​Power In Prayer

This is the [remarkable degree of] confidence which we [as believers are entitled to] have before Him: that if we ask anything according to His will, [that is, consistent with His plan and purpose] He hears us. And if we know [for a fact, as indeed we do] that He hears and listens to us in whatever we ask, we [also] know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted to us] the requests which we have asked from Him.

1 JOHN 5:14‭-‬15 AMP
http://bible.com/1588/1jn.5.14-15.AMP

It is great to know that we can have confidence in Him to answer our prayers. Looks like there are a couple of conditions though.

1. We need to ask according to His will.

This means we need to have a relationship with Him and know His heart.

2. We need to know that He hears us.

We develop our faith by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans10:17)

3. We need to walk in faith.

Believe that our prayer is answered no matter our circumstance. If we don’t see the results right away we can’t stop believing. The answer to our prayer will be manifested at the right time–God’s timing!

Do Not Be Troubled

“And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.””
I Peter 3:13-14 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/1pe.3.13-14.nkjv

We live in a time where Christians are perceived as the bad guy to many. We as Christians express our beliefs and there is opposition.

God reassures us in His word that we shouldn’t be afraid of those threats that may come against us. We shouldn’t be troubled.

We are actually blessed if we suffer for righteousness. He gives us the strength through everything.

God Says We Are Valuable

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”
I Peter 2:9-10 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/1pe.2.9-10.nkjv

There are times when we may feel like we are not worth anything. We get fed lies that we are not good enough or will not amount to anything. Our focus should not be on what others say about us or what Satan may try to implant in our minds. Our focus should be on what God thinks and says about us. His word is the one that will remain when everything else fades away.

He lets us know that we are valuable. We are a “special people” in His eyes. If He said it then it is so. We can live our lives knowing that He values us. He gave His best for us. Thank You JESUS!!

We Need His Presence

“Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.”
Exodus 33:15 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/exo.33.15.nkjv

Moses understood that he needed God’s presence to be with him. He wasn’t going to go anywhere if His presence was not with him. There is something about being in His presence and spending time with Him. We find the strength and guidance that we need.

It is up to us to make that time with Him in His presence and to continue walking in His presence.

Work

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:12-13 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/php.2.12-13.nkjv

Yes Jesus paid the price for our sins and has given us authority over the enemy, but it is our responsibility to work out our own salvation. We need to start walking in that new life. It is not going to be easy at times. Fear will want to creep in. We will get tired.

It will take work. We live in a society where the mentality is that something is owed to us. A kingdom mentality is one where we are dependent on God. We work at our relationship with Him.

It takes work to allow God to work in us. We have to die to our flesh and overcome the desires of the flesh. That takes work, BUT GOD gives us the strength that we need.

God Brings Increase

“So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.”
I Corinthians 3:7 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/1co.3.7.nkjv

We can plant seeds and water them in people’s hearts but we have to always remember that it is God that does the work in the people. He brings the increase.

Maybe sometimes we get frustrated trying to minister to other people and it seems like they haven’t changed–haven’t grown. Our responsibility is only to do what He has told us to do and make sure we are allowing God to work in our lives.

God will bring the increase. We have to persistently pray for and encourage the people around us.

He Cleanses Us

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
I John 1:9 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/1jn.1.9.nkjv

This is a scripture that is heard all the time. Many times we hear this scripture and think about God’s faithfulness to forgive us. There is another part to it.

He is not only faithful and just to forgive us of our sins but is also faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The good news is that we don’t have to make ourselves righteous in our own ability. It is only God that can truly make us righteous. The pressure is off of us to do “things” to make us righteous.

We need to allow God to take us through the process of cleansing us. The fruits of righteousness will manifest when we allow God to cleanse from all unrighteousness.

Seek Him

“O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.”
Psalms 63:1 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/psa.63.1.nkjv

We need God in every circumstance in our lives. It is important that we seek Him every day.

There is a part of us that yearns for God and will not be satisfied without spending time with Him. We will be satisfied when we seek Him diligently.

We will be able to hear His voice and He will guide us through every circumstance in our lives.

He Gives Strength

“The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.”
Psalms 29:11 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/psa.29.11.nkjv

When our strength is gone we can be reassured He will give us the strength we need to make it through. He has made us more than conquerors. We need to push through every circumstance with His strength.

He will bless us with peace even in our circumstances.

Power Over Sin

“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”
Romans 6:12-14 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/rom.6.12-14.nkjv

We have to make a decision to not let sin reign over us, but it’s not by our power that we overcome sin. Jesus overcome sin for us. He paid the price for our sins.

We have to make a decision to repent and accept Him as Lord and Savior. We have to make a decision daily to walk with Him under grace. Once we continue with Him under grace then sin can no longer have dominion over us.