Ok, we're told, "count it all joy when you go through

[Steven Bobb]

Ok, we're told, "count it all joy when you go through various trails"And many say it promotes spiritual growth,, and makes us rely on God more.Yet each ministry has a prayer line, to pray to get people OUT OF problems So without 1 canceling out the other, which is it? When someone posts a prayer request, should we pray that the problem goes away, or tell them,"count it all joy that you're going through this,God is trying to show you something?.

 

[Articles]

May God hear your request and grant it according to his will. In Jesus Name, Amen.

 

[Newbie]

Ok, we're told, "count it all joy when you go through various trails"And many say it promotes spiritual growth,, and makes us rely on God more.Yet each ministry has a prayer line, to pray to get people OUT OF problems So without 1 canceling out the other, which is it? When someone posts a prayer request, should we pray that the problem goes away, or tell them,"count it all joy that you're going through this,God is trying to show you something?.

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. - James 1:2-3 

What I think this verse means, and this is just my opinion, is that we should not despair when trouble comes are way. 

 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. - Hebrews 12:11

 Nobody enjoys suffering, but there are many reasons for why God allows us to suffer. But that doesn't mean we need to pray for suffering. Let me give you an example. If you are suffering from an illness, perhaps the reason you are suffering from this illness is so that God can heal you and draw you closer to Him. Or if you are going through some trying times, but you have yet to learn the lessons that God is trying to teach you, then your prayers for deliverance will perhaps be answered with a "soon" rather than a "yes".

Does it mean that you prayed in vain? No. By praying for deliverance you are drawing closer to God and perhaps only then God can show you what lessons He is trying to teach you.

To answer your original question, when you are unsure, pray for God's will to be done. We must surrender our will to God, just as Christ surrendered His will to God. (Luke 22:42) 

 

[The Encourager]

When someone posts a prayer request, should we pray that the problem goes away, or tell them,"count it all joy that you're going through this,God is trying to show you something?.

 We should pray for them as the Holy Spirit lead us.  There are times I will ask them to ask God, "God what are you trying to teaching me?  Then ask them to pray: God please don't let me waste this experience, but grow from in.   
 

And we must remember, All things work together for the good of those "who love God" and are "called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). 

2 Thessalonians 5:18:  In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

We are to count it all joy and give thanks to God, not for the bad, but that the bad will produce good in our lives (we will become stronger and wiser).  We will be strengthen, and after we have been strengthen we must strengthen our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Thanks for asking this question!

   

 

[Steven Bobb]

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. - James 1:2-3 

What I think this verse means, and this is just my opinion, is that we should not despair when trouble comes are way. 

 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. - Hebrews 12:11

 Nobody enjoys suffering, but there are many reasons for why God allows us to suffer. But that doesn't mean we need to pray for suffering. Let me give you an example. If you are suffering from an illness, perhaps the reason you are suffering from this illness is so that God can heal you and draw you closer to Him. Or if you are going through some trying times, but you have yet to learn the lessons that God is trying to teach you, then your prayers for deliverance will perhaps be answered with a "soon" rather than a "yes".

Does it mean that you prayed in vain? No. By praying for deliverance you are drawing closer to God and perhaps only then God can show you what lessons He is trying to teach you.

To answer your original question, when you are unsure, pray for God's will to be done. We must surrender our will to God, just as Christ surrendered His will to God. (Luke 22:42) 

The statement,"nobody enjoys suffering" one exception.Masochists!That's another thing I wondered about, if an unsaved masochist dies, God can't send them to Heaven,they're unsaved, but if they go to Hell as punishment,how is it punishment if they ENJOY bad experiences?How could God punish a masochist?But if they died in their sins, He'd have to!!Explain THIS one!!

 

[Newbie]

How could God punish a masochist?But if they died in their sins, He'd have to!!Explain THIS one!!

I don't know. I only know this, God made us, so He is more then capable of dealing with us.

 

[kbehrent]

God is trying to show you something?

This, to me, implies that God is responsible for getting a person into the problem.  There are times He does "ask" a person to enter a trial.  Paul was called to Rome to spread the Gospel at the Lord's leading.  Paul encountered persecution and was jailed.  He had lots of trials, and Paul says;


1 Thessalonians 5:18King James Version (KJV)


18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

James says:

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 

These trials and things are not necessarily from God or caused by God to gain an effect in our spiritual walk. These things and trials can be a result of just doing the Will of God in our lives, which Jesus says is to "preach the kingdom of heaven is at hand", and to "go into all the world and make disciples". When the thing and trial is of our own choice because we did not consult God before we did our choosing and we ended up in a mess, then when we turn to God we are to count it all joy and to give thanks in all situations.  

Prayer lines are in churches because people need encouraging words, or some advice on how to get through a situation, or a prophetic encouragement to help them.  A lot of the time people are in the prayer line because they do not know who they are in Christ.  They do not know their authority and power they have been given.  They also do not trust in the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.  They also do not know that Jesus won a victory over every circumstance a person will ever encounter in their lives. Their focus is on circumstances, and not on the Lord.  Peter was walking on water until he took his focus off of the Lord. We do the same thing when we lose our trust in the Lord and focus on our circumstances.  

So, the prayer line should not be a place where we pray the problem away, unless it is for healing.  But even healing prayer has its own limitations. A prayer live should be for trying to instill in a person a way to get through a problem with the power they have already been given, and not need to rely on another person's prayer.  

God can teach when we do have a problem, whether it is because it is through our wrong choices or  it is  because just doing the Will of God. But the problem is not necessarily from God. We can learn more of the Godly attributes  through whatever problem we encounter.  

So, when we pursue God, we count it all joy, and we give thanks in whatever problem we are in.

In the name of Jesus, I bless you with the life of God.

The statement,"nobody enjoys suffering" one exception.Masochists!That's another thing I wondered about, if an unsaved masochist dies, God can't send them to Heaven,they're unsaved, but if they go to Hell as punishment,how is it punishment if they ENJOY bad experiences?How could God punish a masochist?But if they died in their sins, He'd have to!!Explain THIS one!!

A person does not "go to hell" for being a masochist, a sadist, a sociopath, a psychopath, a hitler, a mass murderer, and any other type of sin.  God does not "send" anyone to hell.  A person chooses hell of their own free will.


John 16:8-9New King James Version (NKJV)


8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me;

Anyone going to hell will go there because of their unbelief in Jesus.  Jesus has said that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him. Everyone is given a chance and a choice to believe in Jesus or to not believe.  It is a free will choice of each and every person. Sin has been forgiven through what Jesus has done and is no longer an issue between God and mankind.  But the sin of unbelief in Jesus is the only sin remaining between God and mankind to enter into the Kingdom of God, or to enter into hell. 

In the name of Jesus, I bless you with the life of God.

 

[hostadmin]

Thank you for giving us the privilege to pray on your behalf. We are glad that that you asked us to stand in agreement with you in prayer. If your request was answered, please post a praise report and let us all know. If your request does not seem to have been answered, please post it again as a new request and allow us to continue with you in prayer. We all hope that our prayers are answered in the way that we want. Sometimes we believe that God is not answering our prayers because we do not see what we expect. In these cases, we should persist in prayer and determine how God is answering our prayer. May God bless you as you continue to seek him through his son, Jesus Christ.