Fulfill your Vow
Ecclesiastes 5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 5:5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
A vow is a solemn promise or oath to do something, this could be paid either in finances, services, prayer or worship. Vows to God most time provoke His attention and quicken Him to answer a request if it is made with a broken heart.
When one made a vow before God, it was a self-imposed law that must be kept. If you do not keep the vow, you have sinned against God, for you have made promise to God and fail to keep it.
It is good to make vow(promise) before God because doing so one sets spiritual goal for himself in order to bring glory to God.
Making vows should come from the heart and never from the persistent pressure from someone or men of God, as much as God quickens to answer prayers through vow, so also is His wrath heavy on those thay default because you have taken God for a fool.
Did you remember Ananias and Sapphira who made vow in public together with other Brethren to sell their lands and bring the total money to the Apostle's feet? they defaulted, they kept back part of it and still lie before the Apostles and God. Hear what Apostle peter said
Acts 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
This implies that, they were not pressured to do anything, yet they lied against it. Both of them died instantly.
But on the contrary, Hannah vowed and fulfilled her vow.
She made a vow before God in the temple while praying, one of the most difficult sacrifice a mother who had suffered to have a child could make. She vowed to return her only son whom she has suffered to have for a long time back to God the giver.
Her vow draw God's attention through Priest Eli, and her prayer was answered. When the time came to fulfil her vow, she never hesitate and the Lord bless her more for her faithfulness.
How many vows have you defaulted today?, can you even count them?
Many are pressured to make vows because of the sweet words coming from the mouth of "business men of God", many make vows in public just to show off, many imitate others, most of these vows do not willingly come from the heart. Yet God has signed and sealed it, because it was made in His name and before His presence.
As much as vows can easily open closed doors of God's blessing, so also it can close doors of God's favour, grace, blessing, breakthrough and answered prayers.
You never can tell, maybe your default in vow is the reason for your present predicament.
Every vow you made is recorded before God, and He is waiting patiently for the time you will fulfill them.
2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Before you make a vow before God, ensure it comes from the heart, be convinced you will pay it, don't tempt God by your vow, because as you have make your vow, the devil will also try to make it difficult for you redeem.
Many couples failed to redeem their marital vows which they made before God and with the word of God, this has brought problems, difficulties and sorrow into the home.
Failure to redeem your vow can close doors, delay answered prayers, open doors for the devil to visit your life, it retards the presence of God from you.
Have a deep thought and reflection on the vows you have made, either public or private, either little or great, either timed or untimed, make analysis of the ones you are yet to redeem, make effort to redeem them and make your ways right with God.
The difficult situation you are in may not be because of the attacks of the devil, but your failure to redeem your vows.
God is everywhere, He sees and listens to your heart, nothing is hiden before Him. Fulfil your vow, and free yourself form the bondage you put yourself into.
God bless you.
Prayer key:
1. Lord, thank you for the blessing of today in Jesus Christ name.
2. Lord, forgive me for defaulting my vows to you in Jesus Christ name.
3. Lord, help me to redeem my vows in Jesus Christ name.
4. Thank you for answered prayers in Jesus Christ name. Amen.