“I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. “But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices. “If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!” Ps 81:10-14 (NIV)
A vital component of making God’s blessings count in our lives is our understanding of the fact that we can open our mouths in faith and expect God to back our words up with the desired action. God’s word and the reality of His unchanging character are the two foundational truths that give us the temerity to resist the devil and expect him to flee from us, as well as ask anything of Him and expect to receive it. But who are the people entitled to do these?
According to our anchor passage, only those who can say that God has brought them out of Egypt – representing the godless thinking and worldly system that is opposed to the rule of God- are entitled to declare God’s word and then expect Him to act. Only those whom the Holy Spirit bears a witness in their spirit and thus affirm that they indeed belong to God can open their mouths wide and expect His deliverance. Other people may desire but not necessarily truly expect the same outcome. This means that God’s children can approach Him and ask Him to meet their needs or accede to a request as of right and they could DEFINITELY expect an answer, while those who have not accepted the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ could only ask as a privilege, which God MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT grant.
So, if you have been questioning in your heart, why did I have the boldness to pray and expect God to answer? It is simply because I know beyond a shadow of doubt that I am a child of God and is therefore entitled to ask anything of my Father as of right. God is responsible for my life, and being the excellent Father, He cannot shirk His responsibilities to me. He made me and has promised to take care of me, and I know beyond every reasonable or unreasonable doubt that He would take care of me. That is the primary reason why I can boldly come into His throne room to ask for help in time of need. The good news is that the same applies to you as a fellow child of God and joint-heirs to the grace of God.
The implication for those who cannot say that God had delivered them from Egypt is that they are unable to boldly approach God to brashly ask for anything, the same way your next-door neighbour’s child cannot expect you to bear total responsibility for him. Consequently, such people can only beg God for whatever He might choose to give them out of the goodness of His heart. Henceforth, as a Christian, determine to boldly approach God as a child and not a stranger, for it is proper and befitting. God never asked you to beg. He said ask. It is that simple.
Prayer:
Lord, I now understand that as your child I am not a spiritual beggar. Please remove from me the begging mentality that has until now being hampering my spiritual walk and replace it with boldness to approach you as my Father who loves to bless His children. Thank you Lord for answered prayers.