I closed my eyes to ask/declare/confess one more time the things that I was ‘believing’ for and I heard/felt/saw “You’re not living in the answer, the Yes. I promised to answer your prayers.”
“You pray—ask or confess—My Word, but then immediately begin to worry, resulting in needless repetition, which only leads to a downward spiral of doubt and fear. I said to trust Me.”
“To live in the answer is to enter My rest.”
OMG.
What did He say at the tomb of Lazarus, when all looked lost? “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me…” and then He raised him from the dead!
His attitude was one of peace and faith in the finished work of His answered prayer, even though his disciples and the sisters were doubting Him. He stood fast, believing that the answer was already Yes! Read the complete account in John 11.
How could He do that? Because 1) He knew His Father, and knew that His Father considered death an enemy; 2) He WAS The WORD made flesh, and that WORD said “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive:” and 3) He knew that every promise of God was YES—and one of those promises was ‘With long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation!’ [1 Corinthians 15:26; John 1:1,14; Matthew 21:22; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Psalm 91:16]
How Do You Do It?
So of course my next question was, ‘Great…how exactly do I do that?’
And I knew the answer—simple faith. Seeing the finished work based on the YES promises of God—what it would look like if it had already come to pass—and choosing with my mouth to believe YES and AMEN to the glory of His works manifested through me by answered prayer.
I BELIEVE I RECEIVE THIS DAY, for today is the day of salvation, and every promise is YES and the AMEN to the glory of God through me!
And then give thanks for the finished work.
Let’s watch Abraham do it…
‘In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “SO shall your descendants be.”
‘Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.’ [Romans 4:18-21]
I REFUSE TO WAVER IN UNBELIEF BUT GROW STRONG IN FAITH, GIVING GLORY TO GOD…I AM FULLY ASSURED THAT WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED HE IS ABLE—STRONG, MIGHTY, POWERFUL—TO PERFORM!
And lest you say ‘Yes, but that was Abraham…’ remember—we ARE the descendants of Abraham, blessed with him, in Christ! [Galatians 3:9,29]
An Aside…
I think the translation of the word able [Gr. dunatos] can be a little misleading, because today in our common usage, the word able does not always mean willing. This results in an uneasiness about God’s will—we know that He is able but is He willing?
Dunatos comes from dunamai—to be able, to have power. Another word derived from dunamai is dunamis—miraculous power, might, strength.
According to Stong’s dictionary, dunatos actually means strong, mighty, powerful. In this passage the word able is referring to His power and ability, not His will.
Another place where this occurs is in the great promise of Ephesians 3:20,21…
‘Now to Him who is able [dunamai—to be able, to have power] to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power [dunamis—miraculous power, might, strength] that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.’
Because in common vernacular today we separate ability from willingness, this particular use of dunamai causes doubt in His willingness to use His mighty power for us.
Which, when you think about it, is kinda dumb, because why else would He promise it?
Live in the Answer
Anyway, getting back to the topic, live in the answer, the finished work, when you pray. Live in the Yes and Amen—truly, so be it—to His glory being seen through us by His precious and magnificent promises!
Hallelujah!
