Early in my Christian walk, I realized there wasn’t a magic key that unlocked the storehouse of Heaven. I learned that my God is a God of relationship and not ritualistic formula. However, there are keys to our Heavenly Father’s heart. When we approach Him with the postures of trust and surrender, we position ourselves for favour. God loves His kids, and nothing pleases His heart more when we enter His presence with quiet confidence.
Key 1: Surrender to this truth: He sees the whole picture, and we do not.
Isaiah 55:9 – “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
God has a distinct advantage over us. He is infinite, and we are not. He knows our past better than we do, understands our present circumstances and sees our potential future. In contrast, we view our past, present, and future with finite minds and broken hearts. When we are in crisis mode, we barely see beyond our nose. The deeper our emotional, physical, or spiritual pain, the less we see through an objective lens. When we trust that God’s ways are perfect, we don’t have to rely on our limited understanding.
To know God’s ways, we must know His Heart. And just like any relationship, the best way to get to know God is to spend time with Him with no agenda in mind. Sit in His presence, make it a habit to put on worship music and quiet your heart. Dedicate yourself to daily prayer and Bible study, find a Bible-believing church and stay in fellowship with other Christians.
It is of no use to ask God to do something that would go against His character. He does not hide His character from us; it is written on the pages of the Bible. Yes, He freely gives us many avenues to know His heart. And if we pray in agreement with His character and heart, how could He not answer!
Imagine a young woman who desperately wants Mr Right to notice her and to fall in love with her. She believes he is ‘her one, ‘ but he doesn’t think she is ‘his one.’ And so she prays, asking God to make ‘her one’ fall in love with her. After all, she’s SURE she’s meant to be the one for him, and she’s positive he’d make her the happiest girl on the planet. So every time she sees that young man in a church service, her heart just goes all a flutter, and that heart all a flutter proves that it has to be of God, right?
God rarely answers such a prayer in the way that the girl might want. He knows His daughter needs to mature before she’s ready to enter into a committed relationship. However, if that girl were to pray for God’s highest blessing for this young man’s future, even if it meant that his future led him away from her, that prayer of surrender would be a sweet fragrance in God’s nostrils.
A wife flees an abusive marriage, seeking separation. The husband wants his wife back and reminds God that divorce is sinful, and therefore, it is his right to demand that God brings his wife back to him. God sees the overall picture and knows that work must take place in the husband’s heart before He would entrust His daughter to this dysfunctional man. God may answer this man’s prayers by bringing wise counsel into his life, but unless that man has eyes to see, he might not see his prayer for reconciliation answered.
Key 2: Be patient and trust the Lord.
While God will bring instant and immediate responses to many of our prayers, I have found that persistent, consistent prayer is needed more times than not. Surrender anxiety to Him.
Often, God needs to bring about a heart change in a person or situation that is only attained through a longer process than we would like. There are times God calls us to fast for a situation, but we should never use fasting to twist God’s arm. Fasting reminds us when we are at our weakest, He is strongest. Fasting is a powerful tool in spiritual warfare when used correctly.
Key 3: Be willing to work with God.
If you are in debt because of credit card addiction and poor financial planning, humble yourself and seek professional help and counsel from those who manage their money well.
If you have sinned, admit your sin, accept the Lord’s forgiveness, then do what you can do to bring restitution. It is not our place to expect others to forgive us; we can only offer a heartfelt apology.
Our God is the God of second chances. He can bring healing to our hearts even when there is no hope of reconciliation with those we have offended. God will help us when we reach out. He only asks that we ask.
Key 4: Determine to stay in a position of trust for the long haul.
Declare God’s goodness even when silence meets your prayer request. Deep disappointment, frustration, and confusion are natural responses when situations worsen, lives remain shattered, and prayers seem unanswered. Yet, those who press on through doubt see the most victory. They have spent the time to know His heart. They recall His goodness, despite their circumstances. They place their confidence in His character.
God wants your heart, and He will do anything to capture it. He will reject your attempts to manipulate Him by quoting scriptures or by “naming it and claiming it.” God is not a God of methods; He is a God of relationships.
God delights in blessing His children. So bring the burdens of your heart without manipulation or selfish ambition, and He will work miracles on your behalf.
Further Resources:
Encouraging Bible Verses
Another website I created, home to hundreds of Bible verses organized by subject.
Daily Christian Quotes
Examples of prayers written or spoken by modern-day Christians and by our brothers and sisters in Christ who went before us.
BibleGateway.Com Find dozens of Bible translations, a search engine, bible reading plans and study aids here.
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