2005-11-12 - Natural Laws and Processes

How God Answers Prayer - Part 6

Previously, in this series, we learned that there are five ways that God answers our prayers:

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.
5. God answers our prayers after a delay.

Finally, today we will learn that another way that God answers our prayers is:

6. God answers our prayers through natural laws and processes.

In many parts of the Bible, we see that God caused rain to stop for days or even years, He made it rain and flood the earth.

In Exodus, God used different plagues on Egypt to show Pharaoh that He was God and that Pharaoh was to let God's people go. These plagues consisted of vast numbers of frogs, so many that they would be on the Egyptians and their leaders, and even in their beds. I figure it was hard to walk without having something gush under your feet. I laugh as I think about that, because it is really funny now. God really had a sense of humor there. Further, God sent gnats and flies, a hail storm, locust, and darkness. Water was even turned to blood.

According to 1 Samuel 12:16-18

1 Samuel 12:16 Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes! ¹⁷ Is it not wheat harvest now? I will call upon the LORD to send thunder and rain. And you will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the LORD when you asked for a king. ¹⁸ Then Samuel called upon the LORD, and that same day, the LORD sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe of the LORD and of Samuel.

Samuel prayed and asked God to send thunder and rain, and the same day (literally and immediately), God sent thunder and rain.

According to 1 Kings 18:37-39

1 Kings 18:37 "Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again. ³⁸ Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. ³⁹ When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD he is God! The LORD he is God!"

Elijah challenged the people to believe that the Lord is God, and to turn away from worshipping Baal. He did this by calling upon God to consume the offering by fire from Heaven. Elijah even had those who worshipped Baal to dig a trench around his altar, and drench his sacrifice with water till the trench was filled. Then he prayed, and God sent down fire and consumed the offering and the water in the trench.

So we see that God uses natural laws and processes to answer our prayers.

God Bless You, My Friends!
Rob

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

I want my life to be for the glory of God