“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

~ James 4:3

Today I’m officially have way through the 40 Day Prayer Challenge. I learned a lot… I’ve learned a little more on prayer and love reading about the wonderful ways that God answers prayer.  Many times when He answers, it’s after we’ve taken some step of faith… I’m thinking right now about Naaman who dipped himself seven times in the Jordan river to be healed of his leprosy.  (II Kings 5:14)  If he hadn’t taken that first step, he probably would have never been healed.  Furthermore, if he had quit too soon (only dipping six times), he probably would have never been healed. The act of faith spurs action and  requires obedience to the will of God and doing what He wants us to do.  Ever hear, “I just happened to be at the right place at the right time“? — That’s not likely to happen in order for God to answer your prayer if you’re not following the Holy Spirit’s leading and obeying His direction. Sometimes discerning God’s will can be difficult.  Ask God for clarity and to close any of the doors that you shouldn’t be entering.  He wants you to do His will, so He will lead you there when you’re sincerely seeking God’s will. I chose today’s verse, James 4:3 because I felt that it was one issue of prayer that needed to be addressed. As we’re praying, we need to ask the Holy Spirit’s help in praying for what we ought to pray.  Sometimes our flesh gets in the way and we pray about what “we” want, rather than what God wants. Jesus, before he was crucified, set a good example how when our flesh is weak, we need to pray, “Nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done.”

“And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Luke 22:41,42

When we pray, we don’t want to pray in the flesh. We don’t want to pray according to how the situation or problem would be best suitable for us.  What we want might not be in our best interest because we can’t see the whole picture; we can’t see that far down the road, but God does.  He knows what’s best.  Just pray for His will to be done. Praying for a million dollars?  It just might not be in your best interest to have a million dollars.  That prayer might be more about your fleshly desire for money and might not be God’s will for you at all.  Perhaps it would lead you away from the Lord.

Day 20

Keep praying for God’s will in your life every single day.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to lead you in how to pray and what to pray about.  Don’t forget to use your prayer journal!  If you stay in God’s will every single day, you’ll always be in the right place at the right time when God’s ready to answer your prayer! God bless your day ahead!]]>