Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding – Proverbs 3:5

In this bible study, I wanted to explore the following questions? When we ask God for something, what is our part in the process? Do we pray and then do what we can to make it happen? Or do we trust God and wait on Him to guide us.

When we look at some key figures in the bible, when they pray, they do nothing except cry out to God. They trusted and depended on Him as if they understood that He was able to do great and marvellous things.  

Hezekiah was about to die, and he prayed and asked God to deliver Him from death, and God heard his prayer, and He spared Hezekiah. Hezekiah even asked for a sign that the Lord would heal him, and God gave him that sign (2 Kings 20:1-11). There was nothing that Hezekiah could do here to save himself.

Hezekiah prayed for God to save them from the Assyrian army and an angel of the Lord came and struck down 185000 men, and the army departed (2 Kings 19:14-19, 35). Again, there was nothing that he could do to help himself; he had to depend on God.

Elijah prayed to God to bring a child back to life, and there was nothing that Elijah could do but pray. And the child came back to life (1 Kings 17:21-22). Elisha prayed that God made the Syrians blind, and God struck them with blindness according to Elisha’s prayer. Later, God also released them from this blindness when Elisha asked this (2 Kings 6:18-19).

Hannah was unable to have children. Her rival provoked her because of this, and she was distraught (1 Samuel 1:10-20) She prayed to God for a son and made to vow to God that if He gave her this son that she would give him back to God. God answered her prayer, and soon after she conceived.

Peter was imprisoned by Herod and was guarded by many soldiers. The church prayed earnestly to God for Peter. The angel of the Lord appeared to Peter and miraculously freed Peter. Doors opened, chains fell off, and soldiers were unaware that Peter was leaving (Acts 12:4-11).

When Joshua and his army fought the Amorites, He asked that the sun would stand still until they had victory. And the Lord answered Joshua’s prayer and delayed the sunset until they won the battle (Joshua 10: 12-13).

Jairus asked Jesus to heal his daughter, who was nearing death. By the time Jesus came, the girl was dead, and Jesus brought her back to life (Mark 5:23; Mark 5:35-43).

When the man on the cross asked Jesus to remember him when He comes into His kingdom, Jesus told him that he would be with Him in paradise (Luke 23:42). He only needed to ask, and he received.

Abraham asked God to spare Sodom for the sake of a few righteous persons, and God heeded Abrahams plea (Genesis 18:23-33). The creator valued his creation’s opinion and plea.

God heard the cry of his people and raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel on serval occasions (Judges 3:7-11). God heard the cry of his people when they were enslaved in Egypt and rescued a whole nation (Exodus 2:23-25; Exodus 3: 7-10).

Miriam was punished because she spoke against Moses. God had mercy on Miriam when Moses prayed for her (Numbers 12:13-16).

On multiple occasions, God answered David’s prayers. God delivered many enemies into David’s’ hands (2 Samuel 5:19-25; 1 Samuel 17:37; 2 Samuel 22:1). God heard Solomon’s prayer, and he told Solomon that if he walked according to His ways that He would establish Solomon’s throne over Israel forever.

Peter healed the lame man just by saying one line, and the man could walk (Acts 3:1-11). Similarly, Paul healed a crippled man. He perceived that the man had faith and in a loud voice told him to walk, and he did (Acts 14:8-10). There were many instantaneous miracles like this seen with the apostles.

All of these people were faithful to God, and they knew who God was. And because they knew Him to be the ultimate creator who could do all things, they believed that He was able to do miracles for them. They believed that he could heal, make the sun stand still and takedown armies of men who were against them. They believed in Him, and so they did not feel the need to try to make it happen for themselves. Sometimes we pray for something, and we make moves to make it happen ourselves. Maybe because of disbelief in God.

Before I was saved, I was the type of person who would make it happen. When I saw something I wanted, I would work towards that. This can be detrimental when we encounter things which we do not have control over. Now that I am saved, I have begun to realise that I need to understand who God is and all that I am is because of Him. The things that I can do is only because of His blessings. I am nothing without Him. Sometimes I need to just depend and wait on Him to do his work in me. Wait on Him for that answered prayer.

These examples also highlight that these were people who were faithful to God. They were servants of God who did his will. Yes, there were many times they stumbled and fell, but they often repented and continued to serve God.

So, can we be a faithful people who trust God and not move until He says so?

Summary

• We need to understand that God can do anything.
• We need to remember that God is in control.
• We should pray, be faithful to Him and wait on Him.
• We should not push things that may not be God’s will.
• We need to be faithful to God and be willing to do His will.

All photos by Kyle