“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Matthew 6:7-8.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
When Jesus prayed for the people who came to Him for healing, provision, or freedom from demonic oppression or obsession, His prayer for them did not wander and waver but was short, right on target, and did the job. The longer your prayer is for your or another’s need the more it shows you do not know Me and you do not know My Will.
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. 1 John 5:13-15.
If you are begging Me to do something that I have clearly stated is My Will in My written Word (the Bible) or in your heart personally by the Holy Spirit within you (and He only speaks in accordance with My Word and guides you to all truth and teaches you all things), you do not need to beg Me for it and beseech Me with long prayers full of the reasons I should do it for you or another, holding up their merits or yours. But since you already have it from the finished work of Jesus, it will not be effective because your problem is you have no faith for it with which to connect to the answer. Like the Israelites who refused to go into the Promised Land to enforce their right there that I had given them. So they said I never gave it to them. I did but they would not take and receive it.
But there could be other hindrances to receiving as well and not just the lack of knowing what I have freely given you in Christ, which is basically a lack of knowing and believing in the love I have for you, which leads to a lack of faith that what I say is true for you. These can be fixed by hearing more of My Word and drawing close to Me. But also consider this, often people think it is My refusal but it is not, you need to answer and rebuke the thing or spirit blocking your miracle and not just to Me, such as speaking to the mountain, casting out the unclean spirit, getting free of the sin encumbering you, or the doubt that is blocking it, all the tactics the devil uses to steal what rightfully (by the finished work of Jesus) belongs to you.
Before you pray examine yourself to see if you are in the faith by knowing My Will and knowing your position with Me in Christ and then to honestly access if there is any hindrance in you, such as offense, unforgiveness, bitterness, disobedience, or malice blocking your reception of what is yours in Christ. As I told you in the prior Life Lesson, check the territory you are on. Stay off the devil’s territory by refusing to cooperate with his thoughts and words.
Jesus always kept Himself in contact with Me on My territory. He told you that He only spoke the words He heard from Me and did the works I showed Him. And as He is so are you in this world.
When Jesus raised Lazarus from the tomb after He had been dead for four days, He made a statement that each one of you should say also:
Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.” When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” John 11:41-44.
Three words raised a man from the grave who had been dead for four days. It was that easy when you have a relationship with Me and know My Will.
Now before I tell you more about this, please keep in mind that though Jesus is One with Me as God but when He came to bear your sins and ills, when He came to save you from your judgment of eternal death that descended to all from Adam and had to be paid by a human being that shared your flesh, He emptied Himself of His powers as God, canceling out what Adam and Eve were trying to take by eating the fruit of the forbidden tree, and walked as one like you but without the stain of Adam’s sin in His soul and flesh so that He had an eternal life in the flesh as Adam originally had. So, He like you, had to seek a relationship with Me.
Now, knowing that, I will ask you why did He know I heard Him? Because He heard from Me. Why? He purposely sought Me and drew close to Me. His short to the point prayers for others came from spending nights on the hillsides of Israel in fellowship with Me. He also read Scriptures and recognized Himself and His mission in them. You know this, when they called on Him to read in the synagogue in Nazareth, He knew right where to open to read His mission statement from My Word as spoken by the prophet Isaiah.
And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:16-21.
Jesus constantly quoted Scripture as His answer: “It is written . . .” Can you? At twelve years old He could answer every question asked Him by the elders and religious leaders in the Temple, and He knew what questions to ask them to pull the answers they needed to discern in My Word from them. And He continued in this for all His years on earth among you. His method is the same as Mine: questions and answers and answers and questions, but all based on My Words as written for you by the prophets and those whom My Spirit inspired to write from Me.
From childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:15-17.
Now let Me return to His prayers. When Jairus’ daughter lay dead and cold, My Son came in and took her hand and said, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” And she did so immediately. And then He told her parents to give her something to eat. Mark 5:35-43. That simple because of His relationship with Me. He knew what My Will was, “I shall not die but live and declare the works of the LORD!” I am the LORD your healer. I do not desire that anyone perish, I want them to have their full reward for a life well lived. 2 John 1:8. That simple.
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. John 11:7-8.
And consider the woman with the issue of blood for twelve years that had sapped all her strength and no doctor could help her. She came in faith to Jesus, not rehearsing her past and her failures but just one purpose, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” And she got a hold of Him and knew her body was well, the flow of blood that had run for twelve years ceased. She made it that simple. And what did Jesus say to her? He gave the advice for the rest of her life: to enter into peace and stay there—no fear, no torment, no worry that it would return. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you and made you whole; go into peace and be healed of your affliction.” Matthew 5:34.
And the man who had been a leper for many years, Jesus laid His hand on him and said: “I do will it be cleansed!” six words and in an instant what he had put up with for decades was gone as if it had never been. And later when ten lepers came crying out for mercy, Jesus simply gave them the requirement for those healed and cleansed to do to be let back in society: “Go show yourselves to the priest.” There was only one way a leper could do that—he had to be clean of leprosy. And they were healed as they by faith obeyed. Five words ended a lifetime of being ostracized by society.
Then there was the man with the withered useless hand, Jesus merely called him up and said, “stretch out your hand,” and when the man obeyed, though it seemed impossible in the flesh realm to reach out that shriveled hand, it was perfectly restored. Four words rectified a disability that did not permit him to work. Spirit prevails over flesh. Grace makes it but faith takes it. The man obeyed.
Remember the crippled man his friends let down through the roof into the crowded room where Jesus taught. Jesus remarked on their faith and said, “your sins are forgiven.” When this offended the Pharisees He asked a question: “Which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’?” Matthew 9:5. And after that He told the cripple to get up, pick up his mat and go home. And he did, glorifying Me. That simple.
And we could continue to rebuking storms, rebuking fevers, loosing bent over backs, multiplying provisions, and casting out demons, and just a few words took care of each situation. Simple when you know Me. Nothing is too wonderful, too hard, or impossible for Me and all things are possible for you who know Me and believe that.
I love you. Remember this: When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise. Proverbs 10:19.