GOAL PLANNING BY JAIRUS
 

	Jairus had to believe Jesus (God) [Choose whom you will serve today]
	Jairus had to choose not to fear (worry or be anxious), and instead only believe. He did this constantly on the way to his home.
	He had to ACT as if when he and Jesus got home, Jesus would raise his daughter to life. He did this on the way to his home.
	He had to THINK about all the good times he was going to have watching his daughter grow up. He did this on the way to his home.
	By doing this insane Acting, Thinking, and Believing, Jairus was walking by faith, not by sight. Walking to his home to get his miracle (Walking by sight). Refusing to acknowledge, dwell on, accept the reality that his daughter was dead (Not by sight).

JESUS' UNFAIR, UNBIBLICAL ADVANTAGE

Jesus didn't really have an unfair nor unbiblical advantage, but I have met a number of people who think he did. Jesus' advantage was that he had a dialogue with God the Father. Jesus didn't talk at God only. No; he listened and heard God speaking to him. I'm sure it was just as intimate and close as when Moses was alive. At that time, the Bible tells us God spoke to Moses like a man speaks face-to-face with another man.

The Bible tells us (John 14:24) that "These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me." In John 17 Jesus often tells the Father that he faithfully told his disciples whatever the Father told him to say. Because Jesus chose to have such an intimate relationship with God the Father, he was able to say the right things and do the right things that we needed him to do in order save us from our sins, and set the example for us all to follow.

JESUS' OTHER PRAYER SECRETS

Jesus, as a man, chose never to sin. Which means that he was working on the old "being righteous" angle as well. Perhaps we should too, huh?

Jesus gave the Lord's Prayer in response to his disciples request that he teach them how to pray. Yet, I am sure you have noticed that in all the recorded prayers of Jesus, he never once prayed the Lord's Prayer. He didn't need to as he went beyond that model. So why do we stop at reciting the prayer?

Next, Jesus never prayed Scripture at or to God the Father in the sense of reminding the Father of something, or as leverage to get his prayers answered affirmatively. Jesus used Scripture because either the Father, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit did or said something. Or an actual event took place or will take place. In other words, Scripture was real and very much a part of him.

When faced with news of Jairus' daughter's death, Jesus never prayed, thought, or believed that she could now receive a true and complete healing in her death. Nope -- he just listened to what his Father would say to him in prayer (a dialogue), and then do and obey what the Father told him to do or say.

When faced with news of Jairus' daughter's sickness, Jesus never prayed that the doctors and nurses at the local Children's Hospital would be blessed and directed in their treatment of her. That way people could say that she was "healed."

HOW WE PRAY FOR THINGS

Most of us when we pray are only praying at God. Okay...to him. But we never listen for his response. If we do, it is usually for a minute or less. And don't even think about hearing God speak to us. Most Christians don't hear God speak to them often in prayer. And this is all due to their choice.

They have chosen to believe that God can't or won't speak. That it is against the Bible to speak to his children during the New Testament era. The only time that God is allowed to speak to his children is either in heaven awaiting the Second Coming of Christ, or after the Second Coming.

Of course, too many of us also do the opposite of the positive things listed above that Jesus did. Additionally, the following beliefs or practices, among others, are also practiced by us today:

	We have not allowed ourselves to be transformed into the image of Christ, so we are not very righteous. So our prayer is not going to accomplish a lot as per James 5:16.
	We recite Scripture at or to God in the sense of saying, "Well, it worked for him or her, so I want you to do it for me too." Yet, we often don't consider the context of the Scripture in question. Nor do we take the reality and significance of Scripture nearly as seriously as did Jesus.
	We will only pray for "holy" things, such as salvation for others, money and resources for our church and pastor, blessing church related events, and so forth.
	We will only pray for things if it is God's will and we know it to be so, we know that we will receive it, and we know this all in advance of our praying for it.
	And we don't really believe that God can or will do for us whatever it is we are seeking or needing.

THE TIME HAS COME, THE WALRUS SAID...

The time has come to be challenged by God's Word. To make our choice as to what kind of a relationship we want with God. To help you make that choice, let me review with you the benefits of hearing God speak to you. They are:

	Brings healing to people like Jairus' daughter
	Makes others grow in faith as it did for Jairus and his daughter
	Results in praise and thanksgiving to God
	Creates a closer friendship between the saint and God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
	Creates a testimonial for you as it did for Jairus and his daughter
	Is an example for others to aspire to in their life
	Brings abundant life to others such as Jairus and his daughter

THE CONCLUSION

God has taught his saints in the Bible, and through experience, how to become a closer friend of His. To be able to hear his voice and do mighty things for him.

See Also: