In Need? Ask God First

Last year, I listened to a sermon that changed the way I respond to my challenges. Usually, our first response is to share our distress with our family or friends, asking for help and emotional support.

But the pastor stated, “Go to God first, pray, ask for His help, and also ask for the strength to endure the hardship. Asking God builds our faith and trust in Him, and gives God the opportunity to use His supernatural power to give us a miraculous outcome, bringing glory and honor to His Holy Name.”

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16, ESV).

Nothing is a surprise to God, who knows every trial and adversity we will face. Yes, God already knows exactly what we need; but God is not intrusive, He waits for us to use our faith to ask Him for help

God’s Promise: “I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” (Isaiah 65:24, NLT).

Last Thursday, I faced a dilemma and immediately prayed for God’s help. On Monday, God answered my prayer by blessing me with more than I asked for. I am so thankful that I obeyed the pastor’s advice and did not tell anyone about my situation.

My prayer: Lord God, nothing comes as a surprise to You. You know the situation that I am facing and You also know that I can do nothing to resolve it. Lord, I need your help, and Your guidance, so I will know what You want me to do. Thank You for helping me. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.”

King Jehosaphat’s Prayer: 2 Chronicles 20

When King Jehosaphat faced three enemy armies, he knew that it was impossible for them to win; yet, the words of his prayer teach us how to approach our Loving and Powerful God, who cares about every detail of Our lives.

“Our God…For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” (2 Chronicles 20:12, NIV).

King David proclaimed: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are attentive to their cry; The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.” (Psalm 34:8, 15, 17, NIV). Amen!

For every challenge, if we use our faith to believe that God will answer our prayers, the Holy Spirit will comfort, strengthen, and give us courage as we wait for God’s Divine Intervention.

“Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! (Psalm 27:14).

Lord God, we thank You for reminding us that You care about every aspect of our lives. And if we ask You for help, and believe that You will help us then You will give us the perfect solution and a victorious outcome. Lord, we thank You for Your unconditional love and ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

© 2026 STEPS 2 Success With Spiritual Solutions Ministry

God Never Sees a Situation As Impossible

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27).

We use our faith to believe that God is who He says He is: Loving and Omnipotent [All-Powerful], and YAHWEH Yireh [Our Provider]. Trusting God is easy when we are confident that He loves us and desires the best for our lives.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes.” (Proverbs 3:5-7).

Unbelieving Believers: Believing only that God exists in Heaven happens when we redirect our faith and trust from God to ourselves. Sadly, many feel unloved by God because they trust their limited abilities to resolve life’s challenges.

When we doubt God’s Love, Power, and Promises, we place ourselves on the same spiritual status as unbelievers, who consistently play The Game of Chance with their lives, always experiencing consequences, and never having peace.

Although God created us to depend totally on His thoughts, plans, and help, He never forces us to love, obey, and trust Him. We are free to choose the course of our lives and whether or not we desire Eternal Life.

Self-Reliance Is The Weed that Produces Discouragement and Consequences

“Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.” (Proverbs 28:26, ESV). Wisdom is a blessing that only comes from obeying God.

Ouch! Although God’s words sound harsh, because we have placed our thoughts above God’s higher thoughts and ways [Isaiah 55:8-9], we need a spiritual reality check to come to our senses.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6, NIV).

God is not punitive. Satan is the evil one who brings chaos and confusion into our lives. Every day, Satan mistreats unbelievers according to his diabolical schemes.

“The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:7-8, ESV).

But for the believer’s striving to follow Christ with faithful obedience, Elohim Shomri places protective boundaries around us. Study Psalm 91.

In John 16:33, Jesus warns us that we will face overwhelming trials that only He can resolve. Every day, we can build our faith by praying for guidance in resolving our small obstacles, so when the tsunami trial hits, our first response is a prayer of Faith: Lord, You promised that if I come to You in faith, You will help me.

We never have to perceive challenges and adversity as impossible if we acknowledge that Jesus Christ is our Shepherd and follow Him with faith, surrender, and obedience.

“We are the sheep of his pasture” (Psalm 100:3) reveals that “Christ is our Creator and Shepherd, who leads, provides, and protects His people (us) with abundant blessings and care of His presence, calling us to joyful worship and gratitude for His unending love and faithfulness. It emphasizes our belonging to Him, acknowledging our dependence on Him for guidance and provision in life.”

To remain in right standing with God, we are required to love God by putting Him first; No one, including ourselves, should come before God. Our highest worship is faithful obedience.

Returning to God Is a Life-Saving Decision: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).

Prayer of Confession: “God, my faith is weak because I have been trusting in myself instead of You, and for my self-reliance, and not trusting You, I ask for forgiveness.”

God’s Response: “I will answer them before they even call to Me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” (Isaiah 65:24, NLT).

“It is possible for us to do our best and still not see the light at the end of the tunnel. But that is because we have limited human ability.”

The Journey of Faith requires the courage to completely trust God with everything. Humility is the Key that Opens the Door of Faith: Even when we think that we can resolve our challenges, we redirect our faith, asking God to intervene.

Pray and involve God in every decision! Our Daily Prayer: LORD, I don’t know what I will face today, but You know. I believe that Your Power is Unlimited, and I desperately need Your Help. In Jesus’ Powerful Name, Amen.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9). “God’s power is most evident when we admit our own inadequacy; embracing weakness opens the door for the Holy Spirit to empower us with Jesus’ Divine Strength.”

“God specializes in situations that human eyes [our minds] perceive as impossible. God is the God Who reveals that impossibilities are His specialty; He makes a way where there seems to be no way!”

“For the individuals who hold on to their faith in God, believing in His Unlimited Power, are the people who receive God’s greatest blessings and miracles.” Yes and Amen!

Lord God, we come to You confessing and repenting for using our gift of faith to trust in ourselves. We admit that we have embraced a stubborn spirit of self-reliance. Lord, we have tried every option, but our solutions have failed. We stand at the crossroads, knowing that we are helpless; Lord, we desperately need Your Help! We thank You for hearing and answering our prayer of need that we ask in faith and in the Powerful Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Bible Study: Mark 9:14-29.

© 2026 STEPS 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions Ministry

The Conflict of Not Knowing What to Do

Our Heavenly Father Cares Devotional – April 11, 2025

“…For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” -2 Chronicles 20:12

When King Jehoshaphat acknowledged the impossibility of using human effort to win the pending war from pagan armies, his first response was prayer.

Every day, we face dilemmas that require God’s Divine intervention. If we live by this rule of always seeking God’s answer, whether it is a minor issue or a difficult life-changing dilemma then we are guaranteed a victorious outcome.

One thing is for certain, we should never ask for secular advice. Even those who are considered experts are looking at the situation from their perspective. Spiritually, unbelievers can never perceive a situation as God sees it.

“Do not be wise in your own eyes…” Proverbs 3:7

Truthfully, believers who serve God with obedience and steadfast faith still need help. Involve God in every aspect of your life by asking for spiritual wisdom and guidance before making decisions.

Pray and wait for God’s guidance. If we make prayer our first response and wait for God’s answer then He will resolve all of our challenges for our good and His glory.

“Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14).

Lord God, we admit that we do not know what to do and ask for Your Divine Help in resolving this impossible situation. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we ask this prayer in faith, Amen.

© 2025 STEPS 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions Ministry