As we have looked at the various principles of intercession, we have talked about the principle of Applied Priesthood, and how we need to be willing to develop a sacrificial, submissive, sympathetic faith as we come before God and make requests on behalf of others who do not have a right relationship nor a good standing with God themselves.
And last time, we looked at the Principle of Appropriated Promise, where we learned that God calls us to face Him with the prospect of seeing others come to faith in Christ.
Today, we are going to consider two other Principles of Intercession: the Principle of Answered Prayer and the Principle of Available Power.
3. The Principle of Answered Prayer - 1 John 5:14-15
John says that if we pray according to God’s will, we can be confident that He hears us; and if He hears us, we know we have what we desire. The Principle of Answered Prayer then, relates to the idea of praying according to the will of God. Let’s apply this principle to intercessory prayer. What does it mean to pray “according to God’s will”?
A. To approach God with a surrendered life.
“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” - Psalm 66:18 (Amplified)
Daniel Henderson points out that when Jesus told us to go into our “closet” to pray, he wasn’t referring to a small space where we hang our wardrobe. When the KJV was translated in 1611, it was common knowledge that Jesus was referring to an audience chamber, where groups would have meetings. The people in 1611 would have understood that their king and queen had such “closets” where they received guests and heard requests. If I had an audience with a King, I would wouldn’t enter his
“closet” wearing something that was stained and filthy if I wanted him to give me a hearing. Why then would I think my heavenly King should give me a hearing, when my heart is stained with sin?
“If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].” - 1 John 1:9 (Amplified)
B. To approach God with a submissive heart.
If I pray according to God’s will, I will want God’s will above all else. This relates to being willing for God to answer in whatever way He desires. To pray with a submissive attitude means that we accept what Jesus told us in Matthew 7:9-11 about the goodness of God:
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” - Matthew 7:9-11 (NIV)
“Give to a pig when it grunts and a child when he cries,and you will have a fine pig and a bad child.” - Danish proverb
Our Father is raising children, not pigs. John says our confidence in approaching God comes from knowing He only gives what is best.
If I really believe that God is good and wants only the best for me, then I will pray, willing to submit to God’s will; and I will persist in prayer about it, until God either answers “Yes,” “No,” or “Wait a while,” knowing that any of these answers will be the best for me. As a result of persistent prayer, my desires will be shaped to conform to His will.
“Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” - Psalm 37:4 (NIV)
“If I throw out a boat hook from the boat and catch hold of the shore and pull, do I pull the shore to me, or do I pull myself to the shore? Prayer is not pulling God to my will, but the aligning of my will to the will of God.” - E. Stanley Jones
C. To approach God in a Scriptural manner.
God’s will never contradicts God’s Word. The more I can pray in line with the Scripture, the more I can be sure I am praying “according to God’s will.” For example, I can be confident I am praying according to God’s will” when I pray for those who are without Christ.
“This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all peopleto be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” - 1 Timothy 2:3-4 (NIV)
Additionally, according to the Scripture, I can know I am praying “according to God’s will” when I pray for wayward believers.
“If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that.” - 1 John 5:16 (NIV)
4. The Principle of Available Power – Matthew 18:18-19
“Truly I tell you, whatever you forbid and declare to be improper and unlawful on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit and declare proper and lawful on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven. Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven.”- Matthew 18:18-19 (Amplified)
Because of our Savior’s crucifixion and resurrection, the Father has decreed some things to be bound and loosed; and we have been given the authority (keys - Matthew 16:19) to enforce His decrees!
A. What has the Father decreed bound? The power of Satan.
“For when a strong man like Satan is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe - until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.” - Luke 11:21-22 (NLT)
“He stripped the rulers and authorities of their power and made a public spectacle of them as he celebrated his victory in Christ.” - Colossians 2:15 (GW)
B. What has the Father decreed loosed? The power of the Spirit.
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.”- Matthew 28:18-19a (NIV)
“Prayer strikes the winning blow; service is simplypicking up the pieces.” - S.D. Gordon
“Prayer is the real work, Evangelism is just the mopping up.” - Anonymous
“Talking to men for God is a great thing,but talking to God for men is greater still.” - E.M. Bounds
“The man who mobilizes the Christian church to pray will make the greatest contribution to world evangelization in history.” - Andrew Murray
“The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.” - Samuel Chadwick
“Four things let us ever keep in mind: God hears prayer, God heeds prayer, God answers prayer, and God delivers by prayer.” - E. M. Bounds
With the bad weather we had recently, we experienced a black out at the church last Wednesday, so we notified everyone we could that we weren’t going to have mid-week activities. I called one person and told them this, explaining that the church had no power. The fact is that a powerless church is an oxymoron - something that shouldn’t be and needn’t be, but too often, is. But that is not God’s fault - there is ample power available to us through prayer!
Conclusion: “We heard a story about a Korean pastor who visited a large church in the southeastern United States. He noticed the lack of atten dance for prayer at the Wednesday night service. On Thursday, the pastor of the church showed the visitor around his newly renovated facilities. He showed him the new educational wing, the overflow parking lot for vehicles at Sunday services, and the new sanctuary that would hold thousands of people. Toward the end of the tour, the American pastor turned to his counterpart and asked what he thought. The pastor from Korea simply responded, ‘It seems that you can do quite a bit without God.’” - Wes Roberts & Glenn Marshall, Reclaiming God’s Original Intent for the Church
