101 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT HEALTH AND WEALTH
 
WEEK 15
 
 
 
Question 29: The Lord says we are “bought” with a price. Doesn’t His sovereignty mean that He can do whatever He wants to us and we just must accept it and live with it? Worldviews become foundations when making decisions about certain thoughts. These ideas and persuasions continue to grow and develop into personal convictions and these are what we stand firmly upon when it comes to voicing and living what we believe. We see this clearly especially when we discuss politics and religion because there are usually as many ideas and opinions as there are people.

This topic of health and wealth is no different as we can see conflicting worldviews about God having complete “predestined” control over us as in the idea of Him making us exactly what he wants us to be VERSES the belief system that teaches about faith, blood covenant and obedience   that shares in the responsibility for our personal destiny. First of all, I am not saying that God is not sovereign but surely we can agree that our faith activates Him to move on our behalf. So, if we believe on His Word and have faith that empowers that Word to manifest in our life, we can realize that if we DID NOT believe we would have not received. Thus, our faith in His Word changes our life and agrees with His specific will for our destiny. If a terrible tragedy happens in our life are we not to rise against it by confessing God’s Word, praying fervently and activating our faith toward total victory over the situation? When Goliath came against Israel, should David have gone to the army and said, we should all run away and learn how to live in another country? When the doctors tell us there is no hope and that we are finished, should we not go to war in prayer and do everything we can to LIVE? Of course we are! Why? Because, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal and to kill and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)
 
We notice in first Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 20, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”  In the previous verses, Paul is talking about how the body is to be treated very carefully and that we have the responsibility to guard against sin. The flesh is important to God and we are NOT to bring corruption into our life because PURITY in the life of the believer is to be a top priority. The PRICE of course refers to the great length that God the Father went to provide salvation and the horrible death and suffering that Jesus endured on the cross to rescue us from eternal death. We again notice in the next chapter Paul referring to how we have been purchased, “For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant (slave). Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men” (I Corinthians 7:22-23). I have mentioned this before and it is worth repeating that His sovereignty does not allow Him to contradict or cancel out His Word. His Word is His general will for our lives but His specific will cannot go against what He has said.
 
<"Question 30: So, does this mean that no matter how much we PRAY and BELIEVE that God will decide and have the last word based on His desires and plans?I have always believed that God has a complete blueprint drawn for our life even when we are in the womb. It is an outline of His desires and plans that He “hopes” we will follow. He is ready to help us in every way IF we are serious about committing our heart, mind and will to His general and specific plan. My theology also includes that man’s freewill disappoints God and ruins many of the original hopes that God has for individuals. On the other hand, there are certain events and deeds that God chooses to accomplish and no man or devil can stop them, some of which are His prophecies. Yes, there are times when prayers are wrong. What do you mean? All prayers are not in tune with the Holy Spirit. Many prayers are simply petitions and request that do not line up with God’s heart. We can pray to win the lottery until the cows come home but that does not mean He will do it because He loves us so much that He does not want to see us destroyed. It would be similar to allowing a five year child play with a loaded pistol or let a 10 year old kid drive on the interstate. Listening to God’s voice and then praying in His perfect will – is the key to answered prayer.

 
We notice in James chapter 4 in the first 3 verses, that NOT asking as well as NOT knowing what to ask for is crucial to receiving from Him. Verse 3, “Ye ask, and receive NOT, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” This is an example of how we can pray day and night, and plead and stomp and have emotional breakdowns without moving the heart of God. He is not a vending machine that will “produce” results when we put in the correct amount of change. His desires and plans are always based on the original blueprint He created for us and we can agree that He does not change His mind about our destiny just because we throw a fit.
 
Walking in the awareness of His presence is the idea behind knowing God’s will because it is just as important to listen to Him speaking NOW as it is to listen to what He wrote thousands of years ago. When we learn His general will, we know right and wrong and discovering His specific will allows us to know when to stand in faith and when to let it go and embrace His decision. For example, if we have disobeyed God and are being punished in some way, this is the time to take the spanking, repent and move on. I believe there are many people that are going through chastisement and to intervene into their situation like a bull in a china shop would be to interrupt what God is doing. This is why we should pray BEFORE we proceed in ministry to make sure we are working under the anointing and leading of the Holy Spirit. This is also a solid reason why many prayers are not answered because they are out of order with God’s specific will. Another example; if we are going through a difficult time because of our rebellion and we are begging God to “fix” the problem without repenting, we are NOT following the spiritual principals of His divine judgment. This would be like grounding a child for a week because of their disobedience and them coming to you the next day and wanting to you to cancel the punishment without saying they are sorry. As we have said before, there are also consequences to our sins and no matter how much we beg and scream we will be required to pay the price.
 
I have always believed that God’s general will was for each of His children and that ALL of His written promises are meant to be given to those who walk in His ways. I know this sounds simple but I cannot see any other way. This includes the blessings and the judgments because if God’s Word is different for everyone, it would be chaos and this is why we call it a universal or “general Word.” His Word calls and is offered to all that hear and only a few are chosen. I might add that Calvinism believes that God selects who He wants and only focuses on these predestined individuals. I am convinced that God knows with His foreknowledge those who will accept His invitation of grace but freely offers His salvation to whosoever will believe. If we said that John 3:16 applies to you but it does not apply to her, it would be so confusing that no one would be able to preach a message that made sense. It would also mean that His general Word is filled with favoritism and that He respected some over others. I would say this is stretching His sovereignty to the limit because it goes against His nature and character of unconditional love for all. God honors His Word and honors the faith of the believer. The Bible is not based on emotions and neither is the Lord Himself. If this was true, He would respond to certain situations based on cries and tears. Yes, He is filled with compassion but responds to faith more than He is moved by feelings or human need. When it comes to knowing His specific will, our intimacy with Him is the only way to discover what He desires from us simply because we are close enough to His voice. If we are truly walking with Him, we will sense is we are praying “outside” His will because it will not seem right within our spirit.
 
We talk a lot about being formed and molded into the image of Christ but sometimes forget that this includes laying down our ideas and plans so that we can fulfill His will. What better example of this is there in Luke chapter 43 where Jesus Himself is praying to the Father? “And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless NOT my will , but thine be done.” (Verses 41-42).  If we listen every day and sincerely focus on hearing His heart instead of praying for our will, we will learn that true joy comes when we want what He wants. Praying the will of God (and choosing to obey His instructions) is a huge part of walking in His Spirit and that my friend is what being a good and faithful servant is all about.