Some Keys to Answered Prayer
Matthew 7:7-12
FBCS Chapel
Introduction
How many here have ever taken a drive with any of your parents anywhere? No, I don’t mean YOU driving - your parents. Anyone?
Okay, that makes about two of you...
So you get in the car or mini-van, or Hummer, or whatever, and you’re all set to go. You’ve got the vehicle, the gas, and you’re ready to go, but you just sit there.
Why? What does it take to get the car going? The key! Without the key, it doesn’t matter how great the vehicle is, right?
Well, today I want to give you some keys. Not keys to a Hummer, but keys to something very important, and that everyone in here should be doing on a regular and frequent basis: prayer.
I know, I know, you probably hear about prayer all the time, but it’s something we need to make sure we’re taking care of.
In Matthew 7, we find Jesus talking to the people about prayer. And in these verses, we’re going to find three keys to helping you have answered prayer.
I’m assuming that everyone in here would like to have more of your prayers answered, right? So let’s take a look at what Jesus says in Matthew 7:7-12 -
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 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! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
1. Ask.
Jesus says to ask, seek, and knock. That kinda tells me that it’s okay to come to God with our needs - what do you think?
James 4:2b says -
You do not have, because you do not ask God.
What should we pray about? Everything. School, schoolwork, your bratty brothers and sisters, your piano recital, your fears, or whatever.
The Bible says we should pray about everything. Why do you think that is? (Wait for responses)
I think that the main reason is that God simply wants to be involved in every part of your life. Now how’s that for cool? God wants to be involved in every part of your life.
And he wants you to ask him about stuff and for him to meet your needs. I kinda like that about God. A lot. How ’bout you?
But you gotta ask.
Here’s another key to answered prayer:
2. Trust.
Trust that God knows what’s best for you.
Jesus says that the Father knows how to give good gifts to his children, right?
I’ve got five kiddos. And I love to give them gifts, when I can afford it.
Well, what kind of dad would I be if I gave gifts that would hurt them? Can you imagine one of my kids picking up a box on their birthday and hearing a weird rattling noise, wondering what’s inside, then opening the box hoping to find a really cool toy or something, and out comes a really ticked off rattlesnake.
Now you’d think that the snake would be happy to be out of the box and want to cuddle with my son, right?
WRONG!! It’s gonna bite the first thing it sees - my boy.
And is my boy gonna be happy because I gave him this snake that just bit him and now he might die because of it?
Of course not! And the truth of the matter is, while my son is in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, I’ll be on my way to jail, as I should be.
Jesus makes it very clear that God gives good gifts. And we can trust him.
But you know what else you need to trust him for? That he WON’T give you something that’s not good for you.
There are three types of answers to prayer. We tend to think that there is only one kind - the kind where God grants us what we’re praying for. But that’s only one kind.
Three kinds of answers:
Yes - he gives us what we have requested.
How many here have ever asked God for something and he said yes - and gave you what you asked for?
No - he denies the request because it’s not in our best interests and won’t give God honor.
How many here have ever asked God for something and he said no?
Not yet - he says that this is not the best time to honor that request.
We need to trust God that he will give us good gifts and that he will answer in ways that are in our best interests.
Can you do that? If not, then it’s okay to ask God to help you trust him like that, okay? That’s cool to do.
What was the first key to answered prayer? Ask. What’s the second key to answered prayer? Trust. And here’s a third key to answered prayer: ready?
3. Treat.
Treat others the way you want to be treated.
Remember what Jesus said about that?
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
Did you know that passage had to do with prayer? We don’t hear that very often. Usually when people talk about it, it’s all by itself without any mention of what Jesus was just saying.
It’s tagged on to the stuff about prayer that Jesus was just saying, and then he says,
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
So what’s Jesus saying here? That if you want answers to prayer, you need to treat people well.
Why would it be so important to treat other people well? Because they are all made in the image of God, and Jesus died for them. Yes, even the person you’re thinking of that you don’t even like!
What did he say - in SOME things, do to others what you would have them do to you? Noooope. He says, in everything. In school, at home, at church, in Sunday School, at soccer and baseball practice, at the swimming pool, wherever and whatever. Everything.
The Bible says that when we think of other people as more important than ourselves, that’s genuine humility, and that God blesses humility.
It’s the humble people who are more interested in living according to God’s will and doing his will, wherever you are and however old you are.
And just think for a minute. You wouldn’t like to be cheated out of something you deserved, right? So don’t cheat someone else out of something.
Everyone likes to hear that they’ve done a good job, right? So how about telling someone they’ve done a good job?
Ladies and gentlemen, what goes around comes around. If you’re not nice to others, don’t expect them to be nice to you. If you’re nice and complimentary to others, expect others to be nice and complimentary to you.
And expect God to give you the answers to prayer you need.
Conclusion
Okay - what’s the first key to answered prayer? Ask. What’s the second key? Trust. And what’s the third key? Treat.
AT&T. Think you can remember that? I think you can - you’re a smart bunch here.
Guys, let me tell you something before I go.
You don’t know how much I wish I had found out about Jesus and about prayer when I was your age.
I was in college before I found out that I could be forgiven of all my sins, go to heaven, and be able to talk to God about absolutely anything on my heart.
So take this stuff seriously. Talk to God about everything. When you do that, not only do you find God answering your prayers, you also find yourself loving Jesus more.
And that’s only a good thing - never bad.
If you’ve never spent much time just getting together with God and talking, then let me give you a suggestion.
Pray while you read the Bible.
When you’re reading the Bible, and you come across something you really like, talk to God about that.
When you come across something that makes you go, "Huh?" talk to God about that.
Or if while you’re reading, you remember someone you need to pray for, then just go for it right then. It doesn’t have to be just at the beginning or end of your devotions. Pray while you read. And watch what happens in your life.
Let’s pray.
