Inquiring of the Lord

By Mary Anderson Lee, Pastor - Acts Christian Fellowship

Have you ever prayed for something to happen, something to change, or a breakthrough in an area only to find you aren't seeing the outcome you're looking for? Have you ever been presented with a complicated situation and have just automatically gone into prayer without giving it a second thought?

I learned an important lesson long ago after years of praying about a specific situation only to find it seeming to grow worse with every prayer. I fasted, numerous times. I was praying correctly, and according to scripture. I was praying with unselfish motives, I thought. I had checked my heart, my attitude, it was all good. However, I continued to have a dilemma. The answer was not coming. The answer that I wanted to see was all I could think about. I fixed my mind on the answer I wanted, I was certain, and I was steadfast. Yet, it eluded me. I even told God, "I am going to wear You out until You give me what I am asking for..." (Luke 18:3-5).

Frustrated, I finally asked God why He wasn't answering my prayer. Silence. I then realized that all along I was the one who had been doing all the talking. As Holy Spirit began to minister to me about it, I came under great conviction that I had an idol in my life: the thing I wanted God to do for me had become for me an object of worship, and not the Lord Himself. It had all my attention, and focus - not the Lord. I have come to learn that such praying may be regarded as "soulish" (praying out of your own desires), or "manipulative" praying.

The Old Testament has 27 references for "inquired of the Lord". However, because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have been brought into a partnership with the Father to see His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. Because of who we are in Christ, we are now in a position of receiving His counsel without limit. Jesus said that He only did what He saw the Father doing (John 5:19), indicating that there is a principal of relationship that precedes action — to look and see, to listen and hear, what the Father is doing and then do likewise. Jesus also said, "apart from Me, you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

There is a question that begs to be asked whenever we go to prayer: "Lord, what are You wanting to accomplish in this situation?" In other words, "How can I be Your partner in what You are doing?" When I began to inquire of the Lord, I embarked on an incredibly fulfilling and rewarding journey with my Lord Jesus as my prayer partner.

You may be asking, "okay, that sounds good, but how do I know I am hearing God?" He is our Creator who knows us intimately and craves relationship with us. A quality relationship involves two-way conversation. We each need to learn our own "God language", or the language that God speaks to us, personally. All it takes is faith that He will speak to us (Hebrews 11:6), and then lots of practice.

What is the focus of our prayers - to get the answer we want, or to know Him and see His will accomplished in our lives and here on earth? What would happen if we made it a regular practice to "inquire of the Lord"? Saying, "Lord, what do you want to do in my community?" or "Lord, what do you want to do in my family" or "Lord, how do you want me to respond to this situation?"

I must tell you that when Jesus became my prayer partner, a whole new world opened up to me; He often leads me in a completely different direction than what I am initially thinking.

Did the situation I had been praying for turn around? Yes. And, He took it in another direction entirely. He gave me immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).