The Perhaps Prayer

Good morning & Greetings in Jesus name. This morning is another opportunity we have to pray, to seek the Lord, to come before His face depending on His mercy, grace and love for us. There is one thing we can always bank upon when we come into the presence of God is that this God is merciful, gracious and loving. When we cry, when we pray, when we look to Him, depend on Him and rely on Him, He is available to us, near to us and He will restore us. This season God is drawing our hearts into His presence.

If we read the book of Jonah, we see a radical change and a reformation that happened in Syria. Jonah 3:9, the king of the nation is speaking this prophetic statement. “Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.” There was a man of God, Jonah who came and declared that Nineveh will be burned and turned to ashes. The king when he heard it, was cut to the heart and declared a nationwide fast. He said, let us go and depend on the mercy of God. Let us cry out and seek the grace of God. Let us see if we can change the mind of God. This was a nation that did not have a relationship with God, a nation that did not have a covenant or a promise from God or any kind of scripture to bank upon and yet they are banking on the character of God.

Today, you and I have Jesus because of whom the door of the gospel, the door of this relationship with God is open wide so that all the nations can come in, enter and have a relationship with God. This was not the case with Nineveh at that time, because it was Israel who was chosen by God, it was a nation God had made a covenant with, it was a nation where God would come and meet with his people and listen to their prayers; and yet the people of Nineveh said that if we would pray and tap into the mercy of God, throw ourselves to the grace of God, perhaps He will change his mind towards us, He would not destroy us. The king of the nation found a doorway to tap into the mercy of God and it was to appeal to His character. He said if we pray, fast or cry out perhaps God will change His mind about us. What was a 50% chance for Nineveh is an assurance to us. We know that when we pray God hears. We know that the door has been opened wide for us to enjoy and experience forgiveness from God, freedom from our sin. There is no bondage, no struggle, no challenge, no mountain, no enemy that can stand in the way of a child of God inheriting his blessing, receiving the portion of God in his life. Nobody can stand in his way. All that God is looking for is a man or a woman who is willing to ask, pray, stand in the gap, who is willing to take authority, willing to open his mouth and desire for things of God, who is willing to cry and pray that Lord we need a revival, we need a change, we need a move, Lord my church needs to be on fire, my family needs to experience Jesus. All of these things that were a doubt for the king of Nineveh, it is an assurance for you and me.

Today we don’t have to be in doubt. We don’t have to say perhaps God will do this. Today, we know and we know that God will answer our prayers. For an assurance, He has given us His Holy Spirit within us. The presence of the Holy Spirit within us is an assurance that we will be forgiven, we will be heard, that God will fight for us, God will make a way for us. So let me invite you into the most sacred place, to the place of prayer, a place of surrender, a place where you give up what you want to do for God, what you want to do in your life, giving up all your dreams and imaginations, laying it all down at His feet. And it’s also a place where you receive instructions and help, blessings and favour, guidance to do your day, week, the season ahead in the way that God wants you to do it.