Making Demands in Prayer 2

By Tosin Lawal

Devotional Reading: Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. John 16:24 NIV

We often get worried and begin to have funny feelings when we do not see our prayers manifesting on the physical as we’ve demanded. I have personally realized that this is primarily due to a lack of knowledge caused by our limitation in understanding. Sometimes we begin to think that perhaps God is unwilling to grant that particular desire of ours, maybe due to some fault in us or because of other reasons best known to him. Often than not, many of our preconceived notions about God’s disposition in granting our desires in prayer are wrong.

The writer of James already cleared the air about the personality of God in answering prayers which also corroborated with Jesus’ statements which implies that God is interested in our joy being complete. In James 1:5, God is revealed as a generous giver who gives without finding fault. Generosity has to do with being liberal and kind in giving regardless of whether the recipient of the generosity merits it. However, we wonder why some of our demands in prayer take time before manifesting in the physical.

The writer of Ecclesiastes made a profound statement that I believe will help our understanding of prayer. He said, “If clouds are full of water, they pour rain on the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie.” Ecclesiastes 11:3 NIV.

Making demands in prayers can be likened to gathering cloud till it becomes full and starts to rain. If you recalled yesterday, it was said that making demands in prayer is somewhat like God’s logistics system in meeting our needs. This implies that certain things are being fixed spiritually as we pray. You may not know them; God knows. If God is not giving you any instruction, yours is to keep praying until you receive the manifestation of your prayers.

In Acts of the Apostles chapter 12, we saw how the church was earnestly praying for the deliverance of Peter, who had been detained by King Herod and would be killed any time sooner. They were making demands for his release from the prison. How it will happen, they do not know nor bother themselves. The only thing they know is that God will deliver him from the jaws of death, and we saw how God sent an angel through the instrumentality of their prayers to bring Peter out of prison miraculously.

God loves that you believe that He is more willing to grant your heart desires than you are ready to ask. So the problem is not God. Hence, you may need to keep making your demands until you see the manifestation. It doesn’t mean that you are doing vain repetitions, nor does it mean that your persistence in making demands is meant to appeal to God so he can at least show you mercy and grant your desires speedily.

Dearly beloved, let nothing take away your confidence in God even when you experience a delay in receiving answers to your prayers. Instead, let it shoot adrenaline into your soul to persevere in the place of prayers. Your demands can never go unattended, for God cares for you and derives pleasure in completing your joy.

Prayer and Confession
Henceforth, nothing will take away my confidence in you, oh God, my father. My demands can never go unattended, for you care for me and derive pleasure in completing my joy.

Further Readings: James 1: 5-8, 1 John 5:14-15, John 16:23-24
Reading Job: Job 31-35