This is the second segment of the practical thoughts I want to share with you about why prayers seem to go answered.   The foundation of all of these thoughts is:  We know God is not ever wrong, thank You, God!  And we know His Word is very clear – sickness is a curse (Deuteronomy 28:15-68) and Jesus became a curse for us so those who believe can be free of the curse (Galatians 3:13).  So, where does that leave us who need answered prayer?  The fault lies with us, with the devil, or a combination of the two – it cannot be God! 

The first cause of unanswered prayer I spoke of is Lack of Knowledge (Hosea 4:6).  Today I am going to talk about the obviously related cause:

Not Walking in the Knowledge One Has Received

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

Once we have received knowledge of a biblical principle, or if God has given us His wisdom regarding our situation, we are now responsible for walking in it!  It is a choice….and one we can either make (obedience) or refuse to make (rebellion).

Take my friend from the last post.  She was smart in making the choice to follow the wisdom she received from God, through her new doctor, about her health – she stopped eating the foods that her body cannot process properly and walked in health.  On the few occasions that she rebelled and purposely ate what she wanted, she became sick. 

Walking in the wisdom of God is really a no-brainer, isn’t it?  But sadly, many of us don’t always choose to do it.  I am including myself here, too.

A man I know is 100 pounds overweight and has been diagnosed with diabetes, and is now on medication for that and high blood pressure.  His doctors have told him to lose weight; his family has begged him to regain his health.  He has attended a bible study dealing with health and how his body is the temple of God. (He now has knowledge!)  He loves the Lord.  He cries out to God to be healed; he goes up to the altar for healing at every service, and he says he is “standing in faith for his healing”.   But, he knows what to do for his health, yet doesn’t do it.  His actions do not agree with his desires.

I was in a restaurant not long ago with him and was blown away by his menu choices – regular coke, ravioli, garlic bread and a hot fudge sundae!  None of those items are conducive to a diabetic’s health, nor for the treatment of high blood pressure.  In fact, those items only dangerously exacerbate those conditions; but it was his choice.

A woman I know is a smoker.  She says she wants to quit; she says she knows it is bad for her, and even says God Himself has told her to quit.  (She has knowledge!)  But, every day she lights up again, saying, “I just can’t help myself.”  The bible tells us we can do ALL things through Jesus (Philippians 4:13).  The bible also tells us we are to exercise self-control and to crucify desires not of Him (Galatians 5:22-24).  In spite of that, she continues to smoke.

Why on earth would we expect God to heal us when we are violating His instructions and principles?  God could heal these folks if He chose to, but that is not how God usually works; he operates in biblical principles, which He makes quite plain to us and expects us to walk in them.  The bible says the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).  God does not always remove the consequences (i.e. heal us) when we make choices leading to death; that would be a violation of our free will.

“For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption…..”   Galatians 6:8

Some would say this makes God out to be mean and uncaring, but I would say quite the contrary!  How kind He is to give us a book that tells us exactly what we should do to walk in health, and the Holy Spirit to help us do it!  

Choices.  Just as receiving Him as Savior is a choice, so is the decision to walk in His wisdom and knowledge.

Stay tuned for Part Three, coming up soon!