Ask For Your Miracle, Part One

Because There's a Miracle With Your Name On It

I’m currently asking for a miracle. This is what I want to say first. I’m asking for a healing miracle on behalf of my college-age grand-daughter. This is happening in real time. I’m praying. And believing. Every single morning. At the same time I’m leaning on notes I pulled up from a message I shared last year, but now it’s hitting quite differently in my own hour of need and I hesitate to use that word because I’ve learned that God answers to Faith, not (merely) need. Anyway, I’m praying because no one should have to endure a ten-hour surgery to remove something that doesn’t belong in their body, as well as something that actually does belong. No one. So in this process of encouraging you to ask for your miracle, I am also reminding and encouraging myself. Isn’t this how we are meant to encourage one another?

And as one who’s learned to glean much from the Word, I’ll start with three examples of women I greatly admire. Women who are all favorites of mine and what it looked like for them when they asked for and received their miracle. Each version is concise so I’ll leave it to the Holy Spirit to prompt you if He would have you look at any one of their stories more in depth. “There’s power in the blood” we’ve sung, but there’s also power in the Word, the “wonder-working” word.

First, there’s Rahab. She’s mentioned in four books of the Bible so we’d take note (Joshua 2, Joshua 6, Matthew 1, Hebrews 11, and James 2) as it’s obvious God wanted to make sure we paid attention to her story. Therefore let’s listen to what Rahab’s bold ASK sounded like and see what wisdom there is to glean:

Swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, show kindness now to me, and my father’s house, and save us (Joshua 2:12).

Rahab perceives this is her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, just as we also must perceive our opportunities when they present themselves. Accordingly, Rahab doesn’t hesitate to ASK. She has everything to gain and absolutely nothing to lose. And in the asking – she orchestrates and receives her deliverance and that of her entire family. Amazing! Rahab is such a strategist. But more importantly, she’s a bold woman of Faith. She’s heard the stories of the One True God (“for we have heard”) and she takes a stand on God’s side. The men give her their promise, and after saying, “according to your word, so be it” (a foreshadowing of what Mary would say to the Angle Gabriel) Rahab immediately puts the scarlet cord out her window according to the terms of their agreement – because faith will always look like something. So Be encouraged! God took care of Rahab’s housing situation – and God will do the same for you, if that is your request. No miracle is too hard for the Lord.

Then there’s Achsah. I call her the woman who asked for more. This is because Achsah understood inheritance, and we too must understand our inheritance in Christ Jesus and don’t leave things on the table that could be ours for the asking. This is what Achsah models for us.

Hear now the boldness (bordering on demand) in Achsah’s ASK:

Give me a blessing; since you have given me land in the South, give me also springs of water” (Joshua 15:19 and repeated in Judges 1:15).

Achsah’s boldness is brilliant, and if you’re wondering - Achsah was Caleb’s daughter, given as a wife to Caleb’s nephew as a reward for taking a particular territory. And what’s striking is Achsah’s ability to take a keen look at her situation and to accurately assess that the land that’s been apportioned to her is not enough. Because a land without water or water rights is not enough; it won’t reach it’s capacity for fruitfulness. So Achsah asks her father for more. And without hesitation Caleb grants her both the upper and lower springs. Achsah knew her father’s heart and she knew all she had to do was ASK.

Perhaps you find yourself in the same situation today. You’re thankful for you current situation, but you know it’s not enough. You know there’s more and you know God has more for you. And Like Achsah, you also have a loving heavenly father who has an inheritance for you and who wants to give you Good Gifts. Others don’t see what you see and that’s O.K. They only see “what is” and not what “needs to be.” So perhaps it’s time now for you to ASK for your more. Hold true to who you are and what you know God has for you. Pursue your vision! Just as Achsah did. But it begins with ASKing.

Finally (for now) we come to Zelophedad’s Daughters. These five sisters are mentioned three times in the word, by name (and this is because it’s about inheritance, another message).

Here’s what their collective ASK sounded like:

Why should the name of our father be removed from among his family- because he had no sons? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers. (Numbers 27/Numbers 36/ Joshua 17)

Zelophedad’s daughters were nothing less than catalysts for change. These five women pushed against the status quo of the day to get what they knew they needed, and what was rightfully theirs. And in doing so, they set a precedent for all women who would come after them, what I call “Equal rights of inheritance for women.” Like Achsah, they understood inheritance when they stood before Moses and all the elders of Israel and lifted up their voice to make their request known. And Moses heard their case and inquired of the LORD before coming back to the people with God’s verdict and word on the matter-- “The daughters of Zelophedad speak what is right; you shall surely give them a possession of inheritance among their father’s brothers, and cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them.”

And even though God ruled in their favor, these women had to speak up a second time. When Joshua became their leader they had to stand before him and present their case all over again. Because sometimes you have to ask a second time. Or knock a bit harder. Say it with me as an act of faith – “I’m going to ASK for my miracle!” Because the Kingdom of God is all about inheritance and you have an inheritance in Christ. You must be bold as these daughters were and that requires you lift up your voice and ASK.

So what is the miracle you need? A place to live? Provision? A relationship restored? Physical healing? Whatever it is, I can testify that after more than 40 years walking with the LORD He has shown up relentlessly to show Himself strong on my behalf as a miracle-working God. He healed my daughter after I was told she may never walk again after the bone infection in her hip had spread to her spinal cord. He also saved her in my womb when I didn’t yet know I was RH negative. And in more recent years, I’ve seen tumors and cysts “cease and desist” in my own body, according to His healing word that’s already been sent forth and according to the stripes Jesus already bore for my healing.

And so I remind you, but also myself, that just as God healed my oldest daughter, He can do the same for her oldest daughter. I know He can and now I set my heart to believe He will, for the two are not one and the same. And The name of Jesus is above this thing that’s been named. In fact, He already showed me the authority He granted regarding this thing. I’m not coming under fear and I command fear to leave both my daughter and grand-daughter. In Jesus triumphant Name. I’ll also add, along this healing vein of testimony, I’ve experienced my pastor’s little dog resurrect from the dead after being hit by a car because something rose up in me (the gift of faith) and I refused to allow the night of the celebration of her birth to be marked by death, particularly the death of her beloved Yorkie dog. I spoke life into that little dog Finn, and God resurrected him while on the way to the emergency vet. To God be the glory.

A temporary conclusion:

And so I end this “part one” by declaring – “Our God heals. Our God provides. Our God restores. In fact, He is our Healer, He is our Provider, and He is our Restorer. No situation is too hard for Him. And no ASK is too big. I trust you are inspired to ASK for your miracle! Because There is a miracle with your name on it.