Prayer Doesn't Fix Everything, But It Changes Everything

TITLE: PRAYER DOESN’T FIX EVERYTHING, BUT IT CHANGES EVERYTHING

SCRIPTURE: JAMES 5:16

This is our Third and final installment of this series on Prayer. In today’s modern world sometimes it is hard for us to realize the Power of Prayer. After all, man has accomplished so much that often we look for solutions to life’s problems in the natural world before even seeking God. It is often said that “Prayer Changes Things!” We should also add, “Prayer Changes Us!”

• It is true that your prayers will change things around you but sometimes your prayers change you

• To make it more personal, “Prayer Changes Me!”

• At times, after prayer, our situation even remains the same - but we come through it different

To be brutally honest this morning in an effort to help us, I must admit there have been times I have often wished that every prayer that i prayed would be answered. And I have wished that my prayers would be answered instantly, instead of the often “Wait” signal that comes from Heaven. But if I truly were to have those wishes answered, I would need to have God’s wisdom to go along with it, for sometimes we pray for things that are less than what God has in store for us. So it’s a good thing that God says “No” to some things, and “Wait” for others because He knows what is best for us. As I oftentimes say –

• We want what’s Good for us and God wants what’s Best for us

• Oftentimes they are at the opposite ends of the spectrum

“If that’s the case, then why pray at all?” Though there are times when God says “no/wait,” I do know this - when I don’t pray, I’m left to handle things on my own power without Divine intervention! Because of His perfect wisdom, I trust Him to determine what is best for me, along with His perfect timing. Sometimes the mere timing of the answer is a miracle in itself to show that it truly came from God and not something of our own Power or Volition. God loves to delight His children, and He loves to do things in such a way that it displays His glory.

I have been a praying person for the majority of my life. Has it worked? Has it fixed me entirely? Apparently not, because i still have a long way to grow. You have no doubt prayed about some things, hoping for prayer to fix it, right?

• When we’re Sick - we pray for God to Heal us

• When we’re Poor - we pray for God to Provide

• When we’ve been Wronged - we pray for God to make it Right

• When we’re Confused - we pray to God for Clarity

• All of those prayers are good prayers

• God calls on us to trust Him in such moments to Move- to Work - and to Act on our behalf

• But still, prayer doesn’t “fix” all of the situations we encounter in this life

In the Book of Acts, Chapter Four, we read the event of Peter and John being arrested for preaching about Jesus. Later, they are released after a strong lecture from the temple police about not continuing to spread the gospel. the church, in response, begins to pray. And here’s the spoiler alert --

• The persecution issue actually gets worse after the church prayed

• Prayer didn’t fix it

• The problem remained

• But prayer did change the situation or to say, it changed the variables

Here’s what the church prayed in Acts 4:29-30 – “AND NOW, LORD, BEHOLD THEIR THREATENINGS: AND GRANT UNTO THY SERVANTS, THAT WITH ALL BOLDNESS THEY MAY SPEAK THY WORD, BY STRETECHING FORTH THINE HAND TO HEAL; AND THAT SIGNS AND WONDERS MAY BE DONE BY THE NAME OF THY HOLY CHILD JESUS.”

What did the church pray for in the face of persecution? greater boldness - greater power - a greater witness. And God answered that prayer, not by fixing the persecution problem, but by changing the variables.

• After this prayer, the meeting place shook

• They were all filled with the Holy Spirit

• Then they preached the Word of God with boldness

• All the believers were united in Heart and Mind

• And they felt what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had

We sometimes place a burden on prayer that prayer was never meant to handle.

• We treat prayer like a magic formula

• We treat prayer like there is a genie in the bottle

• We treat prayer like we have been granted three wishes

What we essentially say to God is, “God, I have this issue, and I’m asking you to fix it for me.” And when the problem doesn’t resolve or go away quickly, we feel –