Daily Devotional – 5/19/12 “Keep striving, God will keep providing!”

I usually don’t post a devotional on Saturday morning but somebody needed to know that you have to keep striving because then God will keep providing. (Yes he will!) See, when the enemy knocks on our doors, he expects us to be caught off guard so that he’ll slip in and knock us off our stride but we have to stay ready and that means being prayed up. The bible says in Psalm 145:18, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” If you’re always ready, then you wont just open the door when he knocks and walk away (you know how you do when a friend comes over) but you’ll allow God to answer it for you. Yea, when you’re prepared for battle you’ll be able to know the enemy’s knock before he even makes it to the door. When you’ve stored up prayers, God will already have you covered the day of battle and the good thing about God, he doesn’t need an hour or even a 30 minute prayer to come and fight your battle. All you have to do is simply whisper a prayer when you’re standing on the battlefield and he’ll come and see about you. That’s why the bible says in Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

I know you think you have to be in a certain place or in a certain position but you don’t. You don’t have to be standing in church, on your knees or in a prayer closet for God to hear you because Ephesians 6:18 says, “You must pray at all times as the Holy Spirit leads you to pray. Pray for the things that are needed. You must watch and keep on praying. Remember to pray for all Christians.” Praying at all times means when you’re standing at the edge of the cliff and it seems like you’re about to jump, say “Lord, have mercy!” When you’re down and folks are counting you out, say “Lord, I need you!” When you’ve fallen and can’t seem to get back up say, “Lord, I need your help!” When you’ve cried and paced all night long say, “Lord, I need rest!” When it seems like the mess is too wide to climb over say, “Lord, I need your hand!” And when it seems like you’re walking in circles and your legs are too tired to go on say, “Lord, carry me in your arms!”

God doesn’t need you to pray a book to know what you need because he already knows but He simply needs to hear you request his presence. Don’t be too proud to ask for help because being proud will leave you without praise and being too proud leaves you in pain. Don’t give up because that’s the easy way out. I know it seems easy for me to tell you to hold on when I don’t even know your situation but I’m just foolish enough to believe that God will do just what he said he would. I don’t have to go on someone else’s testimony to know that God is good because I have my own. I don’t need to read about God helping somebody else because he’s helped me so I know that he’ll come and see about you. I also don’t believe he’ll give me these words to share with you if he wouldn’t come when you call. Just hold on, pray on, walk on and then pray some more, just a little while longer! Psalm 138:3, “On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.” You might not be able to see the sun now, it’s coming. You may not be able to see clearly through your tears but they’ll soon stop. You may not even be able to see the light at the end yet but keep walking, you will. Your situation is just temporary! Keep striving and God will keep providing.

Matthew 6:9-13 “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”