In our last post, we promised to unpack the trigger for a life of successful decrees. We need God to help us. Several believers may have difficulty grasping this concept. The problem is worse in nations and communities that enjoy praying long petitions. They believe more in praying than in learning the mind of God, the promise keeper.
The strategy for obtaining God’s promises is simple—not easy, but simple. God never complicates issues. He is not a God of multiple choices where you have to scratch your head before you arrive at the answer. God is a God of ‘true or false’, ‘good or evil’, ‘righteous or wicked’, and ‘heaven or hell’. So, if we are confused, it is on us, not Him.
To trigger your promise, you search out your part of the bargain, perform it, and you can go to sleep. The promise keeper will do His part, no ifs or buts. Here we see Him spending several verses telling us the trigger to become almost like Him in decreeing. A decree means that you say it and it is done. Such power! And such a heavy trigger.
Do You Truly Know The Promise Keeper?
First, in Job 22.21, you must acquaint yourself with God. Ouch! How many of us can pass that initial test? It sounds like the grade you must have to enter into the school of decree-makers. It may be that we are not even in the school and still want (and pray) to graduate. Imagine your child is not in a particular school and he is praying to graduate from that school. You will sit him down and attempt to reason (or beat) that nonsense out of him.
Many believers know about God – He is good, gracious, kind, wonderful, faithful, etc. But do we know Him? Are we acquainted with Him as Job 22.21 says we should be? Are we friends with God? Do not forget that the disciples required one thousand days of close contact with Jesus before they became His friends. How much time do we spend with him? What is our conversation with God like? Do I talk to God as a friend with a friend? Or do I come with a list of petitions?
I know a lady who stopped being friends with another lady. Every time her friend contacted her, she had a need she wanted help with. Her so-called friend was using her as we use the promise keeper. We do not bother to say hello to God when things are going well. “Good Morning God. I just wanted to check in with you and wish you a fruitful day. This is also a good time to tell you how much I love you for being so awesome.” Of course, we do that with fear and trembling because He is God and we are men.
Be friends With God and Be at Peace
I also have a friend who only calls when someone has prescribed them a medication. While I have not unfriended him, I have learned the art of resistance. Perhaps we are that sort of friend to God. If so, do not waste time joining your pastor to pray about decreeing something. You are not yet in kindergarten. God may have developed the art of resistance with you or perhaps, He has unfriended you. Instead, the next time your pastor raises that prayer point, pray. “Father, help me to know you. Give me the grace to become acquainted with you, to be your friend.” It may not happen immediately but the prayer-answering God, the promise keeper will do it.
We now come to the second part of that sentence – “be at peace.” Unless care is taken, this is where most believers will give up. “I do not have to be in the decree school,” you hear them say in pretend anger. But they give up on the promise keeper because the condition is too hard. Who can be at peace without being the prince of peace Himself?
Fortunately, we do not have to give up if we are ready to become friendly with the promise keeper. We can decide to create a room for the Prince of Peace. The Shunamite woman is a good example here. In 2 Kings 4:8-10, she went from occasionally feeding Ellisha to housing him. It can be the same with us and the promise keeper.
A Positive Note from The Promise Keeper
Perhaps we have been casually entertaining Jesus like the Shunamite lady initially did. Nothing should stop us from moving forward and building a house for Jesus in our hearts. When the Prince of Peace is in your home and heart, being at peace becomes second nature. It does not matter how wild your first nature was. Trust me on this, I know what I am talking about.
Mercifully, Job 22.21 ends on a positive note. Here is the verse: “Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace. Thereby good will come to you.” Thank God for encouraging us in the middle of a hard test. Once you build a dwelling place for Jesus in your heart, you will experience good. How can it be otherwise when the Prince of Peace is in your life? Sadly, many of us want the good without creating the space in our lives for Peace.
The promise keeper does not function that way. Decide today that instead of following the crowd to look for Jesus, you will build Him a house in your heart. Good will come to you and that will prepare you for classes. It does not matter that they are kindergarten classes. There is always a starting point for the greatest of us. In the next post, we shall unpack some of the lessons in your class.
Maranatha!
