Pay your vows to The Most High

The word of God says, “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear God and he will show them his covenants”- Psalm 25:14. If you actually desire to step up your relationship and make your prayers more effective, one of the secrets is vow.

In the Bible, a vow has a place in initiating the unusual move of God and miracles in people’s lives. In the old and new testament, a vow was always a pledge or promise made to God, never to another person. It was always an expression of unusual devotion. It was also a commitment and was usually voluntary.

According to that renowned world Evangelist, Benny Hinn, “A vow is a promise made to God to do something for God in return for a miracle or help we need from Him when there is no other way out. God in His divine mercy has given us the privilege to make a vow and receive a miracle from Him and then fulfil the promise we make to Him. The making of vows are used when one is in crisis or when we have missed God and ended up in a dead-end road.”

However, the spiritual law of vow goes further to warn against negligence in fulfilling your vow. “Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me” (Psalm 50:14-15).

It does not matter the time you made the vow and when you received the answer to your request. The point is you must pay your vow to avoid unpalatable outcome. Some people whose prayers were answered forgot to pay their vows just like Jacob.

Thirty years before, Jacob had made a vow. It was made as he was fleeing the wrath of Esau (for Jacob had stolen Esau’s blessing from their father Isaac). On the way, he stopped at what is now called Bethel (Gen 28:10-15). There he had a dream, in this dream, God promised to be with him and make him return home safely. This dream prompted Jacob to make the following vows to God. “…Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.”  He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top. He called the name of that place Bethel; however, previously the name of the city had been Luz. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the LORD will be my God. “This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You”- Gen 28:16-22.

For the next twenty years, Jacob dwelt in Haran. As God promised, He was with Jacob. Jacob prospered both in family, and in wealth (Genesis Chapters 29; 30).

God was faithful to Jacob in all areas; God blessed him with wives, children, servants and flocks in large numbers. God also kept him safe from Laban, who was pursuing him and Esau, who was coming to meet him.

• Prophet (Dr.) Abiara is General Evangelist, CAC Worldwide
skabiaraofciem@yahoo.co.uk