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Yes, no or wait – are these the possible answers to our prayers
From Steve's book CRACKS IN THE FOUNDATION
The answer to your prayer will be yes, no or wait
The Background of this phrase: This is not a specific scripture passage, but is a common saying in Christianity.
The Positive: James 4:3 says this: “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” Here is an example where the answer to prayer is no. There are other situations where the answer is delayed because there is a special timing for its manifestation.
We will have a crack in our spiritual foundation if we do not have confidence that our prayers will be answered. I John 5:14,15 says we are to have assurance of answered prayer because of a knowing of the will of God. Effective prayer is based largely on God’s promises. “For all the promises of God in Him (Jesus) are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Faith believes we receive the answer at the time of prayer. “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:24). Our belief that we have the answer to our prayer before seeing it is the key to seeing it. If we think that each of our prayers could have a “no” or “wait” answer, then we will be unable to “believe before we see,” and we will constantly be passive in prayer (because we will conclude that unchanging circumstances are God’s “no” or God’s “wait”).
Concluding Thoughts: The immature Christian will have more no answers to prayer because of a lack of knowledge of God’s will. The key thing to remember is this: we cannot conclude that the lack of seeing the answer to prayer means that God has said “no” or “wait.” To do so would create a huge crack in our faith foundation that would rob us from the experience of knowing that we have things before they have manifested.
Declarations to demolish the idea of having a bad day tomorrow
I am finishing a book called DECLARATIONS. Here is an excerpt .
Making Declarations About Tomorrow
Scriptural Support
“But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (I Corinthians 2:9).
“One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead” (Philippians 3:13).
Declarations
· Tomorrow is going to be one of the best days of my life.
· I will wake up with strong faith, strong love and strong hope in my heart.
· I will exercise, eat right, drink much water and laugh frequently tomorrow.
· God’s kingdom will advance everywhere I go and in everything I do.
· I will be extremely effective in my work tomorrow.
· I will have life-changing secret place times with the Lord tomorrow.
· My past prayers will be working mightily tomorrow in every situation that concerns me.
· Right now I demolish double-mindedness or lack of enthusiasm about any activity, appointment or meeting I have tomorrow.
· I will reach forward tomorrow to the things that are ahead of me.
· There is nothing I will face tomorrow that I won’t be victorious in.
· I will make great decisions tomorrow in every situation I face.
Lies to laugh at:
I will need to wait until tomorrow to determine how I feel in order for me to know if it is going to be a good day.
Making declarations today will not affect the quality of my tomorrow.
Wisdom to add to the your declarations:
Build faith through very specific declarations – We can release great faith for everything we do tomorrow by declaring over each activity we plan do. As we make declarations, faith will rise in your heart toward what you will do. This faith will cause greater impact to occur.
Take time to plan – Five minutes of planning for tomorrow will dramatically increase the likelihood of success for the day. We can make sure that we have included in our schedule the activities that really matter.
Learn from today – During your planning and declaring for tomorrow, ask God this question: “What did I learn from today that will help me have a better tomorrow?” He loves answering that question.
Let's talk more about God's protection than Satan's attacks
I on working on the upcoming revised version of my book CRACKS IN THE FOUNDATION. Here is an excerpt (which will also give you an idea of its format).
#11 Every time I minister or move forward in God, Satan attacks me
Context: These words are frequently heard in churches and in prayer meetings. It is the apparent experience of many.
Positive: The devil hates Christians who seek to advance the kingdom of God. He is prowling around “like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour” (I Peter 5:8). He especially wants to devour those who are moving forward in prayer, evangelism, leadership, and in obedience to God. It would be foolish for us to ignore the fact that we “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age . . . “ (Eph 6:12).
There will be a crack in our spiritual foundation if we put more faith in Satan’s power to attack us than in God’s power to protect us. If we believe that the attacks of Satan (with its negative results) are normal, then our expectation of this will actually attract those things to our lives (and will thus reinforce this lie as truth to us). Jesus said, “According to your faith, so be it” (Matthew 9:29). Those who believe they are protected will increasingly experience protection in their lives. Those who believe they will be attacked after moving forward in God (or in ministry) will increasingly have this experience in their lives.
Concluding Thoughts: Sometimes we overuse and overemphasize things like, “If the devil is not causing you problems, then you must not be any threat to him.” There is some truth in this statement, but it too often creates a crack of believing that difficulty is the true sign of spirituality. Yes, the devil is looking for those he may devour, but he can only devour when there is agreement with him or fear of him. As people of hope and victory, we are to speak more about God’s wonderful protection than we do about Satan’s attacks and lies. As we do so, we will increasingly see that protection manifest in our lives.
Another biblical reason we make declarations
From my upcoming book DECLARATIONS. Reason #27 out of 30.
The making of declarations is one of most practical ways to renew our minds and implement Romans 12:2 in our lives – "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). The renewing of the mind does not happen by osmosis, but by an intentional plan to dismantle wrong beliefs and establish positive strongholds in specific areas of our lives. Besides meditating on scripture, there is probably no greater strategic step we can take to renew our minds than declarations. It is an irrefutable law of the spirit that if we renew our minds, we will be transformed. It will work for everyone no matter what our past has been. Truly, nobody's past can limit their future, but current beliefs can. Declarations help us renew our minds so our lives will be truly transformed. "Faith comes by hearing" (Romans 10:17), and we get to determine how much we hear by how much we declare.
Lent Negativity Fast - Day #40
This is it. The last day of our Negativity Fast and Positivity Fast. What a joy it has been.
So what now? Should we go back to negativity? Ha ha. Let's just laugh at that.
We bless you in the days ahead. Here are a couple of ways to stay in touch with our message of hope and joy: 1) Check out our daily Igniting Hope Ministries Facebook posts, and 2) Sign up for our monthly newsletter on this website.
So, as a last encouragement on this fast, let's laugh at a lie in LET'S JUST LAUGH AT THAT. Blessings!
Let’s Just Laugh at This Lie
It’s Hopeless
Laughable Assumptions Behind This Lie:
Ø This situation is impossible; there are no answers.
Ø I am destined for disappointment and unfulfilled promises.
Ø My unworthiness and wrong choices block all solutions coming to me.
Ø There are no such things as breakthroughs, successes or “suddenlies.”
Ø I was born to fail for such a time as this.
Ø If I don’t see God doing anything about this, it means He is not doing anything.
The Truth: Nothing is hopeless because all things are possible with God. 1) God called Abram the “father of a multitude,” though he was 99 and had a barren wife. A year later, Sarah gave birth to Isaac (Genesis 17-21). 2) Joseph was hated by his brothers, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, accused of rape, and sentenced to prison; yet he remained faithful and was promoted to the palace (Genesis 37-41). 3) Moses stood with a body of water before him, approaching enemies behind him, and complaining Israelites beside him; but he partnered with God to see the waters part and the Israelites experience freedom (Exodus 14). 4) The three Hebrew children miraculously survived the fiery furnace (Daniel 3). 5) Lazarus came to life after being dead four days (John 11).
Strategies for Overcoming This Lie:
1. Take inventory of your hope – Any thought in our mind that is not sparkling with confident hope indicates that it is under the influence of a lie (Romans 15:13). If you feel hopeless, ask the Holy Spirit to expose the lies that are being believed.
2. Capture lies and hopeless thoughts – Every thought that does not align with Christ, we have the authority to capture (2 Corinthians 10:5). What we think, we become (Proverbs 23:7). We can’t afford to think anything that we do not want to become. Replace lies with God’s truth to become free and to release freedom (John 8:32).
3. Believe there is hope for every situation and every person – He who possesses the highest levels of hope will have the highest levels of influence. 1 Corinthians 10:13 reveals that God has “the way” (hope) and an answer for every situation.
Declarations to Renew Your Mind: 1) Nothing is impossible with God. 2) The Holy Spirit lives inside of me, and He says nothing is hopeless. 3) All things work together for my good. 4) My heart and mind are glistening with confident hope, joy and expectation.
Lent Negativity Fast – Day #39
Blessings to you on this second to last day of the negativity fast. Here is a a great excerpt on hope from Zella Smith.
Faith
is hope nurtured, Trust
is hope expected, Dreaming
is hope inspired, Wisdom is hope illuminated, Gratitude is hope expressed, Service is hope demonstrated, Community is hope connected
Intercession is hope activated, Prophecy is hope declared, Freedom is hope realized, Laughter is hope erupted, Peace is hope fulfilled, Joy is hope ignited
by:
Zella Smith
07/22/2012
http://www.smithfamilyministries.com/2012/08/07/hope/
Lent Negativity Fast - Day #38
"This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice AND be glad in in it" (Psalm 118:24).
"Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice" (Philippians 4:4).
"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desire of your heart" (Psalm 37:4).
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (! Thessalonians 5:16-18).
These verses are wonderful reminders of a life. Mediate on them if you get the chance. They propel us toward positivity.
We don't want to be positive in just thought, but in action. With that in mind, enjoy the following:
7 Simple Ways to Change the World (By RevTrev.com)
Mahatma Gandhi once said, "Be the change you want to see in the world." The wonderful thing about doing this is that you can set off chain after chain of positive events. Some call it the Butterfly Effect. One small thing you do can have repercussions all around the world.
Whatever positive actions you want to see more of, take responsibility to produce it yourself.
When you show the world your willingness to be positive, others follow your lead, and before you know it, you're changing the world one action at a time. There's no better way to effect positive changes in the world. If you're stumped about what you can do to make the world a better place, try these ideas:
1. Listen to what others say, without interrupting. It sounds simple, yet you find yourself wanting to cut others off in conversation or rush them to finish speaking. Truly listening and then responding to what they say makes them feel valued - like they matter - and that's one positive change you just produced. In being around you, they learn to do the same and spread the concept to others, who then repeat the process.
2. Give away some things. You probably have items in good condition that you don't use anymore. Pack a box full of things you no longer use and take them to a local charity. Someone will benefit from your items and you'll both feel good about your action.
3. Do something to help others. Research charities you're interested in and then offer to help. You could call the local social service agencies and offer your services for free. Maybe you're an accountant and could do their accounting at no cost. If you're a maintenance worker, offer your "fix-it" services to charities' offices. You could knit or crochet blankets, baby hats, and shawls for local hospitals, hospices, or nursing homes. I give out complimentary coaching sessions at MoreThanABucketList.com. I know when I help others, God pays it back to me on their behalf.
4. Organize a volunteer effort to assist a group of individuals. For example, collect boxed foods and blankets and ship them to US military bases all over the world. Another example is to raise money for construction materials to send to Haiti to build new homes and schools for communities hampered by storms. If you're aware of the needs of a certain group, start your own local efforts to assist.
5. Deposit change in vending machines and walk away. A simple and fun way to "pay it forward" is to put enough change in a vending machine so the next person that walks up can receive a drink or snack for free.
6. Adopt a family. During the holidays, you won't need a lot of money to share the holiday spirit with others. Through local churches or social service agencies, you can "adopt" a local family. The church or organization provides you with the first names of a nuclear family's members, their genders, and ages so you can purchase 1-2 gifts for each of them. Sometimes, the list you're given provides you with clothing sizes and gift ideas for each family member. After shopping, place the tagged gifts in a big box and drop them off to the organization sponsoring the Adopt-a-Family event. You can bring joy and happiness to an anonymous family at holiday time. You don't have to wait for the holidays to help out a family. Missions all over the world help support families that need food, clothing, and school supplies. Your neighborhood churches can put you in touch with someone in need.
7. Pay for a family's dinner when you're dining out. You have a golden opportunity to change the world by anonymously paying for a family's meal. If you like, have the server give them a note onto which you scribbled, "Pass it on."
Lent Negativity Fast – Day #37
As we move toward the end of our Lent negativity fast, I wanted to remind you of some thoughts I have written about joy.
I used to have this romantic view of life where I thought I would be joyful in a coming future moment when everything lined up just right for me (no uncertainties, the people in my life are doing what I think they should be doing, I have overcome all personal weaknesses, my finances are great, etc.) - THEN I would be joyful. This is a delusion. If I am not joyful now, the chances of me being joyful then are slim.
So, as you prepare for the end of these forty days, here are some suggestions of how to build on what has happened during this fast: 1) Do it again with new people, 2) Go on a negativity feast (ha ha), 3) Go on a 40 day mega dose of truth by consuming audio messages, audio Bible, etc.
We would love to hear how this fast has impacted your life. Blessings!
Lent Negativity Fast - Day #36
We are almost to the end of our forty days. Thank you so much for being a part of this! I bless you as you come down the home stretch to finish strong.
Today's topic is about becoming fully convinced. Romans 4 talks about the process that Abraham went on in staying positive in the face of VERY negative circumstances. – "who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, 'So shall your descendants be.' And
not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead
(since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s
womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform." One thing that really encourages me in this passage is that God's analysis of Abraham is that he did not waver in faith. I would say that his union with Hagar that created Ismael was a waver. Our heavenly father though sees the overall journey of your faith, not your mistakes, in making a conclusion about your life. That blesses me.
One way to become to become fully convinced is to make declarations in faith. Here is one of the thirty biblical reasons for why we make declarations. (This will be included in my upcoming book called DECLARATIONS.)
27 Declarations help us to renew our minds – "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). The renewing of the mind does not happen by osmosis, but by an intentional plan to dismantle wrong beliefs and establish positive strongholds in specific areas of our lives. Besides meditating on scripture, there is probably no greater strategic step we can take to renew our minds than declarations. This is so exciting because it is an irrefutable law of the spirit that if we renew our minds, we will be transformed. It will work for everyone no matter what our past has been. Truly, nobody's past can limit their future, but current beliefs can. Declarations help us renew our minds so our lives will be truly transformed.