Of Prayers and Submission: When God says No!
Let us begin from what I call the believers’ premise. On this we stand: God is good, faithful and just. He is loving, kind and compassionate. He cannot do wrong. As believers, we are the object of His love. Scripture says nothing will separate us from the love of God (Romans 8: 38-39).The Bible is replete with promises upon which believers are called to stand no matter what comes their way.
Generally people – believers in Christ and peoples of diverse religious persuasions pray. Even atheists and agnostics whether they own it up or not do pray.
Question is why do people pray? If I may ask you, why and when do you pray? how often do you pray? And for what do you pray? We often praise God and celebrate with friends, brothers and sisters when God answers our prayers by granting us the desires of our hearts. But how about when He answers by saying No to our specific requests?
What seems common to all is that we pray for change when we find ourselves in adverse situations and circumstances. It is alright to wish and pray to get out of adverse conditions.
Also common to humans is the tendency to complain, grumble and despair when the adverse condition persists and it seems our prayers are not being answered. Unfortunately, many a Christian give up praying to God when things are not going their way, resorting to seeking help from demonic powers - some operating under the cover of a Church.
Perhaps believers need to know that no adverse condition comes their way without the knowledge and permission of the One who says “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31: 6). “When you pass through waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you” He also promised “when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flame will not set you ablaze.” (Isaiah 43: 2).
Let’s take note here: He does not say “you will not pass through waters and fire.” It is a matter of when? In other words, expect to pass through waters and fires of life. Do not let anybody mislead you into thinking that because you are a believer, life is going to be “a bed of roses.” Also don’t think that every adverse circumstance is an attack from one enemy hiding somewhere in a corner.
God in His words also says in Jeremiah 29: 11 “I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.” This is saying, for you as an individual child of his, He has a specific purpose for you here on earth, and nothing - no power, no authority in heaven and on earth can change it. The only one who can change it is you. All we need to do is cooperate with God by holding on to His promises as expressed in His word.
God promised to take the Israelites to Canaan, the land flowing with milk and honey. Canaan is the ultimate goal. But the children of Israel had to leave Egypt and go through the wilderness to get there. There is a goal and there is a process.
God may choose to show you where He is taking you, such that all you have to do is to stay focused regardless of distractions and adverse circumstances along the way. On the other hand, He may not reveal to you immediately His ultimate goal for you. He expects you to follow in obedience and in faith. Of course, the Israelites did not see the land of Canaan until they crossed two daunting obstacles - the Red sea and River Jordan, and have contended with enemies out to stop them. What is more, most of the adults who left Egypt did not see the land – they perished in the wilderness because of unbelief and disobedience. They allowed distractions to take their eyes off the goal.
“All this was written in the Scripture to teach us who live in these last days…” (1 Corinthians 10: 11).
The story of the children of Israel, and the entire Old Testament are a metaphor and parable for New Testament believers. Our journey is not physical, but spiritual. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world” (Ephesians 6: 12-14).
THE CHRISTIAN JOURNEY
The Christian journey is like the Israelite journey. Christ is taking believers to the promise land – here on earth and in eternity. Adverse circumstances are both a means to and the process of attaining God’s purpose for each of His own. For believers, the end always justifies the means. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” (Hebrew 12: 2).
What other examples do we need than the example of our Lord, Jesus Christ himself? We also have the example of the life and ministry of apostle Paul. Both Christ and Paul in distress, prayed in critical moments of their ministries; but their prayers were answered by God with emphatic No.
In Matthew 26, we read the account of Jesus going to pray in the garden of Gethsemane prior to his arrest, trial and crucifixion. Jesus did not go there alone. He took with him three trusted disciples whom he told to watch with him in prayers. But the disciples rather than spend the time in “prayer vigil” fell asleep. In John 12: 27-28 Jesus says: “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? “Father, save me from this hour? No, it is for this very reason I came to this hour. Father glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
Even though Jesus was “God and man” in one body: One that was with God in the beginning, he came in human flesh in order to identify with human weaknesses. “And being found in appearance as a man He humbled himself by being obedient to death – even death on a cross” (Philippians 2: 7-8). Jesus had a purpose and goal for coming into the world – to lay down himself as a ransom for sin, thus reconciling humanity to God, and to keep man in right relationship to his Creator.
Being human (Jesus was fully man and fully God), he was subject to the emotions of sorrow and stress. The Lord, in human flesh was emotionally drained while praying in the garden of Gethsemane. At the critical moment of fulfilling the purpose of his coming to the world, Jesus prays the Father to lift the cup of imminent death over his head, but he immediately adds that the will of the Father be done.
Jesus had prayed for God to make his disciples one as he is one with the Father (John 17:21). God the Father is one with God, the Son. And God the Father has always answered the Son’s prayer.
But here comes this moment when the Son in human flesh comes face to face with the reality of death on the cross, is asking for what is not in the will of the Father for him. At this point Scripture says an angel appears to strengthen him. God’s strength is always available to keep believers going at moments of weakness and emotional stress. “I will not leave you, I will not forsake you” so says the LORD. In this one case, the Father says to the Son “No Son, go ahead and fulfill your purpose on earth; My grace is sufficient to carry you through.”
We are beneficiaries of Christ’s death and resurrection today, saved from eternal perdition because Jesus stayed the course of drinking the bitter cup of death on the cross.
Paul the Apostle, though not one of the Twelve, was a leader in spreading the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection in the first century. He is known as apostle to the Gentiles. Paul is the author of multiple epistles, such as epistles to the Romans, the Corinthians, the Galatians etc. etc. His writings are referenced by scholars as Pauline letters. He spent the latter part of his life in Roman prison, where despite being in chains continued to write inspired letters and leaving for believers a legacy of inestimable value.
In 2 Corinthians 12 Paul writes about visions and revelations as well as “the thorn in his flesh” he received from the Lord. He relates how he was “caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.”
In order for him not to boast about “these surpassingly great revelations” from the Lord, “I was given a thorn in my flesh” he writes. Certainly from Paul’s own account, “a thorn in the flesh” whatever it means, is not a comfortable experience. It is tormenting! “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. “But he said to me. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”(vv.8-9). God wants to demonstrate His power and grace in our weakness. His power and grace are made more manifest and appreciated when we are weak and feel inadequate.
This tells me that God is in our situations and circumstances. He knows about whatever circumstances we may be in or going through. Our circumstances are occasions for God to demonstrate His power if we allow Him. They contribute towards shaping our characters into the image and maturity of Christ.
