PATHWAY TO TEH HEART OF THE FATHER (4 OF 9)

Continued thoughts on Prayer from a teaching of mine. Our asking, believing, and receiving in prayer must be according to God's plan for our lives and according to His divine spiritual principles. Even in the face of the supernatural God's divine principles must operate according to what God has established. In Matthew Jesus answered the disciples, "Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done." (Matthew 21:21) Here Jesus teaches us in Matthew the Father knows and will supply all of our need (Matthew 6:32). You know if we really believed Matthew 6:32 our life on earth would be much easier. If we really believed Matthew 6:32, we then could turn lose and be doing what the Father wants us to be doing. If we really believed Matthew 6:32 we would not be so confused and dismayed when things do not go our way. And we would not worry our centerness would be in Him and everything we do is unto God. But our asking, believing, and receiving is usually done in selfishness and self-centeredness because God is not the center of our attention. If our focus and attention is on God then we generate a heart of gratefulness to God for all of the things He provides, God caring for us. He becomes our center of attention, so the asking, believing, receiving will turn from us (our desires) to God (and His desires) and what He wants. This is what Jesus meant when He said about prayer and fasting, this communion with God that moves us into the heart of God so there is no problem in believing when it comes to doing what God wants done. If you know what God wants done there is no problem you will have, no trouble doing what God said to do. You can just do it and it is done. That all comes out of praying. (communion, moving into the heart of God) Then His desires comes out of His heart and we then can function as Jesus did. Doing only those things we see the Father doing. In all of this He becomes the center, and we must die. We must die to our selfish life and desires to take on God's will, ways, intentions, and desires. We must be stripped of our will, ways, intentions, and desires and take on the purity of God to function in this way that God wants. I really believe God's power is not manifested in the earth as He desires because His children are not willing to die to their flesh. We should not worry about believing as we move into the heart of God and make our approach to Him, we will pick up faith as God speaks to us. His words contains faith and anything else we need to receive. You know most Christians get frustrated about how much faith they do not have. They try all of the religious gymnastics, read all of the books on faith and work themselves almost to death at church thinking God will increase their faith, well this is wrong thinking out from wrong teaching. Faith will come to us when we are able to hear from God. In Romans Paul tells us, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) I remember in the 80s and 90s Christians would get their cars and drive around town with the Bible playing on tape or put a recording of the Bible on playing it all night expecting to increase their faith, but that is not how God works. Many people (Christians included) go to church religiously every Sunday and hear the Word of God preached yet they leave as they came without faith because that is not the way our faith is increased. Our faith is increased when we hear a word from God. I like Romans 10:17 in the Greek, it is more what really happens in the spiritual realm. In the Greek, "Faith cometh by hearing a word of God." (Romans 10:17 Greek) When we hear God speak to us His word itself contain all of the faith we will need to accomplish all that God wants us to do in His speaking. This divine spiritual principle is so evident when we pray for healing. Now we must remember there is a healing, God restoring our bodies through earthly means: doctors, medicine, surgery, etc. and then there is a miracle. Most time we ask for a healing, but are expecting God to do a miracle because that is what we need. We need to pray, believe, and receive for what we need. If not then do not get mad with God if we ask amiss. Also often times when we pray for the sick we do not have (THE word) what it takes to believe for a miracle. Jesus told the disciples to heal the sick (they did not have the technology we have today so they always needed a miracle), not to pray for them. Nowhere is it recorded in the KJV that Jesus prayer for the sick, He healed them. Again in Matthew, "And Jesus went forth, . . . and was moved with compassion and he healed their sick." (Matthew 14:14) We all believe He can, but will He do it, and now! When we are sick we do not need prayer we need healing. In James, "And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." (James 5:15) The word "prayer" is translated "vowel," or strong confession or statement. In James 5:14, " . . . let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him (praying in His presences) , anointing him with oil . . . " This is not, "Oh Lord I believe," but getting into His presence, close to His heart so you will know what He wants in this situation. When Peter healed the lame man, "Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." (Acts 3:6) What did he have then he did not have the day before? Peter passed by him every day. Jesus probably passed by him every day, they both probably gave him money. What did Peter have? Peter had the "word." He had the mind of the LORD to heal him, notice no prayer, "And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength." (Act 3:7) Healing is the simplest thing to move in, when it is God's will. It is really easy doing anything in God when we know what He wants. Well this is God's idea to be able to tell us His mind and this happens when we "truly" (take something from the natural into the spiritual realm) get into prayer where we touch God's heart. For this all to happen He needs a total surrender, a commitment so He can take us and do with us what He wants to do. We often do not move in God as He desires because we are so plugged in to the world and our self. Our commitment and surrender to God will only carry us so far. The greater our commitment and surrender to God the greater our ability to function in God. I have never cursed nor have I ever met someone who could speak to (curse) a fig tree and it wither, but Jesus said we have the ability and power. I wonder why the disconnect? Funny how mountains (obstacles and problems) have ears. Jesus said we can speak to them and they would be removed. You know Jesus said to speak to the mountains, not to speak to God about the mountains. Seems like we are speaking amiss. We seem to do a lot of speaking, but not much is being removed. If we desire to have this ability and power in God it will cost us things far greater than what we are now giving. Written by David Stahl