Life Changing Prayer

Summary of 1 Kings 3 and 2 Chronicles 1

Solomon has succeeded his father as king

after a few challenges, his position as king is secure

Solomon makes a “state of the Union” speech to the country’s leaders

then Solomon offered sacrifices to the Lord

That night the Lord appeared to Solomon and said, “ask for whatever you want”

Solomon ask for wisdom to lead . . .

1 Kings 3:10–14 NASB95

10 It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. 13 “I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days. 14 “If you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.”

all of these things happened in Solomon’s lifetime

incredible riches

wisdom - Bible writer

led to peace and prosperity for his country

How can I get to that level of prayer?

Where God grants my prayer request and also throws in riches, and honor . . . and a possibility of a long life?

to ask for something that God says, “I was hoping you would ask for that”

to petition God and God responds, “I’ve been wanting to give you this”

to pray about something and God says, “You’ve read my mind”

to pray and get guaranteed results

to say a prayer that changes everything

to receive what you asked for, and receive bonus things that you didn’t ask for

Do I have to be perfect? . . . No

1 Kings 3:1 NASB95

1 Then Solomon formed a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her to the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem.

Solomon married the daughter of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt

something expressly forbidden by law given by moses

don’t marry foreign wives

kings don’t multiply wives to yourself

a political marriage that indicated a lack of faith in God’s protection

1 Kings 3:3 NASB95

3 Now Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

Solomon loved God, and for the most part followed God’s laws, but was prone to indulging in cultic practices now and then

some Christians still get their fortunes read

dip into horoscopes and astrology - letting what month they were born affect their decisions, relationships, or what they think of themselves

ancestor worship - spirit of my great grandfather watching over me

wear a cross for good luck charm instead of a reminder of the sacrifice of Jesus

Solomon has allowed himself to be swept away by the culture surrounding him

Solomon was definitely not perfect, all of his i’s were not dotted, nor all of his t’s crossed . . . so the door is open for all of us to

So, what does the word teach us?

before we get to the prayer, let understand the backdrop and make sure we have same foundational understanding

You gotta be real.

Solomon did not come into this to get a special prayer request. He is not trying to run a con game

He is not treating God like a sugardaddy, santa claus, unlike many of us

Ladies don’t really care for the sugar daddy, kids don’t care about santa . . . they just want something from them

I will do this for the sugardaddy if he buys me this

I will act right so that santa can bring me that

Solomon does not initiate the special requests in this story. He is just trying to do the right things, the things that will please God

He makes sacrifices, and goes to bed.

He does what he is supposed to do and goes to bed

Now there are rewards for serving God, just last week we talked about “due season”

but the ultimate level of doing right, is just doing right to please God

you have to be real about serving God, if you want a life changing prayer . . . real service, real dedication, real love, real worship

You gotta have faith.

He doesn’t just sacrifice, but makes a thousand sacrifices.

He says he believes in God, and Solomon is putting his money where his mouth is. not one hundred, not several hundred, but a thousand!

it is a demonstration of faith and belief. By his sacrifices

you know he believes in God

you know he believes God is worthy to be praised

you know that he believes that God is real

you know he believes God is paying attention

Lots of people are praying, but not everyone’s prayers are based on faith

There should be something that you have done in your life that demonstrates that you really believe in God, evidence of your faith

if you don’t have a faith component, you are not praying, you are simply making wishes

if you don’t have faith, your prayer is just a mantra to comfort you

your prayer is a word of encouragement to yourself

your prayers are just self therapy, and you hash out your problems in your mind

a life changing prayer must be based on faith!

Faith in the true and living God

Solomon demonstrated his faith through sacrificial giving at the Tabernacle

If I were to follow you around, would I be able to say, she is sure sacrificing a lot for the Lord!

She must believe in God!

How can you say a life changing prayer, if you don’t truly believe that you are praying to a God that can change your life?

you gotta be real

you gotta have faith

now let’s get to this life changing prayer

1 Kings 3:6 NASB95

6 Then Solomon said, “You have shown great lovingkindness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great lovingkindness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

Solomon admits that he is in position of king based on God’s lovingkindness and his father’s faithfulness

no false pretenses . . . God I owe it all to you . . .

nothing special about me . . . God, you are special: lovingkindness, mercy, faithfulness

I just so happen to be David’s son . . . (a son born from a relationship that started in sin)

the truth is, anybody could be in this position

A life changing prayer is based on acknowledging the truth of your situation.

if you are not acknowledging the truth of your situation

if you are not living in reality . . . your prayer requests will not even make sense

when we pray, we need to look at the cold hearted facts, no sugar coating

First, be like Solomon . . . be honest about your situation

if it wasn’t for God, I would be out in those streets

if it wasn’t for my mom/dad/sister/friend who God used to help me, I would be in a bad way

God kept me, God protected me, God watched over me, God favored me, God had mercy on , God me gave me another chance!

then you can start to acknowledge the truth of what’s happening in your life.

the true situation

an honest accounting of events

the actual and real need

For if you re-write your own history, sugar coat your situation . . .

you’ll end up praying for someone else to get right, when you have more issues than them

you’ll end up praying for money, when you actually need wisdom

you’ll pray for to find love, when you actually need to learn to love yourself

you’ll pray for career growth, when you actually need career change

you’ll pray for better members, when you actually need to be a better pastor

you’ll pray for a better pastor, when you actually need to be a better member

acknowledge the truth of your situation . . .

1 Kings 3:7–8 NASB95

7 “Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 “Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted.

A life changing prayer is based on humility

Solomon was a prince before becoming king. So he had the best teachers, highest level of training, an education befitting a future ruler

Biblical evidence suggests that he was in his 20’s

Yet Solomon says, I am a but a little child, I do not know how to go out or come in

in other words, I have no idea of what I am doing

reality check for all . . . start right there - be humble enough to admit that you don’t know what are doing

I am not saying that you are stupid, I am not saying that you have no knowledge or experience, but compared to what God can reveal to you, show you, teach you . . . you have no idea what you are doing

you need to be humble enough to admit that

I need help in being a husband, wife, mother, father, man I am supposed to be, the woman I am supposed to be, friend

if you want the perfect prayer, then get to the place of where you sincerely say, “I need the, o I need thee, every hour I need thee”

don’t let pride block you from the perfect prayer

acknowledge the truth of your situation, be humble, and

1 Kings 3:9 NASB95

9 “So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

A life changing prayer is a prayer for others.

you want your life to change, pray for the lives of others to be changed!

God has called him to be a king . . . but not just so he can have fun sitting on a throne, Solomon realizes that he has a God given purpose . . . . to serve people

I want to judge/treat the people right/fairly . . . so grant we wisdom . . . for their sake . . .

Lord bless me with the gifts/tools/wisdom/resources to help your people (not my people - acknowledgment of situation)

Improve me . . . so that I can serve your people

make me better . . . so that I can minister to the people you created me to minister to

mold me . . . so that I can help the people you that you put me on this earth to help

make me . . . so that I can serve the people you desire for me to serve

bless me . . . so that I can bless them!

then you will get . . .

1 Kings 3:10 NASB95

10 It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing.

Even God is saying, “That’s a good prayer!”

this is not a new teaching, you’ve heard it before in Matthew 6:33

so do a Matthew 6:33 in your prayers!

in your prayers, seek God’s kingdom first!

Why is Jesus, King of Kings and Lords of Lord?

Why does he receive so much praise now, and then one day every knee bow at the mention of his name?

Why will he judge the whole earth?

Why does Jesus receive all of this honor?

Jesus acknowledged the situation

we needed saving, rescuing . . . sin had a hold on us

Jesus humbled himself

left glory, born in a manger, lived among us for 33 years

His life was about serving God’s people

angel said, name him jesus, for he will save his people from their sins

if you want life changing prayers you have to approach prayer like this

think about your situation, or situations . . . finances, health, relationships

be real about the situation

be humble about the situation

be about serving others in the situation

can’t run a game on God, you have to be real, and you have to have faith

if you want a life changing prayer