{"id":479,"date":"2026-08-27T11:34:50","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T16:34:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/drbobnichols\/?p=479"},"modified":"2026-08-27T11:38:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T16:38:29","slug":"god-grants-our-petitions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/2026\/08\/27\/god-grants-our-petitions\/","title":{"rendered":"God Grants Our Petitions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>\u201cW<\/strong>hen your back is against the wall, try knees on the floor.<strong>\u201d<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.\u00a0And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.\u00a0And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>I Samuel 1:5-7, 10, 17, 20<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.&#8221; &#8211; <strong>Abraham Lincoln<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Philippians 4:6-7<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Too often, we wait until we find ourselves in a desperate situation before we begin to pray. Prayer becomes our last resort when God intended it to be our <strong>first response<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prayer should be a lifestyle. When we develop a consistent habit of spending time with God, our natural response to difficulty begins to change. Instead of immediately focusing on the problem, worrying about what might happen, or trying to figure everything out on our own, <strong>our first thought becomes God.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His power to change the circumstances of our lives is unmatched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prayer is a powerful spiritual weapon, but it is also a place of fellowship with God. As we spend time with Him in prayer, something begins to happen within us: <strong>our focus shifts from the problem to the Answer.<\/strong> The situation may still be there, but we are no longer looking at it from the same perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prayer is also a two-way conversation. We pour out our hearts before God, but we must also take time to listen. As we quiet ourselves in His presence, He can speak wisdom, direction, encouragement, and solutions into our hearts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We don&#8217;t have to pray from a place of fear or desperation. <strong>We can pray from a position of faith.<\/strong> Our prayers can be firmly rooted in God&#8217;s Word and in the promises He has given us. Instead of rehearsing everything that could go wrong, we remind ourselves of what God has said and trust Him to be faithful to His Word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When we turn to God first, the enemy&#8217;s plan immediately begins to lose its influence over our thoughts. Fear gives way to faith. Confusion gives way to direction. Anxiety gives way to peace. Instead of allowing the circumstances to determine our response, we allow God&#8217;s Word to determine it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So don&#8217;t wait until your back is against the wall to discover the power of prayer. <strong>Make prayer your lifestyle today.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And when your back does end up against the wall, remember\u2014<strong>try putting your knees on the floor.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Give God the first opportunity to move in your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But\u00a0<strong>seek<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>ye<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>first<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>the<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>kingdom<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>of<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>God<\/strong>, and his righteousness; and all\u00a0<strong>these<\/strong> things shall be added unto you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Matthew 6:33<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Victory Action<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">When I face trouble, difficulty, or uncertainty, <strong>I will go to God first.<\/strong> Before I worry, react, or try to solve the problem on my own, I will pray, stand on His Word, listen for His direction, and trust Him to work in my situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cWhen your back is against the wall, try knees on the floor.\u201d But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.\u00a0And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.\u00a0And as he did so &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/2026\/08\/27\/god-grants-our-petitions\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;God Grants Our Petitions&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1503,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-479","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-one-liners"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8lc9u-7J","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":149,"url":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/2021\/05\/10\/prayer-works\/","url_meta":{"origin":479,"position":0},"title":"Prayer Works","author":"admin","date":"May 10, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cWhen your back is against the wall, try knees on the floor.\u201d 5But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.\u00a06And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;One Liners&quot;","block_context":{"text":"One Liners","link":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/category\/one-liners\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":260,"url":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/2022\/01\/10\/prayer-makes-a-way\/","url_meta":{"origin":479,"position":1},"title":"Prayer Makes a Way","author":"Bob Nichols","date":"January 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cThere\u2019s a way when you pray.\u201d In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the\u00a0Lord, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.2\u00a0Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;One Liners&quot;","block_context":{"text":"One Liners","link":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/category\/one-liners\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":117,"url":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/2026\/05\/09\/i-believe-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":479,"position":2},"title":"I Believe God","author":"admin","date":"May 9, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cThe first report is not the last report.\u201d \u00a01In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. 2Then he turned\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;One Liners&quot;","block_context":{"text":"One Liners","link":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/category\/one-liners\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Trust800x533.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Trust800x533.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Trust800x533.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Trust800x533.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":341,"url":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/2023\/05\/02\/be-specific\/","url_meta":{"origin":479,"position":3},"title":"Be Specific","author":"admin","date":"May 2, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cDefinite requests bring definite results.\u201d 1 Samuel 1:11, 20 \u00a011And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;One Liners&quot;","block_context":{"text":"One Liners","link":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/category\/one-liners\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":678,"url":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/2022\/09\/19\/the-promise-came-to-pass\/","url_meta":{"origin":479,"position":4},"title":"The Promise Came to Pass","author":"Bob Nichols","date":"September 19, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"(Excerpt from Pastor's book, 'How to Get a Grip on God's Promises\") The promise of a son was spoken the Shunammite woman.\u00a0 The next thing that happened was the promise came to pass.\u00a0 God\u2019s Word worked because that Word was spoken.\u00a0 By a miracle of God a child was born\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Book Excerpt&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Book Excerpt","link":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/category\/book-excerpt\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Promise800x533.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Promise800x533.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Promise800x533.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Promise800x533.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":639,"url":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/2025\/12\/10\/dare-to-face-it\/","url_meta":{"origin":479,"position":5},"title":"Dare To Face It","author":"admin","date":"December 10, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"(Below is an excerpt from Pastor's book, \"How to Find Life in Dead Situations\") All around us are dead situations; situations that, except for God\u2019s grace and a miracle, nothing can be done.\u00a0 As a minister, I face these kinds of situations quite often.\u00a0 Maybe it is a marriage in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Book Excerpt&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Book Excerpt","link":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/category\/book-excerpt\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AdobeStock_298389640-scaled.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AdobeStock_298389640-scaled.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AdobeStock_298389640-scaled.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AdobeStock_298389640-scaled.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AdobeStock_298389640-scaled.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ChatGPT-Image-Aug-27-2026-10_43_02-AM.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/479","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=479"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/479\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1505,"href":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/479\/revisions\/1505"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=479"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=479"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.calvarycathedral.org\/wpbobnichols\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}