Power of prayer - Part 8

Heavenly Father, we praise your Holy name and thank you for this new morning. We ask that Your Word bring revelation to us as we read it and may it be planted in our hearts to yield a bountiful harvest for the glory of Your Kingdom In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

On today's series on the power of prayer is the power of expectation when we pray. When we go before our Heavenly Father and present our requests to Him, we should also be mindful of the posture of hearts. The posture of our hearts positions us to receive our requests from God. The Bible in 1 John 5:14 says and "this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us." God's will concerning our lives as His children is certain, established and it comes down to one word - Love. When we come to our Heavenly Father with confidence and in expectation to receive the answer of our prayers, His love for us has to prevail. The gospels of Jesus Christ in the Bible contain stories filled with people who came to Jesus in expectation to receive healing and wholeness because their knowledge of the Saviour gave them the hope that if Jesus (at the very least) touched them, they would be made well.

In Mark 5, there is a story of a woman who had suffered from a blood flow issue for 12 years. She had spent all her money on physicians but only became worse. However, we see the power of her expectation and confidence to receive from Jesus. In Mark 5:28 she said; "If only I may touch his clothes, I shall be made well." First and foremost, the simplicity of this woman's prayer tells us that prayer is something that we can do anywhere. Prayer does not only have to take place in a 'prayer closet'. As portrayed in this story, clearly some of the most important prayers take place in our hearts and the amazing news about this is that God hears them too! This woman's faith believed she would receive from Jesus by touching His garment, from being in His presence and the power of her faith and confident expectation to receive healing from the Christ healed her blood issue.

At the same time, there maybe times when you have believed God and there is expectation for an answered request you are yet to receive from God. I am here to encourage you that God sees you. He loves you and hears your prayers. John 11 has a story of a man named Lazarus and the Scriptures referred to Him as the one Jesus loved (John 11:3). However, Lazarus died before Jesus had got to him which disappointed Lazarus' family because they knew surely because God loves us, our brother would live. In fact the Bible tells us that when Jesus arrived, He wept with them (John 11:35). When we are going through every situation, Jesus is there with us and what brings us joy, brings Him joy, what causes sadness to us, causes sadness to Him as well.

In John 11:21, "Now Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now, I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give you." Despite the disappointment of Jesus not showing up on time before her brother's death, Martha still had the expectation that nothing was impossible for Him. Friend, do you have that expectation that even if the situation looks like there is no hope, that Jesus is still going to show up and for His glory to reflect on your life? I find it interesting that when Jesus first heard of the news of Lazarus' sickness, (insert whatever situation you going through) "He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." He did not wait for Lazarus to first die and then decide that the glory of God would manifest on His life, but from the beginning this was His desire for Lazarus' life. I encourage you to trust that God knows your life story from beginning to end and His glory over your life shall prevail when we continue in the place of prayer and expectation.

I'll end with this Scripture in Jeremiah 29:11-13

"11.For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

12.Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

13.And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

Invitation to salvation: Finally, in case you have not already, I invite you to the kingdom of God where no force of darkness can prevail against you because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross that makes us sons and daughters of God.

When you believe with your heart and confess with your mouth that; Jesus Christ, the Son of God came in a human body to die for my sins. I repent of my sin. I choose Him as my Lord and Saviour today and forever.

Congratulations, by grace you have been saved and are now a new creation in Christ Jesus. The old life has passed away and you have received the free gift of salvation into your life. To the glory of the Almighty God. Amen.

As a new believer, I urge you to prayerfully consider becoming a member of a church and buying a Bible or downloading the Bible app on your mobile in case you don't already own one!