Saying "Yes" to Faith and obtaining the Kingdom

In this morning’s lesson the Lord counseled me about undertaking a prayer of great faith. When we ask for something in faith, we often have a battle ahead before God’s answer arrives at our door. The Lord said that I had to be able to answer “yes” to the following four questions before undertaking a prayer of faith;

1. Do you believe that God can and will heal you/or other request?
2. Are you willing to stand in faith against doubt, should your symptoms/circumstances persist?
3. Will you praise Him during the interim?
4. Will you forsake your anger and instead accept His grace?

I believe the warfare around our healing/change of circumstances is so great that, unless we can answer these 4 questions with a "Yes" we will not gain the victory. But, we must also consider the course of our health/circumstances up to this time if it has been unchanged: we are not healed; we have been fighting with doubt, many fears, and anger for a long time. God is offering us a way to do something differently. If we can't do this, then we should continue on as we have been. If we wholeheartedly want to walk through to victory, then we must choose to say "yes" to the 4 questions above. Surely the victory is worth the battle. Saying "yes" will bring up all manner of sin, and demonic strongholds will be exposed. It will be a life-changing experience, but then, we obtain the kingdom of God by violence.

Later today the Lord had me sit down and really listen, for I have battles of my own that I have not gained victory in. Here is the word that followed my quiet time;

“Bestowing the gift of faith is like giving a person the heart of a warrior. No one would want it if he didn’t want to fight his enemy. The passive Christian will not want to fight. Men have believed so long that I would hand them everything that when I don’t, resentment builds inside them. Not only do they have little faith, but unbelief sets in. Then the passive Christian stops asking Me to solve his problems and to heal him. He feels abandoned, but is he?

I have given Man this world to rule. He must have a united heart to do this, with singleness of purpose, for the enemy wants to rule in Man’s stead. If he sees a man waver in his convictions, the enemy will topple him from his mount of faith and lead him into confusion. But what a man sets his hand to, he can surely obtain in Me.

What man says “It must not be God’s will” when a matter is delayed? Does the timing of My answer determine My will? I have given the believer permission to ask of Me what things he wants and has need of. But a man must ask, nothing wavering. As you say, “Sell out” to your cause and give 100% of your affection to it. Stop saying in your heart, “I don’t want to be let down if it doesn’t happen.” This undercuts your faith. It is the preparation for unbelief, not for victory.

If a man never attempted to walk in faith, perhaps he would not have spiritual warfare, for he does not walk in the Kingdom. If a man sits on the fence, sometimes walking in faith and sometimes in unbelief, he will be miserable and confused. What seeds he plants will yield a poor harvest for the soil of his heart is not good. But the man who puts his hand to the kingdom and holds onto it with all his heart will have great battles, leading to great victories. Every adverse circumstance will unite his heart further to stand in faith; to not grumble; to forsake anger and put on praise; and to believe he will have his request from Me, for I am good.”

Let us spur one another on to prayers of faith, agreeing with them in their request and joining our prayers with theirs in one “Amen”.