Praying According to God’s Will
Behold, I am Yahweh, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me? — Jeremiah 32:27
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us... — Ephesians 3:20
Author
Nancy G. Marquez
Summary: We must view our lives as a complete picture of God’s purpose, not as isolated circumstances. Each situation sets the stage for what follows; therefore, let us not put a period where God has placed a comma or mistake an apparent defeat for the final outcome. Let us pray according to his will, trusting that God hears both spoken and silent prayer. Effective prayer does not depend on correct formulas, but on a heart filled with God’s desires and words. Prayer does not change his will; it activates it and serves as a channel for focusing his power on specific people and situations. Let us persevere, for nothing is difficult for God.
We have to learn to see the complete picture of God’s entire will for our lives and not view the elements in isolation. We have to pay attention to which element in my present circumstance can serve as a catalyst to launch me into another dimension of victory.
A single piece of a puzzle does not give us an idea of the complete picture. One piece alone does not fulfill the purpose of the puzzle; so it is with our lives. Each of our circumstances fits within the complete picture. Let us not waste time treating each piece individually in an attempt to bring meaning to our lives. God has a complete plan, and in every circumstance of our lives, He is working and preparing the stage to fulfill His purpose.
God’s purpose works differently in each situation. God’s agenda is always greater than the immediate circumstances. The immediate circumstances will converge with God’s agenda. When we find ourselves in a situation that does not seem to be God’s will because it does not align with our desires, let us wait until the next step. The story does not end there. Each circumstance sets the stage for what is to come, lays the foundation for the next event, and opens the door for the next piece of the plan to be put in place. Ephesians 3:20 says: “And He who is able to do all things far more abundantly than we ask or understand…” Let us not put a period where God has placed a comma. What appears to be a defeat is the ground being prepared for a great victory waiting to be born. What appears to be the end is really the beginning. The crucifixion is only the prelude to the resurrection. Let us pray about our circumstances, but let us pray according to God’s will.
How does God answer our prayer?
God answers our prayers according to His eternal design and purpose. The wonderful thing about prayer is not how I speak or which words I use, but how God hears me! God hears prayer, whether it is verbalized or silent. No one can stop a believer who prays. They may cover our mouths, but they cannot prevent us from praying. They may imprison us, as they did Paul and Silas (Acts 16:25), but they cannot prevent us from praying, because God hears.
Our prayer is effective when the heart of God is expressed through our words. When God’s words are in our mouths. How do God’s words reach our mouths?—When God’s desire is in the heart—(Matt. 12:34) “for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Powerful prayer is not a matter of knowing the right words; it is having a heart that is a storehouse of God, open to hearing every whisper and echoing it in our prayers. What God speaks within us must be our guide so that our lips may move.
Prayer releases God’s power to fulfill His will in situations and in people. Prayer is the channel through which God’s will is brought to earth. He has an infinite store of mercies accumulated because there is no prayer to open the floodgates of heaven! It is not that God cannot intervene and release His provision without prayer; it is that He does not do so, since He established it this way. James 4:2: “You do not have because you do not ask.” By His sole authority and sovereignty, God has decreed and established prayer as the bridge between the spiritual world and the material world. Between the spiritual world—where His word stands firm forever and where God’s promises are already “YES” and “AMEN” in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). Our prayer releases and activates the specific will of God. When we pray, we reach the spiritual realms (heaven) and take hold of God’s will for that situation. He can release His power and His plans upon the world through our prayers.
Prayer acts like a magnifying glass or magnifier
The sun’s rays cover the earth. Nevertheless, if you hold a magnifying glass or magnifier over a flammable object, such as a dry leaf, the sun’s rays are reflected through the magnifying glass. What happens?—The sun’s rays are concentrated and come directly through the magnifying glass or magnifier. The reflection of the rays creates a focal point and intense heat. The leaf is exposed to that focused power of the sun and therefore catches fire.
God’s power covers the earth. Prayer focuses and magnifies His power upon a particular situation or a specific life. The life or situation is consistently exposed to His intense power in such a way that change occurs.
Let us not doubt the power of our prayers. Our prayers generate power in God, and for Him nothing is impossible or difficult….Jeremiah 32:27: “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?”