Alliance Church
Pastor David Welch
“Prayer promises for survival in a hostile fallen world” John 16:7-15
How do we rise above the lure of the world?
Jesus touches on the essential resources for living in a hostile world all through his final moments with his followers.
1. Develop a settled realization of the depth of God’s love.
2. Deepen your understanding of His word (My words abide in you)
3. Live in unity with and love for other followers.
4. Wait for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who guides and empowers.
We spent two sessions on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. For a moment look at the particular aspecs of His ministry emphasized by Jesus.
• He will encourage as Jesus encouraged. (14:16)
• He will be with us and in us forever. (14:16-17)
• He will teach us all things and bring them to our remembrance (16:26)
• He will bear witness of Jesus (15:27)
• He will convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment (16:7-11)
He will guide into all truth by disclosing truth from the Father. (16:13-15)
The key to survival in a hostile world emphasized by Jesus just before his departure.
• Know his love.
• Know his word.
• Walk in love for one another
• Walk by the Holy Spirit
There is one more element of vital importance to add. Perhaps the most important.
5. Keep in constant communication with the Father
In reality, this may be the most important factor to not just survive, but also thrive, in a hostile fallen world.
I. Examine the passages
"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14:13
"If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. 14:14
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. John 15:7-8
"You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. John 15:16
"In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 16:23
"Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full. 16:24
"In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. John 16:26-27
Repetition indicates importance. The Bible does not needlessly waste space. If there is repetition it is for an important reason. Here Jesus repeats the instruction and promise regarding talking to the Father seven times in this brief period of time before He takes on the sin of the world. Let’s spend a brief moment on the key elements in these passages.
A. Our Part
“ask”
To make an impassioned request. It communicates the idea of a strong desire for something leading one to make a strong request. The term was used mainly by a subordinate to a superior. Creature to creator. Slave to master. Child to parent.
Jesus encourages us to ask the Father. He urges us to petition the Father for our every need. James indicates that the resin we do not have is because we do not ask James 4:2
B. Qualifiers
• “ask in my name”
What does this phrase really mean? It goes deeper than punctuating our prayers with “in Jesus name amen!” It has more to do with relationship than rhetoric. Asking in someone’s name assumes a special relationship with that person. Try asking for access to the white house in the name of Bill Clinton. The first thing they will require is proof that you have some sort of relationship.
To go to the Father with a request in Jesus name assumes several things.
1 – I have a personal relationship with Jesus and he with me.
2—He has authorized me to use his name.
We may have a personal relationship but that doesn’t mean that you have been authorized to sign my checks.
3—It assumes that what I am asking is on behalf of Jesus and in harmony with his desires.
The sons of Sceva in Acts 19 confronted demonic powers using Jesus name and Paul’s name. They knew the right words but had no personal relationship with the person. The demons felt no compulsion from the Father to obey them. In fact they found themselves left to their own power and lost the confrontation. It is important that when we come to the Father as Jesus encouraged, anything we ask be requested on behalf of and in harmony with Jesus whose name we claim to embrace.
When I go to purchase something on behalf of Chico Alliance Church, I must be certain that I am asking for benefits the church and is in harmony with the wishes of the church. John repeats this marvelous promise in his letter to the church with a similar qualifier.
“If we ask anything according to his will…”
• “abide in my Jesus and his words abide in us”
The only other qualification from these verses is that we have a vital connection to Jesus and that his will and desires are ingrained in our heart.
Other passages connected to asking add some other qualifiers.
• Don’t use meaningless repetition supposing that you will be heard just because of your many words. Matt 6:7-8
• Don’t ask with wrong motives so that you may sped I on your pleasures James 4:2-3
• Ask in faith without any doubting. James 1:6
"Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. Mark 11:24
• Ask with a pure heart and a clear conscience 1 John 3:21-22
James 5 talks about the fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishing much.
• Be persistent
Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, Luke 18:1
C. Extent
Jesus offers a broad range of requests.
• “Anything” / “whatever”
Of course one must take into consideration the qualifiers above but that still leaves room for a broad range of petitions. Anything or whatever is for the benefit of the kingdom and is in harmony with the character and purposes of Jesus is fair game. In fact, Paul clearly indicates the extensive nature of our petitions to the Father right after a powerful petition of his own.
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. Eph 3:20-21
D. Motivation / Purpose
• “that the Father may be glorified in the Son”
• “that we should receive fullness of joy”
• “that we might produce much fruit and prove to be His genuine disciples”
• “to demonstrate the Father’s love for us”
E. God’s Part
• “will do it”
• “It will be given”
When we ask, God promises to respond. We have an opportunity to partner with God.
II. Draw on some similar passages from the New Testament
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. "Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? "Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! Matthew 7:7-11
And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will happen. "And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." Matthew 21:21-22
Do we really believer these passages?
Why is it that we don’t see answers to our prayers?
At times we feel compelled to make up some excuse for unanswered prayer.
III. Consider the application of such a promise today.
Does this apply to us?
Is this instruction and promise only for the original disciples?
Differentiating between descriptive and prescriptive Scripture has to do with how many times it is repeated and to whom.
The early Church devoted themselves to prayer and saw God move mightily among them.
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:42
The first elders committed to devote themselves to prayer.
"But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." Acts 6:4
Paul instructed the church to devote themselves to prayer.
Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; Col. 4:2
Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 1 Cor. 7:5
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, Ephes. 6:18
The only true application we can conclude is prayer. I light of this most powerful promise of Jesus, when we stand with Him in glory, looking back on life’s finished story, the most amazing feature of that life as it is looked back upon will be its prayerlessness. The King of kings most clearly invites to the throne room to ask Him to intervene in the affairs of men.
Why is it that we have lost the incentive to spend time in prayer.
IV. Reflect on why we have lost the incentive to pray
A. We are undisciplined for lack of practice.
When Jesus asked the disciples to pray just for an hour he found them asleep.
He acknowledged that their spirit was willing but their flesh was week. Yet later we find them in long periods of prayer and after Pentecost we find that prayer was their priority. Jesus spent much time in prayer. Paul prayed continually for those he served. Prayer is a discipline that needs practice and cultivation. James says we don’t have because we don’t ask or ask with wrong motives. Paul told the Philippians to stop worrying and keep praying. Don’t worry about anything but pray about everything.
B. We are unmotivated for lack of results
Many cannot even point to one unquestionable answer to prayer.
Some because their prayers have not been specific enough to know when God answers.
“Lord, bless the missionaries!”
“Lord, be with us today!”
There is nothing like answers to prayer to spur us on to greater prayer.
I have grown up in prayer meetings. I have listened to the saints pray my whole life. I can’t say I have always been impressed. Many have lost the heart to really pray and lay hold of the throne with passion and humility. Instead many gather together simply to rehearse their theology, demonstrate their mastery of the English language, find out or pass on theirs or someone else’s latest aches, pains and troubles.
Earlier we touched on some qualifiers. One of those is to pray in Jesus name on his behalf and according to his will. We have lost the passion to pray for what he wants in our church and personal lives. I would venture to say that Jesus is much more interested in the development of a passion for Him than the healing of physical malady. He is much more interested in holiness than happiness. He seeks obedience more than reliving discomfort.
Why is it that we don’t see more clear answers to prayer?
There are some things the Bible says blocks answers to prayer.
• Poor attitudes of pride and ungratefulness
• Selfish motives more interested in my gain than God’s glory
• Unconfessed sin
• Indifference to the Word of God
• Indifference to the needs around us
• Broken relationships
• Requests that are outside the revealed will of God.
• Doubt
• Haphazard or lackadaisical prayer
• Requests in the power of the flesh rather than in the Spirit
There are also some Divine reasons for unanswered prayer that should not be overlooked.
• Answer may be delayed for a better deal or plan
Zacariah, Israel in bondage, Lazarus
• Request may be outside the ultimate plan of God
Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." Mar 14:36
• Request denied due to a higher priority and purpose
Paul’s thorn in the flesh remained to obtain a higher purpose
• Delay due to demonic interference (Daniel 10)
• Request denied or delayed to build faith and maturity
W may not be ready to handle the answer yet. There is some maturity to develop before the answer to our prayer can be properly received.
• Avoid entanglements
God may deny or delay one request in order to answer a previous request.
V. Resolve to return to prayer
Oh that we would adopt the attitude of Samuel in regard to our prayer for one another.
"Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you…1 Samuel 12:23
How can we do it?
I sometimes feel helpless in motivating you toward increased effective prayer as a group or a person. I myself have become unmotivated to intercede as I feel I should.
All across America today the life-changing prayer meeting has become a thing of the past.
I committed to a prayer time here where at times it was only myself and other times a joined by a only a few others. I have accommodated schedules and tried to schedule convenient times to gather for prayer. I have sought to plan extended periods of prayer.
Those who have come found it to be beneficial.
I have sent out prayer samples and intercessory guides to help facilitate prayer. We have had prayer vigils that have filled up quickly. I felt that God promised some time ago that we would experience significant growth if we would commit ourselves to the basics.
Teaching, fellowship, communion, prayer.
I must admit it has in recent times not really been a priority for the pastor. I am not sure it is a priority among our elders as a group. It does not appear to be a priority for the congregation as a whole. I in no way want to discourage those who faithfully uphold this family in prayer. The only reason we continue is the faithful prayers of the committed prayer warriors. Personal prayer is great but it seems to me that when God moved in some most significant ways it was the result of and even in the midst of a family gathered for prayer.
Every time I hear of those churches with a 6:00am men’s prayer meeting… When I read of a church in New York where their Tuesday night prayer time draws over 1,000 people…
I feel guilty and I envious at the same time.
Honestly I don’t know how to bring about the needed change and motivate us to more effective intercession. All I can do is commit to a more diligent prayer life myself starting today. It is so easy to let our focus shift from what is important. We talk about how important pray is to our church and personal life. Only our walk validates our talk.
If we would see growth either in numbers or maturity we must increase and intensify our prayer together. What should we pray? What is God’s will for Chico? Next week we will join Jesus in prayer to his father. This is the real “Lord’s Prayer”. It is the longest example of a prayer of Jesus.
What did he pray about?
What clues may we get for our prayers for one another?
What lifestyle changes can I make to make room for more prayer?
