"Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in every thing, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God" Philippians 4:6 (Amplified).
What should we do when faced with a difficult situation?
1. Do not be anxious, or worried about anything. Worry is not going to make a positive change to your situation. Instead, it will magnify the situation in your mind. Worry is the opposite of faith; and it is the prayer of faith that will change your circumstances.
In Matthew 6:31 Jesus said, "Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or, What are we going to have to wear? For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all. But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides" (Amplified).
2. Present Your requests to God. I am so thankful that as Christians, we can present our requests to God through prayer anytime, and anywhere. Always remember that we pray from a position of victory because God has already promised us that He supplies all of our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). He did not say He will supply our needs based on our paychecks, or how good we have been.
Furthermore, He said He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). This includes everything that has to do with our lives. Therefore, find a scripture which promises you what you are believing God for, and make your request based on that scripture, and stand on it until you see the manifestation of what you have asked God for. Bible prayer, is based on what God has already promised us in His word. In order to see supernatural results, pray according to what the word of God has promised you. "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him" 1 John 5:14-15 (KJV).
3. Give Thanks to God: After we have presented our requests to God, we thank Him that he has given us what we asked for based on the promises that are in His word. We will continue to offer a prayer of Thanksgiving until we see the manifestation of what we asked God for. The in-between time is very critical. We have to stay focused on what we have already asked God for. Pay attention to what you say all the time about the situation. The prayer of faith believes it receives when we pray, not when we see the manifestation of what we were believing God for.
"....I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it]. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop" Mark 11:24-25 (Amplified).
4. Your mind will be at Peace: "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:7 (NIV).
5. Your Thougths: To keep a peaceful mind, we have to think on the things that are true (God's word is truth), noble, right, pure, lovely, things of a good report, ... if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things (Philippians 4:8.) (NIV).
What should we do when faced with a difficult situation?
1. Do not be anxious, or worried about anything. Worry is not going to make a positive change to your situation. Instead, it will magnify the situation in your mind. Worry is the opposite of faith; and it is the prayer of faith that will change your circumstances.
In Matthew 6:31 Jesus said, "Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or, What are we going to have to wear? For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all. But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides" (Amplified).
2. Present Your requests to God. I am so thankful that as Christians, we can present our requests to God through prayer anytime, and anywhere. Always remember that we pray from a position of victory because God has already promised us that He supplies all of our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). He did not say He will supply our needs based on our paychecks, or how good we have been.
Furthermore, He said He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). This includes everything that has to do with our lives. Therefore, find a scripture which promises you what you are believing God for, and make your request based on that scripture, and stand on it until you see the manifestation of what you have asked God for. Bible prayer, is based on what God has already promised us in His word. In order to see supernatural results, pray according to what the word of God has promised you. "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him" 1 John 5:14-15 (KJV).
3. Give Thanks to God: After we have presented our requests to God, we thank Him that he has given us what we asked for based on the promises that are in His word. We will continue to offer a prayer of Thanksgiving until we see the manifestation of what we asked God for. The in-between time is very critical. We have to stay focused on what we have already asked God for. Pay attention to what you say all the time about the situation. The prayer of faith believes it receives when we pray, not when we see the manifestation of what we were believing God for.
"....I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it]. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop" Mark 11:24-25 (Amplified).
4. Your mind will be at Peace: "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:7 (NIV).
5. Your Thougths: To keep a peaceful mind, we have to think on the things that are true (God's word is truth), noble, right, pure, lovely, things of a good report, ... if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things (Philippians 4:8.) (NIV).