2005-11-05 - Answered Prayer: After a Delay

How God Answers Prayer - Part 5

Previously, in this series, we learned thata four ways that God answers prayer are:

1. Literally and immediately
2. He refuses to honor the petition. He says no.
3. By sending something other than requested.
4. He answers our prayer gradually.

Today we will learn that another way that God answers our prayers is:

5. God answers our prayers after a delay.

According to Genesis 22:1-19, God tested Abraham by telling him to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering on Mt Moriah.

What is interesting is in verse 5. Abraham tells his servants "We will worship, and then we will come back to you." Abraham is saying that he and Isaac will go and worship, and he and Isaac will return to them. Abraham believed by faith that God would provide the sacrifice and spare Isaac. In verse 6, Isaac asks his father an important question, "where is the lamb for the sacrifice?" To which Abraham says that God will provide the sacrifice. When they reached the location to worship, Abraham was obedient, and he bound Isaac and prepared to sacrifice him. However, Abraham's faith in God was true, and God stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac - and provided the sacrifice of a ram, which was caught in a thicket.

According to Luke 8:40-56, Jesus delayed in going to see Jarius' daughter, who was dying. Word came to Jarius that his daughter died, and when Jesus heard this, he told Jarius to believe and she will be healed. When Jesus arrived at Jarius' house, there were people wailing and mourning for the daughter. Jesus told them to stop wailing. He said that Jarius' daughter was dead, but the people laughed at him, because they knew that she was dead. Jesus went in to the room where the girl lay. He only allowed Peter, James and John and the girls' parents to enter with Him. He took the girl by the hand and told her to get up. Her spirit returned to her, and she arose. This astonished the parents.

According to John 11:1-4, Jesus hears that his friend Lazarus is sick. However, Jesus stays where He is for two more days. Then when He found that Lazarus was already dead and in the tomb for four days, Jesus went to the tomb and said to take away the stone. Then he called Lazarus to come out. Lazarus came out, and Jesus told them to unbind him.

So we find that God answers prayers after a delay

This is to glorify God, so that you know that you are incapable of doing anything on your own apart from God, and that with faith in Him, all things are possible.

Series to be continued.

God Bless You, My Friends!
Rob

rob@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org

I want my life to be for the glory of God