"Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ

what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance."

-Philippians 1:18-19 (NIV)

 

"Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.

Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil

in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.

If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other

so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

-James 5:13-16 (NIV)

We've spent these past weeks exploring Paul's instruction found in Romans 12:12 that instructs us to be "joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer" (NIV). We have expounded on being joyful in hope as well as the importance of our ability to be patient in affliction. Now, we'll begin to navigate the importance of our ability to be faithful in prayer. 

 

Paul was a firm believer in the power of prayer. No matter the circumstance that Paul found himself in, he was consistent in prayer. Paul prayed whether happy or sad. Paul prayed amidst both good and bad circumstances. Whether he was inquiring something of God, making a request to God, or simply thanking God, prayer was a daily part of Paul's repertoire and one of his weapons of choice. Prayer was a form of contact in which Paul could connect with God and fall into the vulnerability of His presence. Prayer was a point of contact that allowed Paul to look to God and remain focused on Him. Paul's ability to take all things to God in prayer steered his focus away from what he was facing, trusting that God had all things under His control. Prayer was the means by which Paul could cast all of his cares upon God releasing himself of trying to fix and change that which only God had the power to fix and change. It was through praying that Paul found strength, encouragement, and understanding concerning all the issues of life that he encountered.

 

But what about us? We know that prayer is important, but do we truly understand how powerful it is? There are some of us who only pray when faced with hardship. There are those who don't see the need to pray when everything is good because they only take to God that which they think they cannot handle. There are those who are too distraught and anguished to pray amidst hardship but pray faithfully as it concerns thanking God for the joys of life. There are those who pray amidst all situations whether good or bad. And then there are those of us whose prayer lives are non-existent. Where do you stand and why is it important that you are aware of such? Let's Explore.

 

----------Facing Walls-------------                             

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"In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, 'This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.' Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 'Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.' And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: 'Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says:

I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.”

-2 Kings 20:1-6 (NIV)

 

Hezekiah was one of the kings of Judah. He was a man of both honor and integrity. Scripture tells us that, "Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him" (2 Kings 18:5, NIV). Hezekiah's ability to fully devote himself to God and follow Him wholeheartedly is to be acknowledged because many of the kings of both Israel and Judah turned away from God. Hezekiah's father, Ahaz, who ruled before him, was 
as wicked as they come and Hezekiah's son, Manasseh, who ruled after him, was even more wicked than those who preceded him. Hezekiah was a God-fearing man who was the son and father of wicked men, yet he chose God even if many of those who were related to him failed to do so. God honored Hezekiah and gave him success in whatever he did. However, despite fully committing to God, affliction still had its way in Hezekiah's life.

 

If we read 2 Kings 20, we find that Hezekiah becomes ill. Hezekiah was most definitely in one of those worst-case scenarios that we discussed in last week's post. However, even when faced with the unfortunate news that he would not recover from his illness and that this illness would take his life, HEZEKIAH TURNED TO THE WALL! Hezekiah did not turn to the wall and isolate himself from everybody in bitterness over the news that he had received. He did not turn his face to the wall and succumb to the news that he was given and lose all hope. He did not turn to the wall and turn away from God feeling like his following God with his whole heart had been a waste of time. Hezekiah TURNED TO THE WALL AND PRAYED! 

 

Hezekiah was bold enough to take his feelings to God and remind God of who he was to Him. Hezekiah was bold enough to in a sense say, "Now wait a minute God. I gave you my all. I devoted my entire life to you. It can't end like this!" Hezekiah wept and cried out to God. And before the prophet Isaiah, whom God had used to deliver this unfortunate message to Hezekiah, reached the middle court, God sent him back to Hezekiah. This time God sent Isaiah with a message far different than the one that He had initially given him. God told Isaiah to tell Hezekiah that He was going to heal him. And not only was God going to heal him, but He was going to add fifteen years to his life. And on top of that, God was going to deliver Hezekiah and Jerusalem from the hands of the Assyrians. And here goes that very important detail that we've been discussing throughout this series, 2 Kings 20:6 in part states, "I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David” (NIV). In case you didn't understand that important detail, it means that...GOD WAS GOING TO GET THE GLORY!

 

In reflecting on our ability to be joyful in hope and patient in affliction, we expounded on how God always gets the glory out of those things that He allows us to face and endure. God got the glory out of Daniel being placed in the lions' den. God got the glory out of the Hebrew Boys being placed in the fiery furnace. God got the glory out of all the woes that He allowed to be inflicted upon Job. God got the glory out of David having to stand face-to-face with Goliath. God got the glory out of the afflictions of all these individuals because it was God who allowed them to encounter these trials and it was God and God alone who brought them out by the omnipotence of His mighty hands. And Hezekiah was NO DIFFERENT!

 

Hezekiah's faithfulness toward God did not have the power to prevent him from facing hardship. However, because of Hezekiah's faithfulness toward God, God used His infinite power to bring Hezekiah out of his hardship. Hezekiah could have accepted what Isaiah said and given up in that moment. Hezekiah could have chosen to accept what he thought was his series finale. But because he was faithful to God and wholeheartedly trusted Him, he knew that God had the power to take the news and change the outcome. Therefore, he took it to God in prayer and upon him taking it to God in prayer, God heard his prayer, acknowledged his tears, and responded.

 

When faced with those worst-case scenarios, we must learn to turn our face to the wall. We must take the time to look away from the news that we received and go to God in prayer. Think of how many times we have found ourselves in a place in which we did every single thing that God told us to do. We obeyed. We kept our faith. We stood firm. We trusted. We believed God to do the impossible. Yet, we still received news that we did not care to hear. We were loyal to God in all our ways and yet we still received that diagnosis. We still went through that divorce. We still lost that loved one. We still failed that class. We still did not get that job or promotion that we wanted. We still lost that court battle. Our children still went astray. The house still went into foreclosure. The car still got repossessed. The company still went bankrupt. These occurrences don't seem like the life of someone who trusts and follows God!...OR DO THEY?! 

​

In John 16:33, one of the things that Jesus tells his disciples is, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (NIV). You best believe that anybody who wholeheartedly follows God WILL HAVE TROUBLE. WE WILL ALL HAVE HARDSHIP! Jesus did not have a pretty story on his way to be seated on the throne, and neither will we. We are all going to face something that perplexes us, dismantles us, and might even make us question our own salvation. The truth is that at times, the things that we have to endure seem unfair. At times it will feel like those who don't follow God live the most fabulous of lives while we, the ones who follow and obey Him, are out here living a hard knock life. BUT the difference is that for those who follow, trust, and obey God, even amidst our pain and hardship, we can turn our face to the wall in prayer AND GOD WILL ANSWER AND MAKE ALL THINGS WELL! 

​

James reminds us that, "the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective" (James 5:16, NIV). God WILL NEVER IGNORE THE PRAYERS OF THE RIGHTEOUS! That is why James urges us as believers to keep ourselves within good standing with God and to be of support to one another. James urges us to keep in the acts of uplifting each other, acting in love and kindness toward one another, addressing any faults that we might have toward one another, and praying for one another. When we are able to put aside all of the discord and come together on one accord in prayer that is rooted in faith and humility, GOD WILL ANSWER! It is difficult when receiving bad news to automatically go to God before we sink into our emotions, but because trusting God was Hezekiah's norm, his natural reaction was to take his woes to God. But what about us?

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---------Strengthen My Hands (Building Walls)-------------                             

"I sent him this reply: 'Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.

'They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, 'Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.'

But I prayed, 'Now strengthen my hands.”

-Nehemiah 6:8-9 (NIV)

 

We might often find ourselves trying to accomplish a dream, a goal, or a work that God has given us and it seems like opposition is riding our back trying to make us relinquish from the very task that God has given us to carry out. At times, it feels like the more we go forward in what God is requiring us to do, discouragement and distraction begin to work double time as a means of making us tire, become frustrated, and relent. Things will come along in an attempt to make us second guess if we can do it and if we will complete it. Things will come along to try to provoke us into being fearful of what we stand against. Things will come along that make us feel like everyone is fighting against us and that no one is fighting for us. At times, for every approval it seems like there are double the denials. But much like Nehemiah, we have to be bold enough to stare opposition in the face, rebuke the lies that it's trying to place at our doorstep, and then look to God in prayer, telling Him to "STRENGTHEN OUR HANDS!", so that we can keep building whatever it is that He has set us on the path to build. As Nehemiah was trying to carry out the task of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, he faced opposition after opposition, challenge after challenge, and what seemed like setback after setback. However, Nehemiah was able to acknowledge discouragement and distractions for who and what they were, stand firm in his faith in God, place his full dependency on God to carry him through, and COMPLETE THE WORK!

 

One of our biggest setbacks is that we believe the lies that we are told. We believe the doubters, nay-sayers, spectators, and opinionators who speak defeat, lack, and all sorts of negativity and inadequacies into our lives. Even more so, we believe in whatever it is that fear tells us, giving fear more credibility than we give to God. When Nehemiah kept receiving those messages that were meant to halt his progress, he denounced those messages of distraction. Nehemiah recognized that those messages were sent as an attempt to deter him. And in recognizing that there was a plot to stop what he was trying to accomplish, HE TOOK IT TO GOD IN PRAYER! In recognizing what these messages and plots against him had the power to do, Nehemiah prayed to God to give him the strength to complete the work. In Nehemiah asking God to strengthen his hands, I don't believe that Nehemiah was simply only referring to his physical hands but Nehemiah was also referring to his spirit. What Nehemiah was facing had both a physical and spiritual bearing that was being inflicted upon him. Nehemiah was building with his physical hands, but he was also using his spiritual strength to do so because he had to root himself in God, dwell in God, and depend on God to see him through. No matter how strong we physically are, we still need spiritual strength. As mighty as a warrior as David was, he recognized that his victories lied in God and God alone which is why he relentlessly sought God's face whether in or out of battle. We at times ask God to heal our physical bodies and to strengthen them, but along with seeking God's face concerning our physical beings, we also need to ask Him to give us the spiritual strength to sustain and uphold us when our physical man is weak or afflicted. Proverbs 18:14 states, "The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit?" (NKJV). We cannot underestimate the strength of our spirit man. 

 

When our physical bodies are under attack, if our spirits are broken and weak, it can be of detriment to us. That is why dwelling in God is of the upmost importance. Job's body was under physical attack, but he dwelled in God, searching for an answer and waiting for God to respond. Hezekiah's body was under attack, and he was at the point of demise, but he knew how to dwell in God and tapped into that spiritual man that was able to connect with God in prayer. Lazarus was ill but Mary and Martha knew who to seek after in order to make him well. Mary and Martha had a full belief in the power of God that worked through the Son of God. Hannah's body could not do what she wanted it to do, and though downtrodden, she mustered the courage to go to the temple and supplicate to God, releasing her cares upon Him and thus receiving the nourishment that her spirit needed to trust and depend on God to do what she could not make her body do. Jesus hung on the cross with his body in physical anguish but Matthew 27:50 reads, "And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit" (NIV). And it was at that point that Jesus gave up his life. We must understand that our spirit is what gives us life which is why we must make sure that we commit ourselves to God and God alone so that the spirit that resides within us is in alignment with His Spirit, His will, and His way which brings about true life. 

 

Our physical man is but flesh. Understand that there is no human way possible that the Hebrew Boys could have survived being thrown into a fiery furnace. Our flesh is not capable of being sustained in flames and heat as such. However, because the Hebrew Boys dwelled in God and fully trusted Him, the Spirit of God was with them. God sent His angel into the fiery furnace with them, and thus they survived.

 

Regardless of the knowledge that doctors have, they are not capable of sustaining any of our lives, BUT GOD AND GOD ALONE CAN! In the case of Hezekiah, doctors would not have been able to do anything to bring him out of the illness that he was suffering from, but God did it.

 

In the natural, someone who was as enormous and physically strong as Goliath was, could have crushed David without any effort, but because the Spirit of God was with David, Goliath was knocked out! When our physical bodies fail, when they're not big enough, strong enough, knowledgeable enough, or courageous enough, consider David, Samson, Solomon, and Gideon but MOST IMPORTANTLY, CONSIDER THEIR GOD! They were given power, strength, wisdom, and courage because with them was THE SPIRIT OF GOD!

 

When things are trying to shift us out of our place of building whatever it is that God had called us to build, we must take a lesson from Nehemiah, tap into our spiritual man, and take it to God in prayer asking Him to strengthen our hands. And depending on what it is that we are personally building or striving for, our prayer might not be, "Now strengthen my hands." Our prayer might be "God strengthen my faith.", "God strengthen my worship.", "God strengthen my tolerance.", "God strengthen my courage.", "God strengthen my hope", God strengthen my peace.", or whatever it is that you need God to increase and strengthen inside of you so that you can complete the work. Whatever it is, WE MUST TAKE IT TO GOD IN PRAYER! 

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Nehemiah had a desire to complete this work for God, and he recognized that he needed God in order to do so. In Nehemiah asking God to "strengthen his hands" he was also in essence saying to God, "GOD DON'T LET ME FAIL!". He was saying, "GOD PLEASE HELP ME FIGHT!". Even more so, he was saying, "GOD FIGHT THIS BATTLE FOR ME!". And God did just that!

 

----------A Windows View-------------                             

 

"Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room

where the windows opened toward Jerusalem.

Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed,

giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before."

-Daniel 6:10 (NIV)

 

So, we've been facing walls with Hezekiah, building walls with Nehemiah, and now here we are with Daniel surrounded by walls in a den of lions. The story of Daniel does not grow old. Much like Hezekiah, Daniel was a man of good standing. There was nothing corrupt or deceitful about Daniel. He was known as a trustworthy individual who wholeheartedly followed God which is why the administrators and governors could not find grounds to charge him with anything related to government affairs. They
wanted to prevent Daniel from being set to rule over the entire kingdom but they knew that the only way that they could bring any charge against Daniel was if it had to do with laws concerning His God. Daniel was known to be loyal to God. Although in Babylon, Daniel did not serve nor worship their gods. Daniel was faithful to God, and the Spirit of God was with him in this unfamiliar land.

 

Though Daniel's devotion to God has been mentioned in many of our previous posts, it is being reiterated as a reminder that Daniel had a firm relationship with God. Daniel dwelled in God and was relentless in prayer and worship to God. Even after being given a high position and being lavished with gifts from Nebuchadnezzar after interpreting Nebuchadnezzar's dream, Daniel did not turn away from God and become caught up in the royal life. Daniel remained humble, acted with integrity, and  was consistent in prayer and praise. When we are hit with the unexpected, with those worst-case scenarios, we either break habit to address what stands before us or we face what stands before us based on what our habits are. Daniel's habit was prayer, and when faced with the threat of the lions' den, he was not swayed, but he prayed to God as he always did.

 

Many of us having the position that Daniel had, would have probably tried to see how we could use our position to our advantage. Many of us might have outright tried to defend ourselves. Many of us might have stopped praying out of fear of the decree and said, "God knows my heart!". Understand that because God does know our hearts, He knows if we are choosing what we consider safety over obedience. God knows when we are choosing what seems the easy way out over obedience. God knows when we are giving in to fear, the will of man, and the security of comfort over obedience. Recognize that trying to save ourselves by disowning God and choosing to downplay our honor and reverence for Him out of fear of man, WILL NEVER PUT US IN A ZONE OF SAFETY! Scripture states, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (Psalm 91:1, NKJV). Scripture does not state, "he that runs away from the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." When faced with trials and circumstances, we must TAKE IT TO GOD IN PRAYER! We must tap into our "secret place" and seek God's face for guidance, strength, security, comfort, assurance, protection, provision, and whatever else that we need in order to overcome what we stand against.

 

Whatever your habit is, that habit is going to come out when faced with adversity. If your habit is to fight and you are one that is quick to throw blows in the natural, when faced with trials, you are going to try to fight against whomever is coming against you. If you have a habit of using words that you shouldn't use, when faced with trials, you are going to use those words against whomever and whatever is coming against you. If your habit is to run and avoid, when faced with trials, you are going to sweep everything under the rug and pretend like it's not there. The habits of our flesh have a way of coming out when life hits hard, but when we dwell in God, are consistent in prayer, and nurture our spirits in the way that we should, our spirits can overpower all of the habits of our flesh, causing us to approach God and seek Him for refuge before we try to attack what we're up against.

 

Is it easy? Nope! There are some of us who are much like Daniel and will automatically seek God's face when in despair. There are some of us who are like Jonah and are going to be stuck in our feelings, trying to go in the opposite direction to avoid approaching things that we don't want to deal with. There are some of us who are going to be like King Saul and act upon what God says but put our own spin on it for the purposes of self-gratification and to please man. And then there are those of us who are going to keep wandering in circles much like the Israelites in a constant whim of I trust Him I trust Him not, I love Him I love Him not, I'll obey Him I'll obey Him not. While we all might not automatically flock toward prayer when faced with hardship, it is very possible for us to develop a habit of doing so, but we must be willing to put in the work that it requires to develop the strength and will to get there. Most importantly, we must recognize that along with being consistent in prayer, WE MUST TRUST GOD! Daniel was consistent in prayer and God honored him for such, but it was Daniel's ability to TRUST GOD THAT BROUGHT HIM OUT of the lions' den! Daniel being consistent in prayer although a habit was not just a routine. Daniel prayed consistently but he also had a full faith and belief in God. Daniel had a reverence for God. Daniel was not just praying because it was the right thing to do but Daniel had a full belief that God heard his prayers and that God would answer. And even more so, Daniel did not just pray to God "FOR THINGS" but he "PRAISED GOD". Daniel was also relentless in his thanksgiving toward God.

 

----------Consistent in Prayer-------------                             

 

In reading the Word of God, we know that Paul prayed consistently. Paul was also selfless in his prayers. If we were to fully reflect on the life of Paul, he had a wholehearted desire to spread the gospel. Paul had a desire to help other believers to stand firm in their belief of the gospel and act out that belief by the way in which they lived their lives. Paul constantly prayed for the body of Christ. Paul was also consistent in praying that those who did not believe would come to believe, know, and accept Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Paul did not consider anyone to be unworthy of prayer. Paul had a heart of mercy for all people regardless of if they shared his same beliefs or not. In 1 Timothy 1:12-16, Paul states:

 

         I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his

         service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I

         acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and

         love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the

         world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst

         of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and                     receive eternal life (NIV).

​

Paul did not take for granted the grace and mercy that the Lord had shown him. Paul had a full reverence for Christ. And in realizing that he was once a sinner, even considering himself to have been the worst of such, he understood the importance of completely rooting himself in God. Paul could instruct us to be "joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer", because he was the first partaker of living a lifestyle as such. Paul could be joyful in hope because he himself was the ultimate example of the transformative power of salvation. Paul himself was an example of the love, compassion, and mercy that God has for us. Paul himself was an example that the gift of salvation is for everyone and cannot be earned by merit.

 

Paul having once himself been a persecutor of the saints, was an example that no one is ever too low, too far gone, or too stained to be forgiven or used by God. Paul could be joyful in hope because he for certain understood what saving grace was. Upon becoming one who spread the gospel, he witnessed how God fought for him as he fought for Christ. Paul could be joyful in hope because Paul's hope was in Christ. Paul had a full belief that Christ OVERCAME ALL for US ALL which is why he was able to consider himself a victor regardless of the trials that he found himself in. Paul recognized that the Lord has the final say-so in every matter of our lives.

 

When Paul and Silas were imprisoned and bound in chains, upon praying and singing hymns, there was a violent earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison, causing the doors to open, and their chains to become loosened. Paul and Silas were bound by man, but Christ set them free of their physical bondage and they in turn were able to lead the jailer whose job it was to watch over them, out of spiritual bondage. Because of Christ's bearings, he made Paul an overcomer amidst all of his bearings, time and time again. That is why Paul could be patient in affliction. Paul knew that there was nothing that God could not see him through. Paul understood that there was nothing too big for God to handle. Paul understood that no man's authority could match God's authority. Paul understood that no matter what he faced, God was using every trial to grow and nurture his spirit man. Paul gloried in his sufferings.

 

On last week, as we explored our need to be patient in affliction, we expounded on James' teaching found in James 1:2-4, which states, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing" (NKJV).

 

Paul shares a similar message in Romans 5:2-5, which in part reads, "we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (KJV).

Tribulations​ ----->  Patience ----->  Experience -----> Hope!

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Here we are once again being told that our trials produces patience within us. However, for many of us, it feels like our trials makes us short of the little patience that we have left. 

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Let's Begin to Really Dig into this. Let's dissect these terms:

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Tribulations (Afflictions) are defined as:

• distress or suffering resulting from oppression or persecution,

• grievous trouble; severe trial or suffering,

• an experience that causes someone to suffer,

• Severe affliction; distresses of life; vexations.

​

Patience is defined as:

• the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset,

• the ability to endure difficult or undesired long-term circumstances, 

• the ability to wait, or to continue doing something despite difficulties, or to suffer without complaining or becoming annoyed,

• the ability to stay calm and accept a delay or something annoying without complaining,

• the ability to remain calm and not become annoyed when dealing with problems or with difficult people,

• *Patience involves resilience and tolerance.

​

Experience is defined as:

• direct observation of or participation in events as a basis of knowledge,

• knowledge or skill that is obtained from doing, seeing, or feeling things, or something that happens which has an effect on you,

• the knowledge and skill that you have gained through doing something for a period of time,

• the process of doing and seeing things and of having things happen to you.

• meet with; undergo; feel

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Hope is defined as:

• to cherish a desire with anticipation,

• to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence; to believe, desire, or trust,

• something good that you want to happen in the future,

• the general feeling that some desire will be fulfilled,

• something in which one's expectations are centered,

• to want something to happen or be true,

• optimism.

​

In Paul stating that tribulations produce patience and that patience produces experience which in turn produces hope, let's consider the context of these definitions. That means that:

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When we suffer, have afflictions, and are faced with troubles, it helps us to grow in our ability to endure trouble, difficulty, prolonged circumstances, and delay without becoming angered, annoyed, or complaining. And as we endure and are able to tolerate what comes against us, that becomes an experience. That experience then becomes our first-hand account of the affliction that we faced and our ability to overcome that affliction gives us hope. "Oh really?!! Well why doesn't it feel as such? How is suffering supposed to end up with ME having hope when I'M in complete despair? " And if those are your questions, then the answer is "HAVE YOU TRIED GOD?"

 

If we take it back to Joseph, when he met the cupbearer and the baker, he at that point had been thrown into a pit, sold by the same siblings that had thrown him into the pit, taken to an unfamiliar land, lied on by a seductress woman, and thrown into prison. Yet, he had enough joy and hope in him left to ask the cupbearer and the baker who were in prison with him, why they looked so sad (Genesis 40:7). And when they told him about the dreams that vexed them, his hope responded by saying, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams” (Genesis 40:8, NIV).  In other words, Joseph's hope asked them a question and gave them a solution which translates to, "Have you tried God? Let me show you how."

 

The cupbearer and the baker were in jail and distressed while Joseph was floating around on hope and the favor of an Almighty God. Although Jospeh had tribulations and had suffered through many afflictions at this point in time, these afflictions had developed a patience within him that allowed him to endure what he was going through without complaining or becoming annoyed by the constant trials that he found himself in. Joseph had learned to remain calm, accept where he found himself at, and trust God to help him operate within the confines of where he was placed. This gave Joseph an experience that caused him to recognize that God was with him and though in affliction, God was still protecting, providing, and giving him favor. Therefore, Joseph could have hope because the experience of his afflictions had shown him who God was and what God was to him.

 

Although Joseph's own dreams caused him to be thrown into a pit, it did not create a fear within him that made him run from the very thing that led to his series of unfortunate events. Joseph knew who was in control. Joseph could interpret the cupbearer and the baker's dreams with a boldness and assurance that God would perform the work within him. Although in affliction, Joseph was a willing vessel that went full force into whatever opportunity God presented before him that would allow him to work for the glory and love of God. Joseph did not wait until he was in the palace to seek and reverence God. Joseph did not wait until he was in a place of comfort before he sought and reverenced God. JOSEPH CONISTENTLY KEPT HIS FULL FOCUS ON GOD! It might not have been easy, BUT IT PROVES TO US THAT IT IS POSSIBLE! It was Joseph's hope that spoke to the cupbearer and the baker because had Joseph not trusted God and been in despair then his despair would have joined in on the woe are our afflictions party that the cupbearer and the baker were having. Joseph felt no need to allow himself to fall into despair because his hope had fallen into the power of God and what God could do. It is to acknowledge that the cupbearer and the baker had every right to be distraught. Many of us might have been distraught as well. We are going to feel the weight and the impact of those things that trouble us. And that is what makes Joseph's reaction to what he endured so exemplary. From a natural perspective, Joseph had every reason to be disheartened, disappointed, and dismayed, but HE CHOSE "TRUST" and when we choose "TRUST", as in our trust in God, it helps us to overcome and move past all of those very natural reactions and emotions that we experience when faced with tribulations.

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In order for us to accept James 1:2-4 and Romans 5:2-5 as our personal truths, we are going to have to trust God at His Word and have a willingness to act His Word out in our lives. Just because many of us don't develop patience as we endure nor find hope amidst our tribulations, that does not void the Word of God. It does not diminish James' and Paul's teachings. The words that God gave them to speak to us are as concrete as they can be. Their teachings are not old theories neither can they be shifted by paradigms. If anything, instead of trying to shift the Word of God to make it fit into our lives, we need to shift our hearts, our actions, and our mindsets to embody a lifestyle that fits what the Word of God tells us our lives should be. The Word is not supposed to change to benefit us, but we are supposed to change to come into accordance with the Word, if we want to receive the benefit of living by the Word. And we can only do so by STANDING ON THE WORD!

 

God is a God of love. He is a God of compassion. He is a God of mercy. He is a God of grace. He is a loyal God. He is a faithful God. He is a forgiving God. Yet, the truth is that...HE DOES NOT ALWAYS MAKE THINGS EASY! Easy would not teach us patience. It would not teach us longsuffering. It would not teach us love. It would not teach us self-control. It would not teach us obedience. All of those attributes and commands that God requires of us are not things that are developed by "way of easy". In order to learn patience, you are going to have to face a situation that puts you in a position that is the complete opposite of patience so that you can develop and exercise patience. If we were to really reflect on it, we label God as being tough. We feel that God makes things difficult. We feel like God constantly puts us far from where we are supposed to be and expects us to just magically get there. We sometimes feel that God puts more on us than we can bear although He says that He won't. But let's consider this...

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In our natural lives, no one starts a weight loss goal with a goal that is the same as their current weight. Anyone that is trying to lose weight has a goal that is the opposite of where their weight currently stands. If anyone is trying to gain weight, their goal is not going to be the same as their current weight. When someone starts a race, they don't start at the finish line, but they start at the starting point. Even if the starting point and the finish line are in the same place, one doesn't qualify as being finished until they've moved past start and worked their way back to finish. In sports, games always start with a score of zero. In starting a degree program or any academic journey, no one starts with the number of credits needed to graduate. In order to lose weight, it is going to require work. In order to gain weight, it is going to require work. In order to finish the race, it is going to require you to complete the course or run the full path or length of the race. When part of a sports team, in order for you to score points, you're going to have to get in the game and score points. In order to meet the requirement of that academic pursuit, you're going to have to fulfill the requirements. And we accept all of these things without the thought that any of these things were designed to make it difficult for us to accomplish. Now, when we ask God for patience, joy, peace, self-control, strength, provision, or whatever it is that we are asking Him for, why do we expect Him to "POOF, THERE IT IS"? We expect to just magically develop these attributes that we ask God for. We want what God wants to develop within us and what we want developed within ourselves to come forth through the path of "easy".

 

Just like that weight loss, weight gain, race, sport, or academic pursuit, developing those attributes that we as believers are supposed to have, is going to have a starting point! No one is going to start at the desired level. We are all going to have to work toward coming into the fulfillment of that attribute that we are trying to develop. If God is trying to develop our patience, it is going to start at our current level of tolerance and keep working us and working us until we move beyond where we are and come into the place that God wants us to be. If God is trying to develop peace within us, it is going to start at the point of our worry and despair and work its way forward. If God is trying to develop our temperance it is going to start at the point of all those things that tick us off and work its way forward. Although it seems like God is making it hard, if we really think about it, God is only developing us and pushing us toward where we are trying to reach, just as we do to ourselves as it concerns all of those natural goals that we pursue.

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If we consider Moses, let's reflect on the following account found in Exodus 2:11-12. "One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand" (NIV).

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Moses was angered by the Egyptian whom he witnessed beating the Hebrew. Moses killed the Egyptian. We know that Moses was passionate about the Hebrews and the oppression that he saw them facing. God also knew this fact about Moses. God chose Moses for a reason. And although God chose him, being chosen by God did not mean that he was perfect. In all honesty before God told Moses that He was sending him to bring His people out of Egypt, it is clear that Moses perhaps had some anger issues. Moses perhaps needed to increase his patience and self-control. Now consider the fact that God chose Moses to lead the most hardheaded people in the bible, out of bondage. Could God have also been trying to teach Moses patience and temperance amidst Him sending him to rescue the Israelites? Besides showing His power to Pharaoh and all of Egypt, could God have also hardened Pharaoh's heart to teach Moses patience and temperance? Besides saving the Israelites from Pharaoh and their own mindsets, could God have also been trying to save Moses from himself?

 

Moses was highly regarded by God. God considered him a friend. Moses is acknowledged by God as a man of faith and honor. However, Moses still had things about himself that he needed to work on, and those attributes were further developed amidst this difficult task that God had given him to complete. Hebrews 11:24-25 reads, "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;" (KJV). Moses could have resided in the palace and reaped the benefits of such, but he chose what many would consider the harder and less favorable route. Moses chose to suffer with his people, God's chosen ones, and God then chose him to be the very one to deliver them. The difference is that now, Moses did not have to strike the Egyptians with his own hands, but God was sending him to bring Israel out by His hands. God was teaching Moses how to trust Him to do the fighting. Moses did not have to try to avenge the Hebrews by his own might because God was going to do it for him and all those who were being afflicted. As God used Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt and through the wilderness, God was also doing a work within Moses and as we can see, Moses did not always act in a state of calm. Amidst being chosen and suffering affliction, Moses had to learn and develop as he went along. Moses' fruit of the Spirit were not fully developed at the point of the burning bush in which God spoke to him and called him forth. The burning bush was the starting point for Moses, and Egypt and the wilderness were those experiences that were designed to push him closer toward developing and nurturing those fruit.

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We are no different. Everything that we ask God for is going to have a starting point that leads to whatever it is that we have asked Him for. Jesus was perfect yet he was not born and placed on a throne in which no one could have access to him. Jesus did not live a royal life. But after enduring all of his afflictions, Jesus now sits on that throne that was promised to him even before his birth. Jesus was the Son of God, but he still had a starting point. He did not just get there. Jesus suffered, he felt emotions, he understood what it was to be human and though he was the Son of God, JESUS STILL PRAYED! Jesus did not just snap his fingers or order God to give him things. Jesus although the Son of God, still had to take things to God in prayer. Jesus was the Son of God, yet he still had to seek God's face. Jesus was the Son of God, yet he still allowed himself to be guided by God. Jesus did not go off and try to do his own thing. Jesus accepted God's will for him. If Jesus prayed and sought God's face concerning those things that he encountered, what makes us think that prayer is not a necessity?! What makes us think that we don't have to seek God's face? If Jesus was born of the Spirit and made a point to pray, what does that tell us about the power of prayer?!

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----------The Power of Prayer-------------                             

 

Prayer is extremely powerful. If we reflect on, "The Art of Supplication-Part One", we discussed Manasseh. As we mentioned in our above discussion of Hezekiah, Manasseh was Hezekiah's wicked son who succeeded him as king. Manasseh was so wicked in nature that he even sacrificed his own child. He was a devoted idolater. Nothing about Manasseh was consistent in prayer to God. However, after God warning Manasseh, Judah, and Jerusalem to turn from their wickedness and they still ignored, He allowed the commanders of the king of Assyria to take Manasseh prisoner and take him to Babylon. And then

2 Chronicles 33:12-16, reads as follows:

 

           And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his

           fathers, And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to                        Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God. Now after this he built a wall without

          the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed

          about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah. And he

          took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount

          of the house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. And he repaired the altar of the Lord, and                      sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel (KJV).

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If prayer could turn around the fate of someone as wicked as Manasseh, causing him to recognize God for who He truly was and make a complete turnaround, what is it that prayer won't do if we are able to do it consistently with a humility and reverence for God and complete trust in Him?

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We want God to be consistent as it concerns answering our prayers and responding to our call, but we are not consistent in casting our cares upon Him and taking our woes to Him in prayer. If you go to the bank and walk up to the teller's window but don't communicate what you want, while they know that you are there to complete a financial transaction or inquire about a financial matter, it is not enough to just give them your card and expect them to give you what you are there to receive. You are going to have to make them aware of what you are there for. You are going to have to communicate to them what is it that you need them to do for you. While God is fully aware of every facet of our lives and while He is fully aware of all the things that we both want and need, we still need to communicate with Him. We still need to talk to Him. We still need to pray to Him.

 

Just because God is who He is, does not mean that we should expect Him to answer all of our prayers and fulfill all of our wants and needs without our connecting with Him or having relationship with Him. Although God is God, HE HAS FEELINGS TOO! God does not like to be overlooked. God does not like to be second to anything or anyone. God does not want to be our last resort. God loves us and He wants that same love returned to Him. None of us are capable of being perfect. None of us are going to get everything right. All of us at some point will fall short in some way, shape, or form. However, the one thing that we can all do is love on God. And perhaps, that is the part that we all struggle with. Deuteronomy 6:5, states, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might" (KJV). Regardless of how much we reverence God, we all struggle with giving God our whole heart. We all struggle to give God our full selves. We struggle to love God with all of our might because many of us feel like loving God is difficult considering that scripture tells us time and time again that we are to love God with our full selves and that "to love God is to obey Him".

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"Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always."

-Deuteronomy 11: 1 (NIV)

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"For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess."

-Deuteronomy 30:16 (NIV)

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"Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

-Matthew 22:37 (NIV) 

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In both the old and new testaments, whether under the old covenant or the new covenant, loving God has always been a command that remains concrete. Obedience to God was always a command that remains concrete. Our requirement to love God and walk in obedience to Him have not changed even if the laws themselves have changed. Jesus being the one and final sacrifice for our sins, freed us from being bound by the law, but it did not negate our love and obedience to God. Besides those scriptures highlighted above, throughout the Word of God, we are consistently reminded of our duty to love and obey God. It seems difficult. At times it might feel like a balancing act that we'll never get right because if to love God is to obey Him, in realizing that we struggle to stay focused on Him, in realizing that we struggle to take all of our issues and concerns to Him, in realizing that we have a hard time letting Him fight certain battles for us, in realizing that we at times struggle to stand still like He instructs us to, it can seem like loving God based on how He requires us to love Him is completely impossible! BUT JESUS WAS GIFTED TO US FOR A REASON AND WITH A PURPOSE (and we must love both him and God for such)! In John 14:15-21,

Jesus states to his disciples:

 

        If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you

        and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows

        him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

        Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day

        you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps

        them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show

        myself to them (NIV).

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As difficult as it might be to love God with our full selves being that we are constantly distracted by what surround us and the flesh that rests within us, Jesus will not leave us hanging. Although these words were Jesus' words of comfort to his disciples prior to his crucifixion, these words are a promise to us as well. As believers who accept Christ, follow, and obey Him, we too are his disciples. We too are children of God. We too are Jesus' sheep. While it is not possible for us to love and keep God's commands by means of our flesh, the Holy Spirit can help us to do so. When we receive salvation and become recipients of His Spirit residing within us, God's Spirit will direct us and help us to obey. The Spirit will help us to steer away from all of those things that steer us away and try to keep us separated and at odds with God. BUT WE MUST HEED THE HOLY SPIRIT!

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It was not for nothing that God warned Israel of their idolatry. It was not for nothing that God warned Israel of intermarrying with those who served other gods. God did all that He could do to make sure that Israel was taught all that they needed to know so that they wouldn't be led astray. However, THEY MADE A CHOICE and that choice took them in the opposite direction of where God was trying to lead them to. And we are much the same. We cannot reject the Holy Spirit when we want to appease our flesh and then invite it back in when we feel like it benefits us. This is part of the reason why God considered Israel to be adulterers. He had given them all of His love, yet they constantly put idolatry, wickedness, sin, and the gratification of their flesh above Him. God does not want only half of us. And if we were to be honest, many of us would not tolerate being in a relationship with someone who wasn't fully involved. Many of us would not want to be second fiddle to another person. Many of us don't want to be used and taken advantage of. So why would we think that God wants any different?! While God is God, our God still has a heart that we must invest the time to love on and pour into with praise, worship, admiration, and gratitude. We must take the time to acknowledge all of those things that God does for us that He is not obligated to do. God could have stopped His deeds for us at the point of the resurrection of Christ because He had already given us more than enough. But because of His love and compassion for us and His will to see us succeed in salvation and in life, God nurtures our spirits. God speaks to our hearts. God allows His Spirit to lead, guide, shift, nudge, and push us a needed. GOD GIVES US EVERY RESOURCE THAT WE NEED TO WIN THAT SPIRITUAL WAR CALLED "LIFE", but WE MUST CHOOSE TO USE HIS WEAPONRY!

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Besides the fruit of the Spirit, In Ephesians 6:10-18, Paul reminds us of the following:

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          Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your

          stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against

          the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.                        Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground,

          and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with

          the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of                      peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil                  one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all                      occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the

          Lord’s people (NIV). 

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Let's mediate on Ephesians 6:10-18 and reflect back on Paul's teaching found in Romans 5:2-5, which states, "we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (KJV).​ The reason that Paul could stand on the fact that hope maketh us not ashamed, is because when our hope is in God, He makes all things well. God's Spirit leads and guides us and sets us on the right path. God will always deliver and never default on what He promises us. When we allow God to be our hope, He wins every battle that we are up against. We have the certainty that God can overcome all things, but NOTHING CAN OVERCOME GOD! We have the certainty that JESUS OVERCAME ALL THINGS, but nothing can overcome Jesus!

 

The reason that hope won't make us ashamed and the reason that hope won't disappoint us is because when Christ is our hope and we accept him into our hearts as our personal Lord and Savior, not only does God's Spirit reside within us, but so does His love. It was God's love for us that made Christ possible. It was God's love for us that gifted us with His Son, Jesus, whom we also carry with us in our hearts. When we dwell in God and He in us, that is a love that reassures us that GOD WILL BE WITH US NO MATTER WHAT! And as long as we abide in Him and He in us, WE CAN CONQUER ALL! Nothing can put us to shame when we fully commit to God, love, honor, and obey Him, and dwell in Him and He in us. That is why Paul could say with full assurance, "Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance" (Philippians 1:18-19, NIV). Paul understood that regardless of where he found himself or what he found himself in, he could rejoice because the power of prayer and the Spirit of God was on his side which was made possible through Christ.

 

In John 14, as Jesus comforts his disciples, besides his promising them that the Holy Spirit will be with them, he also promises them the following; in John 14:12-14, Jesus says, "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it" (NIV). Paul was doing the work of Christ. Paul was relentlessly spreading the gospel despite the persecution, affliction, and suffering that came along with it. Jesus stopped Paul on that road to Damascus and chose him to proclaim his name. Paul considered it an honor to face hardship for the sake of the gospel being spread, Christ's name being proclaimed, God's glory being shown, and someone receiving salvation. Paul had a firm faith in the power and effectiveness of prayer, and he also understood the power of calling on the name of Christ as we pray. Paul had a full faith in the glory and power of God that worked by way of the Son. The Lord was faithful to Paul and brought him out time and time again, revealing the power and glory of His father by bringing Paul out of all of his sufferings and afflictions. Man keeping Paul in chains did not halt his spreading of the gospel. Whether bound or unbound, Paul did not relent from the call that God had given him. Whether bound or unbound, Paul prayed without ceasing.​​​​​