When Praying Doesn't Work
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-OOS
I. Welcome
A. Dustin
II. Opening Prayer
A. Grace S.
III. Worship - 4 Songs
A. Song b4 Offering: Majesty
B. Offering: Special - Great is Thy Faithfulness
a. By: Margery & Sheryl
IV. Communion
A. Dustin
V. Gift
A. Dustin & Kids pass out gift
a. Pray over mamas
VI. Sermon
A. Preaching: Dustin
B. Closing: Brian B.
-Sermon
I. INTRO
A. Where We’ve Been
B. Where We’re Going
a. Illust - working on the tv
1. One day we turned on the tv & noticed tv/internet wasn’t working
i. That day Rebekah & I declared that there must not b any such thing as the internet & our service provider must b promoting a hoax!
-NO, we began to check cables…that wasn’t it
-turned on & off equipment…nope
-finally, we called the service provider
*We needed 2 make a payment
*w/in min. we had channels again & our elect. devices were connected via wifi again
2. If we turn on our television set & it doesn't work, we don't declare that there r no such things as electronic frequencies in the cables, right?
i. We assume something is wrong, something we can find & correct.
Foster, Richard J.. Celebration of Discipline, Special Anniversary Edition (p. 38). HarperOne. Kindle Edition.
ii. We check the plug, switch, circuitry until we discover what is blocking the flow of this mysterious energy that transmits pictures.
iii. We know the problem has been found & fixed by seeing whether/not the TV works.
-It is the same w/ prayer.
3. Brining it hm
i. there is a frequency between us & God - prayer
-this frequency, when flowing freely allows us a vibrant, connection w/God that Changes & affects things in the physical realm
*it doesn’t exist to make us feel good, like chocolate, etc
*it’s not a religious duty we preform like a box we check off ea. day, week, whatever
*prayer moves the hand o God, not manipulatively, but in concert, connection, cooperation, partnership, w/the 1 who hung the stars in the heavens, formed the earth & everything in it, & formed us in our mother’s womb! - Prayer works!!!
-The problem is that there can be signal blocks disrupting the frequency
*when this happens though, sometimes we act like, “well, guess prayers don’t work”
*or “I guess God doesn’t really love me”
* “He’s finally given up on me”
~Can I encourage u w/this: God does love u
~He is a good daddy, who wants the best 4 his kiddos
~But sometimes there r signal blocks, breaking up our signal btwn God & us
ii. This week we’re going 2 b talking about what could b blocking our prayers…but 1st
C. Main Text
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
Mk 11:
22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.
23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.
24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
D. Prayer
D. Where We’re Going
a. Illust - working on the tv
1. One day we turned on the tv & noticed tv/internet wasn’t working
i. That day Rebekah & I declared that there must not b any such thing as the internet & our service provider must b promoting a hoax!
-NO, we began to check cables…that wasn’t it
-turned on & off equipment…nope
-finally, we called the service provider
*We needed 2 make a payment
*w/in min. we had channels again & our elect. devices were connected via wifi again
2. If we turn on our television set & it doesn't work, we don't declare that there r no such things as electronic frequencies in the cables, right?
i. We assume something is wrong, something we can find & correct.
ii. We check the plug, switch, circuitry until we discover what is blocking the flow of this mysterious energy that transmits pictures.
iii. We know the problem has been found & fixed by seeing whether/not the TV works.
-It is the same w/ prayer.
3. Brining it hm
i. there is a frequency between us & God - prayer
-this frequency, when flowing freely allows us a vibrant, connection w/God that Changes & affects things in the physical realm
*it doesn’t exist to make us feel good, like chocolate, etc
*it’s not a religious duty we preform like a box we check off ea. day, week, whatever
*prayer moves the hand o God, not manipulatively, but in concert, connection, cooperation, partnership, w/the 1 who hung the stars in the heavens, formed the earth & everything in it, & formed us in our mother’s womb! - Prayer works!!!
-The problem is that there can be signal blocks disrupting the frequency
ii. This week we’re going w b talking about what could b blocking our prayers
E. Context
1. in these vs we c that there is a reward 4 our prayers
i. I believe we r rewarded in God hearing our prayers
ii. & taking action according to our prayers
2. Have u ever felt like God just isn’t answering ur prayer…or maybe isn’t even hearing ‘em?
i. Why?
- I thought God is a good daddy!?
-Maybe
II. BODY
Five reasons prayers don’t work
A. Five reasons prayers are blocked (Disclaimer, not an exhaustive list)
a. The Connection problem
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
“
1. Jesus said ask for whatever u wish & it will b done 4 u!
i. What’s the prerequisite 4 this? - “remain in me & my words remain in u…”
- remain in me:
*remain in me:
*remaining in Jesus ensures that we stay connected to Jesus’ will
~& his will & focus informs & conforms our will & focus 2 His
*Obviously He will take action on those requests that conform to His will
-My words remain in u: Jesus’ words refer both to...
*His teachings (as recorded in the Bible)
*& His “in the moment” promoting as Jesus guides us by His H.S.
~Jesus will give us promises in our life & so we must then begin 2 pray (conversationally engage God) about those promises & so our stance then becomes if He said it, I believe it & so I will take action accordingly
-This problem is like transmission cable: we can’t get the transmission if we rn’t connected to the source o that transmission
2. Repairing the problem: Get away in our quiet place where we pray,
i. They always seemed 2 believe they knew God’s will regarding prayer for others…why do u suppose that is?
i. if God says it I believe it
-Perhaps, they remained in Jesus, knowing His will 4 that circumstance & reacted according to his will
-Illust
-Maybe Jesus’ words (w/regard to the apostles) & the Father’s words (regarding prophets/Jesus) remind in them…guiding & informing their daily life decisions & prayers
2. The connection problem is expressed in the “In Jesus Name” statement recorded in Gospel o John
*That is to say, maybe God’s still sml voice spoke as they remained in Jesus in their daily life, so They stepped in2 action based on that still sml voice
*What if we lived our life that way, everyday?
ii. Illust. (peter & john on the way to the temple)
3. The proper time 4 “if it be ur will” is in questions o guidance
13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
i. if God says it I believe it
4. Repairing the problem: Get away in our quiet place where we pray,
i. They always seemed to believe they knew God’s will regarding prayer for others…why do u suppose that is?
-Illust
5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,
Matt
i. not focused on our requests,
ii. but rather, focused on connecting w/him, spending time getting to know his will & allowing him 2 conform our will to his
-Shameless Plug:
*Speaking of Seeking God in prayer…Great opportunity: Prayer & Praise - 6pm next sunday, 5-19
iii. Now, we can’t just remain connected, but must trust what God tells us while we’re connected to him
-This is...
b. The Faith problem:
Mk 11:22-
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.
23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.
24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
1. It’s possible God doesn’t answer because we don’t believe
i. Jesus isn’t saying, “remove any mountain u want”,
-but rather, in partnership w/God through Prayer, we can remove EVERY mountain HE wants
-We trust God 4 what HE says
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
i. This is where we need to do a gut check
-if we ask God 4 something w/out believing we have recieved, we r in essence questioning God; we’re saying:
*I don't trust ur capability 2 deliver!
*Or I don’t trust ur willingness 2 provide it
~over & over we c in the Gospel that Jesus responds to people’s trust in him (“ur faith has healed u”)
2. How 2 remove this block,
i. Repent if u’ve failed to trust him
ii. Spend time in prayer & reading the scriptures to get 2 know his will
-can’t trust his will if u don’t know what it is
-Dad who said “I do believe, help my unbelief”
iii. follow the steps in vs 24:
-ask, trust u HAVE RECEIVED it, it will happen
iv. Next ask 4 Help
iv. Next ask 4 Help
-Dad who said “I do believe, help my unbelief”
iv. Sometimes we need to ask 4 God’s involvement not a specified
v. Faith/trust is like the pwr button...
-Faith/trust activates the pwr o God in our circumstances
*Still a problem, check back 2 the connection problem
*connection ok? - move on to...
c. The Un-forgiveness problem
The Un-forgiveness problem
25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
1. un-forgiveness as debt
2. how 2 remove the block:
i. Cancel the debt
ii. un-forgiveness is like having a break in ur cable, w/out it being repaired the pwr cannot flow through our faith
-What we’re saying is, the forgiveness purchased 4 them by Jesus on the cross isn’t pwrfl enough to cover the sin they commited against us...
*therefore, the payment 4 our sin isn’t strong enough to cover our sin...
*which severs the pwr cable
d. The wrong Motivation problem
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.
1. God doesn’t provide to Jas’ listeners because they r trying to fulfill their desires in their own way w/their strength rather than relying on God’s provision (“u don’t have cause u don’t ask”)
i. They want what others have (covetousness) resulting in quarreling & fighting
2. Or Jas’ readers were asking, but doing so w/selfish motivations
i. They were trying to manipulate God in2 giving ‘em their covetous desires!
-Sometimes we get so wrapped up in what we want/feel we deserve we de-align our heats & wills frm Jesus & so our prayers r no longer in Jesus’ name
*WE have a motivation problem
*This is what Jesus was seeing w/the religious leaders in our Main text:
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
~Their prayers were 4 the purpose o looking good not to develop a rel. w/God or rely on HIS provision (again, wrong motivation)
ii. What if we’ve looked @ all these possible blockages & find we
-r connected 2 Jesus w/us in Him & his words in us
-Have the faith that moves mountains
-we have forgiven others
-& our motives r correct...
*there’s another issue:
e. The Sufficient Grace problem
1. context - thorn in the flesh; request 3x for removal; God responded
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
1. context - thorn in the flesh; request 3x for removal; God responded
2. For Paul, this wasn’t so much as a connection problem as a perspective problem
i. His connection was good, in that he God answered Paul’s request:
-My Grace is sufficient my pwr flows through u, making up 4 ur weakness
-God was rescuing Paul through his pain rather than frm his pain
-God’s pwrfl grace sustained Paul even though it hurt (& maybe wasn’t going to go away this side o eternity)
ii. That means that this particular suffering is the channel we r supposed to be on
Pain, suffering, tribulations r often the tools in the hands o a loving God to sculpt us in2 the image o His Son…
-It’s like the How-to network, not always fun, but necessary to grow
-u r a wonderful masterpiece in the making
-We have to have some perspective on suffering...
iii. Pain, suffering, & tribulations r often the tools in the hands o a loving God to sculpt us in2 the image o His Son…
-u r a wonderful masterpiece in the making
This week’s study:
B. Four Solutions to our prayer problem:
a. Restored relationship
1. this fixes the connection problem
2. We are restored to God through Repentance & Forgiveness
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
b. Maintain connection with Jesus
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
Jn
c. Trust God for what you ask
c. Trust God for what you ask
Mk 11:23-
23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.
24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
d. Forgive others
Mk 11:25
25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
1. In context, both faith & forgiveness r directly tied to receiving provision
i. Forgiveness is canceling the debt owed