I just finished my quiet time. I am so grateful for this reassurance this morning from Beth Moore:
While it may not always be God's will to remove all physical suffering while we are on this earth, or to grant us every blessing we hope for, it is always His will for us to be free from all strongholds. "You will never have to worry about whether you are praying in God's will concerning strongholds. 'It is for freedom that Christ has set us free' (Galatians 5:1)" (Praying God's Word, Beth Moore, p. 36)
I find so much comfort in this, because throughout my faith walk with Jesus, I have gone through different phases of how I pray. There was a time when I prayed for the outcome I wanted in a situation. Then, after learning more about God's will vs. my own, I would simply pray for His will to be done. But then, after more time passed, more scripture reading and fellowship, I meditated on Matthew 7:7-11 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
And so, now I usually pray for the outcome I think is best for myself or those for which I pray, but I also pray for God's will. Yet this reassurance from Beth Moore speaks so loud and clear to me! If I am praying for freedom from a stronghold, be it addiction, guilt, unforgiveness, depression, among other things, I need not worry that this isn't God's will!
And earlier, on page 45,
"Believing God is never more critical than when we have strongholds that need to be demolished. Believing God is also rarely more challenging. Why? Because we've battled most of our strongholds for years and perhaps tried countless remedies in an effort to be free with very little success. The enemy taunts us with whispers like, "You'll never be free. You've tried a hundred times. You go back every time. you're hopeless. You're weak. You're a failure. You don't have what it takes." Every one of these statements about you is a lie if you are a believer in Christ. You do have what it takes. You have Jesus - the Way, the Truth, and the Life. But you can't just believe in Him to be free from your stronghold. You must believe Him. Believe He can do what He says He can do. Believe you can do what He says you can do. Believe He is who He says He is. And believe who He says you are."
What freedom! What encouragement! What reassurance I find in God's Holy Word! He is "Wonderful, Glorious, Holy and Righteous! Victorious, Conqueror, Triumphant and Mighty! Healer, Deliverer, Shield and Defense! Strong Tower, and My Best Friend! Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Soon Coming King! Alpha, Omega, Lord of Everything! Holy, Holy, Holy is His Name!" (taken from an incredible song I once sang with my worship choir in Tampa).
He is all these things and more, and we are His children. He loves us with a Father's love. Believe this. Believe Him. We are children of the Most High King!
While it may not always be God's will to remove all physical suffering while we are on this earth, or to grant us every blessing we hope for, it is always His will for us to be free from all strongholds. "You will never have to worry about whether you are praying in God's will concerning strongholds. 'It is for freedom that Christ has set us free' (Galatians 5:1)" (Praying God's Word, Beth Moore, p. 36)
I find so much comfort in this, because throughout my faith walk with Jesus, I have gone through different phases of how I pray. There was a time when I prayed for the outcome I wanted in a situation. Then, after learning more about God's will vs. my own, I would simply pray for His will to be done. But then, after more time passed, more scripture reading and fellowship, I meditated on Matthew 7:7-11 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
And so, now I usually pray for the outcome I think is best for myself or those for which I pray, but I also pray for God's will. Yet this reassurance from Beth Moore speaks so loud and clear to me! If I am praying for freedom from a stronghold, be it addiction, guilt, unforgiveness, depression, among other things, I need not worry that this isn't God's will!
And earlier, on page 45,
"Believing God is never more critical than when we have strongholds that need to be demolished. Believing God is also rarely more challenging. Why? Because we've battled most of our strongholds for years and perhaps tried countless remedies in an effort to be free with very little success. The enemy taunts us with whispers like, "You'll never be free. You've tried a hundred times. You go back every time. you're hopeless. You're weak. You're a failure. You don't have what it takes." Every one of these statements about you is a lie if you are a believer in Christ. You do have what it takes. You have Jesus - the Way, the Truth, and the Life. But you can't just believe in Him to be free from your stronghold. You must believe Him. Believe He can do what He says He can do. Believe you can do what He says you can do. Believe He is who He says He is. And believe who He says you are."
What freedom! What encouragement! What reassurance I find in God's Holy Word! He is "Wonderful, Glorious, Holy and Righteous! Victorious, Conqueror, Triumphant and Mighty! Healer, Deliverer, Shield and Defense! Strong Tower, and My Best Friend! Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Soon Coming King! Alpha, Omega, Lord of Everything! Holy, Holy, Holy is His Name!" (taken from an incredible song I once sang with my worship choir in Tampa).
He is all these things and more, and we are His children. He loves us with a Father's love. Believe this. Believe Him. We are children of the Most High King!
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