| Psalm 99 reads as follows from the NIV version of | | | | circumstances of not having caught one fish in the |
| the Bible: | | | | area for a full night of fishing. |
| 1 The LORD reigns,let the nations tremble;he sits | | | | |
| enthroned between the cherubim,let the earth shake. | | | | The moral of the story is there will be instructions, |
| 2 Great is the LORD in Zion;he is exalted over all the | | | | but they might not match up well with what are the |
| nations. | | | | perceived circumstances and in these two key cases |
| 3 Let them praise your great and awesome | | | | the instructions were much easier than might have |
| name—he is holy. | | | | been expected but also much different than what |
| 4 The King is mighty, he loves justice—you have | | | | might have been expected given the presiding |
| established equity;in Jacob you have donewhat is just | | | | circumstances at hand. |
| and right. | | | | When Mary asked that wine be provided at the |
| 5 Exalt the LORD our Godand worship at his | | | | wedding, Jesus gave specific instructions to follow as |
| footstool;he is holy. | | | | part of the answer. |
| 6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests, | | | | This aspect of prayer might be overlooked and the |
| Samuel was among those who called on his | | | | oversee I have is more towards, I am in good |
| name;they called on the LORDand he answered | | | | standing and good behavior to where I can get |
| them. | | | | answers. |
| 7 He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud;they | | | | But even if this is the case, there is still coursework |
| kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them. | | | | involved that you need pay attention to any possible |
| 8 O LORD our God,you answered them;you were to | | | | decrees that are along the lines of specific |
| Israel a forgiving God,though you punished their | | | | instructions with regards to specific answers to |
| misdeeds. | | | | prayers. |
| 9 Exalt the LORD our Godand worship at his holy | | | | You might get a letter in the mail with your answer, |
| mountain,for the LORD our God is holy. | | | | but you need to open the letter. You might be the |
| This psalm gives the model of active prayer and | | | | charitable person on the planet, but that doesn't |
| answers to prayer. | | | | relieve you of needing to follow some instructions for |
| Such luminaries as Moses, Aaron and Samuel were | | | | some given answer in prayer. |
| among those who prayed to the Lord and got | | | | It might be that someone feels that are in good |
| answers. | | | | stead with the Lord and how been diligently working |
| There is the aspect in this psalm of keeping the | | | | for the Lord and might feel that this covers all bases |
| statutes of the Lord in the context of the prayer | | | | including answers for prayer. |
| relationship and wanting answers to prayers. | | | | But even for this nice position their still needs to be a |
| Violating the precepts of the Lord can hinder or | | | | diligent paying attention to instructions with regards |
| outright block answered prayer and this can be | | | | to certain answers in prayer, particularly personal |
| understood, in that if you want certain answers from | | | | prayer. |
| the Lord, you might not want to be for example | | | | With regards to intercessory prayer, you might get |
| stealing everybody blind. | | | | off easier as far as the need to pay attention to |
| That would possibly be the greater meaning | | | | instructions. |
| presented here but there is also another meaning | | | | There aren't going to be instruction in the bible as far |
| that might also be important but overlooked in | | | | as following the right road in driving a car, or airplane |
| interrelating this psalm. | | | | as those means and devices were not there then, |
| The decrees of the Lord in the context of prayer | | | | this is why prayer goes to specific instructions in the |
| can also be understood as specific instructions that | | | | here and now that are not from the general |
| go with a given answer. | | | | commandments but very specific to time, place and |
| For example, I might be praying for the best possible | | | | circumstance. |
| surfing conditions this weekend because I really want | | | | The duty and diligence is more towards the prayer |
| a great surfing day. | | | | and the intercession itself rather than following |
| The answer may in fact be provided, but I end up | | | | decrees for the answer in many if not most cases. |
| going to the movies. | | | | If you are praying for a faraway country, the people |
| So I went into the realm of the answered prayer but | | | | in it, or even future generations, your part in |
| I didn't also pay attention to decrees or instructions | | | | delivering the answer is just about nil, in that you |
| involved with the answer. | | | | may never get to this country in person. So the crux |
| The Lord may be providing graces and answers, but | | | | of the matter is more towards following instructions |
| there are some instructions that go along with the | | | | around the prayer itself and how to formulate the |
| provisions of the answers that need to be heeded. | | | | prayer. |
| In this case, it would not be a matter really of | | | | The power of the prayer is not limited by your lack |
| outright sinning; it is much more so just not paying | | | | of a personal presence to a possible answer say |
| intention to instructions. | | | | abroad or in some faraway future time. |
| While the loss or detriment is there, it is really your | | | | Decrees or instructions might more so relate to |
| own loss. For example, when the commander sought | | | | personal wants and instructions around them. |
| healing for leprosy from Elisha, he was told to dip in | | | | There might still be decrees for intercessions, but it is |
| specific waters for 7 times and he almost did not do | | | | more so how to pray, how long to pray, where to |
| that and if he hadn't he would have lost the answer. | | | | pray and who maybe to pray for. |
| There were instructions and directives provided | | | | There might be research involved in that as well such |
| within his answer that he needed to follow. | | | | as reading and other forms of investigation as you |
| The instructions might not match the circumstances | | | | craft intercessions. |
| and may be quite easy where the expectation might | | | | While the effects of the prayers may never come |
| have been the instructions would be hard. | | | | to you personally, it is important in the work of the |
| From 2 Kings Chapter 5 verses 8 through 13: | | | | Kingdom and in heeding the call to pray not only for |
| 8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of | | | | yourself but for others. |
| Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: | | | | Verse 8 of this psalm says, |
| "Why have you torn your robes? Have the man | | | | 8 O LORD our God,you answered them;you were to |
| come to me and he will know that there is a prophet | | | | Israel a forgiving God,though you punished their |
| in Israel." 9 So Naaman went with his horses and | | | | misdeeds. |
| chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's | | | | There would be questions around this verse. |
| house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, | | | | They were answered, but at the same time punished |
| "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and | | | | for some misdeeds. |
| your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed." | | | | It would seem that this punishment did not include |
| 11 But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought | | | | disabling the prayer relationship and they could still |
| that he would surely come out to me and stand and | | | | have asked for answers and received the answers. |
| call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his | | | | The forgiveness of the Lord kept the prayer |
| hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 | | | | relationship open for another day and for more. |
| Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, | | | | The question is when does sin compromise away the |
| better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn't I | | | | prayer relationship to where the Lord will not listen |
| wash in them and be cleansed?" So he turned and | | | | and answer? |
| went off in a rage. | | | | If there are misdeeds forgiveness is needed for sure. |
| 13 Naaman's servants went to him and said, "My | | | | But then a person might feel because of the sin or |
| father, if the prophet had told you to do some great | | | | prior sins, they might as well forget about praying |
| thing, would you not have done it? How much more, | | | | and this might be also a wrong approach in that the |
| then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'!" 14 | | | | forgiveness includes the continued openness of the |
| So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan | | | | ability to call upon the Lord and get answers. |
| seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his | | | | Then how about just not following instructions and |
| flesh was restored and became clean like that of a | | | | missing out on answers that way? |
| young boy. | | | | It would probably be that you can still get answers |
| Another example along these lines is from the gospel | | | | to your prayer, but be more careful in the future to |
| of John where Jesus has a subsequent meeting with | | | | follow instructions that are contained within the |
| Peter. | | | | answer, so you can still loop back to the prayer |
| John Chapter 21 verses 1 through 6 read as follows: | | | | relationship even while messing up and not following |
| Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by | | | | instructions previously. |
| the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way:2Simon | | | | To more so guard against similar errors in the future, |
| Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana | | | | as the Lord to make clear all instructions, don't just |
| in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other | | | | ask for clear answers but also ask for clear |
| disciples were together. 3"I'm going out to fish," | | | | instructions. |
| Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with | | | | Ask for help not only seeing the answers of the day, |
| you." So they went out and got into the boat, but | | | | but also the instructions for the day, which also |
| that night they caught nothing. | | | | correlate with answers. |
| 4Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but | | | | Maybe someone gives you a book with a keen |
| the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. | | | | insight, but instructions to get the keen insights would |
| 5He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any | | | | be to actually read the book. |
| fish?" | | | | There are countless examples along these lines. |
| "No," they answered. | | | | In summary there are two areas to look at, actual |
| 6He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the | | | | misdeeds or sins and errors along the lines of |
| boat and you will find some." When they did, they | | | | following instructions and you can ask for |
| were unable to haul the net in because of the large | | | | enlightenment in both areas as you proceed in prayer. |
| number of fish. | | | | Mistakes and problems in either area should not mean |
| Peter and the rest spent all night fishing and caught | | | | that you stop praying, because you not only need |
| nothing. Instructions were given but did not correlate | | | | the prayer relationship, you need the provisions of |
| with the situation at hand. Likely, the instructions | | | | the answers going forward and you need to press |
| would have been, go a half mile down shore to a | | | | on even with weaknesses that may or may not |
| better fishing spot. The very easy instructions of | | | | involve sin and also clear the view to follow |
| putting the fishing lines to the right side of the boat | | | | instructions and decrees along those lines. |
| rather than the left would not have matched the | | | | |