There are times that it is sinful to pray, "Lord, if it be thy will."
Our sanctification is ALWAYS God's will. Can you imagine somebody praying the following prayers?
"Lord help me end this adulterous relationship, if it be thy will."
"Heavenly Father, please help me to stop lying, if it be thy will."
"Dear God, please give me grace to quit losing my temper, if it be thy will."
When we KNOW God's will, clearly revealed in Scripture, then "Name it and Claim it" applies.
I don't always know God's ultimate purpose in many things, so I need to refrain from superstitiously "Claiming" something that may end up being disastrous for my soul, like a new job, MY choice for a spouse, or immediately being rescue from a painful problem.
But we can KNOW with absolute certainty that it is ALWAYS God's will for EVERY believer to become more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ. And when we know something this clearly, then humbly having laid claim to God's promise in Jesus Christ and prayed, we need to begin to confess that God is going to answer that prayer, and that he has already begun to do so -- whether we FEEL like it or not. |