By Any Means Necessary

"It isn't a lie, if you believe it."

A pearl of wisdom from Seinfeld's George Costanza, as he instructs Jerry on how to beat a lie detector test.

As an avid Seinfeld fan, I was thinking about this scene last week while preparing my final teaching on the Book of James, which closes with a topic on  the power of prayer. How many of us have been to that point of prayer within a difficult circumstance, to where we have trouble praying with boldness, and find ourselves showing God through our words and actions that we don't trust Him? Sometimes even forcing ourselves to believe that God's Promises are true and we trust Him?

The Book of James gives 54 clear commands to his readers to let them know how to practically do what they say they believe.
Or, as I prefer, James instructs us to simply hear God's Word and do it.

So, if we are to pray with boldness, just as God commands us to, why do we sometimes fail at it?

I believe we have forgotten to apply God's Word to our daily lives. Before even bringing up faith, James gives us this elegant point to seek after first:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
 - James 1:5

If we search out God's Word, which amazingly covers pretty much every little detail of our life that we could ever possibly go through, and also just ask Him, He will give us wisdom, insight, and direction. But, He wants us to ask him with boldness and faith.

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. - James 1:6

If we waver in our faith when praying to God for help, we have not only shown God we don't trust Him and lack wisdom, we also have shown God we don't know who we are in Christ.

You have to know your identity in Christ. If you don't, you lack wisdom.

Our trusting in God in all things stems from us being confident in His presence.

It also stems from us carrying a confidence and wisdom that says we are what we believe.

For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. - Proverbs 23:7

For myself, to get where I am in Christ and walking by faith, I simply did this:

Apply your heart to instruction,
And your ears to words of knowledge. - Proverbs 23:12

The Lord rejoices and delights in answering our prayers, but only if we come to Him having a full assurance of trust.

If you live in an area with no access to a Bible, click on www.biblegateway.com for more of God's encouraging Word.