Miraculous Praying

Miraculous Praying

Jer. 33:1-3

Intr: There are some verses in the Bible you find yourself retreating to and this is a very special verse. Here God gives us an opportunity to pray for a miracle. A miracle is something which is a total work of God. It cannot be explained or duplicated by man.

This passage is focusing around the message that God will one day restore Israel back in the land. At the present writing, Nebuchadnezzar had overrun the nation. Jeremiah is in prison for preaching the truth and it looks well nigh impossible. God did not speak through the temple but made the prison a sanctuary where He would speak. He comforts Jeremiah in that all will be well and His will be accomplished. Jeremiah needed a miracle.

Perhaps you need a miracle tonight? I know God can perform miracles because when you accept Christ as your Savior, He does a miraculous work in your life. Maybe you need a health miracle? Or a family member needs Christ? Or a job situation or financial difficulty? Maybe a miracle for your marriage?

We need a miracle to build this new auditorium for the glory of God. The bible says, you have not because you ask not. Let me encourage you tonight that God is not limited by His ability or power to give you a miracle. He wants us to seek Him.

Here is the strange thing: when He gives us the miracle, it seems we are surprised. Just as the early church prayed for Peter’s release in the book of Acts. When he arrived at the house where they prayed, the believers were surprised. Evidently, they had given up hope so all they could do was pray. Let me encourage you to pray first.

There are three principles here in this passage.

I. The command to pray

A. Personal: call

1. This is not just a one time call or pleading—the word call here is in the present tense-speaks of a consistent praying as found in Mat 7:7-8 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: (8) For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

2. God wants us to be asking on a continual basis—going to Him, seeking Him, searching for Him—seek has the idea of pursuit.

3. God wants us personally, sacrificially, and properly approach Him for our needs.

4. God knows we have needs but He wants us to recognize, by asking, He is the one to meet the need.

Spurgeon “God’s people have always in their worst condition found out the best of their God. He is good at all times; but he seemeth to be at his best when they are at their worst.”

B. Person: LORD

1. This is God’s name of relationship—He has a very intimate, personal relationship with His people.

2. He is the Maker—this means there is no doubt v.2-His creative force, power, and ability.

3. He is the Stabilizer-establish it—many will tempted to go to man, seek man’s help, ask man’s advice, while God is saying—I am God, I can take care of your need—ask me

4. Recognizing Him as Lord-means we give honor, we give respect, and we humble ourselves before Him.

II. The confidence in prayer

A. His answer

1. It is God’s will to answer—some things we don’t pray about but here God is expressing He will answer the prayer of His people—yes, no, wait.

2. Guarantee of God’s answer—He will answer according to His will Luk 11:2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

3. We can be assured of God’s guarantee He will answer—keep in mind, He has the right answers—we don’t always.

B. His concerns

1. He cares that we pray and He wants us to pray.

2. Prayer affects us.

3. God answers this man in prison with the promise of a miracle 33:14-17.

4. God is concerned that His Word will be fulfilled.

Psa 63:1-2 <A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.> O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; (2) To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

III. The confirmation after prayer

A. Great

1. The word means exceedingly much more, above all.

2. God does not just do some things, but great things.

3. His works are great and marvelous. Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

4. he wants what is best for us—God wants to do a miracle in our homes, our church, our family, our community.

5. He seeks to magnify His power for us.

B. Mighty

1. Strong and mighty in the sense of fortification.

2. Things that are lasting and protective.

3. God does things which cannot be broken down by man.

God makes things that are eternal and securely protected by His power. The church “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” These things are explained only by the work of God.

C. Incomprehensible

1. The kind of miracle which we many not even know or think about.

2. We cannot explain or even understand a miracle.

3. God places His power at our disposal—when we don’t pray, we miss God’s ability to work.

Conc: God does so many miraculous things, none should doubt God’s ability. He cared for Joseph in a miraculous way, He delivered the nation of Israel out of Egyptian bondage through the miracles of the ten plagues, He delivered Israel at the Red Sea being pursued by Pharoah’s army, He fed Eljiah and Widow of Zarephath, He sent a whirlwind to take up Elijah, He delivered David out of the hand of his enemies and set him on the throne, he delivered the three Hebrews out of the fiery furnace in Daniel, He opened the mouth of a mule, and sent manna from heaven. We still serve the same God.