James 5:16 (NLT)
“And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
I don’t know about you, but I know quite a few believers that have been praying for the same special desire for a while now. Some want to be married, others want financial increase, a new job, house, or car. There are others in this group that desire greater spiritual growth, so they can bless the body of Christ even more. Jesus Christ said in John 10:10(NKJV), “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have [it] more abundantly.” Our Lord and Savior came to the earth to make it available for everyone to live a rich and satisfying life. This is the Will of God for us. In light of this truth, it seems a little out of place for so many of us to be continually in wait mode. Could it be that there’s something more about this promise that God wants us to understand?
God blesses His Word
In John 17, Jesus Christ prayed for the disciples and committed them to our Heavenly Father in prayer. He prayed in John 17:14-17(NLT), “14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.” From his youth, our Lord and Master studied, spoke, and prayed God’s Word. He knew the Words of the psalmist, King David, in Psalm 12:6(NLT) which says, “The LORD’s promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over.” The disciples couldn’t sanctify themselves and neither can we. Our Lord and Savior prayed that God would sanctify them—to purify, refine, set apart, and cleanse them—and would do so through His Word.
Jesus Christ only did the Will of the Father, and this is our responsibility as well. He never deviated from God’s Word, because he understood that this was the source of our power, authority, and peace. The more of God’s Word that we put on in our hearts and minds, the more we will be cleansed by it. This is so monumentally important for us to understand because God blesses His Word. His Word is His Will. Wherever and whenever His Word is believed and practiced, His power is manifested. God doesn’t bless lies. He doesn’t bless half-truths. We must cling to the truth He speaks so that we pray prayers of faith! Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes from hearing the truth that God has spoken in His Word, and Jesus Christ tells us in John 8:32 that the truth will make us free. The Words of our Heavenly Father in Isaiah 55:11(NLT) should cement His allegiance to His Word in our minds and hearts. This verse says, “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”
Honor for God’s Word
The psalmist said of God in Psalm 138:2(NKJV), “I will worship toward Your holy temple,
And praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.” Our Heavenly Father elevates His Word above His name, and His name is exceedingly great. This verse communicates the level of honor that God has for His own Word, and through it, we can learn the level of honor and respect we are required to have for His Word as well. God’s Word and our obedience to it is what gets His attention. When we pray, we should have this in our minds and on our hearts.
Ecclesiastes 6:10(NLT) declares “Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there’s no use arguing with God about your destiny.” This is what we can lay hold to in faith. Ephesians 1:3 tells us that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm, and He did this when we gave our lives to Jesus Christ. Our words don’t have any power until we say what God says. When we pray, it’s imperative to speak His promises outwardly with reverence and boldness and to declare with gratitude that what He promises is already ours.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
“Pray God’s Word”, written by KLizzie, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2023. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.