Mensa Otabil - Your Prayers Have Been Heard
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We’re still in our Christmas mood, and so we’re looking at the subjects related to the breath of the Lord Jesus Christ. Luke, chapter 1, verse 13: «But the angel said to him, 'Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.'»
Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus Christ begins with John because John was going to play a very important role in the life of Jesus Christ. The story is about a priest called Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth, who faithfully served the Lord but didn’t have a child. One day, the angel of the Lord appears to Zacharias while he’s in the temple, taking care of God’s work, and the angel tells him that his wife Elizabeth is going to have a son, and the name of the son will be John. The angel begins by saying, «Don’t be afraid,» and it’s a frequent statement from angels, supernatural beings who appear to human beings. They tell us not to be afraid because we cannot receive from God in fear; we always receive from God through faith, and fear has to be moved out of the way when God is speaking to us.
That’s why they frequently say, «Fear not» or «Don’t be afraid,» because we walk by faith and not by fear. So the angel says to Zacharias, «Your prayers have been answered.» That’s one of the most thrilling words to hear. Each one of us wants to hear that our prayers have been answered, especially when we’ve been praying over something for so long. Zacharias and Elizabeth have been praying for a child for many years, and at this point in time, they’re quite advanced in age. I’m not sure how old they were, but it seems as if a child would not be born. Then, out of the blue, the angel of the Lord says, «Your prayer has been answered.»
I just want to pause here and repeat those same words to somebody listening to me this morning, or this afternoon, or evening, wherever you listen to me: «Your prayers have been answered.» Not because Pastor Mensa Otabil is saying it, but Jehovah God is a prayer-answering God. The angel gives details and says, «Well, this is how your prayer is going to be answered: your wife Elizabeth shall conceive and bear a son.» The woman who was considered past childbearing age is now going to receive a miracle that has been prayed for for a very long time.
Many times, we pray for something for so long, and we expect God to do it instantly when we pray. But God doesn’t answer our prayer according to our need; He answers our prayer according to His purposes. The child of Zacharias and Elizabeth had to be born at the right time to partner with Jesus in His ministry; he couldn’t be born earlier. So when the time is up, God comes in and says, «Your prayer has been answered. Elizabeth is going to have a child.» Zacharias was so overwhelmed by this that he moved from faith into doubt, and before he could say anything negative out of his mouth, the angel had to keep his mouth shut because sometimes we can destroy a miracle or a process of God’s miracle by the words we speak when God is still answering a prayer.
You can speak words of unbelief and doubt and give up when God hasn’t given up on you, and sometimes it’s just good to be silent and wait on the Lord. But I just want to announce to you: Your prayers have been answered, and as we approach our Christmas, may that be the word that you hear in your spirit: that your prayers have been heard. Let’s share a prayer together; say with me, «Heavenly Father, You are a prayer-answering God. Thank You for responding to my longstanding requests. In Jesus' name, Amen and amen.» We’ll continue our story tomorrow. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.