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When we study the Holy Scriptures, we will find numerous prayers of the Saints of old, and often what we will realize is the unloading and dependance upon God.
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Today, my hope is that we can draw confidently to God and fight those “Ceiling Prayers” - those prayers that seem as if they barely leave the ground of which we bow, and make it just 8’ above our heads (at best), going no higher than the ceiling of our prayer closet
Let’s travel back to again (the verse we studied back during the first message of this series)...
CR
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
I believe there is a unique and “inspired” lesson: the Hebrew verse can be translated, “If I had iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have heard. The Hebrew word for “cherished” is raah, meaning “to see”
So reading this verse, I believe we need to pause and unpack the implications of what this is stating: If I “LOOK” at my life and see sin and nurture it, my prayers are an exercise in futility.
This is something we need to study today, because what David is saying is that there is actually a condition that would actually make our prayers ineffective.
Before you accuse me of legalism, I want to also preface the content of the message today: This is not saying that God refuses to hear our prayers because of present sin. If this were true, then all prayer would be futile.
As we expand the context of , David opens with 17 verses of joy and praise to God for the mighty deeds of the past. And then verse 18 happens, almost as a pivoting point in the Psalm which serves as a grim reminder of how the entire story could have been drastically different.
David reminds himself (and us) in verse 18, that there is actually a time when prayer is presumptuous, arrogant, detestable, and obnoxious deed perpetrated upon God.
If there is anything worse than NOT praying, it would be praying in an unworthy manner…we must approach God properly in prayer. The result is effective prayer.
Let’s also look at some scripture with this same grim attitude:
When he is tried, let him come forth guilty; let his prayer be counted as sin!
>Prayers of wicked men should be counted as sin
We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.
>John specifically states that the Lord does not hear sinners
The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
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Proverbs
If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.
We should see something here, that we must approach God in a specific manner as we fight the Ceiling, and know there is some “Heart work” that needs done at times when we come to the Lord.
After all, David is constantly confessing sin in the Psalms, and in , we receive some insight into as to “why.”
Just as it is impossible to be a Christian and not pray…it is also impossible to be a Christian and not confess. Looking back to the Lord’s prayer as the “pattern” of prayer, we note that confession is an integral part of prayer.
Without the confession of sin, there is no forgiveness of sin...
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
:9
On the flip side, James tells us that the prayers of righteous men accomplish much...
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Yes, we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ, so being Christians we know that our position before God is justified as righteous. However, the practical manifestation of what we are in Christ is sadly inconsistent and woefully inadequate.
At times we allow sin within our lives to abound, living unyoked with the righteousness which clothes us. Serving the god of our flesh, not the almighty God revealed in the whole counsel of God.
CR Sproul - My mentor, Dr. John Gerstner, told of an occasion at one of his meetings when a woman announced to him that she had not sinned for more than twenty years. Dr. Gerstner said that he felt sorry for her because that could only mean she had not prayed in more than twenty years, at least not in the way the Lord told us to pray.
My mentor, Dr. John Gerstner, told of an occasion at one of his meetings when a woman announced to him that she had not sinned for more than twenty years. Dr. Gerstner said that he felt sorry for her because that could only mean she had not prayed in more than twenty years, at least not in the way the Lord told us to pray.
BB - This is not suggesting that our sin qualifies us to pray, but what we do WITH our sin, qualifies our prayers!
Confessing sin, asking for forgiveness of our “debts” or “trespasses,” is an integral part of the practice of prayer, as outlined and modeled by the Lord Himself.
Its actually a Christian complex…the more devout we are to the Lord, the more we are painfully aware of our sin we naturally become. The more we know who God is, the more we should be humbled by who we are.
ILLUSTRATION - Facing a mountain from 10 miles away, it may appear small, but the closer you get the that mountain, to bigger it appears. The same is true in our perspective and relationship with God…especially when we consider the reality and existence of our sin.
What I am advocating for us all is greater sensitivity to sin. The closer we are to God, the more we are neck deep in , the more the slightest sin will cause us deep sorrow.
Something vital that David is not saying is that sin disqualifies us rom the privledge of coming to God, but it is when we allow it to continue.
Often in our Ceiling prayers, we claim the Victory over sin, but how much better to spend our time in the battle of sin we are in. Truth is, we are constantly in a battle of the flesh and sin daily. To ignore this battle and claim “ultimate” victory is a receipe for ineffective prayer. We are to wage war upon the sin in our lives and hearts, bringing them to God.
CR Spurgeon - In a sermon on the first beatitude, “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” the great English preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon said that “the proud sinner wants Christ, and his own parties; Christ, and his own lusts; Christ, and his own waywardness. The one who is truly poor in spirit wants only Christ, and he will do anything, and give anything to have him!”
In a sermon on the first beatitude, “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” the great English preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon said that “the proud sinner wants Christ, and his own parties; Christ, and his own lusts; Christ, and his own waywardness. The one who is truly poor in spirit wants only Christ, and he will do anything, and give anything to have him!”
CR Sproul - This is exactly what is communicating. The very idea of a person trying to pray while cherishing some sin, while holding on to a sin he is not willing to relinquish to the lordship of Christ, casts a shadow of doubt on the validity of his sonship.
Search our hearts
MARRIAGES & OUR PRAYERS
Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
V7 - Hindered is ekkepto in greek. which literally means “cut off.”
If discord in the marital relationship is not dealt with, prayers are cut off! Doesn’t this echo the initial warning of !?
RELATIONSHIPS & OUR PRAYERS
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
Instead...
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
RELATIONSHIPS AND OUR PRAYERS
So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
If you have unresolved conflicts, our worship is blemished (gifts to the Lord). Jesus is saying give heed to those things that require attention; THEN we are to come and offer our worship.
Prayer is not specifically mentioned in this, however, the principle of settling accounts is constant.
Think of how obsurd it would be for us to petition God with unconfessed sin which lurks in our hearts. Maybe even the obsurdity of coming to God with discord between fellowship with other believers. Is there forgiveness, reconcilliation, grace…and we expect God to handle us in a manner we neglect to express to each other. Vanity, church!
If we are unrepentant in our own lives of sin, the moment we ask God of petition, we curse Him without the same breath. God is not about to honor our requests made out of sinful hearts.
TT - The flip side is also true. Just because our prayer isn’t answered in the way we desire doesn’t mean we have secret sin in our lives or that we lack faith. Of course, that could be true. Sin can hinder our prayers, but it’s not always true that a hindered prayer means sin is present. A no from God is an answer to prayer. And this God who says no gives that answer for our good and for His glory. We can’t always understand why, but we should always trust that our good God has His and our best interests in view.
The flip side is also true. Just because our prayer isn’t answered in the way we desire doesn’t mean we have secret sin in our lives or that we lack faith. Of course, that could be true. Sin can hinder our who preaches another gospel in . And the martyrs in heaven petition God to avenge their blood in . The consistent witness of Scripture affirms the legitimacy of God’s people making use of imprecatory prayers in their individual, family, and corporate prayers. Underlying this assertion is a basic assumption that the prayers of God’s people should be rooted in all of Scripture. The Psalter is God’s divinely inspired prayer book and hymnal. It gives us the language of petition and praise. The imprecatory psalms help give shape to the hurt and outrage that the people of God at times experience in a world desecrated by sin. Some react to the harsh language of the imprecatory psalms. While this is understandable, we mustn’t lose sight of what our sin deserves. Others underscore the teaching of Jesus to love our enemies. But loving our enemies in the New Testament never comes at the expense of forgoing appeals to divine justice. Praying for God to punish the wicked is neither unloving nor vindictive but is an expression of faith in Him who judges justly (). Still others want to limit the imprecatory psalms to old covenant Israel. While the circumstances of God’s covenant people have changed
our prayer isn’t answered in the way we
desire doesn’t mean we have secret sin in
our lives or that we lack faith. Of course,
that could be true. Sin can hinder our
who preaches another gospel in Galatians
1:8–9. And the martyrs in heaven petition
God to avenge their blood in .
The consistent witness of Scripture affirms
the legitimacy of God’s people making use
of imprecatory prayers in their individual,
family, and corporate prayers. Underlying
this assertion is a basic assumption that the
prayers of God’s people should be rooted in
all of Scripture. The Psalter is God’s divinely
inspired prayer book and hymnal. It gives
us the language of petition and praise. The
imprecatory psalms help give shape to the
hurt and outrage that the people of God at
The flip side is also true. Just because our prayer isn’t answered in the way we desire doesn’t mean we have secret sin in our lives or that we lack faith. Of course, that could be true. Sin can hinder our prayers, but it’s not always true that a hindered prayer means sin is present. A no from God is an answer to prayer. And this God who says no gives that answer for our good and for His glory. We can’t always understand why, but we should always trust that our good God has His and our best interests in view.
times experience in a world desecrated by sin.
Some react to the harsh language of the
imprecatory psalms. While this is understandable,
we mustn’t lose sight of what our
sin deserves. Others underscore the teaching
of Jesus to love our enemies. But loving
our enemies in the New Testament never
comes at the expense of forgoing appeals
to divine justice. Praying for God to punish
the wicked is neither unloving nor vindictive
but is an expression of faith in Him
who judges justly (). Still others
want to limit the imprecatory psalms to old
covenant Israel. While the circumstances
of God’s covenant people have changed
with the advent of Christ, the same cruelties
that plagued Israel as a believing people
in a hostile world still haunt the church
today. If we remove the vocabulary of the
imprecatory psalms from our homes and
our prayer isn’t answered in the way we
churches, what else will Christians sing
and pray when tragedy strikes?
To pray the imprecatory psalms is ultimately
to pray as Jesus taught us to pray. As
Christians, we long for God’s kingdom to
come. We yearn for His will to be done on
earth as it is in heaven. Praying the imprecatory
psalms is not a call to arms but a call
to faith. We lift our voices, not our swords,
as we pray for God either to convert or curse
the enemies of Christ and His kingdom.
prayers, but it’s not always true that a hindered
prayer means sin is present. A no
from God is an answer to prayer. And this
God who says no gives that answer for our
good and for His glory. We can’t always
understand why, but we should always
trust that our good God has His and our
best interests in view.
desire doesn’t mean we have secret sin in
our lives or that we lack faith. Of course,
that could be true. Sin can hinder our
prayers, but it’s not always true that a hindered
prayer means sin is present. A no
from God is an answer to prayer. And this
God who says no gives that answer for our
good and for His glory. We can’t always
understand why, but we should always
trust that our good God has His and our
best interests in view.
CLOSING ILLUSTRATION
10,000 Sermon Illustrations The Tombs
In his book Great Themes of the Bible, Louis Albert Banks told of the time D.L. Moody visited a prison called “The Tombs” to preach to the inmates. After he had finished speaking, Moody talked with a number of men in their cells. He asked each prisoner this question, “What brought you here?” Again and again he received replies like this: “I don’t deserve to be here.” “I was framed.” “I was falsely accused.” “I was given an unfair trial.” Not one inmate would admit he was guilty.
Finally, Moody found a man with his face buried in his hands, weeping. “And what’s wrong, my friend?” he inquired. The prisoner responded, “My sins are more than I can bear.” Relieved to find at least one man who would recognize his guilt and his need of forgiveness, the evangelist exclaimed, “Thank God for that!” Moody then had the joy of pointing him to a saving knowledge of Christ—a knowledge that released him from his shackles of sin.
What an accurate picture of the two contrasting attitudes spoken of in Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the publican! As long as the sinner claims innocence and refuses to acknowledge his transgressions before the Lord, he does not receive the blessings of redemption. But when he pleads guilty and cries out, “Lord, be merciful to me a sinner,” he is forgiven. God’s pardon is available to everyone, but it is experienced only by those who admit guilt and trust Christ. To be “found,” a person must first recognize that he is “lost.
THE GOSPEL
TT -
Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
The Apostle gives examples of what it means to obey God and work out our
salvation in verses 14–18. Today we will note what the call to work out our salvation
says about persevering in faith. Scripture explains that we are not saved by signing
a card, raising a hand, or walking an aisle for an altar call. Instead, we are saved by
the possession of an authentic, living faith. This faith manifests itself through good
works of repentance, confession, and service to God and neighbor (;
; ). None of these works get us into heaven; only the
perfect righteousness of Christ, which we receive by resting on Him alone by faith
alone, gives us access to the Father (; ). Yet those who are
resting on Jesus alone demonstrate this faith by their works ().
Persevering in faith, which is evident in our perseverance in good works of
service, is achieved as we, by the Spirit, strive to serve the Lord, repent when we
fail, and rely always on His enabling mercy (). Simply put, it is living a
life that does not take the gospel and its implications lightly. At the same time, even
though we play a role in perseverance by obeying God’s commands, heeding His
warnings, and more, the very fact that we do persevere is ultimately grounded in
divine sovereignty. God wills and works out our salvation through us (),
and His elect cannot fail to stay in faith until the end of their lives.
