Evidence of Faith-filled Prayer

“But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.” (Phm 1:22 AV)

It is interesting how Paul phrases this.  Philemon, a wealthy man whom owed Paul much, is the addressee.  Paul puts the onus on Philemon to both pray for, and prepare for, Paul’s release from prison.  I think this is both profound and amusing.  Amusing because if Paul was not released, the suggestion is Philemon’s prayer life was insufficient.  However, there is, in this statement, a profound illustration of praying by faith.  If Philemon’s prayers for Paul’s release are to come to pass, then it only makes sense for Philemon to order his life accordingly.  If he really believed Paul would be free, then Philemon would prepare him lodging.  Herein is our profound application.  If we are praying in faith, we are also making plans for answered prayer.

Thanksgiving is soon to arrive.  That meant all sorts of good food.  Some like the savory.  Some like the sweet.  Most like both.  My mom made this killer cherry pie.  One of those things she made that you would think your wife could not best.  Yet, Lisa’s cherry pie is out of this world!  There are no words to describe it.  It is beyond heavenly.  One of our traditions is to do dessert a bit after the meal.  We would sit down to our traditional turkey dinner with cranberry relish, sweet potato casserole, and stuffing (not dressing – yuk).  WE would fill up as much as we could then help the ladies clean up after words.  A bit of sitting around talking, or playing some games, and it was dessert time.  Out came a pumpkin pie, a pecan pie, ice cream, and that succulent cherry pie.  The dessert plates and small forks were placed on the counter.  As we passed through the line, piece after piece was claimed.  The first round being finished, we would ask for seconds.  What we did not do was place our plates and forks in the sink and then ask if we could have another piece.  That would be silly.  We kept the plate and fork in the expectation my wife or mother would permit another assault on the dessert counter.  Asking without the plate in hand made no sense.  We prepared ourselves for an affirmative answer.

We do the same with the LORD.  We thank Him for eternal life, then put our dessert plates away.  Maybe we get a piece or two, but God’s pies are infinite.  We place our hearts of expectation in the sink, but then do the silly thing and ask, anyway.  If you really think about it, the whole thing is rather patronizing.  If we are asking the LORD for answer to prayer without expectation of His answer, then what are we really doing?  We are patronizing the Creator of the universe.  We are giving Him lip service.  We don’t expect Him to continue His grace.  We think God is only so caring as to meet basic needs.  When we get to the dessert table, we take what we want, but we don’t think we can have more.  Philemon wanted Paul free from the jail cells of Rome.  If that were true, what was the extent he was willing to go to see that happen?  Was he willing to pray?  If so, was he willing to assume the LORD would answer?  If he assumed the LORD would answer, would he prepare a place for that which he just asked God?  Our prayers bounce off the ceiling when we do not ask in faith.  How do we know we have asked in faith?  Because we will order our lives as though the answer has already come.