TOPIC: FULL SIGNAL OR NO SIGNAL
Text: John 15:7
“7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”
Introduction:
Have you experience calling someone but you cannot get a signal from where you are standing. This is what they call “dead spot” where no signal at all. This is also true with our prayer life; we cannot get an answered prayer because we are out of God’s coverage. It is either we are FULL SIGNAL OR NO SIGNAL. Today I would like to bring you to what Jesus taught concerning having an answered prayer. Let’s open our Bible in John 15:7 (read).
What are the key to an answered prayer life?
1. A Connected (linked, joined) Life
John 15:7, “7 IF YOU REMAIN IN ME and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”
It speaks of relationships and there is a condition. The condition is one of abiding or remaining in Him to be connected to Him (ILL. Last Friday I bought extender for our Wifi so that I can connect to it on my office. But I can’t so I tried everything until I was asked, “Are you connected to the Wifi of the church?” And the answer is big NO). It speaks of relationship. We get connected to Jesus when we accept Him and are born again. (ILL. Acts 19:14-16, “14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 [One day] the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.” The 7 Sons of Sceva tried to invoke the Name of Jesus without a relationship with Him. They tried to cast out an evil spirit in a man in the Name of Jesus. The evil spirit recognized that they had no relationship with Jesus and so beat them so severely that they were driven out naked and bleeding.) Jesus said in John 15:5, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” To remain in Him is be connected with Him that is why Satan wants us to get disconnected with God his idea and strategy is steal, kill & destroy. David said, "Lord don't make me give so much riches that I might forget you or do not get me so poor that I might curse you". Satan want us to disconnected to God by also disconnecting us to others (fellowship), to people leave us because of our attitude, or desert His purpose & plans for us (ILL. Blessing us but not faithful in our tithe, the missionary in Cambodia like Demas as what Paul said to Timothy" (2 Timothy 4:10), etc.) A Connected life is Devoted & Dedicated to the Lord. Are you connected already to Jesus? (Share Gospel first).
2. A Cultivated (nurtured, developed) Life
John 15:7, “7 If you remain in me and MY WORDS REMAIN IN YOU, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”
Our relationships with the Lord should flow from our desires to grow by coming into His Words and nurturing our life with His Word. Remaining in His Word is not just about knowing His Word but putting it into our life, allowing it to change and transform our life. (ILL. Ptr. Rollie in our mentoring time asked us, “Why you study the Bible and teach it to others?” Some pastor answers, “To bring them to the truth” “To equip them” “To protect them concerning wrong doctrines:, etc. But the truth should be “To bring transformation in our life and in the life of others.”) We can see how the Pharisees know everything but not applying what they knew, Jesus always speaks about being His disciples is by doing what they learn from Him. In Matthew 7:21-23, “21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' If we are going to read from Matthew 6 to 7 we can see that Jesus is telling here that knowing only His Word without doing it is like a hypocrite. We can see in our text how the Lord speaks of looking of fruits. Meaning when we remain in Him and in His Word the results should be growth and it ultimately bring glory to our Lord.
Another is that we have been appointed to produce fruit. We have been chosen for this purpose. We need to recognize that. Fruit that will last is the Souls of men that are saved and disciple will last for all eternity. We have to produce this fruit in our lives. Then’, implies the condition: If you fulfill the condition of fruitfulness then you can have whatever you ask. There is a primary (spiritual) and a secondary (natural) dream that God has for us. Often we miss the priorities: Mat 6:33 seek first the kingdom and then the things are added. A Cultivated life is Growing & Glorifying to the Lord. How is our life?
3. A Concentrated (focus, intense, strong) Life
John 15:7, “7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH, and it will be given you.”
When we remain in Him and in His Word then we become focus, concentrated to what the Lord wills is. It is like hitting the bulls eye when we pray and ask God. We become sharp shooter when it comes to praying according to His will. This seems obvious: God only answers prayer which is according to His Will. He only hears that which according to His Will: Anything else God does not even hear! If God hears us He answers us. The word ASK means: Ask, Seek, Knock it conveys the idea of being earnest in our prayer. James 5:16b, “16 The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results.” A Concentrated life is Fervent (keen or sharp, passionate, eager, enthusiastic) & Focus to the Lord, it is Powerful & Effective. Are we concentrated, focus to what the Lord’s will is?
4. A Confident (sure, certain, secure) Life
John 15:7, “7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and IT WILL BE GIVEN YOU.”
A Connected, Cultivated, and Concentrated life is Confident in God that God will always answer him, giving him the best. His security is in the Lord who knows everything and best for his life. Paul said in Romans 8:28, “28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Paul is confident to God for everything in his life, his security is from the Lord, not from anyone else or anything else in this world but to God alone. That is a life that is connected, cultivated and concentrated to the Lord. A Confident life is Satisfied (content, happy) & Secured (assured) to the Lord.
Conclusion:
I propose that An answered prayer Life is a results of A Connected, Cultivated, Concentrated & Confident life in Christ Jesus is the key to an answered prayer life.
How is your prayer life? IS IT FULL SIGNAL OR NO SIGNAL AT ALL? What areas of your life you need to develop?
