“Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know(do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand). (Jeremiah 33:3) (AMP)
The Word of God has many stories of how God specifically answers our prayers. One key character in the Bible who received answers to his prayers is the Apostle Paul. The Book of Acts gives account of how specifically the Lord answered the cry of the Apostle and God’s exact Words to him, as well as the facts about the prayer Paul prayed. These stories contain truth that must be learned and applied to our lives. When we pray, we must believe that through those prayers, God will give us “specific” directions.
In Acts 22:17-21 we find Paul in Jerusalem praying in the Temple. While he was praying, he fell into a “trance.” We may ask, what about this trance? First, we must differentiate between a godly trance and an ungodly trance. Oxford online dictionary says that “A trance is defined as a half-conscious state characterized by an absence of respone to external stimuli, typically induced by hypnosis or entered by a medium.” This is not a godly trance. In The Scriptures, we have another godly example of a trance in the life of the Apostle Peter (Acts 10:9-13). After Peter fell into a trance he saw Heaven open. (Acts 10:10).He also heard the Voice of the Lord giving him specific instructions. (Acts 10:10-13)
To help us understand more about this trance-like state, we can study the Hebrew word Kavvanah. Kavannah means “directed intention” while walking with God. Certian sages emphasize that kavvanah is necessary for prayer. Dr. Karl Coke taught me that “Kavvanah” is not something to be studied. It is to be done. Another picture of Kavannah can be seen in the life of Jacob. Jacob had an experience where he awoke from sleep and declared that God was in that place. He called it the house of God and the gate of Heaven. He was able to see a stairway into Heaven. (Gen 28:16-17) The LORD stood at the top of the stairway and spoke to Jacob. God declared His Name and promised Jacob that the ground he was lying on belonged to him and his descendants. He promised to to be with Jacob and protect him wherever Jacob&went. (Gen. 28:13-15)
Back to the Apostle Paul. One of the facts about Paul’s prayer is that while he was praying, he fell into a trance. (Acts. 22:17-21) Because his heart was directed to God with focus and intent, he experienced the Lord speaking. The exact Words that the LORD spoke to Paul are recorded in Acts 22:18 and 21. The Lord said to Paul “Hurry and depart from Jerusalem quickly, for the people here will not receive the truths you share about Me”. (Acts 22:18)
Paul converses with the living God in this state of “Kavannah” also known as a “Trance.” Paul was able to SEE the LORD. Paul was able to have a conversation with the LORD and ask questions of the LORD. Paul reasoned with the LORD and gave Him two reasons why the local leaders might accept his testimony. Remember the law of God says that a matter is established by two or three witnesses. (Deut. 17:6) Paul thought that because he had gone into the synagogues to imprison and beat the believers of Jesus Christ, and that he also gave his approval to the ones who killed Stephen, that the leaders might listen to him. God speaks again while Paul was in prayer and said “Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles”. (Acts 22:21)
When we pray, we do well to look at the examples of Peter and Paul. Both men were set apart to seek the Face of God in prayer, and both men saw Heaven open. From the open Heaven, they receivedexplicit directions;
Many of us are seeking God for explicit instructions and directions. As a believer, we are assured by the LORD that He will hear us. “And if we know that He hears us, whatsover we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him” (I John 5:15). Prayers are received from those who continually abide in Christ. “If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you”. (John 15:7) God will answer the prayers of all of us who seek Him with all of our hearts. “Then shall you call upon Me, and you shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. And you shall seek Me, and find Me, when you shall search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:11-12).
May we all enter a season of answered prayer through our focused intent and desire to hear the LORD.
