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The Joy of Answered Prayer

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.”
1 Samuel 2:1–3

Helen Roseveare, who was a medical missionary in Africa, told the story of a remarkable answer to prayer. A mother had died in childbirth leaving a dangerously premature infant child. They had no advanced facilities, so their normal practice was to keep the baby warm with a hot water bottle. But as they filled the bottle it burst because the rubber had decayed in the African climate. Unfortunately, they had no replacement. Dr. Roseveare doubted the baby would live. But that day they prayed with the other children at the mission.
Dr. Roseveare recounted, “During the prayer time, one ten-year-old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt consciousness of our African children. ‘Please, God,’ she prayed, ‘send us a water bottle. It’ll be no good tomorrow, God, the baby’ll be dead; so, please send it this afternoon.’” She was stunned at the girl’s simple faith, hardly daring to believe the prayer could be answered. But that very day she received a package sent by friends from her home church in England. Not only had the package been five months in the mail, but it was the first package she had received in four years on the field. Among the supplies it included was a new hot water bottle that saved the baby’s life.
There is no restriction on God’s ability to meet and supply our needs. Yet all too often we fail to receive what God could and would give us simply because we lack the faith to ask Him to work.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

When we do not believe God enough to pray, we miss the joy of seeing Him working in our lives.

CURRENT RADIO SERIES Songs of Encouragement   CURRENT TV SERIES Songs of Encouragement

And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” —Mark 9:28-29 Do you remember what happened when Christ, Peter, James, and John came down from the Mount of Transfiguration? They encountered a man whose son was possessed with an unclean spirit, which was wrecking his body and destroying his life. Now, Jesus had several encounters with demoniacs, but there’s something added that I want you to consider. Note what the father said to Jesus in Mark 9:18, he said, “I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” What a commentary this was on the disciples. Jesus had given them the power. They had cast out spirits in other circumstances. So the power was possible, but they were not able. These very words could be said about many churches today… they were not able! We live in a world of spiritual devastation and the church seems powerless to help. Why is that? Well, it’s the same reason that Jesus gave the disciples when they asked why they couldn’t help the boy—it’s a lack of prayer. We are powerless because we are prayerless! Listen! It’s through times of prayer that your faith really begins to affect your life and to make an impact on those you encounter. If you want the power to touch your world for Christ, you must spend time with the source of power, Jesus Christ! WE ARE POWERFUL BECAUSE WE ARE PRAYERFUL!