•3:10 PM
There are times when we pray about something maybe once, perhaps twice, even three times and if we don’t receive an answer in the affirmative, then we give up and assume that it must not be God’s will. Yet Jesus taught his disciples “to pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1)
We need to understand that when we pray, a spiritual battle is raging behind the scenes.
In the book of Daniel, we find an interesting story in which Daniel offered his request before God and the answer finally came. An angel appeared to him and said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come to answer your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me…” (Daniel 10:12-13)
It may be that you have asked God for something in your life that He wants to do. Just because it hasn’t happened yet, does not mean that it never will happen. God’s delays are not necessarily His denials.
Jesus urges us to be persistent in our prayers.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, it will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8) Jesus also said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11)
This reminds us of the intimacy and fellowship we have with God.
Jesus taught the disciples to pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name” (Matthew 6:9)
When we bring our requests before God, we need to remember that we are speaking to our Father.
You see, it is His will to give you the things that you need in your life. Maybe you have been praying about something and there has not been an answer. Maybe there has been an interruption.
Remember this: sometimes an interruption is actually the intervention of God.
Disappointment can be His appointment.
So don’t give up!
