At some point you will have to put your faith to work (Jas 2:17). There is only so much praying we can do before God will kick the ball back to us and expect us to stand firm on His Word. When it comes to prayer God doesn’t want us to worry about anything we encounter in our life. He wants us to send Him our prayers and then let His peace guard our hearts and minds (Php 4:6-7). God doesn’t say pray and keep praying. God says to pray and give it to Him and sometimes the answer God gives us is not the answer we are expecting or what we are wanting. We can’t mistake prayers for wishes. Meaning we pray once and then everything works itself out. This isn’t faith. If we are believing in healing, then at some point we will need to act like we are healed. God’s will ask us to put our faith to work.
When Naaman asked Elisha to heal him of his leprosy, Elisha told Naaman to go down to the river and wash himself seven times. This was a simple instruction but Naaman did not like what he was told and Naaman was offended (2 Kgs 5:10-11). There are times God will give us instructions that we don’t like. When we pray for a financial blessing, God may ask us to give when that’s the last thing we want to do. But this is how we put our faith into action and when we put our faith into action God will be pleased (Heb 11:6).
There are also times where we pray and God’s answer might just scare us because the instruction seem impossible. When the angel of the Lord called Gideon a mighty warrior and told Gideon to save Israel from Midian, Gideon was overwhelmed (Jdg 6:12-15). Like Gideon, we sometimes fail to understand when God gives us instructions, He is now in the driver’s seat and we are along for the ride. This will require us to trust in God because we are used to being in full control of our own lives and letting go of control is never an easy thing to do. God may ask us to relocate, change careers, let go of loved ones or continue to persevere so God can lay down His foundation for His full blessing can materialize.
So how do we put our faith to work? What God revealed to me is to start with the small things. When it’s winter and I start getting the sniffles, I remind myself that no sickness is allowed in my house (Psa 91:10) and I rarely get anything more than the sniffles. A few years ago I was training for an Ironman Triathlon, I’d have calf issues partly due because I would miss most of my training runs because no one likes running. When it came time for the longer runs, I couldn’t let my calves stop me so I would just repeat to myself “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phi 4:13) and I would get through my runs. My training discipline didn’t get any better so come race day my body was in for a world of pain. Thankfully, my discipline in practicing my faith far exceeded my training discipline and I crossed the finish line with a respectable time. God might have been annoyed from my constant repetition of repeating Philipians 4:13 for the last three hours but I’m sure He was pleased at the same time. God is good.
James 2:17 NKJV Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
2 Kings 5:10-11 NIV Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.” But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.
Hebrews 11:6 NIV And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Judges 6:12-15 NIV When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”
Psalm 91:10 NKJV No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
Philipians 4:13 NKJV I can do all things through [a]Christ who strengthens me.