Vague Praying & Expectation
A.W. Tozer - Prayer • Sermon • Submitted
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Praying is the way God is able to get things done on earth through His people.
Praying is the way God is able to get things done on earth through His people.
And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
We don’t need to be apologetic when we pray.
We shouldn’t be.
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Let’s approach the throne of God boldly when we pray.
Should we be humble?
Yes, but we shouldn’t be so humble that we don’t ask.
We should be humble, but at the same time be daring to ask, seek, and knock.
We need to pray with expectation.
We don’t need to pray vaguely.
Using a big gun and aiming.
Compare this to someone who prays vaguely.
If we pray with purpose and specifically, it will be easier to see God answering our prayers.
Yes, no, or wait.
If you boil this short piece down, it’s emphasis is on a specific request clothed in humility, undergirded in faith and expectation, but boldly expressed in the light of God’s Word.
Quote from Andrew Murray:
Our prayers must not be a vague appeal to His mercy, an indefinite cry for blessing, but the distinct expression of definite need. Not that His living heart does not understand our cry, or is not ready to hear. But He desires it for our own sakes. Such definite prayer teaches us to know our own needs better. It demands time, and thought, and self-scrutiny to find out what really is our greatest need. It searches us and puts us to the test as to whether our desires are honest and real, such as we are ready to persevere in. It leads us to judge whether our desires are according to God’s Word, and whether we really believe that we shall receive the things we ask. It helps us to wait for the special answer, and to mark it when it comes.
Such specific prayer has advantages.
We need to figure out what our needs are.
This requires us to spend time with the Lord so we can make our specific requests with the help of His Spirit.
Our prayer journey with specific requests will indicate whether our faith is growing.
Do we pray a specific request and allow God to shape it as we pray, or do we get frustrated and just stop asking?
Delays in answers are in God’s will for us.
Let’s take a look at some scripture.
And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
Look at the way this woman’s request (prayer) starts and how God worked her through it.
Her journey through this, showed her faith and the relationship she had with God.
We need to pray with the same faith, sensitivity to His Spirit, and stand on the Word of God when we pray.