If God answers Prayer,
what happens if we pray for the wrong things?
1. Do you believe that prayer changes things?
2. Do you think that prayer changes the mind of God?
3. If God answers our pray, what if we pray for the wrong things?
4. Does He answer the way we pray or does He answer in His way?
5. What do you believe that prayer changes?
1. Attitudes
2. Situations
3. Feelings
4. Our thinking
King Hezekiah 2 Kings 20:1-6. (The Message)
God heard his cries, his pleading just like He did the Children of Israel in Egypt. He sent an answer to them. He said “I heard the cries of my people”.
Now we know that God is, Omniscience, all knowing, Omnipresent, His everywhere, and so He is all seeing, Omnipotent and He is all powerful.
He knows what is going to happen.
Predestination, Free Will and what part does Prayer play in this situation.
John writes in chapter 14:12-14 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
In my name to bring glory to the Father, not glory to ourselves but to God.
Solomon in 1 Kings 3:9-14, So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for--both riches and honor--so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."
Unselfish prayers can bring our hearts desires and even things that you have not thought about.
Selfish prayers can bring unwanted consequences.
King Hezekiah’s selfish prayer was answered but if we read down a little ways we find the unwanted portion, the consequence of not praying for GOD’S will and not our personal desires.
2 Kings 21:1-6, Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. 3 He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. 4 He built altars in the temple of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, "In Jerusalem I will put my Name." 5 In both courts of the temple of the LORD, he built altars to all the starry hosts. 6 He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger.
2 Kings 21:10-12, The LORD said through his servants the prophets: 11 "Manasseh king of Judah has committed these detestable sins. He has done more evil than the Amorites who preceded him and has led Judah into sin with his idols. 12 Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.
Jesus tells the disciples in Mark 14:38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
Pray for wisdom, strength, guidance as Solomon did, so that you will not fall. John 14:13-14. Ask for help in my name: And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
If we pray as Jesus told the disciples to pray, so we will not to fall into temptation, we will become stronger and victorious in our faith, right!
Daniel, 6:1-28, tells about how Daniel prayed three times a day to His God, for His glory not Daniels. He prayed for help in his dire situation. He was going against the king’s orders. He was standing up for his God and his belief.
If we pray for the right things, the things that bring honor and glory to God, we know that He will answer in a positive way. Daniel’s prayers for God will to be done were answered and it brought glory and honor to God not Daniel.
Daniel was given earthly rewards from the king because he stood up for what was right.
Daniel 6:25-28, Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land: "May you prosper greatly! 26 "I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.
"For he is the living God and he endures forever;
his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. 27 He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions." 28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Daniel prayed for help! It does not say that he asked to be delivered from this trial; it was for help to get through this time of trial.
If we use the example of Daniel and pray for help and not self glory, we will be victorious, right.
100 Days of Prayer, we have a job to do. We have an election coming up and we need to bring back to our state Biblical Morality.
