Opening the Gates of Heaven Perry Stone

must learn to trust God in prayer and to understand that just because it appears the heavens are brass and we are not getting what we want it is by no means a signal of defeat. W HEN G OD S AYS N O ! There are two primary examples in the Scriptures of men who prayed specific prayers and the Lord replied that He was not going to do what they were asking. The first example was Moses, whose sister, Miriam, had mocked the wife Moses had married, and a critical spirit had overcome her. The Lord knew that verbal criticism was like leaven in bread, and it would spread. Moses was God’s anointed prophet, and to speak against this humble servant was to speak against God. The Lord struck Miriam with leprosy. Moses cried out to the Lord, “Please heal her, O God” (Num. 12:13). Remember, this is the man who could raise his rod and open the Red Sea, speak and God would send plagues, and a man God knew face-to-face (Exod. 33:11). Yet when he cried out for a healing, God said no! God required Miriam to spend seven days shut outside the camp by herself (Num. 12:15). The second case is recorded in 2 Samuel 12. David committed adultery, and Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, became pregnant. David attempted to cover up the sin and eventually sent Uriah into battle to be killed in order to marry his wife. As the birth drew near, the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to expose David and to inform him the