Seeing Marvelousness in Prayer
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Goal of Seeing the Marvelousness of God.
Revival - Getting eyes on God. When you see God at work it changes who you are. It changes the focus direction of your attention. It forces you to be real about who God is.
Dr. J. Elder Cumming contended that
“in almost every case the beginning of new blessing is a new revelation of the character of God-more beautiful, more wonderful, more precious.” Enjoying Intimacy with God. Moody, P.1
Revival is the visitation of God which brings to life Christians who have been sleeping and restores a deep sense of God's near presence and holiness. Thence springs a vivid sense of sin and a profound exercise of heart in repentance, praise, and love, with an evangelistic outflow. - James Packard
Gideon - Set the course for the people that depended on him.
And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God! for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face.
Moses - Prioritized the cares of this world placing Christ first.
Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
My friend it is essential that we hurry to the place that we might see God. Like our Psalmist tonight -
This is the Lord’s doing;
It is marvellous in our eyes.
Text: Psalm 118: 5-7
I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? The Lord taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.
CIT: God’s goodness is demonstrated in his response to His people praying.
Last night we heard the congregation, the house of Aaron, all who fear the Lord declare “that the mercy of the Lord endureth forever.”
I love the word good it is a surprising catch all for everything we don’t know where to put anyplace else. Good is almost inadequate really. I mean it is the kitchen junk drawer of the English language.
That man was saved. - The LORD is Good.
The Chiefs won their game. - The LORD is Good.
Understand that “good” is an adjective describing the nature of God:
The key is that God is not just good he is good in a specific way…
God’s goodness is demonstrated to people. The lyrics of an old chorus say
“God is so good; He’s so good to me.”
It offers us security. We can depend on the unchanging goodness of God.
Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man?
The goodness of God endureth continually.
It draws us to God. The purpose of God’s goodness is to draw us to Him. “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
New Singer Declares God is Good.
In verse number 5 a new singer steps into this vital worship song. For three verses the soloist would sing.
We could name him Victor.
For he will sing a song of victory. Victor will stand up tall and sing a verse again accentuating the Goodness of God. But his part of God’s goodness focuses on His response to Victor’s Cry. He knows that God is Good not just good, but GOOD. Good to him.
Victor steps into the crowd of singers and Declares: “I called upon the Lord in distress:
Shared Reality - Distress
The reason that Victor is singing this is because he has a shared experience with all that have gathered together. That is he has felt distress. He knew the pain of loss and the exhilaration of risk. He understood that it was all on the line and he stood to lose what he counted dear. This man has felt the human emotion of distress.
There are no hopeless situations; there are only people who have grown hopeless about them. - Clare Boothe Luce
Sure Reliability - Hearing
Victor had one response when all was on the line. He called out to God.
He didn’t call out because that is what all the cool people do. In fact the cool people do cry out because the cool people play it cool.
He didn’t solve the problem because problem solvers usually mess it up before they call. Prayer is the thing we try when everything else has failed.
He didn’t cover his need up in pride because its hard to be proud when you are crying for fear.
No he did the only thing he could do. Rest assured that when you call a Good God is willing to hear you. No when you are willing to call out you have run out of the cool, solutions, and pride. And you run to the Lord with only one assurance. God will hear my cry.
In my distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried unto my God:
He heard my voice out of his temple,
And my cry came before him, even into his ears.
What Victor wants us to understand about prayer is not that he prayed. But that God expressed his goodness to him when he cried out to God. He cried out in the time of distress… quite literally in the strait places. This is commonly believed to Babylon. A sample prayer is recorded in Daniel 9:4-19.
I. The Lord Answers Prayer
Victor sings out to us that the Lord Answered him. That is to say that not only did God hear their prayer but that he answered his prayer.
Let me remind you that God answers prayer. He is not the gods of Babylon, who could not defend themselves against he God of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshac, and Adednego. They are not the stone gods of Baal that Elijah could call fire down and consume his altar. God is actually able to answer.
More importantly he is willing to breach the halls of heaven to come to where you are. My mother used to sing a song when I was a boy that said, “He came to me, He came to me, when I could not come to where he was. He came to me.”
Argument: There is nothing difficult about prayer. The Bible just says ask. “What do I ask about?” I think you are already making it to difficult. Simply ask.
Many times we can fall into wrong thinking about prayer. Praying in Jesus name was an issue of our right before God. It wasn’t about reminding God, it was remind us.
Many times we are probably more guilty of an actual law. The third commandment was “take not the Lord’s name in vain.” how many times have God’s people been guilty of saying in Jesus name, but praying without confidence that our prayer will even be heard.
God answers prayer. God answers YOUR prayers. But only the prayers your willing to pray.
What keeps us from asking?
Your playing it cool.
Your fixing it.
Your proud.
II. The Lord’s Positions the Pray-er.
He brought me forth also into a large place;
He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
The place of distress is literally called the strait place. So God moves us to a wide expansive place. All that hemed us in and kept us from the good that God has planned as been removed. David used similar picture when he described his trouble like miry clay, and God placed his feet upon solid rock.
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear:
What can man do unto me?
The Lord taketh my part with them that help me:
Therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.
God’s answer to prayer assures us that we can be:
Confident in His Person
He delighted in me…
Prayer is so intricately connected to seeing the marvelous work of God that Jesus kept prayer always at hand.
If Jesus trusted his Father - you know you can trust him.
His ministry commenced in Prayer (Luke 3:21)
His ministry continued in Prayer (Mark 1:35-38)
His ministry counted on Prayer (Luke 5:5-16)
His disciples were chosen by Prayer (Luke &12-13)
His miracles were consummated by Prayer (Matt.14:14-23)
His ministry was concluded by prayer (Matt26:39)
His ministry is continuing in prayer (Heb 7:25;7:7)
Confident on His Side
The LORD is on my side…
I Encourage you to pray specifically.
Illustration: Like that little boy saying his bedtime prayers with his mother: "Lord, bless Mommy and Daddy, and God, GIVE ME A NEW BICYCLE!!!"
Mom said, "God's not deaf, son."
Boy said, "I know, but Grandma's in the next room, and she's hard of hearing!"
Proves the Validity of our Request
If we are not careful our prayers become something less than a sincere petition to a kind Father.
Proves the Goodness of our Lord
Years from now you will look back on specific prayers answered. You will see the hand of God working on your behalf over and over in a specified way. You will have the proof that God does answer prayer. Because he answered yours - specifically.
Proves the Impact God Requires
We have specific circles of influence - Friends, family, Coworkers
We have specific circles of ministry - Cities, communities, regions
We have specific circles of responsibility Finances, Family, Memberships
Proves Our Faith in His Will
What about God's will. Isn't praying for a specified end disallowing the will of God. Absolutely not - praying without knowledge of his will brings us to ask for him to have his will. But praying specifically is praying by faith.
Confident for those that surround me.
The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.
Jesus had his prayer refused by Gods will so that we can enter into his presence in confidence
Dela McGie - Hepatitis C
Had it, after a Wednesday night prayer service, took the test again didn’t have it.
I began to see things differently.
Dwight Lively - Prolonged Quality of Life
Had cancer, and congestive heart failure, met with the leaders in the church, anointed and prayed God restored him no cancer - back to work for two years. Just went home to be with the Lord. Gave his family the plan of salvation through this work.
Margie Jordan - Kidney, affecting heart, effecting eyes
Healed eyes, Reversed kidney damage, and reversed congestive heart failure.
Met with the leaders for prayer and anointing. She came back to our services a month later after meeting with her doctor. He said it was a miracle.
Restored Kidneys moved the fluid from the heart, reversing the congestive heart failure, two weeks ago they told her to stop wearing her glasses. They were getting better.
Pastor - Traveling to Texas
Mrs. Deal prayed in the middle of the night for us on the road. She was praying when we were supposed to be already at our destination. She was up praying for us. When we got home that next week we told the church how we almost rolled the van, but had kept us safe.