2021-01-10
Habakkuk 2:3 NIV
Before leaving our series about things that prevent our prayers being answered, let’s make sure we remember one thing: some of our unanswered prayers have been answered – it’s just that we don’t like the answer. Sometimes God says, ‘Wait’. Nobody really likes waiting, so we might keep hoping He’ll have a change of heart. The truth is God won’t change His mind to accommodate us. So we have two options: 1) Keep complaining to Him. 2) Start cooperating with Him.
When the prophet Habakkuk needed an answer to his prayers in order to give direction to Israel, God told him to wait. ‘Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it…Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay’ (v.2-3 NIV). God works according to His own plan and schedule, and we can’t rush Him. When we try to get ahead of Him, we’ll end up in trouble. Sometimes God answers our prayers with ‘No’.
He knows what we can handle and when we’ll be ready to handle it, and He won’t give it to us before then. Paul said, ‘Three times I pleaded with the Lord…But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”‘ (2 Corinthians 12:8-9 NIV). Instead of delivering Paul from his problem, God used it to develop him. Without his thorn in the flesh to counterbalance his great talent and potential pride, Paul wouldn’t have been nearly so effective in the service of God. Whether God says, ‘Yes’, ‘No’, or ‘Wait’, we can be sure that He has our best interests at heart, and is working to make us more effective servants in His kingdom.
1 Sam 17:4-51; Eph 6:10-18
Habakuk 2:3 NLV
Voordat ons met ons reeks oor struikelblokke tot beantwoorde gebede klaar maak, laat ons duidelik wees oor een ding: sommige van ons onbeantwoorde gebede is reeds beantwoord. Die antwoord is ‘wag.’ Omdat ons egter nie van die antwoord hou nie, hou ons aan hoop dat God van plan sal verander. Die waarheid is dat God nie van plan sal verander om ons te akkommodeer nie. Ons het dus twee opsies: 1) Hou aan om by Hom te kla. 2) Begin met Hom saamwerk.
Wat het God vir die profeet Habakuk gesê toe hy antwoorde op sy gebede nodig gehad het om Israel in die regte rigting te stuur? Wag! “…’Skryf my antwoord, die visioen, in groot, duidelike letters op kleitablette sodat iemand wat verbyhardloop dit kan lees… Wag geduldig, al voel dit of dit stadig gaan. Wees seker dit gaan gebeur, dit sal nie onnodig talm nie'” (verse 2-3 NLV).
God werk volgens sy eie plan en skedule en sal nie aangejaag word nie. Wanneer jy voor Hom probeer uitbeweeg, beland jy altyd in die moeilikheid. Abraham het dit gedoen en die eindresultaat daarvan was Ismael. Dis toe Abraham se moeilikheid in alle erns begin het! God weet wat jy kan hanteer en wanneer jy gereed sal wees om dit te hanteer.
Paulus het gesê: ‘Drie maal het ek die Here gesmeek… Hy het egter vir my gesê: ‘My genade is genoeg vir jou, want my krag kom juis in swakheid tot volle verwesenliking’…’ (2 Korintiërs 12:8-9 NLV). In plaas daarvan om Paulus uit sy probleem te red, het God dit gebruik om hom te ontwikkel. Sonder die doring in sy vlees om sy groot talent en potensiële trots uit te balanseer, sou Paulus nie naastenby so effektief in die diens van God gewees het nie. Dink daaroor!
Sielskos: 1 Sam 17:4-51; Ef 6:10-18
2021-01-09
Matthew 5:24 NIV
The fifth obstacle to answered prayer is an unforgiving spirit. Our anger might feel justified, but it can end up hurting us in the long run. If we refuse to let it go, we can become bitter. Jesus said, ‘If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift’ (v.23-24 NIV).
Even if we’re certain the other person is at fault, we should set aside our anger and resentment and forgive them before bringing our requests to God. He says, ‘I am the One who erases all your sins, for my sake; I will not remember your sins’ (Isaiah 43:25 NCV). We need to remember that just as He forgives us and forgets what we’ve done wrong, He does the same for others. That means we shouldn’t keep bringing up the sins and wrongs of others. We might think that they don’t deserve to be forgiven; in fact, none of us do, but God keeps forgiving us anyway. The Bible says ‘Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you’ (Ephesians 4:32 NIV).
When we forgive someone, it doesn’t mean the hurt we feel isn’t valid. Instead it means we’re letting go of the anger and trusting God to deal out His justice as He sees fit. Before we pray, we need to check if we’re holding on to any resentment, then bring it all into the open before God.
Exo 19-21; Matt 5:38-48; Ps 46; Prov 1:32-33
Matteus 5:24 NLV
Die vyfde struikelblok tot beantwoorde gebede is ‘n onversoenbare gees. Jou woede mag dalk geregverdig voel, maar dit kan langtermyn resultate, wat jou kan seermaak, veroorsaak. Wrokkigheid is skadelik vir jou gesondheid en geestelike welstand, ongeag ‘wie wat aan wie gedoen het.’ Jesus het gesê: ‘As jy dus jou offer na die altaar toe bring en dit val jou daar by dat jou medemens ‘n grief teen jou koester, los jou offer net daar voor die altaar en gaan maak eers vrede met daardie persoon. Kom dan terug en bring jou offer’ (verse 23-24 NLV). Satan sal aanhou om jou elke dag van jou lewe seer te maak – totdat jy besluit om te vergewe.
God sê: ‘Ek, ja, Ek alleen, is die Een wat julle sondes uitwis. Ek doen dit ter wille van Myself en dink nie weer daaraan nie’ (Jesaja 43:25 NLV). Vergeet dit, om God se onthalwe; wanneer jy dit aanhou ophaal, pla jy Hom! Is God regtig ernstig hieroor? Ja. ‘Die Here het egter 70 man van Bet-Semes laat sterf omdat hulle die ark van die Here bekyk het…’ (1 Samuel 6:19 NLV). Wat was in die ark? Die Tien Gebooie wat ons almal al verbreek het; die rekord van ons skuld en mislukking. Dink twee keer na voor jy besluit om iemand anders se sonde te ontbloot; jy is op gevaarlike voet met God! Jy sê: ‘Maar hulle verdien nie om vergewe te word nie.’ Niemand van ons verdien dit nie, maar God vergewe ons in elk geval. Sy Woord sê: ‘…Vergewe mekaar soos God julle vergewe het op grond van wat Christus gedoen het’ (Efesiërs 4:32 NLV).
As jy dus wil hê dat God jou gebede moet beantwoord – vergewe en laat dit gaan!
Sielskos: Eks 19-21; Matt 5:38-48; Ps 46; Spr 1:32-33
Matthew 5:24 NIV
The fifth obstacle to answered prayer is an unforgiving spirit. Your anger may feel justified, but it can produce long term results that hurt you. Regardless of “who did what to whom,” resentment is hazardous to your health and spiritual well-being.
Jesus said, “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift” (vv. 23-24 NIV). Satan will keep hurting you every day of your life – until you decide to forgive. God says, “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isaiah 43:25). Forget it, for God’s sake; when you keep bringing it up you bother Him!
Is God really serious about this? Yes. He “struck down some of the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they looked into the ark of the Lord” (1 Samuel 6:19 NIV). What was in the ark? The Ten Commandments which we’ve all broken; the record of our guilt and failure. Think twice before you decide to “lift the lid” on someone else’s sins; you’re in a dangerous place with God! You say, “But they don’t deserve to be forgiven.” None of us do, but God keeps forgiving us anyway. And His Word says, “Forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). So if you want God to answer your prayers – forgive, and let it go!
Soul food: Exo 19-21; Matt 5:38-48; Ps 46; Prov 1:32-33
