Already Answered

Verse of the day: 1 Samuel 7:9, And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Then Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him.

I find it curious how quickly we turn back to God when He allows “bad things” to happen in our lives; and when we begin going down that slippery slope of praying less, spending less time in His Word and drifting further and further away from Him. If there was anything Israel did right, in turning back to the Lord, it was making sure that someone was praying. Note what Samuel did before he prayed. He made sure that there was atonement for the sins that had been committed, and then he cried out unto the Lord. He did not rely on his own righteousness to be counted for anything, but on the blood of an offering that was spotless and innocent. What a beautiful picture we have of going before the Father, washed in the Blood of Jesus. Philippians 3:9 says, “and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith”. When we called upon Jesus and accepted Him as our Lord and Savior, His righteousness opened the door to the Throne Room of God. In doing so, Hebrews 4:14-16 clearly tells us, “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” When we are God’s children, in Christ, we can rest assured that God will hear our prayers. The first, and most important prayer, that we could pray is the one that we lift up to the Lord, in repentance and confession, asking Him to be our Savior (Roman 10:13). Amazingly, when we pray that prayer to be accepted into God’s family and have eternal life, even though we are not immediately transported to Heaven, the answer is already given. In that moment, we are indwelt and sealed by the Holy Spirit, and our home address is change from Hell to Heaven. I say this to point out the fact that our prayers are answered long before we see the answer with our own eyes. We have not yet seen Heaven and all that God has promised us as His children, but the answer has already been given in Christ Jesus. When God told Israel to go in and possess the land, it was already theirs because God had already given it to them long before they entered it, in the promise made to Abraham (Genesis 15:18-21). Here, we see that even before God fought on Israel’s behalf and confused the Philistines’ attack (v. 10-11), “the LORD answered” Samuel’s prayer. So it is with us when we cry out before the Lord. We may not see the answers to what we are praying for right away, but know that if we pray, in accordance to God’s will, He will answer. Jesus promised that if we prayed in His Name, our prayers would be answered. John 14:13-14 says, “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” I need to point out right now that this is not license for us to ask for things that are selfish and wicked in nature. Note that Jesus said, “that the Father may be glorified”. We must ask for that which will ultimately bring glory to God. James 4:3 clearly states, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” God will give us the desires of our hearts, but only after we have delighted in Him and committed our way to Him (Psalm 37:5). The key to having our prayers answered is for us to get in line with God’s will and not try to manipulate Him into following our own will, which is foolishness and a waste of prayer. Samuel prayed for deliverance from the Philistines, only after Israel repented, and only after he could offer up blood what was without spot and innocent. As born again believers, when we are right with the Lord, living a life founded on faith and trusting in Christ’s righteousness (not our own), we can confidently go before the Lord, bringing our prayers, knowing that He has already answered long before we see the answer with our own eyes.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).