Why Praying and Trusting God Need to Intertwine
Do you know what needs to be connected to prayer? Trusting God. Praying and trusting God need to intertwine. Sometimes I pray without consciously choosing to trust God, but I’m learning how important it is. When I got this connection in my head, I started seeing it more when I studied the Bible. In this post, I’m going to show you what I found.
Praying with Authority
Do you pray to God like a beggar or an heir? We are all probably at a different place in our understanding of the authority we have in Christ, but when Jesus said to pray “in His name,” He didn’t mean use it like a magic formula. Jesus means for you to pray in His authority.
The seven sons of Sceva didn’t realize this when they tried to use Jesus’ name (Acts 19:13-17). They weren’t followers of Jesus, but tried to use the same power and authority He gave to His disciples. They learned the “naked and wounded” way that’s not how it works.
But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. Acts 19:15-16 ESV
Those guys didn’t get it. The enemy is NOT going to skin my hide if I don’t know the Word or how to use it. Because I belong to God unlike the seven sons of Sceva.
Learning about the Word is good; it’s necessary. So is memorizing Scripture. But learning and memorizing it is only part of my defense/offense.
I must learn to wield my sword. When I wield my sword, I’m using it to not only fight but fight with specific strategy against the enemy. I need to know that Jesus gave me power, and authority comes with that power.
He’s given this same power and authority to all His children. Authority given and correctly applied brings glory to God.
Part of understanding the authority Jesus gave you is trusting Him for the answer and outcome when you pray. It’s believing and trusting that His promises are true. So praying and trusting God need to intertwine.
Part of understanding the authority Jesus gave you is trusting Him for the answer and outcome when you pray. #ThrivingInChrist #prayerRELATED >>> Prayer Guide: What Every Believer Needs to Know
With Healing, Praying and Trusting God Go Hand-in-Hand
Does the following thought ever cross your mind?
I’m not going to pray for healing because I probably don’t have enough faith.
Our healing isn’t based on your ability. However, faith plays an important role. But first you must understand a key aspect of faith.
It’s not about trying harder but about believing better. In order to believe better, you need to understand something. Look at this:
But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” Luke 8:50 NKJV
This is when Jairus just found out his daughter had died. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon defines believe there as “absolutely to trust in Jesus or in God as able to aid either in obtaining or in doing something.”
This is not a mustering up of a faith in your own strength but a trust in God.
Jesus also said:
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24 NIV
The word believe in this instance “speaks not of the omnipotence of the believer’s faith but of its full dependence upon God” (The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament).
Full dependence on God is trusting Him. There’s that word trust again. But you can be confident in your God!
Those in need of healing came to Christ. I encourage you today to come to Jesus and ask in prayer for your healing.
Would you like some help in knowing how to pray for your healing? I created The Praying for Healing Toolkit for those who are suffering from an illness or injury and need encouragement to pray for healing.
What About Audacious Prayers?
Have you ever prayed prayers of deep surrender? I call them audacious prayers. They are prayers of having a deep trust in God with your life. They come from the heart of those who are living yielded to God. Here are some examples:
- You’re all I want, Lord. I’m Yours, Jesus.
- Come and have your way in my day.
- Lord, what do you want from me? I invite You into every space in my life.
- I’ll do whatever you say, God.
- God show me what’s in me, and change me.
- I will give up whatever You want—because I love You.
- Not my will, but Yours be done.
An audacious prayer is the type of prayer you don’t pray if you aren’t willing to receive the response the Lord might give you. I realized long ago that it’s the type of prayer you avoid if you are not ready to obey the Holy Spirit—or trust Him fully. Don’t ask me how I know that {grin}.
It takes courage to allow a request like that to escape your lips. Hey, it might even take awhile to muster up the courage. It takes surrendering of your will to follow through on what God might show you. It’s a battle to obey sometimes what God might say.
I read a testimony of a man several years ago that deeply impacted me. There were times God had him give up something even for a season, all because he was learning a deep level of obedience. But wow, the fruit that resulted? I cried. So beautiful.
After that I wanted to subject my life so completely to God as well and bear amazing fruit as a result. At that moment I wondered why I was scared to pray audacious prayers before that. It was because I hadn’t trusted Him fully.
Offering an audacious prayer is when you are praying and trusting God 100 percent. Okay, I know what you’re thinking. So maybe coming to 100% is a process.
I have prayed such prayers, and God and I both know full well that I’m not going to be 100% true to my word. But we grow in intimacy with God. Walking with Him takes learning how to do what we say we will do.
Ready?
So are you ready to pray some audacious prayers? Pray for healing? Pray with authority? If you are, great. Just remember, it takes trusting God while you’re at it. It’s something to think about for sure.
Remember, I’m praying for you daily.
How is praying and trusting God woven together in your life?
My struggle with prayer is to find a balance between praying for what I want while being open to God having a different answer. I may pray for a certain thing, but what if that’s not God’s will for the situation? I’ve learned to pray, “This is what I’d like to see happen, Lord, but please work it out in the way that you know is best.” Thank you for the reminder to pray boldly, claiming the authority of Christ.
I think we’ve all been there, Lydia. Surrendering is a daily process, right? 😉 It’s not always easy to pray not my will but Yours be done, but you’re right, it helps to remember He knows best.
Beggar or heir? Wow. That is a powerful comparison.
There’s no point in praying if we’re not trusting God for the outcome. But sometimes we forget, and just pray out of habit.
I’m taking down notes on these audacious prayers you mentioned, I need to do some thinking, and praying!
The “forgetting and praying out of habit” was me earlier this year until God reminded me of some of the things I said in this post. So I had to share. 😉 Thanks for your visit, Aryn!
My favorite part is the opening question…”Do you pray like a beggar or an heir?” Prayer is a privilege of God’s children…that question will be on my mind as I approach the throne in prayer:)
Well, good! 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by, Sunshyne!