Author: Greg & Jane Watrich 1 Like
A. Prophetic Encouragement
Sometimes we think God is delayed, that His timing is a bit “off.” We see many “delays” in Jesus’ ministry. He delayed going down to the feast (John 7:8), He delayed getting to Lazarus (John 11:6), He was delayed getting to Jairus’ house, (Mark 5:21-35). To man, it looked like He was too late, but Jesus was intentional in His timing. God is intentional with you. He is not just supplying your immediate needs but is looking at the bigger picture and is developing you far beyond what you can see, even if it looks like He’s delayed in doing it.
B. Devotional Teaching
Sometimes when we’re standing on a promise it feels like we’re on our own, that God forgot about it. In actual fact, God is very mindful of His promises to us. He is always faithful to His Word, and His promises are always yes! In the gap between getting the promise and seeing it come to fulfillment, God encourages us to keep persisting. When it seems things are going slow, He is often building our faith muscle, building perseverance in us, that we will become “imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:12)
One of the Scriptures being emphasized to us this year is Luke 11:9, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” In Greek, the verb tense for ask, seek and knock is called the present imperative and means the verb is in continuous action; in other words, “don’t stop!” So the actual translation would be “Keep (on) asking … keep (on) seeking … keep (on) knocking.”
In Luke 11, the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. He gave them a model prayer we all know very well as “The Lord’s Prayer.” But right after He gave them the model prayer, He gave them a model of how to posture themselves in prayer.
Then He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
“So I say to you, 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.”
―Luke 11:5-10 NASB
Remember, in the Greek, Jesus actually said, “For whoever keeps on asking receives, the one who keeps on seeking finds, and to the one who keeps on knocking, the door will be opened.
Even when God seems to be slow about His promises or about answering your prayers (like the friend who wouldn’t get out of bed), don’t give up! Don’t lose sight of the promise, of the vision. Keep pressing on to obtain His promises. He’s looking for your perseverance. He’s building your faith muscles. He’s building your endurance; your patience. And He’s building your trust in Him.
C. Weekly Scripture Meditation
Week ONE – “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you.” 2 Peter 3:9 (ESV)
Week TWO - “We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized … to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” Hebrews 6:11-12 (NIV)
Week THREE – “For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.” Luke 11:10 (NASB)
Week FOUR - “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16 (NLT)
D. Resource Corner
Faith Connection - Patricia King
A powerful series on how to secure the covenant promises given to believers through the finished work of the cross. This series will not only build your faith and inspire you to seek after Him, but it will also give you a deeper understanding of just how much he loves you!
Increasing Your Prayer Power – by Patricia King
The Prayers of righteous man avail much. When you have the revelation that each time you pray you are coming before the Father in the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ you can be certain that your prayers pack power. This 4 CD teaching by Patricia King will open your eyes and bolster your faith, helping you to step into the full authority the Lord has given to all believers. You will learn principles of prayer, how to stand on the promises of God, and how to receive decrees of the Lord to see breakthrough in any situation you or your loved ones may be facing,. Don't limit your Kingdom effectiveness. Begin increasing your prayer power today.
Living GOOD in the Midst of BAD - by Patricia King
Abraham did it. Joseph did it. Daniel did it and you can too! These champions of faith always knew blessings and abundance no matter what the circumstances they found themselves in. What was their secret? GOD! They knew Him, they trusted Him and they stood on the fact of His word. In this teaching Patricia King will help to unlock abundance and blessing in your life. No matter what your current circumstances, even if you are in the midst of bad, you can still live good!
Extreme Decrees for Extreme Times - by Patricia King, Bart and Kim Hadaway Paulette Reed, and Robert Hotchkin
During challenging times of change and upheaval, there is one constant you can always rely on – God! He never changes. His promises are always yes and amen. And His word never fails! In this booklet, Patricia King and her team have crafted a collection of EXTREME DECREES for EXTREME TIMES -- truths and teachings that culminate in prophetic expressions of God’s heart for you. Each Extreme Decree powerfully reminds you who you are to God, who He is for you, and the inexhaustible blessings of heaven that have been given to you through the cross.
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