#1464 1212 10A

            Personally speaking with, and praying to, God about real life issues must be learned by the individual.  This is a taught and learning process because since Adam disobeyed God and fell into sin, the natural tendency of the human heart is to not speak with God, and to depend on, or have a relationship with, everything and everyone but Him.  When Adam disobeyed God, he no longer wanted anything to do with God.

          Genesis 3:8-10 ”And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.  Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’  So he said, ‘I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.’"

          This aversion to dealing with God directly follows us far into the Christian life, and which is obvious from the many professing Christians who depend more upon the arm of flesh and plans of the world, than they do upon the living God.  Still—from the front cover to the back page—the Bible points us to Him alone as the only source of all our help, and all our blessings.

          We are advised and instructed in the Word to deal with God alone, and to trust Him for every need spiritually; for the healing of our body; for protection from harm or loss; for divine guidance in making scriptural decisions; and for the supply of all financial needs every day without having financial assets set aside to depend on.

          Satan well knows that if he can succeed in keeping us from dealing with God personally, he will succeed in retaining an advantage over us by having self to control—instead of Jesus in control.  Self cannot reside in a person who is committed to dealing personally with God in faith, and depending on Him as their only source of power and provisions.

          The apostle was inspired to warn us to James 4:8 ”Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded,” [half-hearted, lukewarm, or indifferent toward God].  We are to move closer to God by making the decision to trust Him in faith for everything—God then promises to come closer to us.  It is our free-will choice first to Hebrews 4:16 ”come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

          This dealing personally and alone with God is a deliberate choice on our part.  We have to first decide that a personal relationship is what we want to do, and then He does the rest.  We are to deliberately ask of, search for, and request things from God.  Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

If we will first seek, God’s love fulfills the need.  9-11 “Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If you then, being evil [sin nature], know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

          If we direct our personal prayers to God in faith, we will receive, find the answer, and have the blessings from Him that He promises.  These are for anyone who will believe Him.  If we would give our children anything they need, then God would give His children that much more of anything we need—when we decide to have a personal relationship with Him alone in prayer and in faith.

          If answers to prayer are hindered or delayed, the cause or reason is something we must be informed of—and that is a promise from God.  James 1:5-6 ”If any of you lacks wisdom [need spiritual guidance], let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach [rebuke, or finding fault], and it will be given to him.  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts [wavers; vacillates, hesitates, or is indecisive about trusting God], is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”

          Satan wants us to always be asking, seeking, or depending upon the advice of friends, other believers, the minister, or anyone—rather than asking God Himself personally for what is needed.  This seeking advice from others can be about every little detail of life, but the Word of Truth points us to the living God as our source of information, wisdom, and strength.  If we will seek His help in prayer and in faith, He promises to give generously to everyone—Romans 2:11 ”For there is no partiality [favoritism] with God.”

          King Solomon asked God for wisdom so he could lead the Israelites, and he was given a liberal supply of good judgment.  2 Chronicles 1:11-12 ”God said to Solomon, ‘Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you."

          If God would give divine wisdom to a king in the Old Testament, He will that much more give spiritual light to a believer in this gospel age.  God inspired the words of Scripture that inform us how His Son Jesus made divine light available.  1 Corinthians 1:30-31 ”But you—and it is all God’s doing—are in Christ Jesus: He has become for us a wisdom which is from God, consisting of righteousness and sanctification and deliverance; in order that it may be as Scripture says, "He who boasts—let his boast be in the Lord."

          All of Scripture reveals that whenever anyone sought God personally for help, help was always given—people were delivered from their sins; healed of their diseases; freed from sorrow, and given victory over difficulties and oppressions.  The key is—that the individual go to God personally and tell Him the problem.

          We see this same spiritual light and divine wisdom given to people during the life of Jesus.  No one was ever sent away—without first receiving their answer to prayer.  Since we know that God will help anyone, of any nation, and that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever Hebrews 13:8, then we are encouraged to place every care, need, and request before Him in faith—that will prove He really does care.

          If anyone will make the choice to deal personally with God, they will grow in grace and increase in their knowledge of God, until they really know who God is and how much He cares.  Our confidence in His faithfulness to supply every need, heal every oppression, and deliver from any difficulty will also increase.  John 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

          Anything that could disturb our peace, trouble our heart, or weigh us down with care, we are told to deal with God alone about it, and to personally place it before Him in prayer.  Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

          When we place every need before God in prayer, and in faith, and in private, we can claim and receive what He promises.  When we tell someone else about the problem, the need, or the lack, we take the request out of God’s hands, and put it in their hands.  To tell others, rather than dealing only with God Himself, is to waver in our faith.

We are to James 1:6 ”ask [God] in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts [or is undecided about trusting God alone], is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”  James 1:7 ”Let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.”  We can receive much from the Lord, if we will deal personally with God about it.  Jesus said Matthew 28:18 "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me,” so answers to prayer come through His name.

          God’s Word points us to God alone as the source, power, and giver of all healing, deliverance, blessing, and victory.  Philippians 4:6-7 ”Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

          We are instructed in God’s Word to make the choice not to worry about anything, but to deal personally with Him about everything.  We are to tell God about the problem, explain every detail, and to ask Him for the victory, deliverance, or solution.  If we will refuse to be anxious, and place everything before God in prayer—not forgetting to thank Him for the many blessings already received—we will enjoy an inner peace, and have confidence that God will answer the request.

From beginning to end Genesis 1:1; Revelation 22:21 God tells us that we are to deal personally with Him about every problem, need, and situation.  The first result of choosing to deal directly with God is that any spiritual hindrances are revealed by the Holy Spirit.  God promises to show us what the hindrance is, why we are not delivered, and how to receive the answer by faith.  There is no power on earth that can reveal the spiritual cause but God Himself.

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