Episode 76 - God‘s Promises & Your Prayers (& Happy Happy Happy International Podcast Day!)

This is episode 76 of The Burt Not Ernie Show podcast - and I am so excited because it is the week of September 30th - and that is International Podcast Day. And this little podcast is featured on Podchaser as one of the Top Christian Podcasts to listen to for International Podcast Day. How cool is that?

 

Today for this episode we are going to read some verses with promises that we can pray for ourselves and of course for pretty much everyone who may be on our prayer lists.  Sometimes we aren’t exactly sure what to pray, how to pray, in a certain situation or for a certain person. And it’s really kind of handy, or actually it’s pretty important, to have some verses from the Bible sort of at the ready to pray for those people and situations. So that’s the focus of these verses today. 

 

And hey, in case nobody let you know this as of late, God truly loves you. And He truly likes you. When you spend time with Him, He actually enjoys it. You’re pretty awesome. And I can say that because it’s true - and it’s true because God proves it to be true. Enjoy your life today. God loves you and He wants you to enjoy it - not down the road, but right here and now. Enjoy your life. You’re allowed to do that, ya know!

 

Let’s anchor our hope in the Lord to our praying by really believing His promises are true. 

 

Romans 4:21b - … being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised. (That’s the second half of the verse, and I believe that is from the NLT - it’s a good thing to ask ourselves if we are fully persuaded that God had the power to do what He has promised when we enter our prayer times. Do we believe it? If so, fantastic! Pray like you believe that this is true every time you come to the Lord in prayer.)

 

2 Kings 19:16a - Give ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see. (Ask Him to hear you as you stand praying. Ask Him to see you, to see your circumstances and to do a great work that glorifies Him in the midst of those circumstances.) 

 

John 17:15 - “My prayer is not that You take them out of the world, but that You protect them from the evil one.” (Jesus did not ask the Father to take you out of this world. Sometimes we want out of it! It kinda sucks down here on earth sometimes, right? But we cannot be wanting or praying for something in direct contrast to what Jesus’ revealed will is. And this verse says His will is for us not to be taken out of this world. But to be protected from the evil one. Pray as if you trust your Father to protect you from the evil one as you do His will in this world. And pray the same thing over your families and friends and workplaces and finances and health and churches and believers all around the world. Pray like this is your promise and you will find yourself far less afraid of the dirty old devil!) 

 

Psalm 18:28b - The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. (Do you have any areas of your life where maybe you don’t feel like you can see clearly? Any dark spots? Like those annoying floaters in our vision, ya know, but in our life? Ask your good and faithful and loving and so trustworthy God to enlighten those places. And He really will!) This verse has the word WILL in it - okay, gotta reiterate this like pretty much whenever I can. Will means will and All means all and my God don’t play. He will do every single bit of what He has said that He will do.

 

Romans 8:31 NLT - If God is for us, who can ever be against us? (I am hopeful that on my rough days I will always remember this verse, this promise. Who is for us? Who is for me - for me?? God, that’s who. God is for you.

So who can ever be against us? This puts things into their proper perspective, my friend. It’s all small potatoes compared to our God. Anything coming up against you is also coming against Him and there is nothing that can stand against your God. Keep your eyes on the prize always and the prize is Jesus. Keep Him as your focus and all else shrinks down to size. He is for you. Please don’t ever forget that!) 

 

And just one more verse I want to share with you today - it is from the book of Isaish. Chapter 40, verse 10 and it is from the NIV - It says: So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. 

 

That is a whopper of a promise. Combine this promise, actually a few promises here in this verse, with your praying and you are not going to end your prayer time the same as when you started. Try it and see! 

 

Lord, thank You that no matter what, You have given me instruction not to fear, and so I will not fear. I choose faith, I shut down fear, I trust in You fully & absolutely. I will not fear because You, my God, are with me. Always with me. You will never leave me nor forsake me. So of course I do not need to fear - I am never alone, the God of heaven’s armies is with me always. Thank You for this promise and for an answer to the fears that try to press in upon me. You have told me not to be dismayed, and so I will do as You have told me and will not be dismayed. Why? Because You are my God and in You is all wisdom and understanding. There is no need for dismay, thanks to You, Lord. You promise to strengthen me and to help me and to uphold me with Your righteous right hand. If I am strong in the strength that You give, is there anything that can be stronger? No! If I am helped by You, can anything ever be bigger than that help? No! Since I am upheld by Your righteous right hand, is it possible for me to be under my enemy while being upheld by You? No!

 

I hope you are inspired today to pray God’s Word, the promises He has made to You, over every prayer request you have. I’m telling you what, things change when we pray or the devil wouldn’t work so hard to keep us from prayer. Satan does not want you praying God’s Word. So, get to praying it and smash your enemy under your feet. 

 

Thanks for being here for this episode. And thanks to all who have left reviews of my devotional book on Amazon - The Power of God’s Will - 40 Days of God’s Promises has all five star reviews and I sure am humbled that it has been an encouragement to people. 

 

Have a wonderful week and be sure to check out the Top Christian Podcasts to Listen to on International Podcast Day on Podchaser - here is the link: https://www.podchaser.com/lists/top-christian-podcasts-to-listen-to-on-international-podcast-107aIUuQ5o?fbclid=IwAR2F8UfTY1PQIiFkDm9ValDU4DFnRLhTtIN96jDb4agNyiY2haV6oderFPc

 

Also, if you would like to sign up for my email list at my website, I am going to start sending out more regular emails. Nothing overwhelming, our inboxes are so full already, but things like a Bible verse and a prayer and maybe the verse for the next podcast episode. I have seen my sign ups increasing the last few weeks and I think I should be better about encouraging listeners and readers with God’s promises.

 

Pray big prayers based on the Word of God this week and expect to see God move in answer to your praying!

 

Praying Through the Storm online prayer retreat group 

Grab a copy of "The Power of God's Will - 40 Days of God's Promises Devotional" via Amazon

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