Just Keep Praying.

‘The angel said to him… “your prayer has been heard”.’ – Luke 1:13

Zechariah encountered an angel from the Lord with an answer to prayer. This happened as he was partaking in his priestly duty after being chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary to burn incense. He and his wife Elizabeth were very old and they had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive. All it took was for Zechariah to hear, “your prayer has been heard” and their lives were forever changed!

I wonder how long he had been praying to God for a child? I can imagine this particular prayer being one he may have given up on as the years went by.

But God h e a r d his prayer – wow!

Even in the moments Zechariah and Elizabeth may have felt that God wasn’t listening or the answer to their prayer wasn’t coming through; He was faithful.

13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.” - Luke 1:13-17

John’s arrival was absolutely perfect! God knew when he needed to enter the world and why he needed to at the exact moment that he did – purpose.

8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think... - 2 Peter 3:8-9a

Let me encourage you and say, “God hears your prayers!”

And as children of God, we can rest assured that as we hold on to God’s promises and identify ourselves in His word, we can know what Jesus said to be true, “I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” (Mark 24:11)

It may not always look like or even feel like it at times but God is constantly aligning everything perfectly on our behalf. Remember, God is not just concerned about the beginning and end – He cares about every detail in-between.

It’s so encouraging to know the plans God had for the child of Zechariah and Elizabeth. They were the parents of John the Baptist, the one who prepared the world for the soon coming King – Jesus, what an honor, what a privilege!

We don’t always see the bigger picture but my goodness is it ever beautiful.

Love & Blessings,

Tanika

P R A Y . W I T H . M E ⤵

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Have you prayed the most important prayer?

Maybe you’re new to praying? Maybe you’ve never been given the opportunity to make Jesus your Lord and Savior. You can’t think of a time where you accepted Jesus into your heart and life; or maybe you’re in a place where you need to re-dedicate your life to Him – I want to give you a chance to do that today!

You must know that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), there is nothing you have ever done that God cannot forgive! God loves you, He sees you, and He wants you to be full of the life that comes from knowing Jesus.

Say this prayer with me out-loud, from your heart, no matter where you are!

“Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your son Jesus to die in my place, I admit that I’ve sinned and I repent. I believe in my heart, you raised Jesus from the dead, and I confess with my mouth, that Jesus is my Lord and my Saviour. Come into my heart Lord Jesus, take out the stony heart and put in a heart of flesh. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. Right now, I receive forgiveness and by the blood of Jesus, I am saved. I am made new. I am free. I am a child of God. In Jesus name—Amen!”

Yay! If you prayed with me today, I want to hear from you! Leave a comment below, send me an Email or shoot me a DM on Instagram; I'd love to celebrate the best decision of your life with you!