Answered prayer is what we all long for, that in the midst of a decision, in the midst of difficulty, in the midst of uncertainty answered prayer would be evident. Prayer is the conversation between God and His people, prayer the connection between son/daughter and our heavenly Father, prayer the sincere cries of the heart that need to be heard. Some of us if not all of us have prayers that we are waiting to be answered, God never allows a prayer to go unanswered it would simply be yes or no. In the midst of all this; prayers are answered by a Christian who has a prayer life and in that decisions would be in God’s will for and through your life.
It is answered prayer which brings praying out of the realm of dry, dead things and makes praying a thing of life and power. It is the answer to prayer which brings things to pass, changes the natural trend of things, and orders all things according to the will of God. It is the answer to prayer which makes praying a power to God and to man, and makes praying real and divine. Unanswered prayers are training schools for unbelief, an imposition and a nuisance, impertinence to God and man. Unanswered prayer would help built the faith of the child of God, for in it we pray and pray some more.
Answers to prayer are the only surety that we have prayed aright. There is marvelous power in prayer, there are miracles that work in this world because of prayer. Beloved there are untold benefits to men that are secured in prayer believing and trusting while in prayer. Why or what could it be that millions go on begging for an answer to prayer? These millions of unanswered prayers are not to be solved by the mystery of God’s will, and to add this to our unsettled minds, we are not the sport of His sovereign power. See beloved the whole explanation is found in our wrong praying. The bible says “we ask and receive not because we ask amiss”. Beloved this evening do you know what you are praying for? Have you really settled in your mind that prayer needs to be a sincere heartfelt intimate time between you and God and not just a five minute kind of prayer. We ask and do not receive for in this we miss God and His promise for our kids lives. Answered prayers are the proof of your real praying.
True prayer moves the arm that moves the universe. To get unquestioned answers to prayer is not only important as to the satisfying of our desires, but it is also the evidence of our abiding in Christ. It becomes more important still. The mere act of praying is no test of our relation to God. The act of praying may be a real dead performance. It may be the routine of habit. But to pray and receive clear answers, not once or twice but daily, this is our sure test, and is the gracious point of our vital connection with Jesus Christ.
1 John 5:14-15
14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
This evening beloved I want to preach on right praying, for in this generation people have missed the whole idea of prayer, what it consist of, what it is for, and who we are praying to. Jesus Christ is our mediator, yet in this whole truth we are trying to reach the God of heaven through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. People have taught and have used prayer as a scape goat only to find themselves in the same mess they got themselves out of because God does not hear the prayers of a sinner lest it is first the prayer of repentance that catches the ear the God.
There are many today that pray to God for reasons of their own nothing to benefit the kingdom, nothing to glorify God only for the purpose of self and this does not satisfy the eyes of God. Wrong praying are taught out in our lives and trickles down to our children and seems to get worst every generation afterward for in lack of aright prayers we teach wrong prayers.
Our bible tells us this “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us”. Having confidence in Him because it is in His will, in this He who is God will hear us, first of all what is His will for our lives? It is to be saved, born again. This is His desire and His will for all mankind. But there is another will. That will is to do His will for the saving of others, we ask and seek and find not, for the things we ask for are not at all for the benefit of others but entirely for our own self-interest. God knows we have needs but if He were to answer all of our prayers at will He would not be God but our genie in the bible. What is God’s will for your life? God has a plan and a destiny for you lined out but it is only found in prayer, God will speak to your heart in prayer, sincere heart to heart prayers that would move God to such a place of marvelous intimacy with you. We could build confidence in and through our God by falling into His will first and having a submitted heart surrendering our lives to Him and letting Him move through our lives for His glory.
1st Point “What keeps us from praying”
Praying will keep a man away from sin, but sin will keep a man from praying, we need to look upon this with truthful eyes. Is sin causing you to not pray to God? Is there sin in your life that is condemning you and shaming you, and also keeping you from intimacy with God? This sin that can be in your life is it un-forgiveness, is it hatred, is it bitterness, this kind of sin will blind you and cause you to miss God even if you prayed lest it were a prayer of repentance.
1 John 2:11
11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
These kinds of issues in our lives can truly keep us from God. For God says how could you say you love me whom you don’t see and hate your brother whom you see daily? Beloved this can keep us from God, the will of God the promise of God for your life.
Could it be the sin of disobedience, Saul lost destiny because of this, he lost his kingdom, his life and his family, let alone he lost being in touch with God. Could disobedience be keeping you from truly touching the hand of God in prayer? Listen, beloved God wants to be involved in your life but only if He could get you to realize what’s keeping Him out.
1Samuel 15:22-23
22 Then Samuel said: "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king."
Saul lost destiny because of disobedience, what is it that you could be losing not listening to God this morning? Things that are keeping us from praying and touching God, what is it beloved, what is keeping you from touching God through prayer, aright true, sincere prayer? Do you want to see God move?
2nd Point “The greatest example of obedience”
Matthew 26:36-42
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there." 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me." 39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." 40 Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." 42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done."
Here we have Jesus the bible tells us that He was in deep distress and sorrowful, here me out this morning you may be this person who is in deep distress and sorrowful in spirit, if you were to stay in the will of God how like Jesus you would be able to still pray to a loving God who would have a victory awaiting you after the trial.
Jesus who is the greatest example of obedience gives us a hope, a joy in knowing that destiny may seem from the farthest it yet in obedience God will reward His faithful with everlasting life. You might feel as if your circumstance is out of control, you may see it being impossible, you may look upon it and say how can I escape this, God is saying pray to Me, trust in Me, and wait patiently for Me to move in your life and in the midst of it all stay obedience and watch Me move.
(Pablo give testimony of Social Security dilemma and tell how God moved by faith)
Prayer beloved is a lifestyle of dependence on God and nothing or no one else but God. Pray through everything, sincere and truthful prayers that will move the hand that created the heavens and the earth, will create a wonderful testimony out of your life. Praying will keep you from sin, but sin will keep you from praying.
3rd Point “Healing”
Beloved what you create in your life here on earth will be forever written in the manuscripts of heaven, you could not change what is being recorded throughout your life, let the latter part be victorious. We need healing from a scorned heart, scorned spirit and a scorned mind. To forgive those that have hurt you and that have violated you can and will liberate you and can cause you to begin to build that relationship that I mentioned this morning with God. Healing can create the beginning of a whole new life in Jesus Christ, it begins with a prayer, beloved how you begin your walk with God is how you should keep your walk with God and it begins with prayer. The relationship between Father and child, you and God. Will you begin to do what is right, that you can begin to be confident, begin to renounce sin and right up holiness and walk with God into your destiny? Beloved Jesus Christ has a wonderful plan for your life. Will you receive what He has for you this morning, in His wonderful mighty name? Amen! This morning you can begin to receive answered prayers.
