Pregnant With Prayer

 Just like a woman can be pregnant with a child, so can believers be pregnant in their spirits with burdens they are prayerfully travailing through to give birth to God glorifying answers. I am carrying two burdens. Two things I carry in my spirit. Today I write about them. I do this for two reasons. 

First, I do it in accordance with I John 5:14-15. In that passage, we are exhorted to pray in the will of God and to pray confidently. That word confidence means to publicize and proclaim. I interpret this to mean that by faith we state in advance the things we are trusting Him for in demonstration of our faith. 

The second reason I do this, is to glorify God when He does it. He does not get as much glory when I share these things in hindsight. When I am convinced, I am praying in the will of God I sometimes state publicly what I am believing to do. Over the years the skeptics and doubters have voiced their disapproval. Many times, I have watched them silenced when God comes through and does the very thing I publicly trusted Him to do. I certainly do not do this emotionally manipulate people to help. God already has His answer and the provision selected before I typed the first sentence of this post. 

For those reasons I share what I'm trusting God to do. It is something I have seen Him do numerous times in the past. I trust that in His timing and according to His good pleasure He will do it again. I am believing God for Brenda and I to get new vehicles without any debt. Let me clarify. When I use the word new, I do not mean brand new. I only mean new to us. Why? The Yukon I drive is a 2004 model which is not the problem. The problem is the oil pressure in the vehicle is so low which indicates by several mechanics that the engine needs to be replaced. I do not fully understand all of it, but I trust the mechanics who do. I am also at the point of needing to replace the tires. It is not a want for a new vehicle as much as it is a need. It does not make sense for me to spend well over $1,000 on tires when the vehicle is on its last legs. So, I'm asking God to replace that vehicle. I have not come to Him with any other request other than it be full size and it be debt free. I know He can and will do this. I use my vehicle for pastoral visits and at times to go and preach His word in other places besides where I pastor. Just like John Wesley and George Whitfield needed horses for their ministries and D.L. Moody and Charles Finney needed horse and buggies for theirs, I need a vehicle for mine. 

Brenda and I committed to God several years ago that we would never go into debt on another vehicle. We have not. Each time we have needed a new vehicle we ask Him. There have been times when we have asked and waited for years before He chose to answer. People do not believe it when I say in between Thanksgiving and New Years of 2019 we watched God provide 5 vehicles for our family without one single penny of debt. The people of Spring Creek can testify to this truth because they got a front row seat to see it happen. We prayed three years before God answered. We were pregnant with that prayer for three years. Then in a flash God worked, provided, and humbled us by His power. 

Brenda's car is a 2006 model. It has some mechanical issues as well. I am asking God to replace it and put her in something more dependable. Again, we have never asked God for brand new cars. We are content to drive older cars, and we drive them until it no longer makes sense to spend large amounts of money to repair them. We like to say we drive them to the wheels fall off. 

There you have it. Two vehicles. No debt. I have no idea how God will do it. Neither do I know when He will do it. I believe that He will do it. We carry the prayer burden. Between now and then we labor and travail in prayer until God gives birth to the miracles. 

Some say such actions are foolish. I say going into debt is foolish. The borrower is slave to the lender. See Provers 22:7. This is not an insurmountable mountain. We believe God to move it. See Mark 11:23-24. We know God is able to do more than we can dream. See Ephesians 3:20. We ask, seek and knock believing in His time we will receive, find, and the door will be opened. See Matthew 7:7-8. One day these pregnant prayers will be answered as God gives birth to a miracle. I thank and praise Him in advance. 

Maybe you have your own pregnant prayer. Maybe you are also travailing and waiting to celebrate God's miraculous intervention. He can do it. May we not lose heart. May we not give into doubt no matter how long we have to wait. May He receive abundant glory for answering pregnant prayer.