HINDRANCES TO PRAYER
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LESSON #2: STUBBORNNESS
TEXT: ZECH. 7:11-13
REVIEW:
What was our lesson last week?
Disobedience
What is disobedience towards God?
Sin
What does sin do?
It separates us from God
What is the danger of allowing sin into our hearts?
We will be left to fight our battles on our own.
The danger is that many times the crisis hits so far down the line we forgot what the issue was that has separated us from God to begin with.
READ TEXT:
Zech 7:11-13
11 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.
13 Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts:
(KJV)
This is a story in the old testament of a people who would not listen to God.
- Would not follow His will
- Would not take His direction
- His advice
They refused to listen to Him
They refused to listen to His prophets
They thought they had a better way
It is a picture of a people who would not go near a prophet
- Tried to stay out of ear shot
- Tried to stay out of their neighborhood
If they did hear or if they were told,
they purposed in their heart not to do it
- They refused to harken
- They looked the other way
- They would act as if they could not hear
Looks a lot like our society today
Reminds me of some of the outreaches I have been on
- They ignore me
- They act as if I am not there
Ever had that happen to you?
- They see you from a distance
- They know what you are about
(Backsliders notorious for this)
- So they take the long way around
- They do not want to hear what you have to say
We have all seen this and come to expect it from the world.
But I want to bring it a little closer to home.
It may not be as obvious.
But the same thing happens in church all the time.
- They sit in their favorite chair
- The sermon starts
- Soon as you hit some hot licks
- Soon as the Holy Spirit lays one in their lap
- They try to turn you off
All of a sudden
- They have to clip their nails
- They need to re-lace their shoes
- Check on their kid in nursery
- Write a letter
This is a spirit of stubbornness
When you close your ears to a message of truth and refuse to change, that is stubbornness.
You are saying I don’t want to hear this
- I don’t receive that pastor
- I am not listening so I am not responsible
- That’s not for me
You sit in church week after week.
Developing bad attitudes towards God and the church.
They hold on to this stubborn spirit.
Then they want to know why God hasn’t answered their prayers
Sometimes you want to slap them upside the head and say, duuuu,
or grab them by the shoulders and shake some sense into them.
Maybe you need to try to listen to God first.
Then we have another group of people who say they want to do the right thing but never actually do it.
- Their mouth says one thing
- Their actions say something else
- They look like they are listening
- They respond to the altar
- They cry
- They say “yes” Lord
They sit across the desk from me in counseling and nod there head yes pastor we agree.
- They will even repeat it back to you
But the moment they are out the church door, they some how forget everything.
They refuse to change/ They refuse to repent
There will come a day when you will reap the whirlwind
- You will cry out to God
- You will raise your hands
- Fall on your face
- Beg for mercy
And He will not hear you
Prov 1:24-28
24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
(KJV)
Have you ever asked yourself why the preacher has to preach the same thing over and over?
The reason is we are a stubborn people
- We don’t change easily
- We have to try every thing else first
- Most of us were at the end of our rope when we got saved
Why is that?
We are a stubborn people
Most of us know not to gossip / Do you?
You know not to lie / Do you?
You know not to cheat / Do you?
You know to pray / Do you?
You know to read your bible / Do you?
You know to witness / Do you?
The truth is we are stubborn
- We don’t like to change
- We like us just the way we are
Even when we do change we have to keep a close watch on ourselves because we can revert back very quickly.
God is a gracious God.
He is faithful to work with us.
He is faithful to deal with us.
But one of the questions you need to ask yourself, if your prayers are not being answered, is:
Is there some area of my life, some issue, some sin, in which I have hardened my heart against God.
These areas of stubbornness need to be dealt with
They need to be resolved
If God is to hear your voice and answer your prayers
Jer 7:13-16
13 And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;
14 Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.
15 And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim.
16 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.
(KJV)
It is true that we do serve a God of grace.
But there comes a point when God says that it is to late.
This is a warning for some of you.
There will come a point
- A time in life
- When you desperately need to hear from God
- When you desperately need Him to answer your prayers
- And He will not hear you
- Because time after time you hardened your heart and refused to listen to Him
Solomon the wisest man ever to have lived, said:
“It is too late to cry for mercy when it is time for judgment”
Prov 28:9
9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination.
(KJV)
It is true what it says in Joel 2:32 whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered.
But Joel is speaking about a day of grace.
If you continue to harden your heart and set your will against God there will come a day of judgment.
We see this very thing played out over and over throughout the word of God.
- Jer.11:11
- Ezek 8:18
- Mic 3:4
- Zech 7:13
To list but a few
If you want God to listen to you one of the first steps is for you to listen to God.
Communication is a two way street and God demands to be heard FIRST!
Prov 15:29
29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
(KJV)
God has promised to hear our prayers as long as we keep a right heart and a right attitude towards Him
In Prov. 15:8 He says the prayer of the upright is His delight
Search your heart and surrender all to God so that your prayers may be heard.
