“Thus says the Lord,
The Holy One of Israel, and his Maker:
‘Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons;
And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me.’”
—Isaiah 45:11
Did you know that God invites us to move the work of His hands? This idea may seem radical even to you, but it says so in His Word! We can indeed do this when we make our requests, hear from the Lord, and follow-through in obedience.
Sadly, for many of us, teachings about prayer and giving can sometimes feel like we just hear the same things over and over again, even from our most trusted godly voices. But despite the seeming commonness of these topics, prayer and giving are vital for our faith to grow. These two pillars of our faith work hand in hand in unlocking God’s will for our lives. No matter who you listen to, we need to go to God’s Word and faithfully walk with Him for these lessons to take root in our hearts.
It Starts with a Relationship
Those who walk with God will realize that He doesn’t want to work for you. He also doesn’t want you to merely work for Him. He wants you to work with Him. Before we can see our prayers answered, we need to have a relationship with Him. To know Him is to know His Word, and to hear what He says in our spirit. It’s not about having a laundry list of requests that you bring up to the Creator of Heaven and Earth. It’s also not a wish that He will grant it. It’s about being connected and being aligned with His heart that we can trust in what He says even when it goes against what we’re familiar with.
When we’re walking and working with God, we need to accept that how He operates could go against man’s logic. In Isaiah 55:8-9, He says:
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.”
The people who can work with God are the ones who understand why He does what He does. Though we cannot read God’s mind, we can always trust His Word. When we walk daily with Him, He will reveal to us the truth and the way we should go. Even when the ways of the world seem to be working for everyone else, we can trust that obeying His ways will bring a much better harvest for us.
The Harvest of Your Giving
When we receive God’s instructions, it usually involves us giving. And sometimes, giving even when we’ve already heard from the Lord can hurt, especially when we see the lack. But here’s something we should know: our giving shows how far we’re willing to go so that we can move God’s hand in our lives. The New Testament shows us an example of passionate giving in Mark 12:43-44:
“So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.’”
God doesn’t look at what we can comfortably give Him. He looks at what we can offer Him even when it hurts. He doesn’t need what we have in excess. Sometimes He would ask us to give what we are living on, what we are holding on to. This kind of giving unlocks His blessing to those who trust in Him. Take the example of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:11:
“Then she made a vow and said, ‘O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.’”
In her desperation and affliction, she was willing to offer God her firstborn. Imagine a mother giving up a child she has long been praying for—what a sweeping kind of obedience! As there is pain in the offering, Hannah was able to move the hand of God. After Samuel, she was able to have three more sons and two daughters—a sign of prosperity and fulfillment during her time.
From the example of the two women, we see that more than the things we lay at His feet; He looks at the condition of our hearts. Do not offer sacrifices that will cost you nothing (see 2 Samuel 24:24). As we make our requests to Him, are we willing to listen, obey, and give what He asks?
Making Room for Miracles
There is joy when God is working with and through us. The miracles take place when He works with people who are willing to risk and offer it all to see the fulfillment of His promises. When we have learned how to pray and give accordingly, we will see signs and wonders in our midst (see Mark 16:20). God will confirm His Word right before our very eyes and the world will see His goodness at work in us.
If you want to move the hand of God and see His miracles unfold, be faithful in praying and giving. He will honor your requests with a blessing that will transform your life.
