From Faith to Faith: The Lord Hears Your Prayers

"It shall come to pass
That before they call, I will answer;
And while they are still speaking, I will hear."

Isaiah 65:24 

This week God really opened my eyes to the importance of being specific in my prayers. To truly pray for things that almost seem impossible; to pray more boldly, not just for myself, but for others as well. He has also been showing me just how much He is listening. I think sometimes it is easy to think that God isn't listening to us, because we pray and nothing immediate seems to happen. Yet when we pray God does hear us and often times has already begun to work things out in the spiritual realm. We must remember that it takes time for what has happened in the spiritual to occur in the natural realm. Sometimes as we see in Daniel 10:12-14, there's a delay in our prayers due to the spiritual battle that is happening all around us; the angels are literally going to war against the enemy on our behalf.  I don't have an answer for why sometimes when we pray the answers come immediately and why sometimes when we pray it takes hours, days, weeks, months, and even years for us to see a change. He's God and He can do as He pleases, when He pleases. He doesn't operate on our timetable and His timing is ultimately perfect, because everything that He does is good. Of course there are requirements on our end; we need to be abiding in Him & His Word and must actually have the faith to believe that He is able.

I am re-reading a book called "Set-Apart Femininity," by Leslie Ludy, which I pretty sure I mentioned in my last blog.  Well anyway she was discussing in one of the chapters about the importance of persistent and specific prayer. How a lot of times we don't pray boldly or specifically for our needs, because we don't truly understand the nature of our God. He is our Abba Father who delights in meeting the needs of His children and giving us good and perfect gifts. He loves showing up in the midnight hour and doing above and beyond all we could ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). 

"God honors not wisdom nor personality, but faith. Faith honors God. And God honors faith. God goes wherever faith puts Him. Faith links our impotence to His omnipotence. Doubt delays and often destroys faith. Faith destroys doubt."

Leonard Ravenhill

On page 160 of Set Apart-Femininity, Mrs. Ludy states:

"God asks us to have the kind of faith that asks boldly for specific things. Instead of vague, general prayer that don't demand faith, we must begin 'putting it all on the line' and take the risk of laying our precise needs before our King."

So this week I started to pray more boldly and imagined that God was sitting in heaven on His throne, with His ear inclined to hear my request. I was praying on Saturday with my prayer partner and I told her about the bill that had to be paid by the 17th, in order for me not to acquire a late charge. Even though it was already the 16th and I was a little over a $120 short, she said she would stand in agreement with me that it would be paid. I figured that God could send whoever to provide me with the funds that I needed. I knew that the payment would not be taken out until at least Monday, because it was the weekend. I logged onto the website after we prayed to pay the bill and was going to put the 18th as the payment date, when The Holy Spirit prompted me to put the 16th instead. At the time, I didn't even know that the banks would be closed on Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, but clearly God knew. So I checked my email and someone had sent me $50 already earlier in the afternoon!! God was already starting to provide, just like He said He would.

The next day I went to visit a friend's church for Sunday service, which was good, but afterwards I fell into a slight depressed state. It was the first Sunday, since I had moved, that I did not have people to fellowship with after church. I suddenly missed everyone more than I had in over a week. I tried to cheer myself up by going to get lunch and then heading to a museum, but that didn't really help. For some reason during the week I'm cool, but on Sunday's I miss my community back in Atlanta more than usual. Then it seemed like all the people I was trying to reach out to weren't answering their phones so I went home and tried to take a nap. Later in the evening, I heard The Lord calling out to me and I honestly was so sad I didn't even want to be bothered. I felt so alone and so lost. I have been crying out to God for community, because I know I need accountability in this season. So I didn't feel like talking, but I'm so thankful that I answered Him.  I just began to pour out and tell Him just how alone I felt and how I just needed some hope. I was trusting Him to come through in so many ways and as each other went by I felt my hope dying out and worry increasing. I was trying to pray, but it seemed useless. The Lord responded by asking me what He could to help me trust him more in this journey. At first I said if someone gave me $100-$200, but cut myself off. I remember what I had been studying about not only being specific but praying with bold faith. I had already seen God send people to give me $100 so that would take zero faith. It was time to take it up a level. So I responded by saying if if someone gave me $200 then I would feel as if you are hearing me. He said okay and I went about my evening. Guess what happened next? That night someone reached out to me and sent $100!!! I was like woah that was fast. I was able to go get groceries and put the remaining money towards the bill. I still didn't have enough, but I knew I could at the very least go withdraw a cash advance from one of my credit cards if need be. 

When I woke the next morning, I was worried all over again. You see I never addressed the issue at hand. Instead of sitting in the Lord's presence and studying His Word, like I should have the night before, I watched a movie instead. So there was still fear and worry in my heart. One of the women from my dance ministry back in Atlanta had shared her testimony in the groupme about how God had come through for her and it encouraged me to go sit at the feet of Jesus. So I did and couldn't help but start off first by repenting for trying to run to everything and everyone else for comfort, instead of seeking Him first. I confessed of my unbelief, lack of trust, and cried out to Him about everything else that was on my heart. I just remember saying over and over I need you God, I need you God, I need you God. I need a community, I need a sense of purpose in this season, and I need provision. I want to trust You more. There's something about being transparent with The Lord that is so freeing and brings so much joy and peace. Well after my quiet time was over I just happened to check my email and someone had sent me $300 *cues organ and goes running around the room and jumping up and down* My God, My God, My God!!!! Not only did He answer my specific request, He truly went above and beyond.

This is from my Facebook post:

I am a witness that God will do exceedingly above all we can ask or think!!!!! Because of that generous donation now all of my bills for the rest of the month will be covered, plus gas & groceries!!!! I cannot even comprehend God's faithfulness and have never experienced anything like this in my life before!!!! Nothing is impossible for Him!!!!!  A big thank you to everyone who has obeyed The Lord and given to me. It truly has given me a reality of what The Bible describes in Acts when it says that the disciples gave so that everyone's need was met!!! Prayerfully I'll be able to pay it forward one day!!!! 

It gets better though! Later that day someone else felt led to give me $30. Then I went to take a free PureBarre fitness class and they gave us $10 gift cards to Whole Foods Market so I was able to eat lunch for free as well. God is a provider!!!! I had no idea when I was signing up for the class that I would get a free gift card as well, but God knew, which is why he placed it on my heart to go. Oh and btw, because of the holiday on Monday the payment for the bill wasn't withdrawn until Tuesday and by that time the money had successfully posted to my account.

"And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for."

 1 John 5:14-15

While I was in that fitness class, The Lord spoke clearly to me pertaining where I should be attending church. For this season, whether that's a few more weeks or months, I will be going to Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, which I am pretty excited about. I think I'm more excited about being in the will of God then I am that He said I could stay at Oak Cliff. I really just want to stay obedient to His path, because I know that there's safety, grace, and provision in the will of The Lord. I don't want to deviate to the left or right, but stay on that straight and narrow path. So I was thankful that He had finally answered my prayer about needing a community of believers, even if it is only temporary.

On Tuesday, I went to see Israel Houghton's Live in Asia tour play at the local movie theater, with a friend, and it was so wonderful. I can't wait to set some money aside to actually purchase it for my home.  I'm the type of person that could just praise and worship all day long and not get tired of it!!! God is just that GOOD and worthy to be praised.

On Wednesday, I went to Bible study at Oak Cliff and guess what was the first thing Dr. Tony Evans mentioned? How we need to be persistent and specific about our prayers. He even referenced Luke 11:5-9, which was one of the same Scriptures that I had been meditating on the day before. Come on Holy Spirit! I love when moments like that happen. Everything he was saying only further confirmed what The Lord had been speaking to me all week about! I can't wait to see how The Lord continues to establish and order my steps in this season, because so far it's been mind-blowing! He could have told me from day one that I would be attending Oak Cliff, but He delayed His answer and as a result I learned to be more diligent and persistent in my prayer life.

Speaking of being persistent. As I was in prayer this week, The Lord begin to give me an idea for a new project. I am excited to announce that I'll be on periscope with a new series called Bibles Over Lunch. The concept is pretty simple: 

1-2x a week I will be talking on Periscope for 30 min or so, during the lunchtime hour, about various topics that God lays on my heart. Instead of people using their lunch to engage in gossip, aimlessly browsing the Internet or social media, etc. they can be encouraged or hear God's Word and engage in good conversation. It's like a mid-day Bible study and you don't even have to leave your job! I know that not everyone lives in the same time zone so maybe you will be eating dinner or on your way to work, but still free to join us. If we are going to be on social media, let's actually do something productive. Amen!

This past Wednesday we talked about Inner Beauty and had a really great time. This upcoming week we will be talking about faith and submission. The information is in the flier below!

 

Typically the periscope series will be on Monday's and Wednesday's at 11am or 11:30am CST, so my East coast folks add an hour. My hope is to be able to save them on my YouTube channel, which leads me to my next announcement.

The Lord has also given the go ahead on finally starting a YouTube channel!!!! Yay!!!!  So be on the lookout for the first video to be posted sometime in February. Even though this is a season where on the outside it may seem like nothing is happening, God is birthing some crazy, amazing plans and ideas on the inside of me. My desires are changing and I really feel Him pushing me outside of my comfort zone more and more. It's exciting, but I definitely want to make sure that I stay led by The Holy Spirit and don't just take His ideas and run with them. I want to make sure that I seek Him for each step and don't make assumptions. So please bear with me as I figure all of this out. I don't know yet how often I'll post, but just know that when I do it will be because The Lord wanted me to. Either way I feel that I have so much more purpose in this season already and can actually put what I am learning to use!

Some of you may have read my last blog and might be wondering if I ever heard back about the after school job. Well the answer is no. I applied, but still haven't heard back yet. I just pray that God's Will be done, whether I end up working there or not. He clearly has shown me He is my provider so whether I get a job next week or not for 2 more months, I know that God will continue to keep me. When the enemy tries to tell me otherwise, I will continue to cast His lies down and remember the faithfulness of my God thus far. My faith is truly growing and my trust in The Lord is steadily strengthening! If you had said a year ago that I would be where I am now, I would have laughed in your face. But I am here and I know that I'm supposed to be here. I would not trade this journey for the world!!! God may take you the longer & more difficult route to your destination, just so He can prune you longer and receive more glory at the end. Everything that He does is good and serves a purpose. Just keep holding on to His unchanging hand and stand on His Word, which never fails.

I'm not really sure what the weekend holds. I never have any plans, but I am definitely excited about church on Sunday! Plus on Tuesday evening I am going to a Bethel Music worship night!!!! I will definitely talk about that experience in my next blog, because I'm sure it will be awesome!!! Hopefully some of you will be able to join me on Monday and/or Wednesday as we dig dipper into God's Word together for Bibles Over Lunch!!! Thank you to every single person that has prayed with me, prayed for me, sent me emails, posted comments, opened their arms with love, and encouraged me on this journey. I truly do love being able to share this journey with you all and proclaiming to the world God's faithfulness!!!

Until next time,

Cierra

xoxo

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                                                         Email: cierracotton@gmail.com