M023 • Prayers Will Be Answered

🏁 ◄PREACH►🏁

◤PRESENTATION◥

Name, Title, Seminary, Pastor

Quito - Ecuador (Accent) / Married HSSH / Women’s Ministry (4G) /

Thanks, Pastor BRENT MOORE

◤IDENTIFICATION◥

Many of us have heard of God's Promises in His Word We have listened to Christians claiming biblical promises from questionable passages as prayers

Unfortunately, most believers take promises from the Bible that ARE NOT meant for us And when God does not meet their expectations, they start to doubt His goodness

So, How can we know when we ask God for something in prayer that is aligned with His Word?

◤INTRODUCTION◥

LET US TIME TRAVEL: NT » Matthew » Introducing Messiah to Jews » Beginning of His Ministry 🖼 We are in one of the most crucial preaching of Jesus' ministry

Sermon on the Mount » Jesus Preaching to His Followers He has preached the Pharisaical Contrast vs. The Piety that he seeks in his disciples

Jesus taught about prayer in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus has already warned us against self-righteous hypocrisy and pagan formalism, and he has given us his model of prayer. (Matt. 6:9–13).

Now, however, he actively encourages us to pray by giving us solid promises - Prayers Will Be Answered. Nothing can incite us to pray more than the full conviction that 'We Will Be Heard.'

Jesus seeks to impress his promises on the minds of his listeners. Through the hammering of repetition.

Jesus was characterized as a preacher of excellence And he used illustrations to present the goodness of the Father, as we will see next

◤SCRIPTURE◥

Matthew 7:7–11 ESV

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

◤STRUCTURE◥

The 3 Verbs (Ask... Seek... Knock) are intended to be emphatic. In Greek, they are PRESENT IMPERATIVES and can have the force of “keep: Asking… Seeking… Knocking”

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you ► 8 For everyone who asks receives

The insistence of the Imperative Verb lets us know that Jesus wants us to ask earnestly. And if we ask insistently, we will receive an answer – As a Widow asking for Justice!

Luke 18:1–8 NLT

1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’ ” 6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

...seek, and you will find; ► 8 ...and the one who seeks finds

Seek is an intriguing word in this sense. It implies that the person who is praying knows where to find what he is looking for

But it also suggests that IF the person praying does NOT know exactly what he wants He knows that the Father will provide exactly what he needs.

The fact that the person looks to the Father shows that he fully trusts in that what he will find is within God's sovereign plan.

Colossians 3:1 NLT

1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.

knock, and it will be opened to you.► 8 ...and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

The same goes for the third way of looking at prayer: Knocking. Knocking implies the image of knocking on a closed door that needs to be opened.

But because it is an imperative verb = It has to be consistent We also note in Luke that Christ presents prayer with a vivid illustration

Luke 11:5–10 NLT

5 Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. 9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

For the Jews, the image of knocking on a door has an association with prayers being answered by God's mercy.

🖼 Consider that Jesus is not saying to seek God (This relationship is already established for His Disciples) but they must look for IN HIM what they consider important and necessary.

Therefore, it could be translated. "Seek in God your Father because of THIS relationship for what you consider most important."

This Preaching suggests that God will give what is necessary to those who have the faith to ask for it. It also suggests that you must ask with faith that God will answer your request.

Matthew 21:22 NLT

22 You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

💡 Does God give us everything we ask for?

It's not about getting what we want. There is no suggestion that if I ask constantly and believe passionately enough, it will turn out the way I ask.

Often our prayers are NOT answered as we originally intended. And the reason is because we don't share God's perspective of knowing what is ultimately a good gift for us.

We are especially tempted to think about the values ​​of this world (for example, health and wealth) rather than what really matters = SPIRITUAL VALUES

The Truth is that the Heavenly Father NEVER SPOILS his children. (Imagine if we do the same) What makes you think God is going to answer all your selfish petitions?

🖼 It should be noted that this teaching is not intended to transform prayer into a magical ritual, nor does it suggest that one can force God to act at our impulses.

Prayers for selfish, carnal, temporal, and sinful purposes – Will not receive the answer that we want God will never give us stones, snakes, or scorpions ► But He will always grant us what is necessary for God's glory according to the kingdom's interests.

🖼 The Sermon on the Mount states the things He is willing to give (Importance of Context): The righteousness, sincerity, humility, purity, and love expected of followers of Jesus; such gifts are the ones wee need to seek through prayer.

The sermon has begun with the acknowledgment of personal spiritual bankruptcy and now he has provided a model of prayer in three imperatives (ask, seek, knock) for Spiritual Enrichment Sanctification

To obtain what we need to develop The Godly Character that Imitates Christ ►Glorifies the Father

It's not just about physical needs Since Jesus took care to clarify Matthew 6:25-34 not to worry about basic needs - But to focus on the Kingdom and His Justice for the Glory of God

The 3 expressions underline the effectiveness of prayer (Ask, Seek, Knock). All 3 imperatives have a purpose...

⚜ The main purpose of Asking, Seeking and Knocking is for God to be Glorified in the Answer ⚜

Not for you to be spoiled

9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?

🖼 Not even an evil father gives his children incoherent things...

If an Earthly father, with his wicked, sinful nature, delights himself in giving what is suitable for his children ► It makes sense that the righteous heavenly Father would reward his children much more Spiritually for their Persistence.

God already provides the basic needs of what is elementary for our daily lives He is not going to give you substitutes that harm you or could be dangerous to your life

11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,

The point at issue is not simply the willingness of parents to provide responsibly to their children, But His desire to give SPIRITUAL good gifts, even though we are bad.

...how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

The Implications of the Fatherhood of God it is assumed as already existing for the listeners.

If we belong to Christ, God is our Father, we are his children, and only based on this relationship will our prayers be answered.

It is worth clarifying: Not all are Children of God So God has no obligation to respond to any member of his creation.

John 1:12–13 NLT

12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

We passed from Adam's family (Original Sin) To be Adopted Children according to the Will of God – Second Adam.

Ephesians 1:3–5 NLT

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

THEN: If God is our Father - Because of the Gospel, His fatherhood cannot be below the commitments of human fatherhood.

1 John 3:1 NLT

1 See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.

Our Father delights in giving good Spiritual gifts to those who persist in prayer.

James 1:17 NLT

17 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

It is possible to find people who are hard workers and yet poor in temporary things; But there are NO people who are diligent in prayer and poor in spiritual things.

The best gifts we could ask for, are exalted in the Sermon on the Mount They are within reach of "everyone" who insistently Asks, Seeks, and Knocks.

A Follower of Christ: Will "ask" with genuine sincerity to be more like Jesus, Will actively and diligently "seek" God's way to exalt Him and Will "Knock" until they are answered to see His Kingdom come here

⚜ The main purpose of Asking, Seeking and Knocking is for God to be Glorified in the Answer ⚜

◤CONCLUSION◥

Jesus is promising us that our prayers will be answered ASK: with courtesy, SEEK: with persistence, and KNOCK: with diligence.

🖼 Jesus is making the whole point that Prayer to a loving Father is effective.

The point is NOT that human persistence triumphs in the end, but that the heavenly Father who loves his children will undoubtedly answer prayers.

We must have Certainty of God's Goodness Because of His Character - Certainty is a sure knowledge or conviction that what is believed is trustworthy and reliable. - Certainty does not arise from the credulity of the believer but is based on the faithfulness and reliability of God.

Hebrews 6:18 NLT

18 So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.

📜 Prayers that do not Pass the Ceiling!

The Indecorous Prayer.

When we ask for trivialities only to satisfy our carnal desires

James 4:2–3 ESV

2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

The Hypocrite Prayer.

We ask the Holy God for blessings when we are in sin

Proverbs 28:9 ESV

9 If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

1 Peter 3:7 ESV

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

The Irrelevant Prayer

When our requests do not line up with God's will

John 15:7 ESV

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

◤IMPLORATION◥

The Promise to Answer Prayers sounds very simple when we read it Out of context. Just Ask..., Seek..., Knock..., and No matter what, God will answered Right!? (It is Not true - Context).

However, this promise presupposes a lot:

📜 Prayer Presupposes:

KNOWLEDGE.

Since God answers prayers ONLY if they are in accordance with His will, We must strive to discover HIS will by meditating on the Scriptures and exercising a godly life because of the Gospel.

1 John 5:14–15 NLT

14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

FAITH / BELIEVE

There is nothing impossible for God since He can do everything in His perfect will.

Hebrews 11:6 NLT

6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

DESIRE.

Our deepest longing and desire is to please HIM in everything we do daily.

John 15:7 NLT

7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

Prayer is the primary means that God has arranged to express our deepest desires. So, before bringing the laundry list:

► We must KNOW the will of God to ask what is in agreement with HIM

► We must BELIEVE/TRUST that God can grant it;

► We must genuinely WANT to please Him.

- Then the promises of Jesus will come true.

Do you have the confidence to ask God according to His Will?

Or have you come to ask things of a God you don't know?

Are you willing to deepen your relationship with Christ to Ask and Receive?

If you are Born Again - You were bought with a Tremendous Price You belong to Him now - He is your LORD - All about HIM

⚜ The main purpose of Asking, Seeking and Knocking is for God to be Glorified in the Answer ⚜

◤PRAYER◥