Greetings in Jesus’ Most Holy Name!
The key word in the Bible verse above is ‘Ask’. The very act of ‘asking’ is a sign of trust and dependence on the giver! In our moments of need, we usually turn to those whom we know and trust to ask them for help! Similarly, when we come to God with our needs, we trust and believe that He will provide for those needs! In fact when our Lord taught us to pray ‘Give us this day our ‘daily’ bread,’ He didn’t say ‘monthly’ or ‘yearly’ bread because He wants us to come to Him in faith daily, asking Him for our needs. Yet, some of us ask and do not receive, or we ask and do not believe that we will receive and some just give up because they’ve been asking for years and they are still waiting to receive! Perhaps we do not receive because we are asking for wrong things that God in His wisdom will not grant us, because He knows what is best for us!
Asking is a sign of trust and dependence on the Giver
Our beginnings in life may have been bad, but it’s our end that will determine our final destiny. The very setback that you’ve experienced will become your greatest comeback! As human beings, we have many wants and needs to ask from God, but very few of us sincerely ask God for constructive and deep transformation – a change from a life of sin to an abundant life in Christ! How many of us wrestle with God for heavenly things? It’s better to wrestle with God for His blessings rather than contend with people!
Today, we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost; the birth of the Church. In preparation for this glorious day, novenas, rallies and even night vigils are being conducted in various places. The first ever night vigil that was recorded in the Bible was when Jacob wrestled with God throughout the night, asking for His blessings and did not let go until he had received from God – Genesis 32:22-32. Such stubborn persistent behavior from a man who was such a rascal, cheater and trickster – but even with all his colorful attributes, he was determined to wrestle with God all throughout the night! Such behavior from Jacob in our times, would be typically termed as a ‘spoiled brat raising a tantrum.’
Jacob was someone who liked to be in charge. He spent his whole life fighting with people and plotting against those around him. Jacob also struggled in life. And he experienced deceit from his own people. If we were in Jacob’s shoes, most of us would have given up and stopped wrestling with people and God as well! Yet, we know that Jacob did not leave God until He had blessed him. God also changed his name from Jacob to Israel. God asked him ‘his name’ because He wanted Jacob to come to terms with his own sinfulness – in other words acknowledgement of his own sinful self. That’s when God gave him a new name! God indeed blessed him after that night vigil! He blessed Jacob so that he could become a blessing for others!
Through the story of Jacob, we discover that God loves people with ‘spunk’ who are willing and determined to change because it’s through His grace that we go through a life-transforming process where He prunes, molds and re-shapes our personalities into that which He first created us.
Do we feel that life is really a struggle? Do we feel that we are fighting an uphill battle and the world around us seems set to keep us from succeeding? What do we do when we find ourselves in such a situation? Do we give up and stop struggling and let the forces around us decide our destiny? Or do we persevere and make attempts to overcome? Is the struggle worthwhile? Is it okay to wrestle with God? To better understand the answers to these questions let us read Luke 18. Jesus tells us of a woman, a widow, who kept pestering an unjust judge that she might receive justice. And because she does not give up; because she continues the good fight, the judge hears her and gives her what she asks. Through this parable, Jesus tells us that here is an example of a corrupt judge doing what is right because she continued to struggle with him. Sometimes, God actually does want us to struggle in certain situations. When that which, we are standing for is just and merciful, He wants us to stand up to everybody, even Him. Therefore, in the OT, we have Moses talking God out of destroying the people of Israel, reminding God of His mercy. And in Luke 18 we have the widow asking for justice. How much more will a just God do what is right if we are persistent in asking Him for the right things?
Life can seem tedious when we spend it fighting God. It becomes much easier once we give in and allow Him control. With God in charge we will discover that we don’t need to fight quite so hard for He will fight the battle for us. May we wrestle with Him to give us only that which truly matters – the Lord Himself, for without Him, we can do NOTHING and with Him ALL things are possible. Then, even in the midst of trials and suffering, His love, peace and joy will prevail and sustain us thru’ the power and anointing of His Holy Spirit.
At this feast of Pentecost, let us surrender our lives, families, ministries, nations and this entire human race into God’s hands, asking Him for a fresh anointing of His Holy Spirit upon all.
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| Come, Holy Spirit we need Thee! |
Life is not about how we started out but how far we persevere with a renewed heart and mind in Christ! True Spirit-filled renewal and revival will begin when each person yields to God’s Holy Spirit and His transforming love will then spread from heart to heart and soul to soul until they circle the entire world!
Prayer: Abba Father, send forth Thy Holy Spirit and we shall be created and Thou shall renew the face of the earth. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in us the fire of Your love! You’re the Living Water, the never drying Fountain; Comforter and Counselor, take complete control and help us grow in the knowledge and love of God. Amen.
Blessings,
Monisha Rebello
You may submit your prayer requests, which will be treated with absolute confidence. Remember to glorify our Lord as soon as He blesses you. You can email your testimonies with permission to publish them online at www.heavensmission.witnesstoday.org
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