Well today is the 3rd blog in my new journey of “blogging life”. I guess I just got tired of the whole “twitter” thing. It must be my ADHD coming out in the social media world of my life. But I feel like blogging, which is just another name for having a public journal or another filter for people to read and listen to what you are venting about that most wouldn’t get to hear about on any other day.
So this morning as I woke up, I was not feeling too chipper. I am totally a morning person. But I had one of those “someone took a frying pan to my head” days. So I was sitting in my chair, in my house, reading and praying. For some reason the Holy Spirit brought back to my remembrance an article that a guy wrote about how healing isn’t for today, in our local news paper.
There are 4 things that I stand on when asking for a miracle.
Let's start with an incredibly simple question, "Did you ask?" You know, God tells us not only to ask him for what we need, but to be a pain in the neck about it if we have to. (True)
James 4:2 - you do not have because you do not ask.
John 16:24 - "Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full".
Some times when we ask for it we don’t receive it. So that brings me to my second point of the blog.
BE PERSISTENT
Luke 18:1-7 - Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, (My favorite parable) 2 - saying, "In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. 3 - "There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.' 4 - "For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, 5 - yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.'" 6 - And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge said; 7 - now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?
Notice that Jesus is comparing the widow to "us" and the corrupt judge to God! Don't you see he is telling us to literally hound God for what we need? Many of us have heard preached in the past, "Ask God for what you want, then just believe. If you keep praying about it, you are not using faith".
Don't believe that and don’t buy it! That is "not" what Jesus told us to do and that is "not" how to get a miracle, that is the voice of Satan talking! Jesus tells us plainly to keep asking, keep seeking and keep knocking!
In Luke 11:1 when Jesus' disciples asked him to teach them how to pray, he gave them the "Lords Prayer". Everybody stops there! Everybody knows the Lords prayer and they like to recite it, but - READ after that!
Jesus immediately went into a parable to explain to them (and us) how to pray!
Luke 11:5-8 - Then He said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 - for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; 7 - and from inside he answers and says, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' 8 - "I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
So, how do you get a miracle? How bad do you want it? Bad enough to hound God, asking him over an over again throughout your day? Praising him and thanking him in advance for the miracle you "will" receive? Are you willing to put in 40 hours a week praying, asking and praising him? That's the amount of time you put into your job for a much lesser reward.
Don't worry, God will not require that from you, Read Luke 18:7 again, God is awesome! But are you willing? Would it be worth it to you to heal your child, save your marriage or pull you out of the financial pit you've fallen in to?
This might seem a little harsh, but let me point out that "God is not Santa Claus". You don't just sit on his lap and read him a list of everything you want and that's it! Then just forget about it and wait.
FAST
I can tell you personally that for me, when I needed a miracle, Fasting was like "Bringing out the BIG GUNS" against Satan! Fasting, like persistence, is very powerful! But once again, make sure your prayers are lined up with God during fasting.
Isaiah 58:4 - "Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist. You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high.
There are a few different points to the above scripture but if you read it and the verses that follow it, the immediate purpose, I will just point out only is that, "Fasting makes your voice heard on high!" If you are in crisis, if you need a miracle or answers to prayer, you will want your voice heard on high.
Are you still wondering how to get a miracle? These principles not only worked for me, but God has blessed me beyond measure! Why? Is it because I am “so holy”? Is it because I have led such a blameless, sinless life from birth? The answer is No, absolutely not! When I really needed God, I fell on my face, begged, pleaded, prayed, fasted and asked people to pray for me.
To put it short, I used Faith! One does not waste time praying to a God he doesn't believe exists! One does not beg, plead, fast etc... If he doesn't believe that God is able and willing to help them.
If you are doing these things, regardless of what you are thinking or what your mind is telling you, you "are" putting faith into action, and you are pleasing God! And among other things, this is how you get a miracle.
FAITH
You need faith if you want to please God. If you are asking for an answer to prayer, to receive a miracle, healing, protection or even a blessing, God does reward those who seek him!
Hebrews 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
How do I get Faith? And How do I have faith in someone I can't even see or touch?
Miracles and Faith go hand in hand.
