“We will shout for joy when you are victorious, and lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests” - Psalm 20:5 (NIV).
Every life has its desires. When we see our heart’s desires fulfilled we are delighted and filled with joy. It is a different matter though, when our desires are not met. Then we experience a range of emotions from sadness to anger. This is why Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”
One comforting thing is that our desires are also of interest to the Almighty God. Psalm 20:4 says, “May he give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed.” Again in Jeremiah 29:11, it is written, “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
The Bible is full of characters and events where God meets the desires of man. In certain cases we find longings that took years to be fulfilled, with even moment of desperateness, like the desire of Abraham and Sarah to have a child, which only materialized as octogenarians! Hannah had a restless desire to have a child too which was met one day when Prophet Eli saw her praying earnestly. “Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him” (1 Sam 12:17.)
Queen Esther had a desire to save her people from execution which she took to King Xerxes after praying and fasting with confidants, and found the door open. “Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you” (Esther 5:3). David had a desire to build a temple for God which he passed on to his son Solomon. “Then he called for his son Solomon, and charged him to build a house for the Lord God of Israel” (I Chronicles 22:6). This desire would be fulfilled soon after David’s passing.
What is your desire? Like all those who walked with God take it to Him. The Almighty God is in the business of receiving petitions and answering prayer requests. For as it is written, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I bring to you my heart’s desires, happy and assured that you will meet such in the time of your choosing, this I pray in Jesus’s name!
Related upcoming events
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20/04/2024 - 21/04/2024 All day“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong” (1 Cor 16:13)
Tourists who happen to visit Bukingham palace will be expected to notice the King’s royal guards. Dressed in colorful often red uniforms and adorning tall black helmets they stand on guard and no one dare cross them. Elsewhere in life we find guards in all manner of places quite firm on deterring any intruder wherever they may be.
For us Believers being on constant guard is a calling we must permanently observe. And why? Once in the course of his work, “Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns” (Mathew 16:23). Peter had just protested that he would not deny Jesus only to be sported out!
There is something for us to note here. Satan had penetrated the ranks of Jesus and was going through his closest disciple. It is clear that Peter was not even aware that he was being used. Anyway, he found his target, Jesus, was on guard. Immediately Satan was sent packing.
No Believer is immune to attacks from Satan. After all when once the Lord asked Satan his whereabouts: “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it” (Job 1:7). Clearly the guy is out there 24/7 looking for whom to devour. “Be alert, be on watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (I Peter 5:8).
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, as you have warned us to be on “guard” help me ever to be on the watch out for the attacks of the enemy and with your word rebuke Satan, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
