4 May 08 Removing Hindrances To Unanswered Prayers
4 MAY 08 REMOVING HINDRANCES TO UNANSWERED PRAYERS. Lk 18:1-8
Lk 18:8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
God certainly will … avenge speedily (quickly, swiftly, suddenly)
· Truth: God longs to answer our prayers!
· Issue: Do we long to have our prayers answered?
God desires to answer our prayer: Matt 6:9-15, Matt 7:7-12
First sermon: Jesus taught about prayers, He returned to the subject of prayer.
Prayer was the only subject He addressed twice in the Sermon on the Mount.
Jesus: The purpose of prayer is our prayer is heard and answered.
It’s not just simply praying and nothing more. The goal is to have our prayers answered or else our prayers are in vain.
(Here is the prayer of petition not prayer of devotion)
Lk 18:1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.
Here Jesus reinforced about God answering prayers – parable of contrast.
Abnormal: God answers our prayer only once in 3 or 5 months or 3 to 5 yrs.
Normal: We should have constant exp. of God answering our prayers.
We ought to pray at all times, not lose heart (spiritless, wearied, exhausted)
Reality: Many become dispirited, disheartened, discouraged in prayers.
If prayer is for an answer then we must find out why our prayers are unanswered.
Lesson: Find the causes of unanswered prayer instead of losing our heart in prayer.
Ask the Lord to show us the reasons.
When the hindrances are removed, we will have our prayers answered.
Removing the hindrances:
1. We forget or discard our prayers too soon.
We pray to God for a week or so then we forget about what we pray for.
As God has not yet answered our prayer, we soon discard it altogether.
We often pray for 100 of things in this manner. (half-done, half-way, fractional)
Our desire is not strong enough … such prayer equals to no prayer.
A prayer that does not move the pray-er’s heart will not move God’s heart.
Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’
The petitioner was a widow = in the East a synonym for helplessness.
With no protection, she became a prey to the covetous oppressor.
The oppressor took advantage to rob her of her lawful heritage.
She came to the judge to plead her cause: deliver from the injustice.
She was facing an unjust, corrupted judge.
· He had no regard for people or fear God … corrupted, wicked vs 2
· He only cares for his own reputation and comfort. vs 5
· He was reluctant to attend to the widow’s needs.
Yet she kept going to the unjust judge to plea her cause.
Desperation: he was her only hope and vindicator!
Finally she was helped because of her persistency – not the judge’s goodness.
If this unjust judge would hear a poor widow because she kept coming continually …
· Why do you get discouraged coming to God who is just and wants to hear and answer prayer?
· Why are we disheartened in our prayer life when God wants to act in your behalf!
He is not an unjust judge where we have to beg and plead with Him.
The parable of contrast not comparison:
· God has high regards of our needs … He knows them even before we ask.
· God cares for our needs … cast all your cares on Him for He cares for you.
· God is compassionate to our needs … be touched with the feelings of our infirmities.
Key: We must have a strong pursuing desire.
A prayer that does not move the pray-er’s heart will not move God’s heart.
Under such circumstance He will not answer our prayer.
When our desires are not strong enough:
· We will not feel touched if God answers our prayer.
· We will we not feel loss if He does not answer it.
We must not let the matter go if God has not answer our prayer.
When the Son of Man comes will He find such strong pursuing desire?
2. We pray generally and fail to ask continually and specifically.
Jn 16:24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Until now: what is the real issue? You have not asked! You’ve asked nothing.
Ask and you will receive ... you receive by asking not just desiring!
You receive by asking not just desiring!
There must be the asking outside with the desire inside.
Have you asked God about it? Many, I guess have not.
We ask man whom he has nothing much to give but God has everything to give. We have not because we ask not.
Jas 4:2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
To have answered prayer we must really ask!
Our heart is full of the desire but we have to open our mouth and utter the desire.
We may pray for many things yet we may not have really asked for anything.
Not have many answered prayers - not prayed prayers that required answers.
Lk 18:3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’
The widow was asking continually for her case to be heard and executed.
It is a present imperative (forceful) command – ask, seek, knock.
It’s not when you feel like it but rather keep on asking, seeking, knocking.
Keep on asking, given to you; keep on seeking, you’ll find; keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
Keep on ... expresses our dependency on Him, our wills are actively involved in the asking, indicating our confidence in Him.
We are to ask specifically.
We may pray long prayers but we may not have asked for definite things.
When our prayers are general, then the answers do not really matter.
If you earthly fathers who hearts are evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more is your perfect Heavenly Father who give good things to those who ask Him?
· Bread / stone (deceptive), fish / serpent (destructive), egg / scorpion (fatally opposite)
Everyone who asks receives, seeks finds, knocks it will be opened.
3. We are not listening or obeying God in certain matters.
Ps 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.
Regarding iniquity = a sin in our heart that we’re unwilling to give up.
Sin is a basic hindrance that will stand between God and man.
We are aware of the sin and still desire it – more than weakness but disobedient.
A saved man is a man does not enjoy sin anymore – he hates his failures.
God will forgive our weaknesses but He does not permit us living in it.
Pr 28:13He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
Sin must be confessed and not covered – put under the blood.
It is more than outwardly delivered but still inwardly attached to it.
When it is washed then prayer will be heard and answered.
You need to hearken to God before He will listen to your prayer.
· God, where do I need to change?
· God, I have removed what You wanted me to remove. Now, answer my prayer.
Walking in simple faith obedience
God only listens to those who obey Him.
If we do not listen to His word, He will not answer our prayer.
We may let many things go unnoticed but He will not let them pass by.
We cannot get on if we leave things unattended.
If we desire Him to always hear our prayer, we must obey Him in every respect.
4. We have believed but now have stopped believing.
Eph 1:13,19 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.
Having believed, they kept believing (continue believing).
There’s a defining moment of belief and a continuing pursue of believing.
We begin with the defining moment of belief, we progress by continue believing.
Some having believed but now stopped believing.
Giving the right answer with a believing heart.
Mk 9:21-24 So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
The father was questioning the ability of Jesus … unbelief.
Jesus: If you can believe all things are possible to him who believe.
Jesus asks us to believe He is able: in His ability not our ability in our faith.
Man: I believe; help my unbelief.
He gave the right answer but with a wavering heart.
Giving a right answer with an unbelieving heart will not help.
2 Cor 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. We need a fresh walk of faith.
Faith is a walk – may have a strong stand but weak walk.
We walk out the stand of faith.
· Laying hold of the His word until the word lays hold on you – no word to God’s word.
Based on the word, you speak to Him and have a transaction with Him.
· Praying without any promise until the promise is given – no faith to God’s faith.
Jud 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
We make our progress of faith by keeping in step with the Holy Spirit.
5. Failing to praise God for the answer.
Mk 11:22-24So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Faith in God = have God’s kind of faith ... believe you receive them – done.
Believe you receive them not will receive them – hope, expectation.
Difference between: God has provided and God will provide.
Faith is the now and present – it already done!
When faith is given, we should praise and not pray (asking / petitioning)
· From having God’s word to the fulfilment of His word – praise Him.
· From receiving His promise to the actual possession of His promise – praise Him.
Praise for the answer and no longer pray over the need – may pray in doubt.
Satan may tempt you to pray – prayer of doubt ... pray away your faith.
6. Asking something big but amiss.
Jas 4:2-3You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
Different: Asking in faith and asking amiss (improperly, wrongly)
Asking amiss: asking beyond our measure and our need.
Prayer is asking out of spiritual poverty and not lust.
We ask within the measure of our need and not beyond our need.
7. Conclusion: A prayer journal or prayer book:
Is 43:26 Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case, that you may be acquitted.
Date of prayer ... prayer matters ... date of answered prayer ... how God answered
1. Community
2. Church
3. Country / Nations
4. Chosen ones - Israel
Introduction: young man with a lawyer’s letter … lawyer = prayer.
George Muller: “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance. It is laying hold of His willingness.” It is not trying to get God to do something which He is reluctant to do, but prayer is to be our thinking His thoughts after Him.
Truth: If such an unjust judge would eventually listen to a helpless widow whom he cares nothing, how much more will God surely listen to our persistent prayer!
See the contrast of an unjust and wicked judge with the upright and gracious God.
The widow’s persistence overcame the wickedness (disregarded man / God) and injustice (refused to vindicate her case).
How much more if we shall prevail on the justice and grace of God?
Pray by asking God and keep on asking God for the assurance of His faith.
Elijah prayed till he saw the fist of a man’s hand.
It was her persistence that the unjust judge shows her mercy.
Heb 3:18-19 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
They did not obey because of their unbelief.
There is a close association between disobedience and unbelief.
They came out of Egypt, no longer slaves Egypt? What was their failure?
They were enslaved in their own unbelief – unfaithfulness, faithless attitude.
Unbelief = without belief, choosing not to believe Him.
Disobedience = acting on our unbelief.
Reaffirming God’s word and His promise.
She was more persistent than his stubbornness.
Even the unjust and wicked judge did not treat the widow’s continual petition with contempt.
Woman with the issue of blood.
Ahab striking the arrows to the ground.
We cannot expect God to answer us if we easily drop the matter.
Have a real pursuing desire – Jacob clinging kind of prayer.
A careless, corrupt judge of the lawless Herod period for the tribunal in Israel.
Waiting ... resisting the assault of Satan.
Jesus is calling for here has to do with heart attitude, not mere religious routine. Example, if today we pray, “Your kingdom come,” and then tomorrow forget to ask, and keep forgetting to ask for the next year, it is obvious that the coming of his kingdom is not very important to us.
A man will get from life everything he asks for, because his will is in it or else he is playing the fool when he asked – important.
If ye abide in Me and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
We pray pious blether, our will is not in it, and then we say God does not answer; we never asked Him for anything.
Asking means that our wills are in what we ask.
God does not have to be waked or cajoled into giving us what we need.
God gives many gifts to the ungodly / ungrateful.
But His choicest blessings are reserved for us who will value them, show their appreciation by asking until they receive.
Persistence is an indication of our soul’s confidence.
Those who ask, seek, knock are people who believe God will answer.
Their prayers are not works but acts of faith not ritual but reliance.
The door opens not because hands are bruised - pounding belief.
This is the way the Son of God prayed: He spent the whole night on the mountain in prayer before choosing His disciples (Luke 6:12–16). In the Garden of Gethsemane, His asking, seeking, and knocking where “His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” (Luke 22:44).