PRINCIPLES OF RECEIVING FROM GOD
by Adedotun Ojelabi
Communication with the Almighty God is a common denominator to all children of God worldwide. Most believers at one point or the other have been faced with questions like “what is the Lord saying concerning this situation? Why is my prayers not answered now? Or what can I do to get results when I pray?
It is my believe that through this peculiar message, believers will understand the principles of receiving from God, put into use and get outstanding results in Jesus Name.
Main Text: Matthew 7:7 Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened. Vs 8 Everyone that asketh, receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (KJV)
We are considering these principles from Seven major perspectives:
7 LEVELS OF INTENSITY IN PRAYER
1. ASKING: Asking is to desire, to want or to require. You are not likely to have your requests granted without a desire. That is why the scripture above put "asking" as a priority. It presupposes that asking is a prerequisite for receiving. 1 Cor 14:1 Follow after charity and desire spiritual gift but rather that ye may prophesy. (KJV).
2. SEEKING: According to the main text anybody that seek the Lord will always find him. Then we may ask what is the difference between asking and seeking? I will say seeking is of higher intensity that asking. Seeking is exploratory in nature. It is like digging deep with a purpose of recovery. It is like asking that has a multiplier effect. Seeking is when you add diligence and determination to asking.
3. KNOCKING: Intensity increases out of a need. For example, someone who travels ten hours to attend a crusade. He has left the realm of the ordinary to the realm of desperate. The syrophenician woman in Mark 7:25-30 falls in this category. Knocking experience is when a believer combines more determination; perseverance, ruggedness or what is called radical faith to asking or seeking.
4. FASTING. Matthew 17:21 Howbeit, this kind goeth not but by prayer and fasting (KJV). The Disciples of Christ were unable to cast out a demon, so Jesus gave the recipe for supernatural manifestation in that kind of situation. There are stubborn or difficult situations that will never give way in the life of a man until you take this dimension. I know of a University Graduate that was unemployed for seven years.
She wrote series applications and attended several job interviews to no avail. But when she applied this principle of fasting and praying, an excellent job came up within three days to the glory of God. Fasting is the most powerful spiritual discipline of all Christian disciplines. When God’s people fast with proper biblical motive-seeking God’s face not his hand with a broken spirit, God will hear and heal their lives, churches, communities, nations and worlds.
5. PETITION COMBINED WITH WEEPING: 1 Samuel 1:15 And She was in bitterness of soul and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore (KJV). Hezekiah also applied this method in 2 Kings 20:3. This level of praying through the ages has produced outstanding results, for example Samuel is the product of Hannah’s prayer while, extension of life by 15 years was the product of Hezekiah’s prayer.
It is my prayer that when you pray to God in the name of Jesus using these principles, you will get outstanding testimonies in Jesus Name.
6. VOW: Vow is like a contract that brings down the hand of God into situations.
1 sam 1: 11 And she vowed a vow. Another secret of Hannah in receiving her heart desire from God.
7.WRESTLING: Jacob wrestled with God. Gen 32:25-26 ….as he wrestled with him. Vs 26 And he said let me go for the day breaketh. And he said I would not let thee go expect ye bless me (KJV). Wrestling is introduction of violence or force into the prayers as in Matthew 11:12. In this text, it is the only the violent that shall take the Kingdom by force.
When the bible talked about effectual and fervent prayers in James 5:1, it was in the light of intensity. Intensity in prayers will produce extraordinary answers.
We will now examine these principles in the light of things that can hinder us from receiving from God. Job 16:17 Not for any injustice in my hands also my prayer is pure (KJV). The Key word here is pure and I will briefly talk about various kinds of impurities that can hinder receiving from God:
TEN THINGS THAT CAN HINDER PRAYERS
1. Unforgiveness: Mark 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive (KJV).
2. Pride: God resists the and gives grace to the humble James 4:6 (KJV).
3. Unbelief: Heb 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to please him (KJV) If you can’t believe the giver then how can you receive anything from him.
Illustration: A boy asked his father, “ daddy will you buy a pair of shoes for me”? The father answered yes I will at this particular time. The boy went to his father again about few hours to ask him “ Are you really sure you will by it for me? Yes I will. But, when the boy came back two hours after to ask the father for the third time with a day “ Are you double sure you’ll buy the shoes? Then the father yelled and said “Son if you don’t’ believe me you cannot get any thing from me”.
Lessons:
a) Unbelief is always saying I do not belief you can do it, even to God.
b) Unbelief is the language of the flesh, which will never glorify God.
4. Doubt: It is wavering faith. James 1:6-8 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. Anything asked outside of faith is doubt.
5. Wrong Motive: James 4:3 Ye ask and receive not because you ask amiss. What is the motive of your desires from God? Sometimes when God sees you’ll oppress or abuse with gifts he can withhold.
6. Procrastination: James 2: 20. Faith without works is dead. What you can do today, don’t delay till tomorrow. God can only rely on you when he gives instructions and you obey. If the disciples had delayed instructions at Cana of Galilee the miracle may have been delayed.
7. Refusing the Word: Proverbs 28:9 he that turneth away his ear from hearing the law even his prayer shall be abomination.
8. Neglect: 2 Chronicles 15:2B But if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
9. Negligence 1 Peter 3:7 husbands, dwell with them with knowledge, giving honor to your wife as unto a weaker vessel and being heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers be not hindered.
10. Unconfessed Sin: Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me.
Prayers throughout the age have been and will continue to be an efficient way of receiving from God. Prayers can change destinies like that of Jabez, turn around captivities and amongst many other things bring about miracles in all aspects of the life of children of God. The purpose of this message is to illuminate and energize our prayer life’s.
