Dangerous Prayers Part 1: Search Me

Dangerous Prayers • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

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Believe your big risks will be rewarded. Believe what you ask for is possible. If you’re ready to see a spark in your life, pray boldly. Pray daringly. Pray with fire. And remember God's listening to your Dangerous Prayers.

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Introduction:

DANGEROUS PRAYERS—1

As soon as we come to Christ we are taught to pray. But they are often way too safe (bless us, help us, protect us as we travel, etc.)

Early in year—Help empower you with 3 prayers

I believe we are to pray dangerously too!

Dangerous—Good way

So much of what we pray: Generic, Predictable, Safe.

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Search me

Challenging to pray—Potential to redirect your life

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David facing persecution by enemies of God—Claimed he wasn’t faithful.

23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. [Read aloud]

Break this prayer into four sub-parts

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1) SEARCH MY HEART.

23 Search me, God, and know my heart…

Why search our heart? I have a good heart and you have a good heart! Not true! We have a wicked heart.

The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? NLT

We deceive ourselves and others.

We are liars. How many of you tell lies?

Most common lies are the ones we tell ourselves. (Deceive—Deception and we don’t realize how bad we are)

I don’t eat that much * Not materialistic—Nice * Don’t have anger prob * not proud - can’t help that i know more than others

Not gossip: Prayer * Not critical—idiot * Lust—appreciate nice physique

I dare you to take some time and as you ask God to search your heart, listen to what He has to say

I’m a fake!

Shows you what’s in your heart that’s not pure so you can take care of it.

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2) REVEAL MY FEARS.

23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

What makes you anxious? Afraid of? Internally afraid...

Not talking: Snakes, Spiders, Shower curtain

Not getting married—Stuck in a bad marriage—Rejection

Failure—Success—Intimacy—Unknown—Loss

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·What we fear the most reveals where we trust God the least.

Losing marriage or isn’t going to work—Don’t trust God.

Something happening to a child (bomb threats in WV school)—Not trusting God w/children

Not having enough to pay bills—Not my provider.

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Fear of failing! Letting people down—Inadequate.

i do as much as I can for others to make myself feel more qualified/adequate.

I am working on learning to Love pleasing God more than I fear failing or letting people down.

No fear in love—Perfect love casts out all fear.

God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind.

What area are you having trouble trusting God in?

Stop lying to yourself that you are ok and doing fine.

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3) UNCOVER MY SINS.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me....

So easy to see others faults (accuse others) and we are quick to excuse ourselves.

Hard to see—switching lanes in front of a car too close (others=idiot/selfish; me=it was a mistake)

So easy to see others faults (accuse others) and we are quick to excuse ourselves.

The heart is deceitful above all things!

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Three questions to ask yourself:

· What are others trying to tell me? (More than 2 people those who love you; you are common denominator)

· What have I rationalized for some time? (Handle, Cope, Hurting nobody)

· Where am I most defensive? (no talking about that, don’t judge me, back off!)

Pride, Materialistic, Lust, Addiction, Gossip, Critical spirit, Disobeying

Jason—you’re being proud—You’re being proud. (too proud to accept help and cause more issues in marriage)

Recognized problem when seeing how my kids were too proud to ask for help because they saw my example

Courage to pray? God will point some things out that you are trying to explain away or trying to deny.

Courage to bring it to light (confession):

Confess to God for forgiveness () and people for healing (confess to one other and pray for one another that you may be healed)

Recognize we are all in process of becoming more like Jesus!

Search me. Reveal fears. Uncover my sins.

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4) LEAD ME.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Fear of letting people down/inadequate—proud!

More concerned w/what people thought of me—what God thought of me.

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Stop lying to yourself. Denying the truth doesn’t change the facts.

Whatever you discover—reveals your need for Christ in that area!

You need His power to overcome… Your need directs you back to your need for God!

God wants to lead us in His truth!

When you have the courage to pray a dangerous prayer like this, we are giving God permission to put us under the microscope and show us where we are falling short. It’s an opportunity to recognize how much we need God and His power in our life.

23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Conclusion:

Example:

Heavenly Father, as hard as this is for me, I’m asking You to search me. Search me, God, and know my heart. God, test my motives. Reveal to me my anxious thoughts. Show me anything in me that offends You. God, I want to see in me what You see in me so I can become more like Jesus. God, I ask You to search me.

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