30 for 30 RESET – Day 19

Gatheringplace   -   September 19, 2024

In our last few posts we discovered why prayers are delayed or denied. Today we are going to look at our favorite kind of prayers – answered prayers!

Most answered prayers happen because you P.U.S.H ed. What does this mean?

To P.U.S.H. means Prayed Until Something Happens!

So often we give up too soon. It’s like that dingdong dash game. You knock on someone’s door then run before they open it. So often we pray and run, rather than pray and stay until something happens. Look at what Jesus says about this:

“Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: ‘Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, “A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.” And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, “Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.” But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.  And so, I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” Luke 11:5-10 NLT

“Shameless persistence.” I love that! You may feel this is inappropriate, to press God like that, but this is how Jesus tells us to pray.

Notice how Jesus said to “Keep on seeking…” It’s usually not a one-time deal. Sometimes it is, but rarely. I am sure you have experienced answered prayers, and I bet many times you kept asking, seeking, and knocking until something happened.

Answered prayers empower you. They increase your faith. They give you expectation for future answered prayers. That is why you need to keep praying even when some prayers have not, or were not, answered. You need some wins! Answered prayer puts fresh faith in your sails.

Here is the promise I lean on the hardest when I am believing God for something in prayer. It has worked more times than I could possibly count!

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” 1 John 5:14-15 NKJ

One time I walked into our bedroom and Hope was lying in bed. We were supposed to be leaving in a few minutes to go to our pastor’s home for a staff Christmas dinner. I asked her what she was doing, and she said that she had a migraine. She had never had a migraine in her life. I went into a side bedroom, knelt and prayed for her to be healed. I walked back in, and her condition had not changed at all. So, I went back into the side bedroom to pray again. I asked the Lord what the issue was, and He said, “You did not pray with confidence.” (Look at that Scripture again).

This time I waited until I felt that I had “dialed down and dialed in” past my unbelief to confident faith. Then I prayed again. I went back into the bedroom, and she was sitting up, totally healed!

Does this happen every time? No. But it will never happen if you don’t P.U.S.H!

Let’s P.U.S.H.

John

QUICK TIP ON HOW TO SPEND 30 MINUTES WITH GOD (REMEMBER: This 30 for 30 is a tool to help you, not a rule to shame you. Just do your best and let God do the rest.)

“Upward, Inward, and Outward”

  1. Upward: Get quiet. Settle down. Begin to thank God for Who He is – patient, kind, merciful. A God Who forgives sins – Who has forgiven your sins. A God Who cares, Who listens to your prayers, a miracle-working God. (There are many other attributes you can thank Him for. Go HERE for a prayer guide as well as a list of God’s names that will help you thank Him for Who He is)
  2. Inward: Read a chapter in the Bible. I would suggest one Psalm per day. Start with Psalm 1 and go from there. Or read one chapter of Proverbs per day. Start with Proverbs 1 and go from there. And as you read, stop, and think about what it is saying. Take your time (even if you do not get through an entire chapter – it is okay!). Ask God to speak to you through it.

A deeper dive: For those of you who would like to read the Bible in a year, here is a fantastic way to do it. It will take more than 30 minutes per day, but it will be well worth it. It not only gives you a reading plan but each day there is a short, very well-produced video explaining what you are about to read. Go HERE for your one year through the Bible reading plan.

  1. Outward: Ask God to show you how He can use you to reach those around you. Then begin to pray specifically for individuals. Pray for your family members, your boss, co-workers, classmates, friends, your church, its members, its mission, and its leadership. Pray for our city and our nation – that God would rule and reign in every mountain of influence, raising up leaders who fear Him: Church, Family, Government, Education, Media, Entertainment/Arts, and Business. You will not be able to get to everything in 30 minutes, but that is okay, just pick an area or two per day.

PRAYER POINTS

Personal:

  • Closeness with God
  • Deeper devotion to Christ
  • Renewed vision
  • Renewed passion
  • Strength
  • Joy
  • A profound commitment to act as Jesus would during this election year.

Church:

  • And increase of God’s manifest presence.
  • To see more CHANGED LIVES!
  • An increase in Miracles
  • Salvation for those far from God (make a list and pray for them every day)
  • More young people joining the vision at GPC.
  • New building for GPC

World:

  • A mighty harvest in our city and nation.
  • That godly men and women will fill the seats of government at local, city, state, and national levels.
  • For our missionaries (Use the bookmark handed out at church, or go to our website and check out our Missions page HERE)