The Reason for the Delays
Unless He has something greater in mind!!! Which He certainly did for Lazarus. There is such a thing as dying in faith. Heb.11:13 says, speaking of the heroes of faith, “These all died in faith.” And we also have “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” (Ps.115:16) But what about the unnecessary pain and suffering that people experience that is not unto death or until death comes? You think God wants that? If you do, you might need to rethink your idea of what is good and what the goodness of God is.
God delays answering our prayers because He has something greater in mind. That something greater that He delayed His answer to prayer for with Lazarus, and it could be for us, was the resurrection. As great as “I Am Healer” is, “I Am the Resurrection and Life” is greater. Read Jn.11:25-26. Wow!
All healed people are eventually going to die. All healthy people as well. It’s appointed for all men to die (Heb.9:27). We need to know this when someone we love dies. Everybody dies! We can’t get past the shock of their death if we don’t realize that’s just the way it is. We need to realize He is the Resurrection even more than we realize His healership, if that’s a word.
God delays His answers to our prayers because He has something better for you or your loved one and that is a greater revelation of Himself and what He’s going to do for you: He is the Resurrection and Life and “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” The first part of what Jesus said has to do with our bodies and the second part has to do with our spirits. If we believe in Him our bodies may indeed die, but they shall live again. And if we believe in Him, our spirits will never die, because we have eternal life.
The bottom line is, God answers our prayers according to our faith, not according to anything else. Jesus told the disciples, “I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe.” (v.15) Then when He finally got there He told Mary and the rest who were listening, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (v.40) Then we have Heb.11:6 where the inspired writer is explaining faith, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” The question is, are you diligently seeking Him? Are you searching the Scriptures to see if these things are so? Are you meditating on His word? Are you confident that what you have asked of Him you will receive? Because God always answers Yes … to those who pray His will (found in the Bible) with faith.
Notice the present tense used in Jesus’ name. He said, “I AM.” He is not I Was or I Will Be. He’s I Am. What He always has been and always will be (Heb.18:8). Faith believes that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Jesus is always present tense.
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