an insight...

was reading a book named "Drawing Near" by John Bevere recently.. which brought new insights to my understanding of 'answered' prayers.. you must be thinking why is there inverted commas for the word answered.. cos God did not say yes or agree to what we prayed for even though He gave us what we prayed for.. contradicting eh.. but it is true.. let's look at the verse below before we dwell further..

^"4 Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Every man of the house of Israel who takes his idols [of self-will and unsubmissiveness] into his heart and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity [idols of silver and gold] before his face, and yet comes to the prophet [to inquire of him], I the Lord will answer him, answer him according to the multitude of his idols,

⁵ That I may lay hold of the house of Israel in the thoughts of their own mind and heart, because they are all estranged from Me through their idols."

~Ezekiel 14:4-5 (Amplified Bible)~

from Ezekiel 14:4c "I the Lord will answer him, answer him according to the multitude of his idols,", it can be understood that if we really want something so badly even after God has revealed His will and desire to us, quite possibly He will give it to us even when it is against His perfect will and even if He knows that we will be judged..

taking for example the israelites.. God has let them know His desire for them to not have a king and warned them about how the king will take away their best things and even taxed them.. they still insisted to have a king over them.. so God gave them what they wanted.. then these kings eventually led them into babylonian captivity.. israelites had to pay for what they asked for..

what we must realise is that when we desire something that is contrary to God's will for us.. God will sometimes still give it to us and it will be according to the idols that are residing in our hearts.. idols are anything that separate us from Him or take our focus off Him.. they may not necessary be physical objects like a golden calf that you chooses to worship instead of God.. for me, watching shows and playing some online games are the idols in my life.. which i am fasting from for my own good too.. :P so what are the idols in your life? studies, achievements, relationships, work, games, food, etc?

Though He desires that none would go astray, He will not be mocked..

"7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸ The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."

~Galatians 6:7-8~

ultimately why God does what He does is shown in Ezekiel 14:5.. He wants to recapture our hearts from any snare of covetousness, which is idolatry, lurking in it.. simply because He wants to have an initmate relationship with us.. however, His heart is reserved for those who have given theirs completely..

God is gracious and merciful enough to take us back as His child as long as we are willing to repent and turn back from our sinful ways and desires.. and give our hearts to Him.. letting our focus be on Him and His will for us.. cos He loves us too much to see us going into destructive mode with what we are doing..

God is merciful yet He cannot be mocked..

Love,
Naomi