PART 14C
THE STAFF AND SWORD MINISTRY
November 2014
MANIFESTING CHRIST A CLOSER WALK WITH JESUS "
0* " 0% • ~~~~~ "a. •n "
9%0 %I • ~~~~~~~~~~ 0%# %I
JESUS IS THE KEY fav efto
ev ".# ev
"I
"6
oftor ev
IV "4
ev oe.d 9*.# es.r ~~~~~
by Nancy-TONI Youngbrandt The theme of this article has to do with receiving answers to prayer, to which Jesus is the key. This may seem obvious on the surface, and in theory we all know it to be true. So what might be preventing God's people from receiving more answers to prayer, and walking a more fruitful spiritual walk? Well, that is what we will explore here. Between a book I read recently and the Holy Spirit insight therein, coupled with what the Spirit of God has impressed upon me lately, I would like to look at our own inner disposition and how that plays into receiving answers to prayer from God through Jesus Christ. Where is our focus? What are our expectations? What are God's expectations of us? There are probably many more questions to be raised, but let's start with these.
WHERE IS OUR FOCUS?
Are we more interested in answers than in God Himself? Jesus is the author and the finisher of our faith, and yet how often do we forget that. It seems to be part of our fallen nature to recognize we need Jesus in one breath and then lose all patience in Him to finish what He started. We start by coming to Him for what we want, but too often lose sight of Him by over focusing on ourselves and what we want ahead of just looking to Jesus and trusting Him to provide for us. So often, in our immaturity, we seek answers when we should be seeking God first, the source of all answers to prayer. I recently read a book entitled THE CIRCLE MAKER, by Mark Batterson (Published by Zondervan), which is all about prayer. In his book, Mark shares: "Finally, I learned that we shouldn't seek answers as much as we should seek God. We get overanxious. We try to microwave our own answers instead of trusting God's timing. But here's an important reminder: If you seek answers you won't find them, but if you seek God, the answers will find you."