What To Do After Prayers
Henry Omotayo
What To Do After Prayers (1 Samuel 1:12-18)
Message No. 0508 | Twitter @GodandUs |
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In densely populated cities, I have seen trains, commuter buses and other means of passenger transportation become so full that passengers’ cheeks are pressed to the window and commuters could hardly breathe. Under this condition, people bringing bags and other personal items with them are sometimes seen holding to those items because there is no space on the floor to drop them into. Though this happens often, it is, kind of, weird to see people carrying their loads even after entering a vehicle, isn’t it? Nevertheless, don’t we, sometimes, do this?
I have visited some people before and just before leaving their places, I say things like, ‘God bless you,’ ‘God will grand your desires in Jesus’ name,’ ‘He will promote you above your equals,’ and so on, and people responded by saying ‘Amen,’ to all the pronouncements, only to have someone tap me thereafter, to say ‘Let us pray.’ I usually wondered, ‘What did we just do?’ The problem is, to some people, we have not prayed until we say ‘Let us pray’ and people close their eyes. Similarly, some men of God have given their own experiences with people who come for counseling. When the pastor finishes counseling and makes pronouncements similar to mine above and tries to dismiss the counselee, he or she suddenly says ‘Pastor, please pray for me before I go.’ Or, when the pastor is preaching and before closing, he or she pronounces blessings and asks God to destroy the weapon of the devil and to heal and to deliver, etcetera, and people say ‘Amen,’ some people go quickly to line up at the pastor’s office and to ask the pastor to pray for them again.
Now, what can we notice from people’s actions in the above paragraph? A lack of understanding, lack of faith or simply playing religion? Sometimes I ask myself, and, in all sincerity, I encourage us to ask ourselves also, ‘Do we still believe in the prayers that we pray?’ Do we still believe that we have an all-powerful God, with unlimited abilities and resources, who loves and cares for us and who is able to do what He says He will do? Do we still believe that God is interested in answering our prayers? Because, if we no longer believe all of these, then all we are doing is actually playing religion, going to church because that is what we have always done and if we do not do it then people will ask us why.
In 1 Samuel chapter 1, the Bible says that Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. While Peninnah had children, Hannah did not. As expected, this was a pain to Hannah and to worsen her pain, Peninnah provoked her severely, ridiculing her for barrenness. The entire family goes to Shiloh yearly to make sacrifices and on one particular occasion, Hannah prayed with bitterness of heart and Eli took notice of her. After convincing the priest that she was not drunk (as he initially thought), Eli made a pronouncement to her. In verses 17 and 18, the Bible says:
Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.” And she said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
After receiving a pronouncement from Eli, Hannah did what we rarely do today: she went her way and, though she hadn’t been eating before because of her sadness, she ate, and her face was no longer sad. It is little wonder then that, in verses 19 and 20, God remembered Hannah and she conceived and gave birth to a son and called his name ‘Samuel.’ Thereafter, there was no stopping Hannah from giving birth to as many children as she wanted.
Hannah believed God instantly. As soon as she received Eli’s pronouncements and stood up from prayers, her sadness of many years vanished, her heart was joyful and she was ready to put all of the burden away and eat and be merry. If we continue to pray when there’s evidence that we have stopped believing God, we may need to pause and ask ourselves, ‘What are we doing?’ God’s Words contain rules for receiving answers to our prayers and, principal among them is faith. In Mark 11:22-24, Jesus told His disciples:
“…Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them
And, in Hebrews 11:6, the Bible says:
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him
If we have gotten to a situation where we doubt God after praying, then it is time to sit down and renew our commitments to Him. It is time to study God’s Words relating to faith, prayers and answers to prayers. It is time to check whether we are still in the Faith or if we are playing religion. What do you do after praying? Do you trust that God will answer your prayers? Do you believe that, though the answer does not come immediately, yet, the answer is on its way? Please read Daniel 10:12-14. Or, do you go about carrying the burden of your prayers like the passenger who enters a train or a bus and is still carrying his or her load instead of dropping it on the floor? In Habakkuk 2:2-3, the prophet wrote:
Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.
It might seem that answers to your prayers are delayed and because of this you tend to lose your faith in God’s ability or willingness to answer your prayers. Please read the above passages and never doubt that God knows your name and your address. Your answers will come soon, in Jesus’ name. Amen. Have a blessed week and please stay safe!
PLEASE ACT NOW:
If you are yet to give your life to Christ, you do not have a covenant with God and His promises do not apply to you. To come under these promises, please surrender your life to Christ today, by praying this prayer:
Lord I know that I am a sinner and I am unable to save myself. I am sorry for my sins and I pray that you please forgive me. I am aware that Your Son Jesus died for my sins and I accept Him as my Lord and savior. I surrender my life unto you from this moment. Please take control of my entire being and help me to be obedient to your Word, going forward. Thank you, Lord, for hearing me. I have prayed in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you prayed the foregoing prayer, you have just been born again. Please find a Bible believing church in your area and ask to see the pastor. Let him or her know that you have just given your life to Christ and s/he will guide you on next steps in your journey as a child of God. The Lord bless you!
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