Open the Floodgates

Those of us who live in central Texas have the privilege of being surrounded by several manmade lakes. These lakes are great places for enjoying water sports, fishing, and other activities. However, there is a different side we tend to forget about — flooding.

In 2002, Canyon Lake experienced this natural occurrence in a big way. We had a tremendous amount of rain in July that year, which caused the Guadalupe River that leads into the lake to be flooded faster than normal. The rushing waters were too much for the lake to hold all at once. As a result, the engineers began to release water through the lake's floodgates. To put the rainfall totals in perspective, I had 40 inches of rain at my house in a week's time.

Also, in the Texas Hill Country (where I live), the Guadalupe River runs nearby. One day after watching the unbelievable events unfold on TV, I was deep in prayer when the Lord gave me a picture of huge steel floodgates in my mind. Immediately, I knew that the floodgates were in heaven. God spoke to my heart and reminded me of how the lake's floodgates are forced to open when there is a lot of rain. In the same manner, the floodgates of Heaven are forced to open with our continuous prayers.

"The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]." James 5:15b AMP

Oftentimes diligence is required when you pray because the Bible says God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Once our prayers are heard, He stands ready in heaven to release forth His power in our lives. Our requests are constantly being processed in His mind over and over again.

Psalm 92:5-6 says, "You do great things, LORD. Your thoughts are too deep for an ignorant fool to know or understand."

He's always on time with His response to each petition made. However, He is not ruled by our human timetable.

Hannah was barren before being blessed with the birth of her son Samuel. We are told that the Lord closed her womb without any explanation from scripture. One thing we do know is that as a result of being barren she was taunted profusely by Elkanah's other wife Peninnah, who had several children of her own. This brought forth so much anguish for Hannah it caused her to weep and not eat.

Think for a moment about what this woman went through. Maybe like me, you can relate to feeling very desperate; as she did. You haven't bothered anyone with your current adversity and yet there is someone antagonizing you with their successes in life.

Why does God allow us to go through something like that? Could it be He's allowed the barrenness and criticism of others to bring you to your knees?

In Hannah's case, she didn't just sit back and hope the tide would turn in her favor. She did not remain downtrodden. No, she brought her problem to the Lord with much weeping and prayer for a son along with a special vow. Her plead with Him went a little like this:

"O Father God, don't You see what Your servant is struggling with? Please in Your remembrance of me make my request for a son a reality in my life. If You do, I'll give Him back to You as a servant in the house of the Lord."

The story doesn't end there because she became pregnant shortly after crying out to God. Then, in due time, she bore a son named Samuel, meaning heard of God (See 1 Samuel 1-2:11).

In the New Testament Jesus was teaching to a crowd and His disciples. He taught them the principle of what would happen if they asked, searched, or knocked upon the Father's door. Listen to His words and apply them to your life. If you do, He will open up the floodgates of heaven to shower upon you the rain of His blessings.

“Ask and you will receive. Search and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And the door will be opened for everyone who knocks. Would any of you give your hungry child a stone, if the child asked for some bread? Would you give your child a snake if the child asked for a fish? As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give good things to people who ask." Matthew 7:7-11

Copyright © 2008 Byron Bohnert. Used by permission.