04/08/2021
God’s promises are not such that they might or might not apply to us, no, each one begins with our individual name written into it. Do we believe this, and do we trust in the fact that He will do everything He has promised? In the New Covenant Jesus makes some new promises, but we must understand the stipulations that are placed on them, and God’s Will for us. Jesus said that we will have eternal life, but before that can happen He tells us that we must believe in Him... not simply by saying that we believe, but really, truly, believing.
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”
Jeremiah 33:3 ESV
Even with our own children we promise them things, and place stipulations on providing them. It is rare that we make a promise that is not tied to their doing something that demonstrates their worthiness. We say simple things like “If you eat all of your dinner you can have some desert”, or “When your homework is done you can play with your friends.” God places requirements on His promises too. We love to read John 3:16 in which God promises eternal life, but twice He reiterates both the promise, and the stipulation of belief, listen to Verse 15, and then 16...
“that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:15-16 ESV
In Scripture repetition indicates importance, so it is significant that not only is the promise of eternal life repeated, but so is the need to believe; both work together to yield the resultant promise of God. This is one of the key promises of the New Covenant, and when we ask for eternity we should not neglect to pray for belief in the same breath...
“And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!””
Mark 9:23-24 ESV
Believing is powerful when it comes to fulfilled promises, and answered prayer. We like to claim promises, and simply say the name of Jesus when we pray in an attempt to coerce God into answering as we wish, but there is always that one word we skip over... belief, and it’s two companions, God’s will, and glory.
“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”
John 14:13-14 ESV
I was raised as the eldest of four children, and it was not unheard of for me to send one of my younger siblings to ask my parents for something that I knew they would most likely be against, or that I knew might cause them to become upset. There were certain things that I wanted that I was confident weren’t acceptable in our house... but many more didn’t require me to know my parent’s desires because I could feel that these things were not good. Call it intuition, conscience, guilt, or any number of things, but it all boiled down to knowing my parents wills intimately, and what things were acceptable to them.
“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”
1 John 5:14-15 ESV
So in those young years, I might send a brother or sister when I knew what I was asking for was one of those “marginal” things. Thankfully I outgrew that behavior, and learned not to ask for things that were outside my parent’s will... and this proved to be a relief for my siblings too.
When we ask in the name of Jesus it is much the same. Do we ask for things that we know in our heart are not acceptable to God? Do we press for things in prayer that we know will not bring Him glory, and might even bring Him shame?
“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”
James 4:3 ESV
So today we are living in the New Covenant, and the laws are no longer written on stone, or parchment, but on our hearts instead. In these times we turn inward, and ask the Holy Spirit to help us discern those things we should, or shouldn’t pray for. Now our spirit speaks to us, directs us, and our prayers should ask first for an understanding of God’s will in all things. In this way God is glorified in His Son, and we, who pray in the name of Jesus, begin to receive God’s promises that we believe firmly in.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your promises, and for your faithfulness to them. Thank you for teaching us through them, and showing us your will, and the trust that is fostered by our belief in them as part and parcel of your Holy Word. Help us in our unbelief Father, and lead us to obey every stipulation that you place as a contingency to receiving what you desire for us. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who deserves our obedience, and to be glorified in every prayer we lift up, and by each desire we ask you to fulfill. Hear our prayers Lord as we seek your will, and make tender our hearts so that our spirits can feel whether those things that we pray for are acceptable to you, and your divine nature. Wash us clean with the New Covenant blood of Jesus, and set our steps to follow Him always. Have mercy on us Father, and pour your grace out upon us so that when we stand before you in judgement we will be precious in your sight, have brought you glory, and be found worthy of eternity with you.
Rich Forbes