Hello friends, I just felt that God needed me to say a few more things on this topic. For those of you who might not be following this 4-part series and would like to see or be reminded of the sequence, it is as follows:

  1. You can call Upon the Lord
  2. When God says No or Wait – Part 1
  3. When God says No or Wait – Part 2

Let us continue where we left off in the last blog (Part 2) and that is to understand more about God’s no and wait reasoning.

  1. Don’t let a current response of No, blind you from seeing God’s current responses of yes.

I have a friend who recently told me that she is hearing about all this goodness of God but she as not truly felt or seen it in their life. This person is middle aged and was lamenting about how she was working hard with little to show for it. She needed to get a larger home in a better neighborhood, an increase in income, to get married and the list goes on.

When I heard my friend’s plight, even I started to feel so sad for her because in many ways I could relate to the perceived noes that we see in front of us.  But this is exactly what our enemy wants us to think and keep our focus, on our problems and blaming God. This is where we have to kill our thoughts when they now form, because that is when they are their weakest. My friend’s, negative thoughts even started to spread to me, so I had to immediately stop and think about what I was thinking about. This is an approach that we should do more often, think about what we are thinking about.

Given this, I had to remind my friend, that God gave her life this morning while others did not make it to see this day. It was not the alarm clock which woke you up but God! God said yes to you having a job in this trying economic time, while others are on the breadline. God ordained that you have a roof over your head, while many slept under the stars last night and the list goes on. Just as the list can go on with noes, if we look closely enough we can see the list of yeses from God is always longer and better than the noes. Listing our blessings, instead of Listing our burdens, can save us a lot of undue heartache and worry in life.

Philippians 4:8 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

So, while we pray and wait for a no to turn into a yes, lets allow praises and thankfulness to be continually found on our lips. Let us learn (and I do mean us) to out praise our problems.

2. Do You want God to do something for you? Then what are you willing to do for God?

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and His children, we not only have the authority to come boldly before Him and ask for anything but we also have a responsibility to please Him. We please Him by obeying what He says and living righteously and holy in our everyday lives.  Doing this, is the fastest way to affect the hand and heart of God to move Him into action on your behalf. But do you know what the problem is? We love to ask God for everything, but want to give Him nothing! Give me, Give me, Give me, is our constant cry!

Those of us who are parents, would know that it is easier to give to the child who is obedient and walking in alignment with your words and will, than the child who is rebellious. This natural law of parental compulsion also applies to the spiritual. Remember,

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly” – Psalm 84:11

So, sometimes we do not have to ask God for a yes in anything, but instead focus our energies on doing everything. You want God to give you a yes, but you are constantly giving Him a No! Give Him a yes to all of His will and way and see it transform your life for the better.

Come before God and say, “Lord, before I ask you anything, please show me what I am not doing or show me what more that I need to do?”

3. Pray One for the Other.

One day I parked my car in our church car park and stayed in the vehicle for a while. During this time, I decided to pray for a particular couple in our church. I interceded for this couple for literally 20 minutes non-stop. It was not just a normal prayer but it was intense and fierce and with a deep burden in my heart to God for them. My friends do you know what happened? The second I stopped praying for them, I heard God say this, “Dane, everything you just prayed for them will come back to you”. In that moment I froze in my seat and asked, “What is that Father?” Then the same thing was repeated to me, “Dane, everything you just prayed for them will come back to you”. This is the power of agreement, it opens up many doors.

Sometimes to get our prayer answered we have to put our needs aside and take up the burdens of others. We have to learn to pray one for the other so that the needs of everyone will be met.

Remember what happens in the spiritual realm. The courtroom is set with satan the plaintiff accusing us before God day and night (Revelation 12:10). Then on the other side we have Jesus as the defendant interceding for us (Romans 8:33-35). In this courtroom saga we must come and team up with Jesus and pray for our needs. Keep in mind the scripture which states two or more touching any one thing it will be accomplished (Matthew 18:19). Just imagine you and Jesus agreeing in prayer on the same thing. – Hallelujah!

You and Jesus tag teaming satan before God is a great thing, but do you know how this can be bettered? It can be improved by more brothers and sisters joining you together in prayer with Jesus (Galatians 6:2, James 5:16). This is the ultimate, adding more believers on your side. Can you imagine 10, 20, 30, plus holy men and women teaming up with Jesus in prayer on your behalf?

Do you want your personal prayer answered? Do you want God’s temporary no to be turned into a yes for you? Then become a prayer warrior and learn to intercede on behalf of someone else. If you put their needs above your own, God will elevate yours.

Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)  “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people”

Conclusion:

I would like to conclude by saying as our faces differ our needs also differ, but what stays constant is God’s love of us and His desires to meet those needs. What we need to do is take the time to understand Him more, learn to be more patient and believe that the Author of all things has our best interest at heart. In terms of patience, I would say:

“We put targets on things and that’s ok, we also put timing on things and that’s also ok. This gives us purpose and direction to work towards something. But what is not ok, is when our targets and timings are not aligned with God’s targets and timing. Our targets and timing cause us to focus on a destination, while God is focused on our development and destiny.”  We serve a God who deals with the big picture, which is our complete development as we journey through life. Because this Great God is all knowing, He uses Yes, No or Wait responses to ensure we are complete and lacking nothing.

James 1:2-4  (NIV) 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

In closing out this series I would like to say thanks to all those who would have taken the time to read and provide feedback. I hope you have been blessed and got encouragement from the few words God allowed me to pen.

PS: Dane Miller was last seen praying on behalf of someone else.

Your Brother in the Lord,

Dane Miller | Author

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