Preparing For Blessings
How do you make preparations for the blessings you pray for? It may not even cross your mind to make preparations. There are a few feelings when praying that may increase or decrease your reluctance to make preparations.
1) You could feel as if God will for sure provide what you prayed for.
2) There could be some feelings of trepidation and doubt.
3) Sometimes there are feelings as if God will not be able to deliver on your prayer. (Hint: He can answer any prayer since no mountain is too tall for Him.)
Where Do I Start With Preparations?
First, we will start at the beginning with the prayer. In Philippians 4:6-7, God’s word shows us how to make our requests known to Him.
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
From this we see the steps to the prayer are:
1) Do not be anxious about what you are praying about.
2) Pray and petition and let God know what is on your heart and mind.
3) Thank God for all that He has done and will do in your life.
4) Receive the peace of God.
What Do I Do Next?
Next, we write down our request and make room in our life for the answer.
In 2 Kings 3, we see where the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom went to fight the king of Moab. They travelled for seven days and ran out of water. The kings requested a word from God from Elisha.
16 And he said, Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches. 17 For thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts. (Some versions of the bible do not have this verse, this is from King James Version)
The kings in this verse were told to dig ditches to see the blessing come about.
Another story in the bible that requires preparation is in 2 Kings 4. Elisha tells a widow to gather as many jars as possible and start pouring oil.
3 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”
The woman in this verse was able to pay off her debts and afford to live for her and her two sons by gathering jars. God provided enough oil to fill as many jars as she could find.
Starting The Preparations.
What do you need to prepare space in your life for the blessing? Each situation will be personal to the person. Pray and God will let you know what you must do. One final requirement for your prayers lies in James 1:6-8.
6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
As always, God loves you, I love you, and I will be praying for you! Have a blessed week!