Thoughts for Life: #90 Give God Time to Answer- Part 2

Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: 4. Sometimes it takes time for God to prune from your own life things that are hindering your prayer.

Study John 15:2. Of all fruit-bearing plants, vines, and trees, none requires so much pruning as does the vine, which must be pruned each year.

Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Paul — all became very fruitful as God pruned their lives. (Continuing from previous post #89 Give God Time to Answer- Part 1) [Pray with us, Google image]

You may have attitudes, activities, friendships, habits, possessions, spiritual idols, or other things that are hindering your prayer.

Perhaps it is taking time for God to get you to the place where He is first in your life and prayer is first in your lifestyle. When you reach the place of fruitfulness, you will be amazed at your answers to prayer.

5. Sometimes time is needed for the cumulative effect of a great amassing of prayer.

When a dam is erected in a mountain valley, its construction may take many months. Then the water begins to accumulating behind the dam, which can take months or every a year or longer.

But when the water level reaches the right height, the sluice gates are opened water begins to turn the generators, and there is tremendous power.

Perhaps at times something similar happens in the spiritual realm. As more and more people unite in prayer or as the prevailing person prays on and on, it seems as if a great mass of prayer is accumulated until suddenly there is a breakthrough and God's will is accomplished.

Revelation 5:8 and 8:3-5 assure us that prayers prayed in the will of God are never lost but are stored until God gives the answer.
J. Oswald Sanders states,

"There is a cumulative effect in prayer. The focusing of
many prayers on one life or on a situation can change
defeat into victory."

And again,

"Both Scripture and experience unite to indicate that
there is cumulative power in united praying."
(Sanders, Prayer Power Unlimited, 139,120)

Frank Laubach has said,

"Prayer is the mightiest power on earth. Enough of us,
if we prayed enough, could save the world—if we
prayed enough!"

God has not promised that the whole world would be saved by prayer, but undoubtedly there are many situations that could be totally changed by the amassing of the prayer of God's persevering intercessors.

A Christian young lady was a very loving, faithful, and earnest Sunday school teacher. As she taught her class for a period of time, one by one the children gave their hearts to Jesus.

She was requested to give that class over to someone else and take another class. Again, one by one the students in that class committed their lives to Jesus.

After some time, she was persuaded to give up this class and take a third class of children. Again there were the same results, and every one of the children was converted.

She was very faithful in keeping a daily diary, and after her death friends discovered three entries in the journal. First, "Resolved that I will pray once each day for each member of my class by name."

A later entry added the words, "and agonize in prayer." Sometime later in the journal were these words:

"Resolved that I will pray once each day for each
member of my class by name and agonize in prayer
and expect a blessing."

Frazer, who saw the victories of persevering, prevailing prayer in China, wrote,

"The longer the preparation, the deeper the work....I do
not believe that any deep work of God takes root without
long preparation somewhere." (Frazer, Frazer and Prayer, 47,
I hope you'll take some time and read about Mr. Frazer's experiences!)

6. Sometimes the answer is delayed because Satan is so entrenched.

Jesus taught that some cases of demon possession required more prayer and fasting than others, commenting once, "This kind can come out only by prayer" (Mark 9:29, many ancient manuscripts add "fasting").

Whether "this kind" refers to a special kind of demon or a demon in a special level of authority, or whether it refers to a special kind of situation, it is a call for increased prayer.

Spiritually sensitive people have sometimes been aware of greater spiritual darkness and resistance in certain geographical areas. Satan seems more entrenched, particularly in areas where there has been much Satan worship in its various forms, occult practices, or idolatry.

It often requires prolonged prayer or amassed prevailing prayer before spiritual breakthrough comes in such places. Similarly, the pioneer missionaries in a number of countries had to pray and sacrificially labor for some years before the first convert came to Christ.

Satan does not want Christ to get a foothold in any place that he stubbornly claims for himself.

Used by permission of the author and Duewel Literature Trust, Inc., Greenwood, Indiana (With Jean's impressions added)

Mighty Prevailing Prayer
#90 Give God Time to Answer- Part 2
by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
(pp. 152 -155) Zondervan

Your challenge: Will you be determined now to continue praying for what you believe is God's will for a situation or person? Are you ready for Him to take the time necessary to bring answers to your prayers? Will you trust His judgment in each situation, to be the best? Can you be open to His will, as to what He wants to accomplish, first in you and then in others?

Let's pray-

Prayer verses for children

Father, we are asking for grace today, to actually begin trusting Your guidance in the timing of the answers to our prayers.
Help us believe You not only hear our prayers, but delight in answering them to bless us, and to bring honor to Christ's name.
May we persevere in praying, so we can see the breakthrough needed for our concerns. And may we not faint and give in to doubt that You're working on them.

We desire for Your will to be done, and ask these favors in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Today's Bible verse-

(Ez. 22:30 KJV) "I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land."

(Is. 32:15 KJV) "Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest."

(Ps. 8:1 KJV) "O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who set they glory above the heavens."

Today's quotes-

Dave Branon- "It's helpful to know that God will never call on us to do something for which He has not already equipped us. As Paul reminds us, 'We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us' (Rom. 12:6).

Knowing that we can trust God with our lives, we can abandon ourselves to Him, strengthened by the knowledge that He created us and is helping us to make this effort in Him."

Jennifer Eivaz- "Know this: Behind every revival in history was an intercessor. Behind every nation that opened its doors to the Gospel was an intercessor. Intercessors can shape history from their prayer closet, causing the impossible to be made possible.

Does that inspire you? Are you ready to be the man or woman who says yes to the assignment of prayer? If so, get ready for the adventure of a lifetime. It is time to claim the territory of God's Kingdom." (p. 22 of The INTERCESSORS HANDBOOK, Jennifer's book)

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