MAKING INQUIRIES IN PRAYER!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY OCTOBER 13, 2022.

SUBJECT : MAKING INQUIRIES IN PRAYER!

Memory verse: "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3.)

READ: Second Samuel 5 vs 17 - 20:

5:17: Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David King over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went down to the stronghold.

5:18: The Philistines also went and deployed themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

5:19: So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

5:20: So David went to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there, and he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.

INTIMATION:

To inquire is to ask, but it is more formal than asking. It entails showing an eagerness to find out or learn. It is to earnestly ask or investigate and receive information. Ordinarily, we are full of prayers of petition, calling on God to intervene and do something about our situation. But we have, more often than not, ignored the place of enquiry in our prayers, and that actually gives us access to God's ways.

God is “All-Knowing,” the end of any matters are known to Him from the beginning (Isaiah 46 vs 10). You must make enquiries from Him, if you really desire the way out of your predicament, for all about you is known to Him from the beginning. Prayer of inquiry gives us access to the secret and hidden things of life. The Bible in Jeremiah 6 vs 16 says, "Thus says the Lord: "Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls...." 

The Bible, in Matthew 7 vs 7 - 8, says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds  and to him who knocks it will be opened." Jesus said "everyone," that includes you, and I, nobody is excluded. These are the assurances of Jesus on our inquiries in prayer.

God has instructed us to inquire from Him. Prayers like, "Oh God, come and do it for me" is the prayer of babies; but, "Lord, what must I do?" Is the prayer of sons. As long as you remain a child in the kingdom, always asking for things to be done for you, and crying in the face of every situation, the glory never comes near you. It is sonship that attracts the glory, and responsibility is what makes a son.

There are times you are faced with a dilemma of not knowing what next to do in life or which way to turn. These are the cross-roads of life. In prayer of inquiry, God shows you what to do in order to get what you are looking for. It then becomes your responsibility to put to work what has been revealed to you.

King David won all his battles because he was a man of inquiries. The passage we read today demonstrates David’s lifestyle of inquiring from God in his moments of great decision-making concerning his life. Before David went to battle, he inquired of God first, asking for His presence and guidance. And in almost every new situation, David prayed for guidance from God. 

David, as a man of inquiries, never suffered any defeat or injuries as a warrior. He had access to divine instructions by prayer of inquiry, and it made a world of difference in his life. One instruction from heaven can deliver you from a lifetime of struggle that you will no longer suffer injuries in your life.

Responsibility is the price you pay for greatness. There is what you must do to commit God to listen to you. You have your part to play and God has His; He will never play yours for you. He said, "Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you" (James 4 vs 8). It is your drawing near to Him and making inquiries that provokes His drawing near to you with answers and instructions. 

Don't watch your life drag on endlessly. Determine to see the end of that problem. Make inquiries by getting into God's presence and with your entire spirit, approach Him for an answer. Do not be in a hurry, be set to get an answer and take delivery of His higher ways, which will put you above whatever situation you are in. Whatever way you are missing it, He will reveal it to you when you go before Him to inquire. You worship before Him, speak to Him and wait for His response, celebrating in tongues until the answer comes.

Too often we wait until we are in trouble before turning to God. By then the consequences of our actions are already unfolding. Do you ask for God’s help only as a desperate last resort? Instead of going to Him first! Like David, you may receive incredible help and avoid serious trouble if you inquire patiently from Him first. 

New developments offer us new challenges as well as new risks. We should seek guidance in each new situation because this will help us avoid unseen dangers. Don’t assume that God’s way of working in your life will always be the same. If you seek God’s leading in new circumstances, change won’t appear as a threat but as an opportunity to let God work in new ways.

Prayer: Abba Father, Your ways, and taught are higher than ours. Before You all things lay bare, as nothing is hidden from You.  Show me the path of life, and lead me in all things, thereby making me a victor in all situations, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!