2010-09-15 - Be Careful What You Ask For

Announcement: After fourteen years, and many hundreds of devotionals which have blessed thousands, we at CFdevotionals / Webservants Ministries bid farewell to one of our original writers, a "founding father" of the current ministry. Tim, who is now pastoring a church, has felt a calling of God in other directions. We thank him for sharing God's gifts to him, and we wish him Godspeed

Originally Published 2007-04-30

How many times has it been said: "Be careful what you ask God for, because you just might get it?"

Let me encourage you to do just the exact opposite. Why should any Spirit-filled saint of God not want to ask for all of the blessings He has in store for us? None of us should ever be afraid or hesitant to ask God for anything,; even if it may mean trials and tribulations. For it is here that we indeed receive our gifts of patience, longsuffering, gentleness, self-control and more. It is in having a true desire for the things of Christ - and in asking Him to teach us patience, forgiveness, and an understanding heart, that we begin to allow our Father to lovingly shed away our human desires - in order to give way to our spiritual desires. This is the place where our weak flesh, which struggles constantly with our spiritual desires, is won and lost.

Saints of God, let me encourage you. Throw away any discouragements. Allow no one to speak them into your heart and convince your mind of the devil's lies. For it is indeed the devil who wants you to be careful of what you ask God for. God wants you to ask for it all! Shove aside timidity, uncertainty, fearfulness. Yes, God will bring trials into our lives, in order to teach us. But regardless of whether you truly ask for and desire the things of the Spirit, if you are a saint of God, you will feel pain. It is a part of growing up in the Lord. It is a part of learning and becoming as the nature of God Himself. Ask for patience, brokenness, longsuffering, gentleness - all of God's most blessed characteristics.

Ask for them, then trust and believe. Allow your Heavenly Father to raise you up to become more than you could ever be on your own.

Father God, there is none on earth who does not need a greater outpouring of Your very nature into their lives. I ask that You begin to give your children the courage to climb the mountains and build up their hind's feet, the wisdom to understand and trust in your grace and mercy, and the knowledge that Satan will do anything to prevent them from moving closer to You. Let us begin now, as royal children of the Most High King, to begin to take up our place and trudge forward - if we have to, through the muck and the mire - in order to shed our human skin for a life filled with spiritual rewards.

It is in your name, Father God, that we pray. AMEN!

Cheryl

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