Dearly beloved in Christ,
I greet you in the sweet name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amid needs, we turn to people for help. They may be our friends or people known to us. We seek help from our brothers, sisters or relatives who, we trust, would help. In Matthew 7:8, it is said: “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matt. 7:11). Some need money; some others need certain other items. At times we borrow chairs from our neighbour when relatives visit us. But Jesus Christ can supply us what no one else can give. They are greater things. The blessings He gives meet our needs and make changes in our life leading to happiness. Through Him we have healing and health; we are filled with wisdom. They make life pleasant with peace, and joy.
I. What good happens when God gives?
1. Removes shame and wipes tears
“For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him.” (1 Samuel 1:27).
Hannah had the habit of going to church. But the Lord had shut her womb. Because of that she was mocked at by her rival. This upset her and she would not take her food. Her husband used to console her, but she remained hurt. Perhaps, you may be like Hannah without a child and being ridiculed by others in the family. Are you with a broken-heart, eagerly desiring for a day when your tears would be wiped out by removal of the cause of your troubles? Are you troubled by what others say? Do you remain hurt? The Lord who responded to the prayer of Hannah will answer your prayer also. The Lord Jesus Christ lives even today. He is the same today, yesterday, and tomorrow. He will do a miracle in your life too. To receive this blessing of a child, Hannah went to the presence of the Lord in the church and prayed with a vow. The Lord, who hears prayers, heard her and granted her request. She was blessed with a child.
2. Makes our joy abound
“Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16:24)
Today many people seek transient and sinful pleasures. They do not know about happiness that lasts to eternity. They keep shunting about to different places seeking real happiness. If you humbly submit your request in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, in His name, you will have your request, as promised, in full measure. For everyone who asks receives. Accordingly, He will grant it that your joy may be full. When you ask in His name, your sorrows will give place to joy, mental agitation to peace, and hurt to blessings. In His presence there is abundance of joy. You will be blessed to receive blessings in His name when you pray. Paul exhorts: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Once when a family was blessed that way, the joy in Him made him resign his job to proclaim that joy from the presence of the Lord. Thus, that family was blessed.
3. Supplies wisdom
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5).
Today, due to lack of wisdom, there are obstacles and delays in achieving excellence in work and life. This makes a person worry. A person lacking in wisdom should ask Jesus Christ, the Lord of love who gives exceedingly and blesses us. Wisdom is needed in everyone’s life. When you fear the Lord, that is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 9:10). It is wise to fear the Lord. In James 3:14-17, it is said: “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”
Thus, there are two types of wisdom, one that pertains to this world and the other to the spiritual realm. The three youths who were slaves with Daniel were endowed with knowledge and wisdom with regard to language and affairs of this world. But for Daniel, the Lord gave wisdom to know all visions and dreams. These four youths were blessed with wisdom to know visions and dreams from the Lord and also in the affairs of this world. Because they were not defiled by the food served to the king, the Lord bestowed on them wisdom in abundance.
Joseph kept himself holy. Hated by his brothers and sold into slavery, this Joseph refrained from sinning. The Lord had given him the wisdom to interpret dreams and was exalted at the right time. He was in jail and he had no prospects of good life ahead. But he could interpret the dreams of the cupbearer of the king. This cupbearer bore testimony before the king of the ability of Joseph to interpret dreams. The Lord opened the doors for him to stand before the king to interpret his dream. On knowing the meaning of his dream, the king exalted him with authority only next to him in the land.
In this modern world also, we need this wisdom in worldly affairs as well as spiritual matters and this helps us to excel.
4. Healing effected
“Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years.” (Isaiah 38:5).
King Hezekiah prayed with tears when he was suffering with a fatal disease. The Lord heard his prayers and healed him. Prophet Isaiah had revealed to him that he would die. He turned to the Lord with tears in prayer reminding the Lord of all his doings. The Lord saw his tears and heard his prayers, because He answers them and has asked us to make our requests known to Him. Dear Brother/ Sister, the Lord Jesus Christ sees us and all our doings. Further, He sees our tears. You may think that He has not seen your tears. Do not be disheartened. He not only sees our tears but also wipes out our tears.
Dear Brother/ Sister, He would wipe out tears from all faces. Are you facing problems and disappointments one after the other? Are you upset with losses, defeats, and acts of dishonesty? Are you worried over the struggles in life? The Lord Jesus Christ, who loves us, would wipe away your tears, heal your wounds, cure you of diseases and bless you. There are so many diseases and infections which paralyse mankind. Recently, covid had its sway. Many lost their dear ones like their spouses, children, and parents and near ones. One thing we must bear in our minds is the One Who bore our weakness and our diseases is still alive. He alone makes us live alleviating all sickness. By His stripes we are healed.
Once, it was not possible for doctors to diagnose a particular disease in a person in a family. They shared with me over phone that the doctors carried various lab tests but were unable to arrive at a conclusion. They did not know what to do. Our Lord is the Lord of the distance too. He heard the prayer and worked a miracle in him. Sometimes, we pray and yet we do not get healed. We are then in terrible anguish. We think of the various lapses on our part. We introspect on what we might have done against the will of God. Even today His healing power manifests in our lives to heal us. He who heard the prayer of King Hezekiah is still alive. He does not change. He can heal any disease. Dear Brother/ Sister, look up to the Lord Jesus Christ and ask. He will bless you with a miraculous healing.
5. The Lord is known as God
“Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.” (1 Kings 18:37).
On the third year, the Lord asked Elijah to appear before the king Ahab and assured him that He would make rain to come upon the nation. He sent word through Obadiah to Ahab. Ahab came to see Elijah. Ahab said to him, ”Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals. He instructed him to bring all the prophets of Baal at Carmel. Elijah said to the people, ”How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word. Then Elijah said to the people, ”I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. He said them to bring two bulls, one for Baal and another for the Lord.” He challenged them to give one to the prophets of Baal and one for himself, to cut and lay on an altar of wood with no fire under it. He said, “Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.”
So, they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made. Elijah mocked them. Then it was his turn. He repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, ”Israel shall be your name.” Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench around the altar. And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, “Fill four waterpots with water, and it was done three times. The water filled the trenches. Then Elijah prayed: “Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.” Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Then the people fell on their faces and worshipped the Lord saying that the Lord is God. Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” Then there was a heavy rain. All the prophets of Baal were killed and the people turned to the Lord.
II HOW TO ASK THE LORD
1. Ask with Faith
“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:6)
Our Lord and redeemer Jesus Christ sees our faith in Him when we call on His name. According to our faith, he rewards and answers our prayers. A Canaanite woman came to Jesus Christ seeking deliverance for her daughter from the devil. The disciples who came to know about her condition recommended her case to Jesus for deliverance. But He did not answer them. Yet she continued to humble herself before Him and asked for mercy. ‘But He answered and said, ”It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said to her, ”O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour’ (Matt. 15:26-28).
His answer depends on your faith. He works miracles according to our faith. Today we are not able to enjoy the works of the Lord because of lack of faith. Great faith can mediate with the Lord and bring greater answers.
2) Ask in the Name of Jesus Christ
“Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16:24).
We should address our prayers to the Father. So Jesus Christ taught. He also taught that the prayer should be made in His name. We should learn to use His name. Instead, the devil makes us address the prayer to the Master, or King. In Isaiah 26:13-14, it is said: “O Lord our God, masters besides You Have had dominion over us; But by You only we make mention of Your name. They are dead, they will not live; They are deceased, they will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them, And made all their memory to perish.” So, when you pray, address it to the Father in the name of His Son Jesus Christ so that you have the fullness of His blessings.
3) Ask According to the Will of the Lord
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (1 John 5:14).
Our prayers should be according to the will of the Lord God. If it is so, He answers it. “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17). When our prayers are according to His will, He answers our prayers in a wonderful way. It is beyond our understanding.
A leper came to Jesus Christ and said: “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” ‘Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, ”I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed’ (Matt. 8:2-3). So, we should learn to know His will and to ask according to it. Then we would have answers to our prayers in full measure.
4. Pray with Tears
“Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.” (Isaiah 38:3).
Our Lord God is One who sees. He saw the tears shed by Hezekiah. He would wipe away your tears. How much time do we take to pray with tears for our problems and troubles to cease? Many a time we pray with our lips and our heart is not there. If it is real, you would shed tears. If you go before the Lord with a broken heart and shattered soul in tears, the Lord who says that He would wipe away tears from all faces will answer your prayers.
5. Love the Lord and Pray
“And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David ... ” (1 Kings 3:3)
The Lord God, knowing the love in the heart of King Solomon, appeared to him in a dream and asked him what he needed. He asked for a heart of wisdom so that he could judge his people rightly. This prayer of Solomon was acceptable to Him. “Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days” (1 Kings 3:11-13).
If you love the Lord, He will answer your prayers accordingly. Are you able to sense the love of the Lord of the cross? He gave Himself on the cross as a sacrifice for our sake. Let us love Him. We will be blessed.
May the Lord bless us!
In the service of Christ Jesus,
Bro. C. Ebenezer Paul.