"A cosmic clock is ticking. It was established by God, not just for the vast movements of the universe, but for every situation in your life. If you are frustrated by it, wondering why God is not rushing an answer to your earnest prayer then feel at home. You’re part of a long list of people—biblical heroes included—who have struggled with God’s timing."
Perhaps there is not one of us who has not called out to God and prayed:
Perhaps there is not one of us who has not called out to God and prayed:
- Lord, why are You not answering my prayers now?
- Why is it taking so long?
- When will the breakthrough come?
Many of us have prayed for many years about certain things—a lost son or daughter, a job change, a personal dream or desire, revival in the land—and we have not yet seen the fulfillment of those prayers. Yet we believe that it is God’s will and that He has led us in those prayers.
Why does it seem to take so long for some prayers to be answered? Think about it—Is God not doing something within us as He gets us ready for the answer? Does He not have a deeper purpose in this process of praying towards the fulfillment of our prayers? Is He not developing our faith on a deeper level? Do we try to take matters in our own hands because the stretch of our faith seems too large?
"What has driven you on occasion to wrestle with the hands of time? Fear? Pride? Impatience? Inevitably, it’s a lack of faith in God’s wisdom. It is telling God that we know what is needed, when it is needed, and that we are going to make it happen if He does not."
I am convinced that God is preparing us in the process by stretching our faith. He has His way of getting us ready for the answer and for the breakthrough. He is often revealing what is in our heart. We are often impatient and God has to crucify our flesh, purify us, and make us ready so that we handle the answer in the right way when it does come.
Many of us are like a wild horse. God has to tame us so that we learn to wait for His Word and then move forward in His timing. We must learn to pray by faith consistently and long-term, to wait and then move forward. God is not building His Kingdom in the flesh or through the influence of man but with faith, and this involves praying, trusting, and then moving in His time and in His way.
The big word for me is “Be patient!”
God will act if I don’t give up. I have had to wait long and pray hard regarding Intercessors Arise International. I have finished several books on prayer with another oen recently completed, and yet only one has been published! A few weeks ago I got the "proof" copy of my book called Breakthrough Prayer only to discover the interior layout wasn't right. So I had to redo the interior. The Lord has said to me during this waiting time, “Be patient! It will happen in My timing, not yours. Obey Me, and be faithful in prayer” (Colossians 4:2).
So I have continued on in faith. Perhaps He is saying the same to you regarding some of your long-term prayers. We must resolve to trust in God’s wisdom and timing. We must believe the truth when we pray and realize that breakthrough will come in God’s timing.
Did God not initiate the prayer assignment and burden when we first began praying it, perhaps even years ago? Will He not answer it in His timing and in His way if we are faithful in prayer? We must hold onto the truth that God answers prayer, and we must believe it as we pray.
At times we may feel we are in a crisis and need God’s answer now. We may take matters into our own hands and really mess things up. Look at King David. He was in a dilemma many times where he needed God’s answer in a difficult situation. He cried out in Psalm 83:1, O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still. But he learned to wait and pray. He let God test his faith and he hung on, not letting Satan get the upper hand through a quick-fix method. And God answered His prayers.
What happens as we are waiting for God to answer our prayers?
There is a process we may go through as we wrestle in prayer with God. We often face negative emotions as we face the difficulty of waiting for God in the midst of a crisis. But this leads us to a greater faith and a greater revelation of God and our situation. The process of waiting for God’s timing in prayer, especially when we are facing a crisis, is usually this:
- Fervency. We begin by praying with fervency when the crisis arises. We use all of our energy to focus on praying through the crisis. It takes our strength in every way—physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
- Negative emotions. As time goes on and the answer does not come, we may get distracted by other things. We just can’t maintain the same level of intensity. We wait with no answer, and we may run into negative emotions—anger, frustration, confusion or disappointment. Anger may be directed toward God, the situation, or even ourselves for not being able to do more.
- Lies of the enemy. We feel the accusations of Satan. He speaks lies into our mind: “You are too sinful to have God answer your prayers.” “Your faith is too small.” “God doesn’t love you or care about your situation.” “He will not answer your prayers.” Remember, Satan is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10). He will try to attack us through this vulnerable time when God is stretching our faith.
- Revelation. We come to a deeper knowledge of what God is doing. Our understanding is deepened as we hold unswervingly to the hope that we profess (Hebrews 10:23). As we stay in the Word of God, we begin to see the situation from God’s standpoint. We grow spiritually.
- Greater faith. We rise up in faithful, determined prayer. We are no longer living by feelings but by faith. We are willing to wait regardless of how long it takes. We can actually get excited in the wait. God is with us, and He has heard our prayers!
Right now I know of people who are praying for God’s healing from cancer. I know others who just want to get back to the mission field and others who are praying for the fulfillment of their dreams. When living in Virginia Beach a couple of years ago, I knew of a pastor who was praying for his son to come out of a coma. He was struck by lightning. I knew another who was praying for a wayward daughter to come home and come back to the Lord. And Joanie, a friend from church, was praying for healing from cancer. Is God not concerned about all these things? Yes, He is deeply concerned.
He stretches our faith in the midst of the wait just as He did with His disciples when encountering a storm at sea (Matthew 8:23-27). Imagine if you were one of those disciples. The storm was furious and the waves were high, sweeping over the boat! And Jesus was sleeping. How would you feel at that moment? I’m sure most of us would probably feel like the disciples did when they said, "Don’t you care? We’re going to drown!" But Jesus got up, rebuked the winds and the waves, and calmed the sea at just the right moment. He asked them why they lacked faith and feared. He was with them.
Let’s remember that He has all wisdom. He answers our prayers at just the right moment and is not a minute too late. If we believe, we shall see the breakthrough in prayer. By the way, God did answer those prayers in Virginia Beach. The wayward daughter is home, back with the Lord and has been free of drugs for a year, Joanie is healed from cancer, and that pastor's son came out of his coma. God is so good. Even when His answer is different than ours, He always does what is best. He always cares!
"It is the sovereign stillness—quiet, confident, and non-active—that unnerves us in the face of crisis. “Wake up!” screamed the disciples (and us) to Jesus. “Get up here in the deck of this fragile boat. Look at this storm. Don’t you care about us?” But look at Who it is we are trying to shake into action. It’s the God who said, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). This God can remain quiet and still in the face of crisis. He calls us to wait on Him. Indeed, He will act, but in His timing." Quotes by Ron Susek
A Breakthrough Prayer for Waiting for God’s Timing
Lord, I thank You that You will answer my prayers in Your perfect timing. Reveal what is in my heart, and make me ready to handle the answer in the right way when it comes. Help me to pray by faith consistently and long-term, to believe, wait, and then move forward in Your timing. Help me to be patient in prayer, not give up, and trust You even during moments when I feel negative emotions. I don’t want to live by feelings but by faith. Help me not to take matters in my own hands. I choose to trust you, and I refuse to believe the lies of the enemy. I choose to be faithful in prayer (Colossians 4:2). Deepen my understanding, and give me a greater knowledge of what You are doing in my life. I choose to hold unswervingly to the hope that I profess (Hebrews 10:23). Stretch my faith in the midst of the wait, just as You did with Your disciples when encountering a storm at sea (Matthew 8:23-27). I thank You that You have all wisdom and will answer my prayers at just the right moment and in the perfect way. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise
International House of Prayer (IHOP) KC Staff
deb@intercessorsarise.org
http://www.intercessorsarise.org
Comments
Debbie, thank you for this timely posting. I rejoice that even when God's answer is different from ours, He always does what is best.