Untitled Sermon (6)

PRAYER THAT WORKS 2

The Power of Persistent Prayer

The organ in a large church broke down one Sunday morning just before services were to begin. A member of the congregation happened to be a organ repairman and he immediately went to work on the instrument – finding it was a simple electrical problem. When he finally got it fixed it was just about the middle of the sermon. He quietly passed a note to the organist which read: “After prayer - the power will be on.”

ILLUSTRATION

There’s a supposedly true story of a Welsh woman who lived in a remote valley in Wales. She went to a great deal of trouble and expense to have electrical power installed in her home. However, after a couple of months, the electric company noticed she didn’t seem to use very much electricity at all.

Thinking there might be a problem with the hookup, they sent a meter reader out to check on the matter. The man came to the door and said, “We’ve just checked your meter and it doesn’t seem that you’re using much electricity. Is there a problem?” “Oh no” she said. “We’re quite satisfied. We turn on the electric lights every night to see how to light our lamps and then we switch them off again.”

Now, why didn’t this woman make more use of her electricity? She believed in electricity.

She believed the promises of the electric company when they told her about it. She went to a great deal of trouble and expense to have her house wired for it. BUT - she didn’t understand the potential of electricity in her home.

AND SO -- she used its power sparingly.

I suspect there are people who use prayer very much the same way. They believe in prayer.

They know of the promises God has made.

They’ve even read and heard stories about answered prayers. BUT they use prayer’s power sparingly

AND many people believe it doesn’t really matter whether they pray or not.

They either believe:

* God’s gonna do, what God’s gonna do anyway – so why bother!?

* OR – they regard prayer as a last resort after all of their other efforts have failed. Sort of like “Hail Mary” pass in football. They throw it up in the air and hope it reaches the desired destination.

But Daniel didn’t pray that way

· Daniel prayed 3 times every day

· He prayed in his room

· He prayed in the lions’ den

· He prayed for wisdom

· He prayed for guidance

· He prayed that God would forgive the sins of His people, Israel, and return them to their home.

AND NOW -- what I want to talk about today -- we find Daniel struggling in prayer for 21 days, because he’s troubled by a dream he’s had.

Daniel 10:2-3 (GW) During those days I, Daniel, mourned for three whole weeks. I didn’t eat any good-tasting food. No meat or wine entered my mouth. I didn’t wash myself until the entire three weeks were over.

1] BE INTENTIONAL IN PRAYING

Luke 18:1 (AMP) ALSO [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to turn coward (faint, lose heart, and give up).

JESUS laying out foundational truth for KINGDOM BUSINESS

Jesus taught us - we should always pray and not give up.

ILLUSTRATION

We should be like the 3-year-old boy (that Paul Harvey told about) who went to the grocery store with his mother. Before they entered the grocery store she said to him, “Now you’re not going to get any chocolate chip cookies, so don’t even ask.” She put him up in the cart & he sat in the little child’s seat while she wheeled down the aisles. He was doing just fine until they came to the cookie section. He saw the chocolate chip cookies & he stood up in the seat & said, “Mom, can I have some chocolate chip cookies?” She said, “I told you not even to ask. You’re not going to get any at all.” So he sat back down.

They continued down the aisles, but in their search for certain items they ended up back in the cookie aisle. “Mom, can I please have some chocolate chip cookies?” She said, “I told you that you can’t have any. Now sit down & be quiet.”

Finally, they were approaching the checkout lane. The little boy sensed that this may be his last chance. So just before they got to the line, he stood up on the seat of the cart & shouted in his loudest voice, “In the name of Jesus, may I have some chocolate chip cookies?”

And everybody round about just laughed. Some even applauded. And, due to the generosity of the other shoppers, the little boy & his mother left with 23 boxes of chocolate chip cookies.

We ought always to pray and not give up…

But why? WHY should we always pray and not give up? I mean is God deaf?

Is it hard to get His attention?

Do we have to keep bothering Him until He throws up His hands in disgust and says “If I don’t grant their request I’ll never get any rest?”

No, I don’t think that’s the issue at all. In fact, our text this morning seems to be saying something else entirely.

Daniel 10:10-12 (GW) Then a hand touched me and made my hands and knees shake. The man said to me, “Daniel, you are highly respected. Pay attention to my words. Stand up, because I’ve been sent to you.” When he said this to me, I stood up, trembling. He told me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. God has heard everything that you said ever since the first day you decided to humble yourself in front of your God so that you could learn to understand things. I have come in response to your prayer.

NOTICE it says “SINCE THE FIRST DAY that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, YOUR WORDS WERE HEARD, and I have come in response to them.” (vs. 12)

This isn’t the 1st time an angel has told Daniel this:

Daniel 9:23 (NIV) As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision:

In other words, every time you and I pray not only does God gladly hear our prayers -- an angel is immediately sent from the throne of God to answer our prayers.

But that still doesn’t answer the question: why should we always pray & not give up?

The story of Daniel’s prayer gives us at least one reason why that should be true.

From the very first day -- Daniel prayed his prayers were heard and an angel was sent. BUT this is one of those rare times God pulls back the curtain and lets us see what’s happening behind the scenes.

ILLUSTRATION

It’s kind of like when you’re at a theatrical play and the curtain is closed. You don’t usually see what takes place behind the curtain. If you didn’t know better -- you might never realize that while the curtain is closed the props are brought out -- the scenery is changed and the actors take their positions. But every once in a while somebody slips up and the curtain is accidentally drawn back and you see what is taking place behind the scenes. That’s (in essence) what God is doing here -- He’s drawing back the curtain so you see what ordinarily would be hidden from your eyes.

When Daniel prayed demonic forces rose up (the prince of Persia) and angelic warfare was broke out. You know what that means?

THAT MEANS – that when you pray – you turn loose the very powers of heaven

THAT MEANS – that when you pray – you have the power to battle the very forces of darkness

THAT MEANS – that when you pray – angels are willing to fight – to answer your prayers

WHEN YOU PRAY angels are Listening from God for their orders to assist YOU

Psalm 103:20 (AMP) Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His commandments, hearkening to the voice of His word.

Hebrews 1:14 (TCNT; PHI; WMS)“Are not all the angels spirits in the service of God, commissioned to serve for those who are going to be unceasing possessors of salvation.”

There are thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of angels waiting to obey God’s spoken Word. As we speak the Word of God WHEN WE PRAY -- angels are released by God to fulfill His Word in our life. Angels are set on “GO,” simply waiting for us to release an assignment for them.

They have been commissioned to serve us in the possessing of our inheritance that Christ has already paid for and left us.

NOW -- WE CAN’T TELL ANGELS WHAT TO DO & WE DON’T PRAY TO ANGELS

2] BE IN FAITH WHEN PRAYING

Daniel prayed 21 days. The angel was sent the 1st day he prayed -- but didn’t arrive until the 21st day.

Now here’s the question:

What might have happened had Daniel GIVEN UP in his prayers?

What if he had quit on the 14th day, or the 15th, or the 16th? Would the angel have arrived with his answer?

The Bible doesn’t say, but the implication is – MAYBE NOT!!!

Jesus taught that we should “always pray and not give up”

· Not because God is hard of hearing

· Not because God needs to be pestered into answering our requests

· Not because God doesn’t want to answer us

NO -- Jesus taught us always pray and to not give up because, when we pray, our prayers carry weight

EVERY TIME you and I pray -- we unleash more and more power from the throne of God

· Are You Praying For Someone In Your Family To Become A Christian?

Every prayer you pray puts more and more pressure on that person to listen to God…

· Do You Pray For Your Friends In Their Daily Struggles

Every prayer you pray imparts to them more and more power from God

· Do You Have Difficulties With Someone At Work

Every prayer you lift up to God’s throne brings God’s power to bear on difficult people and situations.

Prayer is not a passive act on our part

Prayer is AN AGGRESSIVE, ACTIVE MINISTRY. You are putting your shoulder to the wheel and moving the forces of heaven.

JESUS made the statement when we pray

Matthew 6:9-10 (GW) “This is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, let your name be kept holy. Let your kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.

BUT ALOT OF PEOPLE GET CONFUSED CAUSE OF THIS

Matthew 6:5-8 (GW) When you pray, don’t be like hypocrites. They like to stand in synagogues and on street corners to pray so that everyone can see them. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward. When you pray, go to your room and close the door. Pray privately to your Father who is with you. Your Father sees what you do in private. He will reward you. “When you pray, don’t ramble like heathens who think they’ll be heard if they talk a lot. Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

JESUS is referring to those who want to be seen and repeat over and over some mantra prayer -- saying how wonderful they themselves are!

3] BE ALWAYS PRAYING

Ephesians 1:16-17 (AMP) I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. [For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him,

Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Ephesians 6:17-18 (PassionNTPsa) Pray passionately in the Spirit, as you constantly intercede with every form of prayer at all times. Pray the blessings of God upon all his believers.

AFTER PAUL lays out the armor to put on -- he shows us that the way we then wrestle is by PRAYER & WE NEED TO BE AGGRESSIVE -- WRESTLING IS AGGRESSIVE -- WE ARE TO BE AGGRESSIVE AGAINST THE RANKS OF HELL IN THE HEAVENLIES

Who’s in the heavenly realms?

Well, if you just read that one verse -- you’d think it was the spiritual forces of evil.

But that’s not true.

Ephesians 2:6 (NKJV) and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

When we were saved -- God lifted us up to live in the heavenly realms.

We’re there right now.

1 John 4:4 (NKJV) You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

ONE THING I WANT YOU TO SEE -- Even our prayer life functions out of our relationship with Our Father and how we view HIM!

What Do We Do When We Pray -- Simply Speak From The Word That Is In You -- THE FATHER WILL DO THE REST!

ILLUSTRATION

One man describing his prayers said “When I pray – I PUSH When everything seems to go wrong, I just Push!

When the job gets me down, I just Push!

When people don’t react the way I think they should, I just Push!

When my money looks funny and the bills are due, I just Push!

When I want to curse people out for whatever the reason, I just Push!

When people just don’t understand me, I just Push!

PUSH stands for …

P-ray!!!

U-ntil!!!

S-omething!!!

H-appens!!!

As you use your Prayer Journals this month – don’t just pray on something once or twice. Pray your prayers again and again and again.

– PUSH your prayers

– Empower the angels of God

– Unleash the power of heaven

ILLUSTRATION

George Mueller was known for his powerful prayer. In the course of his ministry to the orphans of England, he never asked for financial assistance from men -- only God -- and he constantly received what was needed to the penny.

Once while on his way to speak in Quebec for an engagement, on the deck of the ship that was to carry him to his destination, he informed the captain that he needed to be in Quebec by Saturday afternoon. As the captain related the story, he said “’It is impossible,’ he said. ’Do you know how dense this fog is?’”

“’No,’ George replied, ’my eye is not on the density of the fog, but on the living God who controls every circumstance of life. I have never broken an engagement in 57 years; let us go down into the chart room and pray.’ He knelt down and he prayed one of the simplest prayers. When he had finished the Captain was going to pray, but he put his hand on the Captain’s shoulder and told him not to pray. ’As you do not believe He will answer, and as I believe He has, there is no need for you whatever for you to pray about it.’

“The Captain looked at him and George Mueller said, ’Captain, I have known my Lord for 57 yrs. and there has never been a single day when I have failed to get an audience with the King. Get up, Captain, and open the door and you will find that the fog has gone.’

“The Captain got up and the fog indeed was gone, and on that Saturday afternoon George Mueller kept his promised engagement.”

BE INTENTIONAL IN PRAYING

BE IN FAITH WHEN PRAYING

BE ALWAYS PRAYING