“And He said unto them, which of you shall have a friend and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, friend, lend me three loaves...”(Luke 11:5)
“ And Jesus said to his disciples, "Suppose one of you should go to a friend's house at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, let me borrow three loaves of bread”.(TEV)
“...and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but will give unto thine handmaid a man child....(1 samuel 1:11)
“Then she made a vow:Oh, God-of-the-Angel-Armies,
If you'll take a good, hard look at my pain,
If you'll quit neglecting me and go into action for me
By giving me a son,
I'll give him completely, unreservedly to you.
I'll set him apart for a life of holy discipline”. (MBCL)
When I was about to publish my first interesting book titled “ Revival, Now or Never” in 1996. One day, I was in a room in one of the city of the Eastern States of the country and cried fervently to the Lord for His Divine assistance in the publication of the work. Really, I meant business with Him. I needed His help seriously. As I waited patiently on Him, I recorded many petitions which I made to Him. One of them was for the exact quantity of the work to be produced. I, also requested a certain amount of money meant for the work. I did not have the money but the Lord that told Peter the fish that had money in its mouth knows how to supply my needs according to His riches in glory. After some days, the Lord answered the whole prayers. When the man that sponsored the work emerged and the money provided, I knew then that God was at work. I knew it all because it happened exactly according to my humble request to Him.
Another personal experience was; In a night before the fellowship day being Sunday in 2008, the Lord told me certain things that should be evident during my ministration in one of the churches in the commercial town of the State, where I was called to minister.Explicitly, he mentioned about the restoration of a shattered marital life and a broken home. I requested for other things and souls to be added to His kingdom during the Spiritual event. I was so definite. The following day, it all happened according to His plan and the requests which I made. The miracles were all confirmed.
Definite prayer begets definite miracles!
Your prayer should be definite to attract definite answer from above. God wants you to be clear and precise to him in your prayer chamber. You should be explicit and ask for definite needs. He knows your needs but wants you to pray. Many atimes, He is not pleased with indefinite prayers because when the answer comes, you may be confused on how you get them. It may be liken to a person who succeeded in entering a mall or supermarket, then go round the whole stands, touch certain items,admire them and off he went without purchasing anything there. There is nothing in his hands to show forth. Really, he entered there successfully, priced many goods normally but could’nt lay hand on any because he had no money or preferred to come out empty-handed. This example is for a man who prays indefinitely. Inshort, he is confused and cannot be assured of any answer.
Do you know that some people may like to be definite in their statements, dealings or interactions with their fellow human beings, good friends, company managers, mistresses and masters but when it comes to the things of God, they shy away and behave negatively or ignorantly. This also makes them to pray reversely. This is utter foolishness.
God wants you to pray definitely even more than you request a specific food from your parents or money to pay for your school fees and the kind of dress to cover your body with. To obtain an answer,you must be real and specific.
Our master, Jesus Christ in the book of Luke chapter 11, after His teaching on the “Model Prayer” gave us an illustration of a definite prayer by an example of a man who went to his friend by night to request for loaves of bread. He said, “Friend, lend me three loaves”. He knew exactly the quantity he wanted or that should be sufficient for him. He knew the substance and the quantity. It was’nt a joke. He was sure of his needs. The man did’nt say “Friend, lend me some loaves”. Again he did’nt say, “two or hundred loaves” but “three loaves”. He did’nt go for something else. He knew what he wanted. He went for loaves of bread. The number was sufficient for him to solve his problem. Because of his importunity, he received what he wanted.
What a great lesson for you and I?
Hannah, the wife of Elkanah said, “Lord, give to thine handmaid, a male child. Because she was so specific in her request, God granted her the request and gave her a male child, by name Samuel.(1 Samuel 1:20)
How ignorant some of us always be whenever we come to the presence of the Lord. We try to hide some part of our lives, without knowing He knows everything about us. Now listen, the Lord is not interested in your big grammar, beautiful,decorated,coated languages,good phonetics, intonations and unspecified exaggerations. He wants you to be your real self, specific and definite as regards to your requests.
Prayer time is not a time to show how intelligent or learned you are. Those techiques may keep you busy for hours, without hitting the hammer at the head of the nail. Indefinite prayers without some substances count for nothing. Jesus says;
“...What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:24)
Every piece of word in the above statement is dynamic and powerful. Its illustration, one after the other will present to you the exact picture of the statement or its rightful meaning. Let’s see them;
“WHAT THINGS”
What things?. Anything of course. Count them. Anything that is in the will of God for your life. It may be a thousand things. To men, they are impossible, and can remain an unaccomplished facts for many years but to the Supreme being, God, they are possible. Be specific and call them by their names. It could be employment, marriage, promotion, child, house etc . The word of God says, “What things...”
“SOEVER”
Man’s extremity is always God’s opportunity to do something tangible. Whatsoever is not possible for men or personally, God will do it for His child. “Soever” holds the mystery behind Divine approach in situation. It could be a mountain, He knows how to make it plain. It could be a desert or wilderness experience, He knows how to cause river to flow therein and shower His blessings of life. It could be a valley situation. Remember, the Lily of the valley-Jesus Christ can lift you from the valley situation. Can you say confidently, “What things soever...”
“YE DESIRE”
You must desire to have. Thirstiness brings the desire which is the heart expectation and serious longings. It shall be granted if sincere. Say it now, “What things soever ye desire...”
“WHEN YE”
You have a role to play. Make a move for your success and breakthrough. It can be a personal or congregational approach. Because there is power in your tongue,He desires that you be a partaker for your miracle and abundance. When you desire to have your blessings, you should not isolate yourself and think the unseen manna may fall from heaven. There is no rose without a thorn. When you know yourself, speak forth your deliverance,healing and victory to your situation. Some people depend on others for a little thing. When alone, you need to rise and claim your ground victoriously by resolving to meet Him. You should not rely on other people and think that your prayers are ineffective and cannot reach anywhere. Go to Him and plead for His grace and strenght in time of need. Be a partaker to the re-creation of your world. It’s time to receive your breakthrough and destroy stumbling blocks. Remember it is “...What things soever ye desire, when ye...”
“PRAY”
This is what you should do always. When you are in trouble, poor, wretched, afflicted, sick and oppressed. This key will help you to open the door of success. I mean prayer. It is like a proved hypothesis. It’s true. It is an essential and important privilege given to a man created out of dust by His creator. This is a creature talking to His maker. It is unbelievable in the world of knowledge. The clay cannot converse with the potter but for us mankind, God wills it. This is one of the master keys that can unlock every door of impossibilities. It is the panacea for the survival of our world, families and businesses. Jesus wants you to call upon Him for anything good and according to His will. He has all in His domain and is always interested to hear you. Do you know what He said? “...What things soever ye desire, when ye pray...” Not when you kill, destroy, cheat, complain or lust to get but “pray to receive”. So the greatest mistake you will make is to stop or abandon prayer. A song writer explained it better;
“What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and grief to bear
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer”
“BELIEVE THAT YOU RECEIVE THEM”
This is positive faith that brings an assurance of victory and miracle.This creates the awareness that you pray-to receive. Believing God shows the level of your christian maturity and patience in allowing Him do what He wishes. If you eventually succeed in praying and believe not in what you did,the enemy of human soul will rob you of your desired blessing and testimony. Can you say it again; “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that you receive them...”
“AND”
The three letter words that are too important to the statement above, showing the certainty of the whole issue. It is a point between doubt and faith,shadow and reality,excessive abundance or defeat,believing and receiving. God is hidden therein. This is the arrival point. God is about to reveal the real package and to show you His thought towards you. This is the point before the final blessing. It’s time to open your hands now in faith and expectation. Heaven is about to release His blessings to you. He will grant your heart desire. Mark it, “...What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that you receive them and...”
“YE SHALL HAVE THEM”
This is a promise come true. He has a good thought for your life. He wishes for your best. It is the final outcome and reward of a successful prayer. What things you cherish, pray and believe in your heart; Definitely, the answer must surely come. Say it now, pray for those things and believe them coming on your way. Remember, it is “...What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that you receive them and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:24)
Prayer is not only asking but asking for something. When Gideon asked for definite signs from the Lord, he received exactly what he wanted. God showed him the evidence for the victory against the Midianites. Hezekiah prayed for his healing and he got it. Elijah prayed for rain and it showered upon the land of Israel after the drought. He prayed for fire at Mount Carmel and not sunlight, smoke, lightning, snow, earthquake or any other thing fell and consumed the sacrifice. Joshua commanded the sun to stand still at Gibeon and moon at the valley of Ajalon and it was so (Joshua 10:12).
When you have the fulfillment of your desire because of your definite praying, it brings joy, peace and healing to your soul. So learn to pray specifically. One of the reasons why many prayers are unanswered is because they were all unspecified and indefinite. But he that prays definitely moves God into action and God will answer him. The answer or result should also be definite.
At the beautiful gate in Acts chapter 3, after the encounter at the day of Pentecost, at the hour of prayer, the two men of God met the lame man. Peter told him what he should do. He said; “...Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk” (Vs 6)
Because there is power in the name of Jesus Christ. Peter spoke challengingly to the Spirit incharge of the sickness and remained definite concerning the result he expected. The Word of God tells us that immediately, strenght came to the feet and the ankle of the man. He leaped up, stood and walked.(Acts 3:8).
A definite command begets definite action!.
The Word of God in different places reveal to us some of the holy men of God who walked in agreement with God and received what they need from Him. Some of them were definite in their approach to God. I believe God cherishes definite praying.
Let us consider some of our behaviours when we approach the presence of the Lord. Someone may be in need of a Mercedes car for his business trips but in the presence of God,may tell Him “Please, Lord, I need a car that will help me as I move around for my business transactions”. Within, he needs a Mercedes car but when praying, he go for any car. He is unspecified, indefinite and afraid to call his desire by name in the presence of He whom he calls “My father”. This is an act of confusion and foolishness. It is hypocrisy. He desires to tell his friends what he need, not God.
Child of God, this may be one of the reasons why your expectation is always cut short, because you don’t know what you need actually. Why can’t you call a spade by its name? This will help you in the sense that when your desire comes, you will not doubt the miracle. The Lord promised to do all that you asked of Him, so that the inhabitants of the earth shall praise Him for your sake. He does it alone and nothing shall be added or remove from it. It shall be real and permanent. Remember how the wisest man, Solomon put it;
“I know that whatsoever God doeth,it shall be for ever,nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it and God doeth it, that men should fear before Him” (Ecclesiastes 3:14)
“I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him”. (ESV)
“ And I know this, that whatever God does is final-nothing can be added or taken from it; God's purpose in this is that man should fear the all-powerful God”. (TLB)
What do you need? What is that vehicle you need? How much money do you need? Who is that man or woman you want to marry? Which of the country do you desire to travel ? Do you need a promotion in the place of your work? Call these expectations by names to the Lord; for with Him, all things are possible. Nothing is too difficult for Him. You should not bear other things in mind and say differently. An indefinite prayer may not attract any meaningful result or blessing. God answers definite prayer. But, vain repetition and indefinite praying displeases the Lord. We do not pray to cheat.
An anonymous writer said; “The prayer that is not sincere, the mere formal sayings of prayers, surely is an abomination to God. And indefinite prayer is often just that, an sincere formality”
Beloved, I want you to understand that you can succeed in praying indefinitely in a hasty manner without burden and substance. This is the reason why some people pray a particular prayer point over and over again without an answer. You should understand that some of the spiritual things are received when certain spiritual conditions, laws and principles are met.
Do you know that a victim may be in a hospital waiting for freedom out of his condition and when a person comes in to pray for him, He may pray like this “Lord, I thank you because my brother will recover someday”. This is not a proper prayer because someday never comes. Is this the way to save one from the terrors of darkness and oppression of the evil one? Pharaoh asked Moses to let the frogs leave the land on the morrow. Remember, tomorrow never comes. Why can’t you be specific in your requests? You should tell the Lord what you desire from Him. He is merciful and compassionate. He understands your heart as you ask. When you decree anything, the scripture assures that it shall come to pass. There is power in your mouth. Speak forth and it shall be made manifest in the name of Jesus!
As I conclude this point, it is expedient for you to know that indefinite prayer are mainly the ones offered outside the will of God and may not attract His favor and blessing. But, when you pray definitely like Jabez and blind Bartimaeus, the Lord will show you His mightiness,abounding power, miracle and love.He will deliver you from your worsened condition. For Jabez, though born out of sorrow; his four prayer points were powerful and meaningful for the fulfillment of his destiny.
Take some time and study them. They are;
“Oh, that you would bless me indeed”
“And enlarge my territory”
“That your hand would be with me”
“That you would keep me from evil” (1 Chronicle 4:10)
