The Attitudes to Answered Prayers
Of all the aggravating things we can think of, nothing is more frustrating to a believer than spending time in prayer without receiving answers. If we do the statistics, you will be shocked; most of those who lost hope to the point of backsliding did so because of unanswered prayers. They prayed asking God to show up at a certain season when they were in need, but they never saw him come through.
Nevertheless, the Word of God makes it crystal clear that we serve a God that honors prayer:“O Thou that hearest prayer, unto Thee shall all flesh come” (Psalms 65:2NKJV). Right from the days of Enoch, Noah, and Abraham to the days of the Apostles, the Bible holds numerous stories that serve as evidence of the unflinching truth that our heavenly Father hears and answers prayers.
Predominantly, it’s never the size of your prayer that determines whether or not your prayer will be answered. The main determining factor is our attitudes and motives. If they are not right, all your praying, fasting, and giving will be in vain. Your attitude is the key to living a life of answered prayers.
To clearly understand the subject of attitude, we must narrow our study to understanding thoughts because it’s your thoughts that determine your attitude. Moreover, thoughts are a product of the words implanted into your mind.
The words you constantly hear will shape your thought pattern, and affect your attitude in the long run. It’s the reason the Lord instructed Joshua to ensure the Laws of God never depart from his mouth, and the only way to do so was by meditating on them, not once in a while like most of us do, but day and night.
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you[a] shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8NKJV).
TYPES OF ATTITUDES.
A lowly Spirit.
“Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the [a]spoil with the proud” (Proverbs 16:19 NKJV).
Having a lowly spirit does not mean degrading yourself to the point of deeming yourself worthless and insignificant. It alludes to cultivating and expressing the character of humility, kindness, and compassion towards others. It is the exact opposite of having a self-exalting, self-centred attitude.
An attitude that is glued to self and personal gain will never attract the favour of God in prayer. Jesus taught about this when he said in Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” In simple words, never expect to receive from God what you are not willing to express to his people. But what do we do most of the time? We mistreat those around us, hurt them and speak ill concerning them, then enter prayer clothed in humility, brokenness, and gratitude expecting to receive mercy from God. Some have even taken this further by slandering the servants of God without realizing such habits will eventually affect their prayer.
God closely watches your attitude to those he positions around you. How you treat them will greatly influence how God responds to your prayer. Nothing will create a stumbling block to your prayers more than an attitude full of pride and arrogance.
The Blessings of Serving God
And you shall serve the lord your God,and he shall bless your bread,and your water;and and I will take sickness away from the mídst of you.There shall nothing miscarry,nor be barren,in your land:the number of your days I will fulfill.Exodus23:25-26.You cannot serve the lord and live a frustrated life. Serve him and live a glorious life
Joshua is an good example to all of us as christian by his decision as outline din the holy scriptures. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15 )
God promises to bless everyone who receives salvation and consecrates his life, time, talent and other resources to wholeheartedly serve Him. He keeps record of all services rendered in His name. Services as little as words of comfort, encouragement, counsel and edification spoken in His name attract rewards.
Faithful servants have records of their noble deeds in the “book of remembrance”; “they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts… I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern …between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.” The Scripture teaches that God spares His servants in times of calamity, fear, distress, mishaps, etc. in the world; that He spares His faithful servants when He judges evildoers.
God also always makes a difference between those who serve Him and those who do not. He “severs” or separates those who serve Him from the crowd of humanity to bless them. When there is outbreak of plagues, the Lord shields believers who are serving Him from getting infected and affected by the diseases of the world. “And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel” (Exodus 8:22;9:4).
God is unchanging. As He did in Egypt, He still shields the family and property of believers who serve Him from the evils in the world. God’s blessings and favour are upon believers who serve Him.
GOD’S PROMISE FOR ALL WHO SERVE HIM
Text: Exodus 23:25,26; Job 36:7,11; Matthew 6:33; Acts 27:23-25.
God’s call to salvation in Christ is not in vain. He has also not called believers to serve Him in vain. He promises to reward the faithful who cleave to Him and continue in His service in spite of challenges they face, persecution they suffer and oppression they bear for His sake. “And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.”
God always watches over His righteous servants, establishes and promotes them, and grants them prosperity and pleasures throughout their lifetime on earth. Being benevolent, He does not want His righteous and faithful servants to spend their days in regret and sorrow. His promise of addition and multiplication of blessings for His righteous children in the Kingdom are sure. During storms of life, God will preserve them; He will also preserve people around them for their sake. And everything they lay their hands on will prosper for God’s glory.
GOD’S POWER WHILE YOU SERVE HIM
Text: 2 Kings 20:1-6
God demonstrates His power in the life of believers who serve Him. In critical times, the Scripture teaches that believers should not fear but behave like Hezekiah who did not allow fear to paralyze and rob him of the initiative to take the negative message of his premature death from a notable prophet to the Lord in prayer.
Satan is a defeated bully who threatens and oppresses people. But neither Satan nor his emissaries can determine the lifespan of the people who serve God. Rather than accept any negative message, situation or condition, believers need to acknowledge their privileged position and relationship with Christ and get it reversed by the power of God. No idle Christian in the Kingdom has boldness to call God to remembrance of any services rendered like Hezekiah did. Believers then should not be idle but get dutifully engaged in the service of the Lord who is not unrighteous to forget their labour of love.
God answers and demonstrates His power on behalf of believers who faithfully serve Him. Demonstrating His power in the life of Hezekiah, God said, “I have heard thy prayer… behold, I will heal thee… And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.” Believers who resolve to serve God unreservedly throughout their life-time will have the manifestation of His power in every aspect and facet of their lives.
GOD’S PLAN FOR THOSE WHO SERVE HIM
Text: Jeremiah 29:11; Psalm 91:1-16
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” God has a plan for the people that serve Him. He is committed to fulfilling the expectations of His people according to His will and plan for their lives. The plan of God builds assurance, confidence and faith in believers. Greater is Christ in them than Satan who is in the world. The believer needs to know his exalted position in Christ and not be afraid of the devil. God’s plan for those who serve Him is comprehensive, ranging from spiritual, physical to material well-being and covers preservation, promotion, answer to prayer, longevity of life and fulfilment on earth and admission to eternal reward in heaven.
