[While you are learning to hear the Creator’s still, small voice, the next step is to learn to trust and obey Him. It sounds scary listening to a voice in your head and obeying it, and, for most people who are caught up in worldly thoughts, it is not wise at all. The key is that you are really trusting and obeying the Word of your Creator as recorded in the Bible. This section contains four sample prayers to pray on your new journey of trust and obedience: 1) Pray for His Best for Your Life; 2) Pray and Ask God How to Learn and Ask Questions; 3) Pray and Ask God How to Surround Yourself with People Who Want What God Wants; and 4) Pray to Think Big.]
[Deu 9:23 NIV] 23 And when the LORD sent you [“you” being the children of Israel wandering in the wilderness,] out from Kadesh Barnea, he said, "Go up and take possession of the land I have given you." But you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. You did not trust him or obey him.[Zep 3:1-2 HNV] 1 Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing city! [Jerusalem] 2 She didn't obey the voice. She didn't receive correction. She didn't trust in the LORD. She didn't draw near to her God.
[As you gain experience acting on His still, small voice, as verified by His Word, it becomes easier. Often your Creator will ask you to do things that are beyond your abilities. This is where trust comes in.]
[Mat 6:25-26, 31, 33 NKJV] 25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ... 31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ... 33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
[You can trust Him. He wants to take care of you like He does the birds of the air. The more you trust Him, the more your trust in Him grows. You can get to the point where God asks you to do something that is beyond you, and instead of fear, excitement comes over you because of the great things He is going to do through you. You start looking forward to the next great plan He has for you that is beyond your ability!]
[Jer 29:11-13 NKJV] 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find [Me], when you search for Me with all your heart.
[Mat 7:9-11 NKJV] 9 "Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 "Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
[1Co 12:31 NKJV] 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
[Prayer 1) Pray for His best in your life. To find out His best, exciting plan for you, pray a prayer something like this out loud: “Father in Heaven, show me Your best and most excellent way for my life! Thank you for showing me Your best You have for me.” His plan for you is not evil, He will give us a hope and a future, that will be full of good things to those who ask.]
[Jhn 14:26 NKJV] 26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
[1Co 2:9-10 NKJV] 9 But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." 10 But God has revealed [them] to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
[I want to know the more excellent, deep things about God. To know them, first you need to pray a prayer like the one in tip 2) The Best Prayer You Can Ever Pray. Our minds are like a faucet that turn on and off the flow of the Holy Spirit in us. Reading and renewing our mind with the Word turns on that faucet and allows the Holy Spirit to flow through us. Opening that flow reprograms your mind to be more in tune with the Holy Spirit than the spirit of this world. It is helpful to pray a prayer to ask God through the power of the Holy Spirit to bring to remembrance these deep, more excellent things to us through His still, small voice, and when we are reading His Word.
Prayer 2) Pray and Ask God How to Learn and Ask Questions; Pray a prayer something like this out loud each time you start reading the Word: “Father in Heaven, teach me how to learn and to ask You questions. Soften my heart so that I have ears to hear what You want me to learn and remember. Thank you for teaching me.” God likes you. He enjoys you. He is kind, and patient and He loves you more than you love yourself or family. Why wouldn’t God want to answer your questions. This is a prayer that is easy to believe God will answer!]
[Jas 1:5 NKJV] 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
[Col 1:9 NKJV] 9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
[When we ask God for wisdom, knowledge and spiritual understanding, it will be given to us.]
Prayer 3) Pray to surround yourselves with people who want what God wants; Pray a prayer something like this out loud: Father in Heaven, please surround me with people who are passionate about You. People who want what You want for their lives, whether at church, or through strong Bible teaching on the radio, TV or Internet. Thank you for providing them.]
[Pro 27:17 ESV] 17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
[Heb 10:25 NKJV] 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as [is] the manner of some, but exhorting [one another], and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
[2Ti 2:4 NKJV] 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of [this] life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
[It’s easy to get caught up in the things of this world. Ask yourself, do these friends and activities help me move toward God’s best?” We need clear priorities. This doesn’t mean we completely disassociate with our old friends. We simply try to spend more time with those who are on the path we want to travel on, and who we want to learn from.
Prayer 4) Pray to Think Big. Pray a prayer something like this out loud: “Father in Heaven, help me to think and dream big when it comes to what You want me to do with my life. Thank you for the more excellent, best plan You have for my life.” You may ask what does thinking big have to do with our relationship with God? The issue is that often we aren’t thinking big enough, limiting what God can do in and through us.]
[Mat 14:15-18 NKJV] 15 When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food." 16 But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." 17 And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." 18 He said, "Bring them here to Me."
[It appears Jesus wanted the disciples to perform a miracle and feed the multitude in that deserted place, just like God did with the children of Israel in the wilderness. The disciples couldn’t imagine what they could do through Jesus so they proceeded to point out to Jesus how hopeless the situation was.
God may say I want you to change the world; I want to give you a new heart; or, I want you to show God’s kind of love to that person. These things may seem impossible and even hopeless to us, but God takes what little we have and performs things that seem impossible to us at the time.
When I was in high school, I took an aptitude test to tell me what career I should study for. The result said I should be a city or transportation planner. At the time I didn’t know of anyone who was a planner and barely understood what it was. My grades were mediocre and it seemed impossible to me at the time. After seven years of working my way through college part-time followed by two internships, all while working at the grocery store, I landed my first career-related job as a land use planner for the county. Two years after that I was hired on as a transportation planner, helping the same county and cities decide what road to build next. What seemed impossible for a mediocre high school student, became reality and has been my gainful, fulfilling career for the past 30 years, of which the last 10 years I have served as Planning Director. Thanks be to my Creator and numerous answered prayers during that time and the perfect plan He had for me. The best things God has for us, often appear impossible for us to do in our own strength. If it seems impossible, pray and begin moving that direction. It wasn’t till my 5th year of college that I changed to a planning related major. Once I started in that direction, I found most the courses were enjoyable and easy for me. It was my promised land but I had to wander for a good five years before I started even trying for it.
Don’t let low expectations filter what God has for you. Practice day dreaming big. Say things like “wouldn’t it be crazy if…” Oh, how God could use us if we would learn to dream big. If it is impossible, aligns with His Word, and we have to totally rely on God for it to happen, there is a good chance the thought you are having is from God.]
[2Co 1:20 NKJV] 20 For all the promises of God in Him [are] Yes, and in Him Amen [so be it!], to the glory of God through us.
[My God is so big He can lead me in powerful ways. One way is to let the peace of God rule in our hearts.]
[Col 3:15 NKJV] 15 And let the peace of God rule[from Greek (Gr.) for umpire] in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
[Ask God what He wants you to focus on. Ask Him to show you what He wants to show you. When you have a peace about it, act on it. Start moving in that direction. Day dream and meditate on what seems impossible. Have fun with God. This is the kind of prayerful 2-way relationship He wants to have with you. For more on letting the peace of God rule in your heart, see tip 17) Praying God’s Word is the Best Way to Pray God’s Will.]
Trust and Obey for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to Trust and Obey! I'm enjoying your writings brother! Keep them coming!