Answered Prayer

 

Psalm 66:18-20 “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!” (NIV)

Do you have a life rhythm of prayer and communion with God? Prayer cannot be forced since it must be a passion of the soul who desires to spend time alone with his or her God. Do you really want a life rhythm of prayer and communion with God? Many men lead public prayer and it is not hard to discern who spends time alone with God in prayer and communion by the words spoken to God publicly in behalf of the congregation. Prayer is faith spoken and comes from both a sincerity of heart and a godly life. Spontaneity of prayer and praise is ever present in the spirit filled life and always results in a rhythm of frequency and substance in conversing with our Lord. So again we must examine ourselves by answering this question: Do I have a life rhythm of prayer and communion with God? A simple yes or no answer will give you much insight into your relationship with God, because if you love God you will talk to him in the private, personal, quiet times of your life.

Psalm 66 is written following a great deliverance by our Lord, most likely the destruction of the Assyrians at the gates of Jerusalem during the reign of King Hezekiah, when God heard King Hezekiah’s prayer (2 Kings 19). In our devotional verses we gain keen insight into the discipline and work of faithful prayer.

1. Prayer should always be based on an open, repentant heart willing to examine itself and ready to confess sin to God. If we are trapped in sin and refuse to deal with it in sincerity, then our prayer life will be hindered. (Psalm 66:18)
2. Prayer is personal and God hears our voice! Think about it – God knows the sound of our voice and our cry for help. Just as a mother knows the cry of her child, God knows the voice of his people. The spirit filled life is personal and intimate in every way, even to the sound of our voice. (Psalm 66:19)
3. Answered prayer = the love of God! When God answers our prayers, it is a primary manifestation of his overwhelming love for us. How much have we been blessed? I love the song with the phrase: “Count your many blessings name them one by one…” The truth of the matter is that we cannot count them because they are too numerous, too pervasive, and too essential in our lives for our feeble minds to keep up with them. But just sit on the thought that God hears and answers my prayers because of his love for me!

I MUST REMEMBER AND ACT IN CONFIDENCE THAT GOD IS HERE, GOD CARES, GOD HEARS, GOD HELPS, AND HIS HELP IS SUFFICIENT AT MY POINT OF NEED. THANK YOU, LORD JESUS, FOR ANSWERED PRAYER!

Article Source: Summit church of Christ