Welcome to “Going Deeper with the Word.” In this segment, we welcome people of all backgrounds, religious or not, to review the Word of God. The Word of God provides guidance, direction, and instructions for living our lives and walking with God.
Today, we examine how God’s Word provides clear guidance and direction about how prayer can strengthen and deepen our faith.
Let’s review examples of God’s Word that can lead and guide our steps and back up the principles we learned in today’s message. I will be reading scripture today from the Amplified Bible.
If you are watching this message online, we invite you to share your comments as we review each verse.
Here is our first verse.
For this reason I am telling you, whatever things you ask for in prayer [in accordance with God’s will], believe [with confident trust] that you have received them, and they will be given to you.
Mark 11:24
In this verse, Jesus shares the importance of belief when it comes to prayers of petition. We can know in our hearts that when we ask God the desires of our hearts and believe that he has heard our prayer and will provide, we shall receive.
Over the years, my personal approach to this scripture has evolved to also include my asking God for His will to be done first and foremost for any of my prayers.. While I have prayed for many things in my life and seen the subjects of those prayers come to fruition. I have also recognized some prayers did not come to fruition, even though I believed in what I prayed for. In hindsight, I recognize the prayers that did not come to fruition were requests I made that were not in my best interest, so I am thankful they were not realized. As a result, I feel much stronger in my faith and prayers by requesting that God’s will be done for all of my prayers moving forward.
Are there prayers you have brought before God and believed in, but have yet to see them come to fruition? Do you trust God’s will for the request in your prayer? Would you prefer He fulfill a prayer even if it leads to unintended consequences, or would you prefer He not fulfill the request?
Let us know in the comments.
Let’s have a look at another verse.
Be devoted to one another with [authentic] brotherly affection [as members of one family], give preference to one another in honor; never lagging behind in diligence; aglow in the Spirit, enthusiastically serving the Lord; constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength],
Romans 12:10-12
In this verse, Paul explains the importance of being consistent in our behavior, serving the Lord with enthusiasm, and being devoted to prayer. We see the importance of prayer being a vital aspect of continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength.
How often do you pray? Is prayer a regular form of conversation with God or is it only when you have something to request of Him? If you do pray regularly with God, what is the benefit you have noticed as compared to when you rarely prayed?
Let us know in the comments.
Let’s look at one last verse.
In my distress [when I seemed surrounded] I called upon the Lord
And cried to my God for help;
He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry for help came before Him, into His very ears.
Psalm 18:6
In this verse, King David explains his full knowledge of his prayers reaching the Lord. In the same way, we know that our prayers will always reach the Lord in any and all circumstances. Know that your prayers for thanks and praise are heard. Know that your prayers for assistance are heard. Know that your prayers asking for His guidance and direction are heard. Our prayers are always heard, regardless of the circumstances.
Has there ever been a time when you prayed and felt that you were unheard? What were the circumstances? Why did you feel you were unheard?
Prayer plays a fundamental role in our faith and the ways in which we pray can help us to grow deeper in our faith. I invite you to make prayer a persistent conversation with God. Set aside time over the course of your day to simply speak to Him in the midst of what you are doing. Prayer can be a dedicated time and place but it can also be a way to include God in every moment of your day. ness into the world of those who need it – then be prepared for His guidance and leading.
Thank you for your time in reviewing these verses with me today. Please be sure to share in the comments how these or other examples of God’s Word have helped you learn more about kindness.
Thank you for the opportunity to share encouragement. Here @walkinginstepwithGod we truly appreciate your support. We are fully committed to Christ and the community. We invite you to join us in fellowship and to seek opportunities for fellowship in your local community as well.
