Laura Ingle

Key scripture – “Now to him who is able to do more abundantly all that we ask or think, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20 ESV).

Prayers of faith have great power. They can conquer the unconquerable, overcome our obstacles, accomplish the impossible and vanquish the enemy. The apostle Paul said that God is “able to do abundantly more than all we ask or think, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).

In the book of Jeremiah, we see God speaking to His people through His prophet. God said, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3). God spoke these words through Jeremiah during a dark point in Israel’s history. Nebuchadnezzar had already sent the Babylonian army to Jerusalem. The city was under siege. Hostages had been taken to Babylon. These were some of the worst times God’s people had experienced since their days of slavery in Egypt.

But this predicament was of their own creation. For years the Israelites had drifted away from the God who brought them out of slavery into the Promised Land. They forgot God, the One who loved them and provided for them. Instead, they turned their backs on Him by placing their trust in political messiahs, placing their security in material possessions, and compromising their God-given values. Their hearts had become calloused and their ears had become deaf to God’s Word.

Yet even in their lowest point, God was still calling and appealing to His children to return to Him. He was telling them through Jeremiah that even at that late hour it was not too late to call out to Him. God was ready to bring restoration to His people for His glory.

God wants to do great things for His people. During the days of Jeremiah, He promised them restoration from the destruction of the Babylonians. He said, “I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before….Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.” (Jeremiah 33:7, 9).

God responds to a heart that is truly devoted to Him and in awe of Him. God knows every inner corner of our hearts. We do not fool Him by saying we want something for His glory when secretly our motivations are selfish. We do not fool Him by saying we believe He can work miracles when inwardly we doubt He will follow through on His promises.

When we seek to truly know and understand God and develop a daily relationship with Him, we begin to understand just how big and capable and trustworthy our God is. When we know and believe that God follows through on His promises and He is ready and willing to do big things, we can pray in faith that He will act in big ways. When we understand just how amazing and loving our Creator God is, we will genuinely seek to please Him by praying for things that honor Him. “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him” (1 John 3:21, 22).

When was the last time you genuinely prayed for God’s kingdom to be glorified through your life? When was the last time your prayer requests were centered on bringing God glory instead of fulfilling your desires? If you are finding it difficult to pray selflessly for God’s glory, confess this in prayer today. Ask the Holy Spirit to transform your heart to seek God first above all other things and to develop a daily fellowship with Him.

Pray this – My Precious Heavenly Father, I know that if I call to You, You will answer me and tell me great and wonderful things that I do not know. Father, I want to grow in my walk with You and in order to do that I have to read Your Word and meet with You in prayer, and when I do, my love for You will grow and grow because the more time that I spend with You the more I get to know You. Father, I want to pray big prayers that seek to bring You renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations. Prayers that seek to glorify God, to honor You, to further the work of Your kingdom, to transform the hearts of nonbelievers, to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ, and to reveal Your majesty. I also want to pray prayers that reveal my heart to You and share all my concerns, problems, and dreams with You. Father, I want the Holy Spirit to teach me how to pray. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen

Laura Ingle