Did God Really Say?

“Ask…in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24 NIV
When severe drought hit a small farming community in the Midwest, a local church called a prayer meeting and everybody showed up…As the pastor stood before his packed church he noticed an 11-year-old girl sitting in the front row, beaming with excitement. Lying next to her was her bright red umbrella poised for use. The beauty and innocence of this sight made him smile as he compared the faith of this child with that of the rest of the people in the room. You see, the rest of them had just come to pray for rain – she had come to see God answer! ~Bob Gass

When you pray, do you bring your umbrella? Do you expect an answer? The greatest power the devil has over you is to cause you to wonder, to doubt what God has promised you. In fact the first sin began with a simple seed of doubt. The serpent asked Eve “Did God really say…?” The question is will God hear your prayers? Did God really say he would give you the desires of your heart?(Psalm 37:4) Did God really say “ask and it shall be given to you”? (Matt. 7:7; Luke 11:9; James 1:5)If the enemy can cause you to question your promise then he has already won, because as James so clearly states “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.” (James 1:6-7)

The answer to this is simple, but not necessarily easy. When Jesus was tempted in the desert he always had the same response “It is written…” . Paul told Timothy to study to show himself approved, so that he would not need to be ashamed. (2 Timothy 2:15) When you feel the doubts and the questions coming to you then you need to tell yourself, and the devil, “It is written…” Of course you can not do this without knowing the scripture, which is why you must study.
( A little side note: If you need to search a particular subject, verse, or word, you can find it easily at blueletterbible.org It does not have to be difficult.)

So the next time you pray bring your umbrella, and the next time the devil asks you “Did God say?” You can be prepared to say, yes He did!