There are some amazing promises given to those who seek and serve and reach for God.
Malachi 3:10
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (KJV)
Matthew 7:7
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. (KJV)
Matthew 21:22
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (KJV)
Perhaps the real question here is: Before the results show up, how can I be sure God has heard my prayer?
In the moment you ask, how do you know God has heard?
Here is where faith is so criticaly important. By “faith” I mean your “God concept“.
Most of us grow up with an “God’s out there somewhere” God concept. We’re told that God sees everything we do and hears everything we say – and usually it’s probably a tactic used by our parents to promote good behavior.
Often it creates a detrimental sense of fear about God that doesn’t help us later in life.
Much of our spiritual journey is about gaining an accurate concept or understanding of the nature of God.
One of the ways we do this is by examining our ideas and beliefs about God and comparing them to some sort of standard. As Christians, we use the Bible. So the question comes up – does your idea about God find support or contradiction in scripture? One can get even more specific and examine whether the belief is in alignment with Christ’s teachings.
Often we discover that the ideas/beliefs we hold about God are inaccurate.
Let’s take, for example, the idea that God is “out there somewhere”. Scripture tells us that God dwells within.
Acts 17:28
For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. (KJV)
I John 4:11-13
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. (KJV)
1 Corinthians 3:16
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (KJV)
If God dwells in us and us in Him then it’s not exactly accurate to think of Him as being “out there somewhere”.
Now a decision has to be made. Do we hold to our belief or accept a new one based on scripture that was written a couple thousand years ago?
I can tell you what I think, but what I think isn’t important for you. It only matters what you think and believe. Your beliefs are the limiting factor in your relationship with God.
Now back to the question. If God dwells in us and we in Him, is it safe to assume you reach God with your request? I think so.
If God doesn’t dwell within you then you’ve got to figure out where He is and how to reach Him. That of course is a monumental task – one that humanity has been engaged in forever. Since there appears to have been little or no success in that search, perhaps it’s not too much of a stretch to think that perhaps God is where we haven’t been looking – within us.
The belief that God dwells within is scriptural, and helps make sense of many other spiritual principles.
Basically if you believe God is unreachable then so He is. Your belief doesn’t define God but it does define your experience with God. According to your faith be it unto you.
The surety that you reach God can only be within you and according to your faith.
James 1:6-7
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. (KJV)
Cultivate unwavering faith.
How are you sure you reach God? Please share your thoughts and comments below!
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
He said nothing is hidden from Him,everything is open and bare before God. So if He sees everything,He also hears everything thats directed toward Him. So as we pray He looks upon our heart to see if whats in our heart lines up with His word. They praise me with their mouth but their heart is far from Me.I believe if your heart is right with God,He hears and answers your prayer!! Thanks your friend, ( Mild Bill ) Bill Carnahan.
Thanx Brother.
The biggest problem with men is the mentality of works (wanting to reach God) by thier means which is impossible. people should simply believe and take on what God has done for us in Jesus Christ.
Amos M (Uganda)
Robert hits the nail with hammer.
In short, my answer to the question is simple. I don’t doubt it. God made me, it is simple. When I speak He hears me…the thing is, I need to humble my mind, body, energies and focus to hear Him in return.
The God Concept is a great place to begin. I firmly concur that our parents instill the notion of God high on a throne, separate in many ways, and ready to judge misbehavior at our beset!
Hence, our doubts start to cloud our minds (our relationship with the Supreme) as we realize we are not perfect, weak, prone to mistakes and foul deeds. We accept the notion something so high and mighty would not form a relationship to a lowly one like me. This runs counter to Scripture to be sure…but then we are egoistically human.
“Does God hear me?” is in fact a question on one’s relationship with the Divine.
If I may, I would like to relate a personal experience I had with Father. Years ago, I lived really oblivious to my own sins, which greatly controlled my actions (to my unknowing). I was steep in anixety, worry and huge stress. I basically was not achieving and being the person my “ego” wanted to be. Hence, anger developed and later pride to adjust and try cope with my despair. I drifted further away. I was a clam, closed mind to people, and worse still closed/hard hearted. This was mostly in part a defensive mechanism. Defending what? An illusion, the ego!
The night of Awakening came. I was thus humble, akin to St. Paul. I was plagued by attacks and temptation…yet they served a point: First to show where I was spiritually, Second to reform me. I recall after my awakening, I asked God “Why I worry so much?” The answer was swift and piercing, “You doubt yourself.”
In my very doubt, my disbelief, my pride, my awfulness of “unforgiven” sin, my relationship the almighty God began. I felt His annointment, His assuranceness. I learned NOT TO DOUBT! It sucks to doubt.
I began reading Scripture (which I stopped since 4th grade!), I started going to Church and started learning the basics of the fellowship with Christ. I saw abundantly my transgressions and my growth as a child of God.
I wish to relate this personal experience as testimony and reaffirmation to Scripture. God’s truth is everlasting! I learned the real meaning in the words to Amazing Grace, for grace God showed me, and forever I am changed, made anew everyday in His power and love!
Thus, I would like to challenge our audience see your relationship with God in your weakness, your doubts or disbeliefs. In many ways to approach God is know your whole self, not the idea of your self-which is illusion. To know yourself as incomplete and unfulfilled–this is the room needed for God to fulfill you, this is where he can reside! But, if we are pridefully content and fulfilled with the secular world and material crap, than your relationship may be very minimal! God will remain merely an idea, not a reality in your life.
But, God FIRST! God is Love. God is Creator.
“Behold I make all things anew.” – Jesus
Wow! The General’s Story is BEAUTIFUL!