Pray For It Before You Pay For It
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy. (John 16:24 NCV)
Rick Warren writes:
Are you in financial need and waiting for God to help? God has promised to meet your financial needs. He’s just waiting for you to ask for his help! The Lord never shuts his storehouse until you shut your mouth.
One of the reasons we see so few miracles in our lives is because we just don’t ask for them. Instead of living a life based on Christ, we live a life based on credit. When we have something we need, instead of stopping and asking God for it, before we even think about asking God for it, we just use that credit card. We trust credit instead of Christ.
If you want to see God work in your life, pray for it before you pay for it. Do you pray about major purchases before you make them? Or do you just take care of it with your credit card? Every time you use that credit card before praying about it, you’re short-circuiting a possible miracle in your life. Before you charge a purchase, why don’t you ask God about it first?
God is not going to give you everything you pray for, but there are some things he does want to give you just to do a miracle in your life. Many people have never had a financial answer to prayer because they’ve never prayed specifically.
“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy” (John 16:24 NCV). Do you know why God wants you to learn to ask for things in prayer? So he can give them, and so you’ll be full of joy. God is a loving Father. He’s not some ogre sitting in the sky, waiting to make your life a bummer. He wants to bless your life! You just have to ask.
Think About It
- How do your spending habits and your prayer life intersect?
- What is your family’s policy when it comes to making large purchases?
- What are some ways your life reflects how deeply you trust God with your finances?
Adapted from “Pray For It Before You Pay For It”