YET NOT MY WILL, BUT YOUR WILL BE DONE
Our LORD has the final say in everything we pray for
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from Afrikaans: “Nogtans nie my wil nie, maar U wil”
Someone wrote to me, and I post here only the relevant part from the letter, which concerns this writing.
Hello Sakkie
Yes, it’s quite interesting that you should write about this right now.
Just today I walked with the thought of not praying for the sick again even though some of them have already been healed, but others have not.
A few months ago, I anointed and prayed for a woman who had cancer and, as the Word say, pronounced healing and life over her (Death and life are in the power of the tongue). Many people watched and listened to me, and I acted with full conviction and faith.
The woman died of cancer the day before yesterday. (Many other people also prayed for her, and all looked forward to her healing.)
My own niece, who was unsaved, is now also dying and I don’t want to pray for her in public because if she doesn’t heal, then people will drift even further away from God. Which is already the case. When I encouraged the man to reach out to God, he said no, he was just using the wife’s sister’s help. They don’t want to listen to the Gospel.
Here then is my answer to the person:
Good morning ….
Regarding your writing to me – I want to share with you, as I understand it from the Word and try to live it out in my own life.
First, one should not, in your prayer to our Lord, simply ask that the person should get well now, simply because it might not be in our Lord’s will that the person should get well at that stage or time.
I share with you something from the Word in this regard.
Imagine if people had prayed for this blind man a few days ago, or even several times in all the years he has been blind.
Of course, nothing would have happened, simply because it was not yet our Lord’s time.
JOHN 9:1-3
Healing the Man Born Blind
1 While He was passing by, He noticed a man who had been blind from birth.2 His disciples asked Him, “(C1)Rabbi (Teacher), who sinned, (C2)this man or his (C3)parents, that he would be born blind?”3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but it was so (C1)that the works of God might be displayed and illustrated in him.
I share with you another example that clearly show what I am about to share with you now:
JOHN 5:2-9
2 Now in Jerusalem, near (C1)the Sheep Gate, there is a pool, which is called (C2)in Hebrew (Jewish Aramaic) Bethesda, having five porticoes (alcoves, colonnades).3 In these porticoes lay a great number of people who were sick, blind, lame, withered, [waiting for the stirring of the water;4 for an angel of the Lord went down into the pool at appointed seasons and stirred up the water; the first one to go in after the water was stirred was healed of his disease.]5 There was a certain man there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.6 When Jesus noticed him lying there helpless, knowing that he had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to get well?”7 The invalid answered, “Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when (C1)the water is stirred up, and while I am coming to get into it myself, someone else steps down ahead of me.”8 Jesus said to him, “(C1)Get up; pick up your pallet and walk.”
9 Immediately the man was healed and recovered his strength, and picked up his pallet and walked. (C1)Now that day was the Sabbath.
Jesus stand there among a multitude of other people who are sick, but He heal only one, because it was not yet God’s time for the other people there – and He continue on His way, which will eventually take Him to Calvary, unto the cross, where He pay the sacrifice and die for you and me, and also for all those people whom He did not heal at the bath of Bethesda, as well as for all the scoffers who stood around the cross and mocked Him. Yes, and for all those who do not want, and are not going to accept Him as their Lord and Saviour.
Jesus Christ gave everyone in the world the opportunity to enter the afterlife into heaven, if they accept Him as Lord and Saviour.
I share with you just one more example, where people most likely prayed in sincerity but led by their own emotions and of course their prayers were not answered in what manner they asked for.
JOHN 11:1-7
1 Now a certain man named Lazarus was sick. He was from (C1)Bethany, the village where Mary and her sister (C2)Martha lived.2 It was the Mary who (C1)anointed (C2)the Lord with perfume and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “(C1)Lord, (C2)he our brother and Your friend whom You love is sick.”4 When Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness will not end in death; but on the contrary it is for (C1)the glory and honor of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”5 Now Jesus loved and was concerned about (C1)Martha and her sister and Lazarus and considered them dear friends.6 So even when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed in the same place two more days.7 Then He said to His disciples, “(C1)Let us go back to Judea.”
Jesus knew that Lazarus was sick and yes, even that he was going to die – but it was all part of God’s plan.
Of course, the people, full of their emotions and sadness, could never see this, even though they knew that Jesus knew about Lazarus, and they probably prayed a lot, even together, that Jesus should come soon before he dies and heal him – but then it didn’t happen and the man died – and full of remorse and some even with negative thoughts towards Jesus, they held their funeral.
All because they look at their emotions and the sadness and the emotions of the people around them.
And the result is that, when Jesus got there, he had to hear that they cannot open the grave, because the corpse had already started to decay and was already smelling.
JHN 11:38-39
38 So Jesus, again deeply moved within to the point of anger, approached the tomb. It was a (C1)cave, and a boulder was lying against it to cover the entrance.39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be an offensive odor, for he has been dead (C1)four days! It is hopeless!“
Back to what I want to share with you and show you:
People pray sometimes, or I can say, people usually pray for people and then they want, their will to be done – but it is always God’s will, that must be done.
This happens, because people take fragments of the Word, and read them separately from the rest of the Word, and then make them part of the gospel of Jesus and then preach such a gospel – but not the gospel of Jesus.
Our Lord has the final say in everything we pray for, and you know – I rarely, very rarely, hear that part of people’s prayers for people, (especially when it comes to the laying on of hands), pray the following words in their prayer:
“Nevertheless, not our will but let Your will be done” Because there is one passage from the Word that many, and I could say, most people forget when they pray for someone with the laying on of hands, namely:
1JOHN 5:14
14 This is (C1)the remarkable degree of confidence which we as believers are entitled to have before Him: that (C2)if we ask anything according to His will, that is, consistent with His plan and purpose He hears us.
Part of my prayer, when I pray for someone, is always, (because I remember Jesus’ words from the prayer that He gave us as an example according to which we should pray):
MAT 6:10 :…
10 ‘(C1)Your kingdom come,
(C2)Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
In other words:
Still not my will, but Your will be done.
Then sometimes we are wrongly zealous, or too zealous, because we follow our own emotions, without stopping for a moment in the spirit and listen to what the Holy Spirit want us to do:
Thus, satan abuse many of our Lord’s children, because he sees their great zeal and then abuse it and sometimes cause great harm.
Before I pray for someone with the laying on of hands, I must always take a step back in the spirit, stand still and listen to what the Holy Spirit tell me, what do our Lord want me to pray, if indeed I must pray:
I must be careful not to act hastily in my eagerness:
1TIM 5:22
22 (C1)Do not hurry to lay hands on anyone ordaining and approving someone for ministry or an office in the church, or in reinstating expelled offenders, and thereby share in (C2)the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin.
What we must always do, is keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus – and then do what He want us to do.
If we then pray, then we pray with a firm confidence of faith without doubt to our Heavenly Father.
In what is this infallible trust in our Lord anchored?
That He will do what is best for us because He loves us. That He will answer in our favour. How grateful we should be for that!
JAMES 1:6
6 But he must (C1)ask for wisdom in faith, (C2)without doubting God’s willingness to help, for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is (C3)blown about and tossed by the wind.
Faith without doubt in our Lord’s authority means: “Nevertheless not my will but Your will” because you believe and trust that He is your God, who love you so much that He hung on the cross for you, and that He has the very best plan for you as His child.
We do not command Him in our prayers. We ask for His will, and we thank Him that He walk with us all the way through all the hardships.
JOHN 16:33
33 “I have told you these things, so that (C1)in Me you may have perfect peace. (C2)In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but (C3)be courageous be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy; (C4)I have overcome the world.” My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.
Let’s read how Jesus Himself prayed to His Father in His own words, and He, who is God Himself, uttered the words: “Nevertheless, do not let my will, but Your will prevail!”
Jesus in Gethsemane
LUKE 22:39 – 46
39 (C1)And He came out and went, (C2)as was His habit, to (C3)the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed Him.40 (C1)When He arrived at the place called Gethsemane, He said to them, “(C2)Pray continually that you may not fall into temptation.” 41 And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and (C1)knelt down and prayed,42 saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this (C1)cup of divine wrath from Me; (C2)yet not My will, but always Yours be done.”43 Now (C1)an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.44 And (C1)being in agony deeply distressed and anguished; almost to the point of death, He prayed more intently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down on the ground. 45 When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow,46 and He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and (C1)pray that you may not fall into temptation.”
We also learn from this prayer and words of Jesus that we must continue to pray, so that we do not give in to temptation. Especially do not give in to the temptation of the enemy who want us to believe that we are praying in vain. Do not be discouraged from praying. His goodness extend far beyond what we can ever imagine or believe. He has already shown us his faithful love on the cross.
Just think of all the prayers in the Word and how miracles followed, and of Jesus who prayed constantly in contact with His Father, to serve as an example for us.
If I can summarize my writing to you:
First, never just lay hands on someone. In other words, we should not be in a haste to pray for someone.
Always remember when you pray, that ultimately it is our Lord’s will that must be done and it should stand out in my prayer, which I must pray in my laying on of hands prayer in full faith.
Sakkie
Email: bediening@sakkieparsons.co.za
Website: www.sakkieparsons.co.za
Cell: 083 457 6669
Jude 1:24-25 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy, to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
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