She said I was wrong----something to think about.

 Yesterday I wrote a piece I entitled “Sometimes, the answer is NO,” commenting on 2 Corinthians 12.7-10.

http://pastorwoman.com/ReadArchive.aspx?id=522

One of my Facebook friends took exception, writing that God does not say ‘no’.  She writes:  “All the promises of God are yes and amen... You have not cause you ask not, because you ask amiss… because Faith IS the substance of what you hope AND the EVIDENCE of what you can not see, for by it the elders obtained a good report, out of the mouth of two or three shall every word be established. I'm afraid God does not say no... I think you have to reassess what you said : ) Can you counter what scriptures I quoted?”

First, let me say that I am thankful she took the time to write so that a healthy exchange might be had—perhaps others may benefit as well.  I took no disrespect from either her tone or her words, and this is a very important subject to get right!

I have been a praying person for 45+ years now.  I wholeheartedly believe that God has heard and answered my prayers; however, he does not always say ‘yes’ to me.  (click on the above link if you should like to read why I believe God tells his children ‘no’ or sometimes ‘wait’)

Let me give you a few concrete examples to substantiate my claims.  After being the recipient of God’s healing touch, I have had the faith to ask for healing for others—praying in faith, according to the will of God, with clean hands and a pure heart—but many times, God has not healed or restored the loved one.  In fact, several have died.  Why?  God said ‘No, I have a different plan.’ 

Honestly, knowing that he often has a different plan than mine, it has sometimes made me fearful to go out on the limb of faith, and pray the big, risky prayers—like healing for Stage-Four pancreatic cancer, advanced leukemia in a 15-year-old girl in the oncology wing of Children’s Hospital.  (In each of those circumstances, God chose to take them home with him.)

But then there was Stage-Four Lisa with breast cancer who has experienced the undeniable healing hand of God, and has been fully restored … and not just once!

But ‘his ways are higher than my ways’, and his ways are perfect.  I am to be obedient, and that means, we are to ‘pray for each other that we may be healed.’ (James 5.16)

Now my Facebook friend quoted 2 Corinthians 1.20 in which Paul wrote,   “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.”    God does not go back on his word, and his promises are his word.  God cannot violate his own perfect character, so he indeed keeps his promises.  All of the Old Testament messianic promises were fulfilled in one man, God incarnate, Jesus Christ.

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” Hebrews 11.1.  We are always to pray, in faith, that God will work on our behalf, and Jesus assured us that even a tiny amount of faith can move mountains.  The latter verse, 2 Corinthians 13.1 refers to confirmation of Paul’s claims about his visits to the Corinthian church, and not that of assurance of ‘yes’ to our prayers.

Every good and perfect gift comes from our Father, as James says; at the top of those gifts is answered prayer.  But God has the authority and privilege to tell his children ‘no’, or ‘I hear and will answer your prayer, but I am going to answer it this way,’ not according to our asking.  If God could tell Paul ‘no, son, my grace will carry you,’ then he can and will tell you and me ‘no’ also when another way will satisfy his perfect will.  It is ours to trust him.

Christine