IF YOU MUST PRAY BELIEVE
- DAY 91
- Fear File: Zechariah
- Scripture: Luke 1:13,18-20
But the angel said unto him, aFear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a bson, and thou shalt call his name John. And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”
In our text today, Zacharias was faced with the answer to his prayers; hand-delivered by God although through an angel. This is something that everyone who prays to God hopes for, that God answers even if He doesn’t send an angel.
For Zacharias, that prayer was to have a child. He and his wife, Elizabeth have been believing, praying, probably, fasting and offering sacrifices for a child for years. But when this answer to the prayer comes, we find Zechariah in doubt.
We know this because his response to the Angel was, “I am too old.” How is it that you are praying and believing in God for something? And when you finally have it, your first reaction is doubt?
A Doubting Preacher
Interestingly, he was a priest, a minister of God. And for a person who is in the temple serving God consistently, to not believe that the God he is serving would show up to answer his prayer is a bit confusing. Believe me, I’m not judging Zachariah because I’ve experienced this in my own life. I have written down things in prayers. And when God actually presented the answers, It was so unbelievable I almost ruined the opportunity.
When I was praying I had an idea of how God might answer. I imagined a couple unbelievable ways as well but God disregarded my flawed imaginations and decided to show me that He is limitless in possibilities. So when my answer was literally staring at me, I considered it too good to be true.
I’ve also doubted an answer because it took too long to come. I prayed passionately for a thing for years and saw nothing. So I accepted my fate and categorized that prayer as not in the will of God for me. But I was mistaken. My prayers were according to God’s word but I had to wait for God’s time. I believe this was the case with Zechariah. He simply accepted his fate and stopped expecting an answer. No wonder he didn’t believe.
God Is Faithful
Beloved, God hasn’t given up on a prayer because you have. It isn’t too late because you consider it so. No prayer you make in faith is wasted so don’t start doubting because it didn’t match your own timing or expectation. remember is that God is faithful to His Word and that because He took time or a different route, doesn’t mean that it’s not going to happen. So don’t doubt God. He is not pleased when we walk outside faith. And we see that with Zechariah. He had to shut him up.
When In Doubt Stay Silent
You see, verbalizing your doubts are not advisable because your words have power. It can affect your miracle and pollute the hearts of others. God didn’t want this thought spread to Elizabeth or released in the atmosphere. So this might be a good strategy for you when you feel afraid. Just stay mute.
I understand that sometimes we can pray for something that is so big that it scares us. But, you have to consider that God is rewarder of them that seek Him. So, if you’re going to pray for something consistently, you have to make up your mind in advance to believe that what you are praying for will come to pass.
Start practicing this by praying for that thing you’ve given up on again.
Shalom
