God’s Perfect Timing in Prayer

“A cosmic clock is ticking. It was established by God, not just for the vast movements of the universe, but for every situation in your life. If you are frustrated by it, wondering why God is not rushing an answer to your earnest prayer then feel at home. You’re part of a long list of people - biblical heroes included - who have struggled with God’s timing.” Ron Susek
 
 Dear intercessors,

Perhaps there is not one of us who has not called out to God and prayed, “Lord, why are You not answering my prayers now? Why is it taking so long?” Many of us have prayed for many years about certain things - a lost son or daughter, a job change, a personal dream or desire, revival in the land - and have not yet seen the fulfillment of those prayers. Yet we believe that it is God’s will and that He has led us in those prayers. Why does it seem to take so long for some prayers to be answered? Think about it: 

• Is God not doing something within us as He gets us ready for the answer?
• Does He not have a deeper purpose in this process of praying towards the fulfillment of our prayers?
• Do we try to take matters in our own hands because the stretch of our faith seems too large?  

I am convinced that God is preparing us in the process. He has His way of getting us ready for the answer. He is stretching our faith. He is often revealing what is in our heart. We are often impatient and He has to crucify our flesh, purify us, and make us ready so that we handle the answer in the right way when it comes.

Many of us are like a wild horse, and God has to tame us so that we learn to wait on His Word, and then move forward in His timing. We must learn to pray by faith consistently and long-term. God is not building His kingdom in the flesh or through the influence of man. He is building it with faith, and this involves praying, trusting, and then moving in His timing and in His way.
 
The big word for me is “Be patient!” God will act if I don’t give up. As I have perhaps told you many times, I have had to wait long and pray hard regarding Intercessors Arise International. I have finished writing several books on prayer, but it took a long time, even years. And then it took much longer to get them published. The Lord has said to me during this waiting time, “Be patient - It will happen in My timing - Obey Me - Be faithful in prayer” (Colossians 4:2). So I had to  continue on in faith.

Perhaps He is saying the same to you regarding some of your long-term prayers, and you find it hard to trust in His wisdom and timing. 
 
At times we may feel we are in a crisis and need God’s answer now. We may try to take matters into our own hands and really mess things up. Look at King David. He was in a dilemma many times where he needed God’s answer in a difficult situation. He cried out in Psalm 83:1 “O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still.” But he learned to wait and pray. He let God test his faith and he hung on, not letting Satan get the upper hand through a quick-fix method. And God answered His prayers.

What Happens as We Wait for God to Answer our Prayers

There is a process we may go through as we wrestle in prayer with God. We often face negative emotions as we go through the difficulty of waiting for God in the midst of a crisis. But this leads us to a greater faith and a greater revelation of God and our situation. This process of waiting for God’s timing in prayer, especially when we are facing a crisis, is usually this: 

• Fervency -We begin by praying with fervency when the crisis arises. We use all of our energy to focus on praying through the crisis. It takes our strength in every way - physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.  
   
• Negative emotions -As time goes on and the answer does not come, we may get distracted towards other things. We just can’t keep up with that level of intensity. We wait with no answer and we may run into negative emotions - anger, frustration, confusion, or disappointment. Anger may be directed toward God, the situation, or even ourselves for not being able to do more.
   
• Lies of the enemy -We feel the accusations of Satan. He speaks lies into our mind, “You are too sinful to have God answer your prayers - Your faith is too small - God doesn’t love you or care about your situation - He will not answer your prayers.” Remember, Satan is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10). He will try to attack you through this vulnerable time when God is stretching your faith.
   
• Revelation -We come to a deeper knowledge of what God is doing. Our understanding is deepened as we hold unswervingly to the hope that we profess (Hebrews 10:23). As we stay in the Word of God, we begin to see the situation from God’s standpoint. We grow spiritually. 
   
• Greater faith- We rise up in faithful, determined prayer. We are not living by feelings any longer but by faith. We are willing to wait regardless of how long it takes. We can actually get excited in the wait. God is with us and He has heard our prayer! 

God has a perfect timing. I may be waiting for the publication of more books on prayer, but your situation may be completely different. We are all waiting in prayer for something. Right now I know of people who are praying for God’s healing from cancer. I know others who just want to get back to the mission field and others who are praying for the fulfillment of their dreams. I know two others who are praying for a wayward daughter to come home and back to the Lord.

Is God not concerned about all these things? Yes, He is deeply concerned. He stretches our faith in the midst of the wait just as He did with His disciples when encountering a storm at sea. He has all wisdom.
 
God answers our prayers at just the right moment and is not a minute too late.

My Prayer to God

“Lord, I thank You that You will answer my prayers in Your perfect timing. Reveal what is in my heart, and make me ready to handle the answer in the right way when it comes. Help me to pray by faith consistently and long-term, to believe, wait, and then move forward in Your timing. Help me to be patient in prayer and not give up. I want to trust You even during moments when I feel negative emotions. I don’t want to live by feelings but by faith. Help me not to take matters into my own hands. I choose to trust you, and I refuse to believe the lies of the enemy. I choose to be faithful in prayer (Colossians 4:2). Deepen my understanding, and give me a greater knowledge of what You are doing in my life. I choose to hold unswervingly to the hope that I profess (Hebrews 10:23). Stretch my faith in the midst of the wait, just as You did with Your disciples when encountering a storm at sea (Matthew 8:23-27). I thank You that You have all wisdom and will answer my prayers at just the right moment and in the perfect way. In Jesus’ name, amen.”       

Don't miss the upcoming Intercessors Arise prayer webinar called: Grow in Dynamic Prayer by Learning How to Powerfully Pray God's Word for Breakthrough. It's filled with free prayer materials - SECURE YOUR SEAT HERE!

“It is the sovereign stillness - quiet, confident, and nonactive - that unnerves us in the face of crisis. ‘Wake up!’ screamed the disciples (and us) to Jesus. ‘Get up here in the deck of this fragile boat. Look at this storm. Don’t you care about us?’ But look at who it is we are trying to shake into action. It’s the God who said, ‘Be still, and know that I am God’ (Psalm 46:10). This God can remain quiet and still in the face of crisis. He calls us to wait on Him. Indeed, He will act, but in His timing.” - Ron Susek
 
Together in the Harvest,
 
Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
International House of Prayer Kansas City (IHOPKC)
deb@intercessorsarise.org
www.intercessorsarise.org