See the Prayer and Praying Series)here
Many Christians are
familiar with God’s open and quite controversial invitation to ‘Test Me!’ on
the topic of tithes. (Malachi 3:8) We may not be as familiar with another
rather controversial invitation to ‘Remind Me/Put Me in remembrance…’.
(Isaiah
43:26)
These
invitations are controversial possibly because, as humans, we are inclined to
criticize, limit and narrow God’s intentions, character and nature to fit our
own miniscule notions, and also because, let’s face it, who are we to test and
remind The Almighty?! Since His goodness, love and grace are far beyond my
comprehension, I prefer to spend my time trying to deepen and expand my
understanding of what my unlimited, quintessentially GOOD God may mean in such
clear, direct invitations, both within and well beyond the specific contexts in
which they were extended. How about you?
I hope you are indeed
‘testing Him’ in your financial life. Moreover, here’s an excellent way to
‘remind Him’ continually about something that’s very important to Him, namely
His Word:
Pray His Word back to Him!
Ok, this may be ‘old
hat’ to many of you, but trust me, it’s a message well worth echoing, both in
this post and by example, whenever we are presented with an opportunity to
engage in group/corporate prayer.
Disagree?
Consider the alternative of
not
praying God’s Word back to Him…
Here are my top 10
reasons why you should not debate, but grab God’s invitation and run
with it:
1. Study, Know,
Associate: Praying The Word prompts you to study to know God more
intimately, especially His nature and character, and to associate your needs
and desires, and those of others, with what He has said, either directly or
indirectly, concerning those types of needs and desires.
2. Hearing Builds
Faith: Praying The Word enables you to build faith in His Word and
character. How? As you pray The Word, you hear yourself saying it, either
audibly or mentally, and faith comes by
hearing God's Word. (Romans 10:17)
3. Applied Word
>> Productive Prayer: Praying The Word results in more deliberate,
more targeted, and a lot more productive prayer because you are praying God's
Words, and, in faith, you are applying His Word (like a doctor applies medicine or a skilled
worker applies his skills) to present situations. Your prayers will also be
less charged with negative emotions and reactionary fear -- less praying the problems that God is already intimately familiar with. Consider just how much of typical prayers (public and private) spend time on the problems rather than what God, Himself says are His solutions to the problems. To some, their retort is, "David prayed his problems!" Ok, have at it.
4. Stay in
Gratitude: Praying The Word helps you learn to appreciate His Word,
apprehend His Love and Grace, and stay in gratitude because, in faith, you have
prayed according to God's will. His Word uncloaks His will. Praying His Word strengthens your ability to apply Mark 11:24. (Study the verb tenses in that verse.)
5. Solution-Focused:
Praying The Word actually refocuses your contrary thoughts and words away
from the problems, and on what God says are the solutions. His power is in His Word, not in our recital of the problems.
6. Teach Hearers:
In group/corporate prayers, praying The Word significantly edifies all hearers. As they hear your confident
prayers, they are indirectly taught how to pray more effectively by associating
our needs and desires to what God has specifically or generally said concerning
His character, nature, and will, and regarding us, our needs, and our desires.
7. Glorify Jesus:
Praying The Word actually and directly glorifies Jesus as He sees His followers
knowledgeable
of His Word, and in faith, returning it to The Father, in His
Name. Glorifying Jesus in this manner also triggers our praise to God, and
serves legal notice that spiritually evicts demonic powers! (Psalm 8:2)
8. Peace-Making:
Praying The Word enables us confidentially to say, ‘Amen!’, and to accept
the outcomes as God’s expressed
or permissive will. In this manner,
we enter into Kingdom-building, ensuring 'Thy
Kingdom come, Thy will be done' in this present situation.
9. Obedience: As
you pray The Word in faith, you are effectively obeying… ‘Put Me in remembrance/remind Me’, ‘Abide in Me…’, and many other
God-promptings. *
10. Dissolve ‘Yeah, buts…’: Praying The Word
continually mystically dissolves all of our fearful/doubtful
‘Yeah, buts…’ about what God has said.
Praying The Word: A ‘Yeah, but…’ repellant!
Please help add to this list. Thanks~
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* If you abide in Me, and My words abide
in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. (John
15:7, KJV)
