine the book of Job we see that the angels came to present themselves to the Lord and Satan was among them. Satan and God have a dialogue about Job. The Lord points out that Job is a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil. Remember that the Bible says that a man or woman is only considered righteous by either obeying the Mosaic Law (prior to Christ's death on the cross) or by repentance and faith in Christ. Job predated the Mosaic Law, most likely living during the time of the patriarchs. He did what he knew to be right by making sacrifices unto the Lord, a practice that had been established since the Garden of Eden.

Since so many look to the book of Job during times of trial, both the Christian and the lost, it is important to make a distinction about righteousness in the eyes of God. A man is only justified through faith in Christ as we noted earlier in this book.

_For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them_. _-_ Romans 10:3-5

Satan tells the Lord that clearly Job is righteous and follows God because the Lord has placed a hedge of protection around him and blessed him. Then Satan proceeded to argue that if Job lost all that he had he would curse God. The Lord allowed Satan to have his power over all that Job had. There was only one stipulation. Satan could not harm Job.

_And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand._ \- Job 1:12a

Satan certainly took what God said at His word. He burned Job's sheep, consumed his servants, killed the camels, and killed his children by bringing down the house they were in. Can you imagine the despair Job must have been feeling to get all this news? Job maintained his faith.

_Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly_. - Job 1:20-22

Satan was not deterred when he spoke to the Lord again regarding Job. The Lord said that Job maintained his integrity when Satan moved against him.

_And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause_. - Job 2:3

The afflictions continue as Satan reasons with the Lord that there remains cause for Job to follow the Lord. Satan plagues Job with boils all over his body. Job's wife tells him to curse God and die but Job never lose faith.

_But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips_. - Job 2:10

Despite his trials Job kept his sights on the Lord. He remained faithful.

_Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him_. - Job 13:15

Job is overcome and mourns his afflictions. His three friends hear of his trials and confront him.

Eliphaz the Temanite claims that there must be secret sin that has caused the afflictions of Job. Bildad the Shuhite vehemently claimed that Job's trials were a result of his wickedness. Both friends believed that Job had done something wrong to bring these afflictions. Eliphaz felt there was sin that no one knew because, he reasoned, there could not be affliction without sin. Bildad's reasoning was simple - there would only be affliction if Job had been living in sin.

Zophar the Naamathite believed that Job was simply lying and that he was being punished. He was the least comforting of the three. In fact, his harsh replies made him more of a tormentor than a comforter.

After Zophar finishes speaking God reveals himself to Job. At the point when Job was in the presence of the Lord he realized his position with God. He knew he was unworthy in the eyes of God and knew he was not a sinless man. This is the same point that we all must come to in order for us to repentant prior to salvation.

_Then Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes_. - Job 42:1-6

The Lord does rebuke both Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. God tells Job to intercede on their behalf. Almighty God brings an accusation against his friends because they were speaking foolishly regarding the ways of the Lord. The friends were grossly limiting God, stating that He can only bring about affliction due to sin yet the Lord can bring about affliction when it serves God's purpose.

After Job had interceded for his friends he was restored. Job did not get his children back but he had more children. The Lord helped him through the grief of his first children. Job's riches and prestige, all that had been taken away, were restored to an even greater extent than what he had started with.

_And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before._ \- Job 42:10

This account of Job's trials is a great encouragement to us as Christians. Victory can come through intercessory prayer. Pray for your friends and family that are afflicted today. Hold on to the faith that God is able to handle any trial that you may be suffering through and He can restore you.

### Fasting Prayer

And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

Mark 9:29

Our Lord and Saviour has given us an example of difficult circumstances that could only be corrected through fasting prayer. The disciples were trying to cast a demon out of a child and it would not leave the child. Jesus told the disciples that it could only be removed when the disciples combined prayer and fasting. This example was given to us to show us that seemingly impossible circumstances may require more from us.

What is Fasting?

When we read about fasting in the Bible it often refers to the restriction of food to increase our spiritual awareness and reliance on God. Since the concept of fasting has taken on a life of its own in today's society it is important that we consider the Biblical meaning of fasting if we want to be victorious in receiving an answer from this form of prayer. When studying, Biblical scholars may examine the Hebrew and Greek texts for a better understanding of a word. A study of the words used for fasting indicate that they mean to cover the mouth, abstain from food, or to be hungry.

Many people today will say that they are fasting by giving up a particular food, not all food, or an activity. While it is admirable that they are willing to make a change as a show of their faith in the Lord, this type of fast is not Biblical. The only form of fasting that is considered Biblical is not eating.

Please note that there are people with certain health conditions who may not be able to fast without adverse reactions. For instance, diabetics may not be able to fast in the traditional sense and have to take measures to ensure that they will not suffer the effects of hypoglycemia. If you plan to fast with any kind of restriction that could affect your health you may want to pray about fasting first and seek your doctor's advice on how a fast can be done safely by you.

The Link between Prayer and Fasting

Fasting prayer is a practice that has been engaged in throughout history. Scripture gives us many Old Testament accounts of combining fasting with prayer in seemingly impossible circumstances. When we fast it increases our reliance upon the Lord. Our focus and attention is placed on the study of God's Word, spending time alone with the Lord, and seeking His guidance or intervention in a specific situation. This way of communing with God can often bring victory in areas of our life that prayer alone could not.

Fasting is putting our faith into action. We show the Lord that our focus and desire are on Him. During our fast we commit to praying throughout a day and studying God's Word for answers. We focus our attention solely on the Lord and submit ourselves to Him; allowing Him to guide us, direct us, and provide us with discernment.

Praying in Secret

Before starting any fast you should seek God's direction on how long to abstain from food. A fast could be as short as one meal or as long as several days. Prayerfully ask for the Lord to guide in you the length of your fast. Consult a physician if you have a health condition to see what is safe for your body.

Fasting prayer is very personal. This a commitment by you to the Lord to commune with Him. Jesus tells us that we should not be boasting about our fasting or to be 'seen by men' in an attempt to be regarded as pious by others. We are to perform our fast and prayer in private with God alone.

_Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto the Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly_. - Matthew 6:16-18

You can agree to fast with other people who are all working toward the same purpose. For instance, if your church is in need of a spiritual revival. There may be more than one person that agrees to fast and pray for the church but the actual fasting and prayer is a personal commitment between you and the Lord.

Do you have a major decision to make in your life? Are you suffering through a trial and seek guidance from God on how to overcome the trial? Have you been waiting for an extended period of time for an answer to prayer? Is there a trial so great and urgent that you need to seek God's intervention? Do you desire to strengthen your spiritual life by communing with the Lord in prayer and fasting? Consider whether the Lord would like for you to spend time in fasting prayer.

Limited Fasting

There may be times when fasting for a long period of time is either not possible or impractical. Some Christians will choose to abstain from a particular food or activity which they especially enjoy until the Lord reveals His answer to prayer. While this type of fasting is not considered Biblical, if the Holy Spirit gives you a burden to perform a limited fast you should follow the directing of the Lord.

David Prays for His Sick Child

In "Are You Living in Defeat?" we discussed the adulterous relationship David had with Bathsheba. David had Uriah slain to cover up the fact that Bathsheba had gotten pregnant during the affair. After Uriah was dead David took Bathsheba as his wife. The Lord sent a prophet named Nathan to David to convict him of his sin. Nathan told David that the Lord said that his child would be sick and die. The Lord struck the child with illness.

_And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick_. - 2 Samuel 12:13-15

The circumstances that David was in could only be handled by God. David had sinned against the Lord and was suffering the consequences of his actions.

_David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them_. - 2 Samuel 12:16-17

Seven days later the child died yet the servants were afraid to tell David. The king had heard the servants whispering and realized that his son was dead. He stopped prayer, washed, anointed himself, and went to worship the Lord.

_Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat_. - 2 Samuel 12:20

The servants were confused as to why he would fast and weep for the child when he was alive but not after the child had died. David explained that while the child was living he fasted and cried out for the Lord to be gracious toward him by allowing his son to live.

_And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?_ \- 2 Samuel 12:22

David's sin caused the loss of his son. There is no escaping the consequences of our sin. We do see that the Lord was gracious with David. The king and his wife had another son, Solomon.

_And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him._ \- 2 Samuel 12:24

Is there a besetting sin that you need the Lord's help in removing from your life? Do you have a truly repentant heart? Ask for the Lord's help today.

Judah's Fasting and Plea for Help in Battle

The tribe of Judah, during the time of king Jehoshaphat, were told that a great army was coming from beyond the sea to battle against them. Judah was already at battle against the children of Moab and the children of Ammon, among others.

The king became fearful and proclaimed a fast for all of Judah. They gathered together to pray for the Lord's help.

_And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD_. -2 Chronicles 20:3-4

Jehoshaphat's prayer was a sincere cry for God's help. He first pointed out the Lord's incredible power and might which was a form of praise.

_And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?_ _-_ 2 Chronicles 20:5-6

He continues by drawing attention to the fact that the Lord had helped them through many battles in the past to make way for the children of Israel in the land of Canaan as He had promised to Abraham.

_Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help._ \- 2 Chronicles 20:7-9

God did not allow the children of Judah to destroy the children of Moab and Ammon previously and Jehoshaphat was grieving the fact that those two nations had now come against Judah. He asked for God's judgment on those that had come against His people. He pleads with God to give them direction because their circumstances were so great that they did not know how to handle it.

_And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit. O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee_. - 2 Chronicles 20:10-12

Jehoshaphat had proclaimed a fast for ALL of Judah. This multitude consisted of men, women, and children. They were all present at the time of this prayer to the Lord and prayed with the king. The Spirit of the LORD came upon one of the Levites present, Jahaziel. The Lord heard their prayer, honored their fast, and answered their plea.

_And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's_. - 2 Chronicles 20:15

Through Jahaziel the Spirit of the Lord gave instructions on what they were supposed to do. They praised the Lord and worshipped Him. God brought the victory as He told them He would.

_And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD. And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high_. -2 Chronicles 20:18-19

Are you experiencing a trial so great that you are in urgent need of the Lord's help or intervention? Consider whether the Spirit is leading you to fast and pray.

Jews Praying and Fasting for God's Intervention

The king of Persia had been convinced by his advisor Haman that the Jews were his enemy and should be put to death. Haman was deceiving the king because he was angry at a Jew named Mordecai that had refused to honor him. The king was unaware that his wife Esther was a Jew. Esther was also the niece of Mordecai.

When Mordecai heard about the king's decree against the Jews he rent his clothes and went in the middle of the city crying out.

_When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;_ \- Esther 4:1

Jews throughout the land began fasting, praying and weeping for God to save them.

_And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes_. - Esther 4:3

When Esther heard that her uncle was fasting and crying in the city she sent a messenger to talk with him. The king had not yet informed Esther of his decree. She simply wanted to know why her uncle was fasting and crying out in the middle of the city.

God had already provided the Jews with a means of escaping death from this decree conceived by one man's pride.

The messenger facilitated the exchange of communication between Mordecai and Esther. He pleaded with Esther to speak to the king on behalf of their people. Her initial reaction was one of fear in which she reminded her uncle that no one could see the king without being summoned. The law declared that a person could be put to death for going to the king in this manner, including his queen.

Mordecai drew attention to the fact that Esther may have been placed in the king's court to save their people.

_...and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? -_ Esther 4:14

Her response was one of great faith and courage. She chose to go to the king regardless of the law. In her pleading for the lives of the Jewish people she told the king that she was a Jew. God did not allow the king to rest without bringing to his remembrance that Mordecai had once saved his life from his own guards who had sought to kill him. The king did remove the decree and Haman was put to death.

Is there a circumstance within your church that needs correcting? Perhaps there is great strife amongst the people or compromise that is causing many to stumble. Gather others from the church to fast and pray for God to work victoriously to restore your church.

Paul's Prays for God to Give Elders Wisdom

When Paul and the disciples were spreading the gospel message to the Gentiles they would form churches very much like our missionaries do today. There is a single verse in the book of Acts that shows us that they would fast and pray for these men that were placed as elders in the new churches. They commended them to the Lord, meaning that they officially asked the Lord to oversee these churches. It was a prayer of wisdom, direction, and leading for the men.

_And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed_. _-_ Acts 14:23

Cornelius' Household Gets Saved

There was a centurion named Cornelius in Caesarea that was a devout man that loved God but he did not have a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are told that he prayed to God always.

_A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway_. - Acts 10:2

One day while he was fasting and praying he was given a vision of an angel of the Lord coming to him and telling him to send some of his servants to Joppa for a man named Simon, surnamed Peter. When the servants returned with Peter he asked why he had been called to speak with Cornelius.

_And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee...And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God._ \- Acts 10:22,30-31

Peter preached the gospel message to Cornelius and his house and they were saved.

_While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost._ _-_ Acts 10:44-45

Forty Day Fasts

Within Scripture we have evidence of three different forty day fasts. These fasts were done by our Lord Jesus Christ, Moses and Elijah.

Moses spent forty days and nights on Mt. Sinai when the Lord gave him the Ten Commandments to bring back to the children of Israel.

_And the LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel. And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him._ \- Exodus 34:27-29

During his forty days on Mt. Sinai Moses was communing with the Lord. He was writing the Ten Commandments on the tables of testimony to bring down to the children of Israel. When we fast we are communing with the Lord. While fasting and praying we need to submit ourselves to Him and allow Him to work in and through us.

When Elijah was running from Jezebel for fear of death an angel of the Lord woke him twice and told him to eat because his journey was too great for him. Following the second night that he awoke to eat Elijah went without food for forty days and nights as he journeyed to Mt. Sinai (Horeb) to speak with the Lord.

_And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God._ \- 1 Kings 19:8

Elijah told the Lord the circumstances he was in but the Lord gave him peace and sent him to the wilderness of Damascus to anoint Hazael king over Syria, Jehu king over Israel, and Elisha to be a prophet. Elijah was being sent to do work for the Lord.

Our discussion about prayer and fasting would not be complete if we did not mention the Lord Jesus' fast. The Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness where he fasted for forty days and nights while being tempted of the devil. This time of fasting and temptation was not only an example to us for how to handle temptation but it was also showing that Jesus was indeed God the Son in the flesh, pure, without sin, and neither could He sin.

_Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred_. - Matthew 4:1-2

Following Jesus' forty days in the wilderness He began his ministry.

_From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand._ \- Matthew 4:17

Do you feel called by the Lord to work in a specific ministry? Men that feel called to preach or join the mission field will often pray with fasting to ensure that they are following the Lord's directive and not their own feelings.

Biblical evidence for fasting prayer is strong and we should consider whether it is needed in our own spiritual life. God can heal the sick, strengthen the spirit, direct our steps, or work to bring about a change in your circumstance when all hope feels lost. Communing with the Lord can help increase your faith and renew your spirit during your time of need.

### Key to Victorious Prayer

Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Matthew 21:21-22

Complete trust in God is the key to a triumphant prayer life. Faith is confidence in Almighty God whom we cannot touch, see, or hear. Assurance of our eternal security comes from the faith we receive as a result of the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son. Scripture gives us a definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1.

_Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen_. - Hebrews 11:1

To have a true saving faith you must believe in Jesus as God the Son who came to die on the cross for your sins. Through Him we have eternal security. We have Biblical evidence that shows us our position with God and our need for redemption. Saving faith is a free gift from God to any and all that repent and believe in the Lord Jesus.

Relationship between Prayer and Faith

Our guidebook for Christian living comes from the Word of God. Everything we need to know about having a victorious spiritual walk is found within the Scriptures. There is a strong statement made by our Saviour in the book of Matthew that shows us the relationship between faith and prayer.

_Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive_. - Matthew 21:21-22

_And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them._ \- Mark 11:22-24

Do you want to see more of your prayers being answered? Are you praying with a deep conviction that God is able to answer you? Jesus tells us that strong faith without any doubt is required to receive what you pray for. This does not mean that all our prayers will always be answered to our liking. We need to trust that the outcome of our prayer is within God's power and His discretion. He knows what is best for us and works all things to the good of His children.

_And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose_. - Romans 8:28

Our Father gave us an example of faithful men who believed wholeheartedly in the Lord Jesus but allowed themselves to become doubtful instead of trusting Him for their care.

_And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful? O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm._ \- Matthew 8:23-26

Fear of our circumstances can be paralyzing and will be a hindrance to our prayer life. When we doubt the Lord's ability to answer our prayer the Bible says that we are like waves of the sea driven with wind and tossed.

_But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed_. - James 1:6

When you bring your petition to the Father be cautious not to allow the trials in which you find yourself to cause you to doubt His mighty power. Our God is greater than the trials. He has complete control over what He allows in our life and the purpose that it will serve.

Faith as a Grain of Mustard Seed

In the books of Matthew and Luke God brings us a parable of the mustard seed in relation to faith. Now a mustard seed held in your hand is extremely tiny. They range in size between 1 to 2 millimeters. The Lord shows us that if we had only a small portion of faith then much can be accomplished.

The disciples were unable to rebuke the devil that had been vexing a child. They sought the Lord's help in the matter. Jesus cast the devil out and showed the disciples that it was their unbelief which inhibited their ability to help the child.

_Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you_. - Matthew 17:19-20

I remember a story that a Christian man shared with me one day regarding the mustard seed. As a small child he believed that this Bible verse meant that he could magically move mountains by simply willing them to be moved. He recounted the events that occurred one summer day in his childhood. He sat before a large rock that was too big for him to physically move. The boy prayed and prayed for God to move the rock to no avail.

Oh, if only we had the faith of this small boy that sat before the rock praying for movement. God could have caused the rock to be displaced where it sat but He chose not to. Can you imagine what the boy would have thought if the boulder had begun to roll? Perhaps he would have ran home telling his family to come quickly and see how the rock was moved. Men and women who have experienced the healing touch of Jesus when he walked upon the earth desired to tell others but some were forbidden from doing so.

We may not be able to physically move mountains but this parable expresses the great power of faith. The _power_ of faith does not come from the belief itself but from the One in whom we place that faith and trust, God. Scripture tells us that through the power of God all things are possible; and faith unlocks that power.

_...The things which are impossible with men are possible with God_. - Luke 18:27 (Words of Jesus)

If we are to believe that God's Word is true then we can have faith that God is able to meet all of our needs and care for every aspect of our life. He can carry you through whatever you are facing today if you put your trust in Him. When we pray for His intervention we should have the conviction that God can and will answer prayer.

Our Faith is Pleasing to God

_But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him_. - Hebrews 11:6

Our faith in Jesus is the only way that we are seen as righteous to God thus without Christ we cannot please the Father. Scripture shows us that the righteousness of God is found in the gospel message through faith.

_For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith._ \- Romans 1:16-17

For us to live by faith we need to obediently trust in the Lord while applying His Biblical principles to our daily walk.

How to Increase Your Faith

Every Christian has varying degrees of faith. There will be some days when you question your faith as you wait on the Lord or experience a difficult trial. Other times you may be encouraging one of the brethren that is suffering by showing your strong faith in God to carry them through.

One sure way to increase your faith is to spend time in the Bible. Reading Scripture can help you boost your faith during affliction. God will bless the time you spend in His Word.

_So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God_. - Romans 10:17

There may be some trials that come for the purpose of strengthening your faith in the Lord. You often will not recognize this until the trial has passed but the lesson you learn will encourage you and others. Pray for God to carry you through and remain patient waiting for Him to bring you through that valley.

_That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls_. - 1 Peter 1:7-9

Rejoice in the trials that make your faith stronger and bring you closer to the Lord.

Man of Great Faith

There was a man, a centurion, whose servant was deathly ill. The centurion cared deeply for his servant and desired God to heal him. When Jesus was in Capernaum the man asked Christ to heal his servant. Jesus told him that He would go to heal the servant but the centurion did not feel worthy to have the Lord within his home. He related his job as a centurion to Jesus' as master. The man said that Jesus had the authority to heal the servant and could do so without being present. This acknowledgement of Jesus as God in the flesh showed the man's great faith in Christ. Faith was rewarded when Jesus told him that his servant was healed because of his belief.

_When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel_. - Matthew 8:10

_And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour_. - Matthew 8:13

We see that the centurion called on God for help, showed his faith in action, and was rewarded for his belief. What a glorious day that must have been for the centurion and his servant! There could have been no greater victory for the centurion than the one which Jesus brought that day. God produced a mighty work in their lives which was impossible for man.

Woman with the Issue of Blood

Scripture gives us an example of a woman that had been struggling with a health affliction for twelve years, an issue of blood. Doctors were unable to heal her. Having lived with Rheumatoid Arthritis for almost twelve years now I can identify with the discouragement she must have felt. Imagine the hope that sprung forth when she heard the news about the healing power of Jesus of Nazareth. The power that only God himself could exhibit. What did she do when Jesus came to her town? She believed that the Lord had the power to heal her if she could touch but the hem of His garment.

_For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. -_ Matthew 9:21

Imagine Jesus walking down your street with dozens of people surrounding him. Can you see the woman trying to reach and grasp through the masses to touch Jesus' garment? What courage that must have took to try to get through to where the Lord stood! Her faith, hope, and conviction must have drove her to break through and reach out for Jesus. Imagine the relief she felt when she touched his garment and was healed.

_And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched_. - Luke 8:43-44

This simple story, a few passages of Scripture, has a powerful message. God desires us to come to Him and our faith is required to be victorious. Twelve years she suffered but in a moment Jesus made her whole. Does He not make us whole when we have accepted Him as our Saviour? Our sins are forever covered by the blood of Christ making us righteous in God's eyes. It is faith that brings us to Christ and we need to hold on to that faith when we go to God in prayer.

When the woman touched his garment Jesus called out, "Who touched me?" God already knew who touched Him but He called for her to come forth to be an example to the men and women for many generations to come. He publicly showed to all that her faith in Him made her whole. Faith is required to be victorious in prayer.

_And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace_. - Luke 8:48

Faith without Works is dead

We saw from both the centurion and the woman with the issue of blood that their faith was put into action. The centurion stated that Jesus did not need to go to the man's home to heal his servant. He went to Jesus. The woman went to Jesus and reached out to touch the clothes He wore. Why is this important?

_Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only._ \- James 2:18 - 24

God tells us that faith without works is dead. Let me repeat that, _Faith without works is dead!_ For us to have remission of our sins we are required to do more than simply believe in God. There are many who believe in God. The Scripture reference above tells us that even the devils believe in God. We have to go to the Father with a repentant heart, ask for forgiveness and call upon the Lord Jesus to be our Saviour. The book of Romans tells us that we must confess that Jesus is Lord for salvation. This is action not merely thinking or believing that God exists.

_That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation_. - Romans 10:9-10

When we go to God in prayer that is an action. Do we leave our petition on the altar for God or hold on to it with unbelief? The centurion went to God requesting healing for his servant. He didn't simply drop his petition in a box. He went to the Lord directly and believed God would handle it at that very moment. God rewarded his faith which had been put into action. The woman reached out and touched Jesus's clothes. God rewarded her faith put into action.

Some people believe that because God is able to do the impossible that it means that "they" do not need to do anything on their part. Take for instance the woman who has lost her job and sits wearily at home waiting for God to provide her another job. She does not open the paper to search the advertisements, she does not query the job banks online, and she does not network with others to discover potential opportunities. She waits at home for God to mysteriously bring her the job of her dreams. Is this faith in action?

Consider the man who discovers that he has a disease that can be life threatening. The doctor provides him with a potential resolution through surgery or medication but he refuses because God is able to heal him completely. He sits at home and waits for God to make him whole. Is this faith in action?

We must understand that while God can work in these scenarios that we must be in motion for God to direct our steps. Directing our path implies that we are already in motion. Scripture tells us that it is God and not man that should be providing the direction.

_O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps_. \- Jeremiah 10:23

If we look back at Proverbs 3:5-6 we see that if we acknowledge God that He will provide us with direction. Seeking God's will through prayer is motion. It is a form of acting on our faith. We must go to Him first asking for His guidance and not relying on our own thoughts and ideas of how things should be accomplished in our lives. Every decision that we are faced with needs to be brought to the Lord. Our reliance needs to be on Him. God knows precisely whether something is right for us individually and can see what the consequences of a decision will be.

One of the most dangerous things we can do is make a decision based on impulse. If someone wants you to make a decision instantly based on your own knowledge and interpretation it is ill advised. There may be times when God will reveal to you the answer to your prayer as you are reading His Word. Other times the Holy Spirit may work with you as you listen to a sermon or through discussions of Scripture with another Christian. While some prayers may appear to go unanswered, God will not allow you to be ignorant of His direction when you place your faith in Him.

Healing Faith

The importance of faith in prayer is shown to us in the book of James. There are some that are sick without any form of healing available to them. Perhaps they have cancer or an illness that has not responded to treatment such as the woman with the issue of blood. We saw that it was faith that healed her. James tells us that it is a prayer of faith that can bring healing.

_Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up;..._ \- James 5:14-15

Numerous people have recounted testimonies of healing miracles that were brought by the faithful prayer of some of God's people. I would like to share with you my personal experience with healing prayer.

Personal Testimony of God's Healing

In May 2007, I found myself in a position of ill health that caused me to lose my job. I had degenerative disc disease and one of my discs had deteriorated. On the MRI it looked like a big black hole in my back. I was unable to move because the disc was resting on my sciatic nerve. It was a miserable state as I was confined to a chair for several months. I saw three separate surgeons that felt it was too risky to perform surgery and that the surgery had a limited chance of success due to my circumstances.

I found myself questioning why God allowed this in my life but my response to the physical trial was much different at this stage of my spiritual walk because of my faith. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God had a purpose and plan for this trial. Because of my unique circumstances I had lots of time on my hands. I listened to numerous sermons, spent the majority of my time physically alone but spiritually with God, and I was blessed by the time I had to read Scripture.

During this time God revealed to me that He wanted me to write for Him. I had been writing but not for the Lord. Before this trial I had been working between 60 and 80 hours per week as a computer developer. Had the physical trial not occurred I would not have slowed down enough to have been given the opportunity to focus on writing. God knew precisely what I needed and allowed the trial to accomplish a task in my life.

After I understood the purpose God directed me to James 5:14-15. The Holy Spirit strongly impressed on me that I needed to be anointed with oil and prayed over. I was unable to walk and getting me out of the house was a difficult task because it required someone to assist with my wheelchair. I was reminded of Matthew 18:20:

_For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them_. - Matthew 18:20 (Words of Jesus)

With the knowledge that there were three Christians in our home including myself, my husband being the elder, God pressed on me to have my husband anoint me with oil and pray over me.

My husband objected because he felt that James 5:14 expressly stated that the church elders were to pray. For months God continued to press on me that my husband should pray over me. I continued to ask and he continued to object until God revealed to him after a great deal of prayer that my request was being made because the Lord laid it on my heart.

You must understand my circumstances completely as I tell you of God's wonderful work. I could not walk across the room. I could not even put weight on my feet. There were times that movement brought loss of bowel and bladder control. Getting me into a wheelchair was a monumental task.

My husband anointed me with oil while my husband and son prayed over me. I prayed for the Lord's healing. The next day I went to Walmart to grocery shop and walked from one end of the store to the other unassisted. I did not need the wheelchair, walker or cane due to my back. God partially healed me. I still have occasional back troubles and due use a wheelchair when needed for my Rheumatoid Arthritis but that day God brought partial healing because of my faith in Him. I believe He brought that healing specifically so that others would have hope and know that faith is still rewarded.

I recently heard a similar tale from my uncle in which the faithful prayer of another brought him relief and healing. God can work miracles in our lives if we have faith that He is able.

The Lord brought healing to me during a time when our family had suffered great tragedy. A few months after my first requests to my husband for anointing prayer we had been faced with difficult news that my sister-in-law, Wendi, had been diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Her cancer was stage 4 and there were no options for treatment. Several God-fearing and faithful men prayed over her and anointed her with oil. God brought healing by calling her home to be with Him. It was devastating to our family but it never caused my faith to be shattered. Although Wendi was not healed here on earth I never doubted for one instance that God could heal me. My faith was rewarded and I thank God for His awesome power every day. I also take great comfort in knowing that Wendi is whole without cancer in heaven with the Lord, for to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).

Faith is the Key to Victorious Prayer

Our world has been suffering from the effects of sin from the time of Adam's fall in the garden. There are numerous temptations, trials, and difficulties that we face on a daily basis. When we look around at the people that are near us they are experiencing their own rough times. Some may have just lost their jobs or discovered that their company is going out of business. Others are fighting daily to get through the day with health struggles. That couple down the road from you may be burdened by their children's difficulties at school or with other children. Your co-worker may have just lost a loved one.

People are hurting and feel there is no hope. Let's show them our faith by telling them about how Jesus can comfort their hearts if they will put their trust in Him. Show others our faith by showing Christian love towards them. But most of all, pray for them. Don't just speak the words, feel them and believe that God is able to handle your petitions.

Faith is the key to victorious prayer!

### How Does God Answer Prayer?

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

1 John 5:14-15

Waiting on the Lord to answer our prayers helps us learn to be patient. Some prayers may go unanswered for years while others are handled immediately. Will God answer all our prayers to our liking? Can we force God's hand in prayer? What does the Bible say about God's timing when answering prayer? What can hinder our prayers? Let us review some of the things we've discussed previously and examine how God answers prayer.

Can God Answer Prayer?

God is all powerful and all knowing. Our trust needs to be in Him and Him alone to handle our petitions. How can we know that He is capable of answering our prayers? In the chapter "Becoming Dependent on God" there were several aspects of God that show us that He can be trusted. We also discussed the great importance of faith in our prayer life in "Key to Successful Prayer".

God will always stand behind His Word and do what He says He will do. The Abrahamic Covenant was our example of God following through on His promises. This covenant that God made with Abraham is an example of an unconditional promise made by the Lord. There are also conditional promises that will require some action on our part. For instance, God promises us eternal life if we repent and accept Jesus as our Saviour.

Our Lord is a God of truth; He cannot lie. The Lord does not change His Holy Word which gives us confidence in the Bible for instruction, increasing our faith, and providing us with wisdom to discern God's will.

_He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he._ \- Deuteronomy 32:4

_God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?_ \- Numbers 23:19

Scripture tells us that the Lord is unchanging. We need not fear whether He will change His mind on Biblical principles.

_For I am the LORD, I change not;_ \- Malachi 3:6a

_The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever_. - Isaiah 40:8

Our God tells the truth, keeps His promises and does not change. We can have confidence in the answers He provides us to our petitions. Not only will His answers be grounded in truth but our Lord has the power to work for our good in any situation. Scripture tells us that God and His Word are all powerful.

_God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God_. - Psalm 62:11

_For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart._ \- Hebrews 4:12

Almighty God rules over both the heavens and the earth. He is in complete control of everything in our life. We looked briefly at the trials of Job in the chapter "Intercessory Prayer". As the book of Job begins the Bible tells us that Satan said to the Lord that he could not do anything to Job because God had placed a hedge of protection around him. God has the power to keep us from harm, sin, and evil. He has rule over all things.

_The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all_. - Psalm 103:19

When we consider His majesty and power need we wonder if He is capable of answering our prayer? There are promises within the Word of God that He will answer prayers.

_And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it._ \- John 14:13-14 (Words of Jesus)

_And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you._ \- John 16:23 (Words of Jesus)

_If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? -_ Luke 11:13 (Words of Jesus)

Take great comfort in the knowledge that the all-powerful God can answer your prayers today. When you bring your petitions to him believe with your whole heart that the Lord is able to meet your needs.

Will God Answer all Prayers to Our Liking?

Imagine what the world would be like if everyone could have their way. There would be a great deal of chaos, pride, and malcontent because everyone would want something different. Quite often the things that we would like in our lives are not always in our best interest. While God gives us the ability to make choices we can often make the wrong choices and suffer the consequences when we do not rely on the Lord for guidance.

The Lord knows everything about us including how we would respond to a situation.

_O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways._ \- Psalm 139:1-3

Perhaps you have recently found a home that you are interested in purchasing. Do you ask God to direct you on what you should do? Only God can see our future. He knows all aspects of your life including your financial future. It is possible that you can afford the house now yet God foresees that there will be monumental maintenance problems with the house in the future. The Lord may be aware that there is going to be a change in your job status that could lead you to bankruptcy if you purchase the home. There is always the possibility that God may bless your home purchase decision. We need to trust His guidance even if the answer is not to our liking.

Since Almighty God can see the past, present, and future we need to trust that He is working for our good as we saw previously in Romans 8:28.

_And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose_. - Romans 8:28

We may never know precisely why He answers in a way we did not expect yet this verse gives us hope. There may be times when God has something much better planned for you.

Can We Force God's Hand in Prayer?

Occasionally, you may want God to answer your prayer so badly that you wonder if there is anything you can do to force Him to respond in a specific way. You may wonder if there is a magical verse you can quote the will cause God to do as you requested. This is a very dangerous mindset to have as it places you above the Lord. Remember that Satan's sin was that of pride because He wanted to be equal to God.

Let me tell you that there is one way of praying that God will do as you have asked. It is not a magical formula but a sure promise that we can hold on to. But there is a condition:

_And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him._ \- 1 John 5:14-15

Did you notice the condition in 1 John 5:14? If we ask anything according to His will, He will hear us. When we bring our petitions to the Father with the desire that the answer be within His will we will get what we asked Him for. We will get His best because it shall be whatever the Lord felt would be the perfect answer to our prayer.

Claiming a Promise

There are promises within God's word that you can claim and ask God for in prayer. You can quote a verse within your request to the Lord to receive something He has promised. For instance, we know that we can ask God for wisdom and receive it.

_If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him_. - James 1:5

All promises, whether conditional or unconditional, are automatically a part of God's will. God, in fulfilling any of His promises, can never cause Him to compromise His will or Word. That's the neat thing about God's promises. They are always worded where they cannot be abused.

Consider your motives for claiming a promise and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you. Is the petition consistent with God's Word or are you seeking to recite a verse to support a cause? Will your request bring glory to God or is it for selfish means? Before claiming a promise study to ensure that it is within the will of God for you to do so.

God's Timing

Waiting on the Lord's timing is of the utmost importance. We discussed this topic previously in the chapter "Discerning the Will of God". Trust that the Lord knows precisely what we need and when we need it. Never cease in bringing your request before the Lord until the Holy Spirit gives you peace that it has been answered.

_To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven_ : - Ecclesiastes 3:1

I prayed earnestly for twelve years for someone dear to me. My prayer was for the Lord to bring witnesses into his life to share the gospel with him and to bring him under conviction, giving him an opportunity to either accept or reject Christ. Additionally, I had a special request that God bring this man a good Christian wife to be his helpmeet and bring him joy. The Lord answered all three of these prayers ten years after I began praying. Despite the fact that they had been answered I was still praying since I was not yet aware of the answer. For those twelve years I obeyed the Lord's command to continue to pray.

_Pray without ceasing_. - 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Do you have a burden on your heart that you have brought before the Lord which has yet to be answered? God is strengthening you and your faith as you wait patiently on Him. He will sustain you through your difficult trials as you continue to pray for His help or guidance.

_But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faith_. - Isaiah 40:31

_Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved._ \- Psalm 55:22

Unanswered Prayer

We can rejoice in unanswered prayers. Even when we may not understand why God has chosen not to respond to our petition He has a reason.

As we discussed in "Approaching God", the apostle Paul sought the Lord three times to remove his infirmity and God would not answer Paul's prayer. God told him that His grace was sufficient for Paul. The infirmity was allowed to keep Paul humble before the Lord. Considering the work that Paul was doing for the Lord it could have been very easy for Paul to have become prideful.

The unanswered prayer was a blessing to Paul because it kept him reliant on God. In weakness Paul was made strong through Christ.

_For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong_. - 2 Corinthians 12:6-10

Unanswered prayer is not always God saying, "No." He may still be working through your trial. Stay firm in your faith and all will be revealed to you in God's perfect timing. Romans 5 shows us that through the trials God is working.

_...but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us._ \- Romans 5:3-5

There are times when a lack of an answer is God's way of redirecting you towards something else. We need to be watchful for God to open other doors. If another door appears to open follow David's example, discussed in "Discerning the Will of God", and do not presume that it is God's will. Return to prayer for God's direction.

_Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths_. - Proverbs 3:5-6

Some prayers go unanswered because we have allowed sin to come between us and the Lord. Let's take a look at some of the possible hindrances to prayer.

Hindrances to Prayer

Are your prayers going unanswered? Do you have peace that God is still working on your petitions? The time may have come for you to examine your life. We discussed that there can be hindrances to prayer in "The Repentant Heart".

To find the source of hindered prayer first examine the motives behind your petitions. Are there selfish reasons for your prayers? Is your request being made because of your pride? It is important for us to consider our petition before we bring it to the Father. Does our request bring glory to God? Will your prayer be an encouragement to someone else? Would God's answer to your prayer help others in their spiritual life? Our motives need to be pure when we seek the Lord's aid.

_Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts_. - James 4:3

Scripture tells us that a double-minded man is unstable. When we are wavering in our faith it will be a hindrance to our prayers.

_A double minded man is unstable in all his ways_. - James 1:8

Consider your relationships. Is there someone that you need to forgive for an offense against you? Unforgiveness can come between you and the Lord. We are commanded to forgive others as we have been forgiven just as we saw in the parable of the unforgiving servant.

Married couples are also directed to ensure that their relationship is right with the Lord. Scripture tells us that a broken marital relationship can hinder our prayers.

_For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:...Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered._ \- 1 Peter 3:5,7

The greatest hindrance to our prayers is sin as we discussed in "The Repentant Heart". Sin comes between us and the Lord. For your prayers to be victorious you need to repent of that sin and ask for God's forgiveness. God will not honor the request of a rebellious or prideful heart.

Our prayers can be hindered when we give place to the devil by allowing him to distract us or by letting sin become a part of our life.

_He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil_. -1 John 3:8

_Neither give place to the devil._ \- Ephesians 4:27

Scripture shows us that prior to salvation we were in the world, living in sin, as children of disobedience. The sinful nature passed down from Adam placed us in this position with God. The devil can hinder your prayers directly while praying or tempt you with sin to cause you to stumble. Jesus refers to Satan as a thief that comes to steal, kill, and destroy.

_Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others_. - Ephesians 2:2-3

_The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly_. - John 10:10 (Words of Jesus)

When you examine your Christian walk is there a besetting sin that is putting a wedge between you and the Lord and hindering your prayers? Perhaps you think your sin is in secret and will not hurt anyone other than yourself. Consider the harm it does to you; separating you from the Lord. You could be missing out on some of God's blessings. If you have yet to see the consequences of your sin you can be assured that they are coming. There are always consequences. Let's take a look at how you can remove these hindrances to have a victorious prayer life.

Removing Hindrances to Prayer

When unforgiveness or a broken relationship is interfering with your prayers you can repair the situation. Find it within yourself to forgive the transgressor. Try to see them through the eyes of the Lord and view them with compassion. If you are having trouble, pray for God to help you to forgive. He will honor your prayer to help you show Christian love towards someone by forgiving them.

Marriages are often plagued by periodic trials and troubles. The state of our world does not help this situation. God can heal a broken marriage and make your prayers effective. Remember the request of the woman in "Intercessory Prayer" for her husband. She prayed for God's blessing, protection, and guidance for her husband. We need to pray for our spouses and allow the Lord to work in the situation. When you lovingly go to the Father and ask Him to oversee all aspects of your spouse's life He will see your desire to repair the broken marriage. He is the great Counselor and Healer. Let Him heal your marriage from the inside by making the Lord the center of your life.

Are impure motives and sin interfering in your prayer life? There is a way to repair these conditions caused by your rebellious heart. Repent and seek God's forgiveness. We are so blessed that the Lord accepts us despite our weaknesses. He is faithful, willing to forgive us when we come to him with a repentant heart.

_If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness_. - 1 John 1:9

_For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death_. - 2 Corinthians 7:10

_Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation._ \- Psalm 24:3-5

Victorious prayer is within your grasp. Go to Him with a pure heart as you make your petition to the Lord and believe that Almighty God will answer.

### Praise and Thanksgiving

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Psalm 100:4-5

May all of these Biblical principles related to prayer help you to have a victorious prayer life. Let us not forget to give credit to the One who answers our petitions and blesses us with His provision on a daily basis. We should always remember to praise and thank Him in our prayers. When your prayers are answered share with others what He has done in your life to be a testimony of His mercy, grace, and power. Your experience may just be what another Christian needs to hear to help them through their difficult trial.

_And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing_. – Psalm 107:22

_I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD_. – Psalm 116:17

_The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him._ \- Psalm 28:7

We are commanded in the Bible to praise the Lord and thank Him for all things. He brings us peace through the storm, strength when we are weak, and gives us wisdom to know Scripture as a guide for our daily life.

I highly recommend keeping a journal of answered prayers so that when you have a difficult trial you can look back to see all the wonderful things that God has done for you. Let us remember the example of David as he writes in Psalm 34 that he will continually praise the Lord and magnify his name to be a help to those that have humbly submitted themselves through faith in Christ Jesus:

I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

Psalm 34:1-3

Afterword: When Minions Attack

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 5:8-11

I would like to take a moment to thank my readers that have been so patient waiting for the release of this book. Your continued support and encouragement has been greatly appreciated.

The making of this book has been a difficult matter. I titled this afterword "When Minions Attack" due to the extreme and unusual circumstances that occurred in an effort to dissuade me from finishing this work. We are warned in the Bible that we should remain vigilant as our adversary the devil seeks to devour believers. He will do all he can (as God allows) to try to get us to turn our sights away from the Lord. The devil did not succeed in his efforts to squelch my voice in _Victory in Prayer_.

This may seem a little dramatic but read on. Initially the afflictions were minor such as strong fatigue and health trials from Rheumatoid Arthritis. That changed as I finished more of this book.

As I continued the work on this book the devil used people to discourage me. Specifically, other Christians were used as a source of discouragement. Some of the brethren were annoyed by the success of _Living by Faith_ instead of rejoicing that it may be of help to new believers. They felt that I thought I was better than they because I wrote a book. I cannot tell you how many times I wept to the Lord over this. This tremendous discouragement caused me to be unable to write. Other writers may understand the connection between feelings and creating a work. It was paralyzing.

I often wished they could understand that writing was simply God's way of using me to serve Him. God knew that I would obediently follow Him while leaving the consequences to Him. As I struggled with this lack of acceptance by my peers I felt very lonely. I felt a greater sense of isolation with the knowledge that my strong circle of early friends consisted solely of my husband and my son. I continued to try to write but every time I worked on _Victory in Prayer_ one of these folks would act towards me in a way unbecoming of a Christian and I would once again be paralyzed in my writing.

I prayed fervently for God to help me to come to grips with this. One day my prayer was answered with a tremendous peace that I simply needed to follow the Lord as I had been directed to do and let Him handle the rest. I was no longer plagued by what other people said or did because I knew I was being obedient to the Lord. I knew that my love for Christ was enough to carry me through. I was able to boldly return to my writing and everything seemed to be going well. Until...

The health trials that I had been experiencing began to spiral out of control. In January of 2013, I became overwhelmed with a bout of dizziness that felt unusual. I was certain that the problem was a result of my heart but I was not a doctor. One doctor suggested an inner ear problem while another thought it might be Multiple Sclerosis due to other mitigating factors. I had a MRI scan of my brain that was free of lesions. We were back to square one. In the meantime my fatigue became debilitating. I could barely make it through the day without taking multiple naps. My husband and I were able to pinpoint that all of these health problems seemed to correlate to a low heart rate.

Attempting to write during this time was futile. The low heart rate was not only causing fatigue but it was causing mental confusion. I had no clarity in thought and often lost parts of sentences when I spoke. My attempts to continue writing were a great struggle but I felt strongly compelled by the Lord to write this book so I persevered despite the slow speed at which I was working.

The attempts to discourage me through people and health afflictions did not work. The devil chose another tactic. He worked through the three most important folks in my life: my husband, my son, and my dog.

In the spring of 2013, my husband's blood pressure was reaching extreme levels. We found ourselves in the emergency room on April 27 in attempts to get him treatment. They treated his blood pressure and kidney failure. A week and a half later on Mother's Day I came close to collapsing due to a dangerously low heart rate. Another week passed before Daniel hit his knee on a table which caused a drop in his blood pressure resulting in a blood clot. This blood clot caused him to have a heart attack requiring a stent. My writing had to be placed on hold for a few weeks while I helped him with his recovery.

When I returned to my writing my son was no longer able to walk from the knee injuries he incurred at West Point. We could no longer wait for the Veterans Affairs office to finish their disability assessment and our congressman's office recommended we see a civilian doctor. The orthopedic specialist ordered a MRI of each knee. The results indicated surgery was needed. Keith had surgery on July 3. During the surgery they found that his knees were far more damaged than expected. I was once again back in caregiver mode and, again, having to shelve this written work for a time.

The day after surgery I struggled to care for Keith due to my low heart rate. Daniel was able to step in to handle both my caregiver duties and his. The following morning Daniel awoke with only 5% vision. He was temporarily blind as a complication from Type 1 Diabetes. All three of us were completely down and out health wise. All of these afflictions were unusual and certainly made us a gazing stock as people wondered what was happening to the McRae's.

To make matters worse our Christian brethren did not bother to reach out to us during these extreme circumstances, with the exception of our pastor and assistant pastor. We had very little ability to care for ourselves because Keith couldn't move, Daniel couldn't see, and I was collapsing. Yet there was not a deacon in our church nor anyone on the ladies visitation committee to check in on us to see if we needed help or to simply come over to pray with us. Our spirits were the lowest they had ever been but we _NEVER_ lost our faith in the Lord. We still placed our burdens and cares upon Him to see us through. As a side note we did receive a call for a visitation but only after everyone was well.

Two weeks passed and Daniel's sight returned. I continued to help Keith until he returned to college. My focus shifted back to my writing. The devil continued to plague me with health trials as the low heart rate affected my ability to work. God encouraged me to keep working and gave me peace that everything would be corrected in due time. Some areas were starting to improve and I had renewed hope.

On September 16, I had a pacemaker implanted to correct the bradycardia. Looking back I can see how God was working through these past few years to get me to this point. The difference the pacemaker has made in my health has been absolutely amazing! I have both mental and physical energy. I feel twenty years younger and there is a new zest for life. There is a sense of excitement to see what the Lord will do through me next year.

Unfortunately, the devil attempted to discourage me again after the pacemaker implant. My treasured Rottweiler, Beethoven von Scalan, was struck with tremendous pain and lameness two days after I returned home from the hospital. He appeared to have a spinal condition which we could not have repaired. We had to put him to sleep six days after my pacemaker implant. He was only six years of age. His loss was devastating to me.

Beethoven had been my constant companion for the last four years. In 2008, I had been in a wheelchair, suffering with back and joint troubles. I taught Beethoven to be a service dog in the home. He could open and shut doors or drawers, he would pull my wheelchair to me and he instinctively knew how to help me get up when I fell. He was nothing short of amazing.

As I was praying for God to reveal to us why we were suffering through all these difficult trials and afflictions the Lord brought to remembrance that each of these had coincided with the writing of _Victory in Prayer_. Every time I would get deeply into the work something would happen. You would think that it would have discouraged me from completing the work lest any other trials come our way. Instead it gave me peace that I was doing something good. If the devil had invested so much effort to try to discourage me than it certainly had to be service that could be used of the Lord. I poured myself into the work and started by making some changes to the content.

While working diligently to complete this book the devil had one final pass to try to dissuade me. An extended loved one began to act rather erratically causing me great sorrow. I wept to the Lord to help them and left it in the Father's hands. I then returned to my work and with God's help brought you _Victory in Prayer_.

I hope that my trials through this work have not been for naught and that this book will be a blessing to you in some way. The biggest lesson I learned through this was to follow God no matter what the cost. He answered all of my prayers through these difficult circumstances and brought me victory. I know he can do the same for you.

May you find favor in the Lord's sight and experience the peace that only He can bring.

In Christ,

Kimberly

### Appendices

### Why We Use the King James Version

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Revelation 22:18-19

In 1611, the first English Bible was printed. It was called the King James Version also referred to as the Authorized Version. This preservation of the Bible was the result of a thorough translation and review of the original texts. It took several years for this to be completed.

We believe that the KJV Authorized Version from 1611 is God's Word in English. We believe that it is not in need of updating or in need of changing. In fact, we believe that God explicitly forbids His Word to be changed as seen in the passage above from Revelation 22:18-19.

Many people believe that the Old English words are too difficult to understand so they gravitate to the New International Version. These versions created and changed by man can lead someone astray quickly. Words have been omitted or changed. In some Bible versions, entire portions of Scripture have been completely removed. This can cause a Christian to stumble and disobey God.

Some versions omit our need for repentance in order to be saved and our need for Christ to cover our sins. We will look a couple of verse comparisons in a moment.

The King James Version is the only version in which you can freely copy verses to use in any text. There is no copyright infringement by sharing God's Word.

How can we know that the King James Version is the inspired Word of God? Because God tells us that all Scripture was given by Him.

_All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works._ \- 2 Timothy 3:16-17

This means that every book of the Bible was written because of the inspiration of God. These books are not the work of man but the new translations are. The new translations have been changed by men of today.

But God's Word is not in need of changing:

_The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. -_ Psalm 12:6-7

If God's words are pure, why do they need to be changed? Many people have the false assumption that only the Old English speech has been changed and that it still remains intact. Let's look at how things have been changed.

A Comparison of John 6:47

In the KJV, we look up John 6:47. It is words spoken by Jesus Christ. The verse reads:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

We see that a requirement for salvation and everlasting life is that we believe in Christ. Now, let's see what the other translations say.

New International Version:

Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.

There is NO mention of Jesus.

New American Standard Bible:

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.

There is NO mention of Jesus.

New Living Translation:

I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life.

There is NO mention of Jesus.

English Standard Version:

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.

There is NO mention of Jesus.

New King James Version:

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.

This is close and includes Jesus but adds a footnote indicating that text omits "in Me". This can create doubt in the need for Jesus.

New Century Version:

I tell you the truth, whoever believes has eternal life.

There is NO mention of Jesus.

God's Word Translation:

I can guarantee this truth: Every believer has eternal life.

There is NO mention of Jesus as a condition for salvation.

American Standard Version:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth hath eternal life.

There is NO mention of Jesus.

Holman Christian Standard Bible:

I assure you: Anyone who believes has eternal life.

There is NO mention of Jesus. As an after-thought, they add a footnote saying other messages add "in Me".

Omission of Matthew 18:11

Let's take another look at another verse in the Bible that tells us that Jesus has come to save the lost. This verse is also the words of Jesus:

For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

Some of the new translations completely remove this verse including the New International Version (NIV) and the New Living Translation (NLT).

Online Resource for Research

You can view verse comparison charts online and learn more about versions that have completely omitted passages of Scripture or words in Scripture from the new translations of man by visiting the King James Bible page online at: <http://www.av1611.com/>

His Word is True

I believe that God's Word is true, complete, and needs no correction. It endureth forever.

_Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. -_ Psalm 119:160

I heed to the warning from God in the book of Revelation regarding the changing of His Word. My family and I will continue to follow God's direction and believe on Him.

... _as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. -_ Joshua 24:15

### What is Salvation?

The following Bible tract has been written for you by Daniel W. McRae. It can be freely distributed to anyone and cannot be sold. You may copy the text below and print it on a paper. You may give the paper to anyone to share the gospel with them. You may not change the text or claim it for your own.

What is "salvation"?

When God created Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden He created them as sinless human beings (Gen 1:27). Since they were without sin they had full and unrestricted access and communion with God (Gen. 3:8). When Adam and Eve ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil they sinned by disobeying God's explicit command to not eat the fruit of that tree (Gen. 3:11). The fact that Adam and Eve had sinned changed their very nature (Gen. 3:22) and God ordained that they should die as a result (Gen. 3:19).

The curse of sin is the cause of both the death of the physical body (Gen 3:19, 22) and of the soul going to Hell after the death of the physical body – known as the "second death" in the Bible (Rev. 21:8). The curse of sin was passed on from Adam and Eve to all of humanity through natural child birth (Rom. 5:12).

Salvation is God's plan to remove the curse of sin and re-establish communion between an individual and Himself (2Cor. 5:18). This was accomplished when Jesus, the Son of God, suffered death on the cross to pay the penalty of your sin for you (Rom. 3:23 - 26). In effect, Jesus suffered spiritual death in your stead (Rom. 5:8, 9 & 2Cor. 5:21). Salvation is offered as a free gift to anyone willing to accept it (Rom. 3:24).

Why do I need salvation?

Since you are a descendant of Adam and Eve you were born into sin as a result of spiritual heredity (Rom. 5:12). You commit sin in your life both willfully and instinctively (Rom. 7:15 - 25). As a result of your sinful condition you are fundamentally separated from God, whose perfect and holy nature cannot abide sin (Isa. 59:2). You need the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ to reconcile yourself to God so that you will spend eternity with Him in Heaven rather than spend eternity separated from Him in Hell (Rom. 6:23). Also, the gift of salvation affords you access to all of the graces of God in order to live a full, rich, and meaningful life (Rom. 5:1 - 5). Once you have been saved all sins - past, present, and future – are covered under the blood of Christ and are completely "paid" for in the eyes of God (Rom. 3:24 - 26).

How do I receive salvation?

Salvation is a free gift offered to you by Jesus Christ. In order to receive this gift you must first acknowledge to God that you realize you are a sinner; that you have willfully sinned against God (Rom. 3:23). Then you must repent of this sinful state. Repentance means that you are genuinely sorry that you have sinned against God, that you reject those sins and desire to be reconciled to God more than anything else (2Cor. 7:10). Then ask Jesus to take away your sins and invite Him into your heart as your new Lord and Saviour (Rom. 10:9 - 13).

How do I know that I am saved?

If you have been saved then you have the Holy Spirit living inside you. The Bible says that you are a "new creature" (2Cor. 5:17) and this means that you will think and act differently than you did before you were saved. Here is a list of things that indicate you have truly been saved:

Though you will still sin your attitude toward sin is completely different than before. You will be convicted (feel very guilty) of sin and will make efforts to avoid anything that would displease God (Rom. 7:14 – 25 & 1Jn. 2:6).

You will have a love for fellow Christians and feel a bond to them. You will enjoy being around them and fellowshipping with them (1Jn. 2:9 – 11 & 1Jn. 3:14 - 17).

You will love the things of God. The Bible, the church, the old hymns and spiritual songs will be held in high regard by you. You will love the things which God loves and hate that which God hates (Mat. 6:24 & 1Cor. 8:3).

Regardless of your past personality or character you will begin to exhibit the fruits of the Spirit of God as listed in Gal. 5:22, 23; love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

If you "backslide" and begin to stray back into your old ways and habits, forgetting about God and ignoring His warnings, then God will chastise you if you have truly been saved (Heb. 12:5 - 11). If you are able to willfully sin indefinitely without chastisement then you will need to examine yourself; your salvation is in grave doubt.

The Spirit of God will testify to your spirit that you are a child of God (Rom. 8:16).

These are just some of the indications of salvation. According to the Bible it is expedient that you occasionally examine yourself and your life to evaluate that the salvation you claim is, in fact, the real thing (2Cor. 13:5).

About the Author

Kimberly McRae was born on February 26, 1970, in Hartford, Connecticut. She made her newspaper debut that same day when her father, a local college basketball star, was seen giving the peace sign as he first received the news of her birth during the half time announcement.

Kimberly's writing career took flight when she became a journalist for her high school newspaper. This experience opened her eyes up to a love of writing. She often spent time writing poems during her youth. For several years, she put her love of writing aside to develop her analytic and technical abilities while working with computers and electronics.

On August 31, 1998, Kimberly knew beyond a shadow a doubt that Christ died on the cross for her sins. She repented of that sin and accepted the Lord Jesus as her Saviour.

In 2001, Kimberly returned to her true love of writing and began working on her first novel which has not been published. Since that time she has begun work on a few different writing projects including screenplays, short stories, and additional novels.

All of her writing works would take a back seat as God began to lay a burden on her heart to write a novel about a young girl in Uganda. The book titled _Captive_ would prove to be the most difficult work of fiction for her to write because of the emotional nature of the book which is based on current events. It is still a work in progress.

God placed another burden on Kimberly's heart to write Christian non-fiction. With each written work she diligently seeks the Lord's direction and considers these writings to be His writings and hopes they will be a blessing to all of His children and those that seek Him.

On September 1, 2010, Kimberly released a book which she wrote with her son, author Keith McRae. _Surviving America's Military High School_ is a book written to aid the middle school and high school student entering a military boarding school. It provides practical advice to assist them in all aspects of their military high school life. _Surviving America's Military High School_ is available through Amazon and CreateSpace.

On May 31, 2011, Kimberly released _Living by Faith: Beginning Your Walk as a New Believer_. This book focuses on Biblical principles that are taken directly from the Word of God. New Christians can learn more about their need for salvation, becoming a new creature, and living the daily life of a Christian with the help of their Lord and Saviour. Kimberly included a 30-day devotional to help the reader gain a closer relationship to God and grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Kimberly enjoys spending time with her family in South Carolina along with their two cats.

To learn more about Kimberly's upcoming books or freelance writing projects visit http://www.kimberlymcrae.com.

For more information on _Surviving America's Military High School_ visit http://www.militaryschoolbook.com.

Social networking users can also find Kimberly on Facebook or Twitter. Facebook users visit <http://www.facebook.com/authorkimberlymcrae>. Twitter users visit <http://www.twitter.com/kimbermcrae> 
