Prayer Changes 'Me'

Luke 22:41-44

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁴¹ And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, ⁴² saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” ⁴³ Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. ⁴⁴ And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.<sup>[a


Have you ever been there? In this agonizing place where we see Jesus in this passage of scripture. Facing a situation in life that has brought him to such an emotional place that he has to separate himself from his friends to pray. Have you ever had to leave your friends behind and get alone with God all by yourself because what you are facing is too deep to explain? Too hard to bear? Too scary to talk about? I am talking about the kind of thing that corporate prayer will not do? The kind of thing that literally drives you to your knees? Have you ever been there?

And once you got there...on your knees...and began to pray, have you ever prayed for what you wanted because you did not have the strength, the courage, or the desire to pray for what you knew was the will of God? And then when you stayed there...on your knees...did you feel supernatural help come from on high? The kind of help that gave you the kind of strength that you needed to pray through. And when you got up off your knees you knew that this kind of prayer did not change or remove the situation that you were facing. No, this kind of prayer changed you.

I don't know about you, but I have been in this place many times in my 40+ years of walking with God. I have been in this place with my children, my finances, my ministry, my marriage and myself. And each time it was a time when my flesh had to go to the cross so that God could take me to a new level in life.  It would be a time of separation for elevation.

If you are in this place right now may I encourage you to separate yourself from your friends and get alone with God. If you know where God wants to take you but your flesh is resisting, please get alone with God in prayer and receive the supernatural strength that he will provide to help you make the right choice. Remember this, sometimes prayer changes things and other times prayer will change you.

Pastor Karen</sup>

Getting Through What I Must Go Through

⁴² saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”  Luke 22:42

No matter how long you have walked with God, He will never allow you to get comfortable in one place for too long. There are stages of development that each of us must go through in order to fulfill the purpose for which we were created. All of us say that we want to walk in destiny. We say that our heart's desire is to be what God created us to be. We say a lot of things in the moment of good times and good feelings and good conditions. But when it is time to test the words that we have spoken, do you find yourself praying these very same words that Jesus prayed...'take this cup away from me'?
Now truth be told, it kind of makes us feel pretty good when we look at our words from that stand point.  We say, "Well, if Jesus asked God to take the cup away from him...then I'm just saying the same thing." But how many of us are saying the same thing but not meaning the same thing? I know too many Christians who just take that part of the prayer that Jesus prayed to justify why they cannot complete the task that has been given them.  Why they will not complete the assignment that leads to their total victory.
I don't have a problem with Christians stating honestly what their will is.  I don't have a problem with Christians being honest about how they feel about hardships, suffering, pain, etc. Hey, it hurts. I know. But if we are going to be about the Father's business then we are going to have to continue saying what Jesus said AFTER he said what he preferred. NEVERTHELESS!!!
Nevertheless (regardless to how I feel about it). Nevertheless not my will, but Yours be done. That's a pretty tough thing to say and mean it. But Jesus meant every word of it. Now I don't believe that his flesh was ever on board. This cry came from his spirit...while he was in prayer ALONE with God.
Let me tell you, it is the ONLY WAY to get through what you must go through on this journey.

When Right Isn't Easy and Easy Isn't Right

The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just
    than when we offer him sacrifices. Proverbs 21:3

 

 

 I was thinking today about this trial that I have been walking through for a few weeks now. This is not a trial that I brought on myself.  It is one that God has chosen for me. He gave me directions to do a particular thing that required a great deal of courage. I did not realize just how much courage it would take until after I obeyed him. The opposition that has come from making this decision has caused me to shed tears, question people's loyalty to me, and question my own ability to hear from God. Was this God's plan in the first place?

 

I don't think so.  I think his plan was to see if I would obey him even when it did not make sense. Even when it would generate adversity. I think His plan was to show me how strong I am in certain areas and how weak I am in others. And in the end I believe His plan is to show me that He knows the end from the beginning and it will all work for my good and His purpose.

 

I am learning that doing right (obeying God) isn't always easy and what is easy isn't always right. In hindsight, I would have chosen to offer God a sacrifice of some kind instead of walking down this path. It would have been so much easier. But that was not His design. His design was to give me peace in the place where my understanding is baffled and strength where my flesh is weak.  I have no doubt that there will be glory after this.  In the meantime, I will keep doing what is right and just.

 

 

 

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