Prayer Potential

Matthew 7.7-11

Introduction

·         While crossing the Atlantic on an oceanliner, F. B. Meyer was asked to address the first class passengers. At the captain’s request he spoke on “Answered Prayer.” An agnostic who was present at the service was asked by his friends, “What did you think of Dr. Meyer’s sermon?” He answered, “I didn’t believe a word of it.” That afternoon Meyer went to speak to the steerage passengers. Many of the listeners at his morning address went along, including the agnostic, who claimed he just wanted to hear “what the babbler had to say.” Before starting for the service, the agnostic put two oranges in his pocket. On his way he passed an elderly woman sitting in her deck chair fast asleep. Her hands were open. In the spirit of fun, the agnostic put the two oranges in her outstretched palms. After the meeting, he saw the old lady happily eating one of the pieces of fruit. “You seem to be enjoying that orange,” he remarked with a smile. “Yes, sir,” she replied, “My Father is very good to me.” “Your father? Surely your father can’t be still alive!” “Praise God,” she replied, “He is very much alive.” “What do you mean?” pressed the agnostic. She explained, “I’ll tell you, sir. I have been seasick for days. I was asking God somehow to send me an orange. I suppose I fell asleep while I was praying. When I awoke, I found He had not only sent me one orange but two!” The agnostic was speechless. Later he was converted to Christ. (Our Daily Bread, April 16)

·         What wonderful encouragement you and I have as God’s children—knowing that our Father answers our prayer according to our needs!

·         Read text.

·         Great potential here—

·         Two simple, yet glorious truths: Profound. This is win-win. Can’t go wrong. There’s so much potential here.

1.     God Will Answer Our Prayers

·         Ask for it—you’ll get it. Seek it—you’ll find it. Knock—and you’ll get in. Wow!

·         Of course the present tense verbs—keep on . . .  Suggests:

·         Bold persistence in prayer—note Luke’s gospel—parallel—a few differences. Important—preceded by parable illustrating bold persistence:

·         Luke 11:5-8 Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’ 7 “Then the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. NIV

·         Note the transition into ask, seek, knock—so I say to you. . .

·         God will answer my prayers. What we need to do is pray with bold persistence. Boy, who wouldn’t keep on—knowing the potential their prayer holds? Who wouldn’t be bold before the Lord—persistent? Not you, right? I hope not—given the enormous potential such praying holds.

·         Not only is Jesus teaching that God will answer our prayers, he’s saying that . . .

2.     God Will Give Us the Best Answers

·         Re-read vv. 9-11.

·         Understanding how parents meet the needs of their children. Maybe a personal illustration.

·         Kids—the older they get the more they ask for--$5 becomes $50, etc. A ride—the car keys—a car! And, oh, how we whine! Sometimes we have to laugh to keep from crying, right?

·         A kid called up his Mom from his college and asked her for some money, because he was broke. His Mother said, "Sure, sweetie. I will send you some money. You also left your calculus book here when you visited 2 weeks ago. Do you want me to send that up too?" "Uhh, oh yeah, o.k." responded the kid. So his Mom wrapped the book along with the checks up in a package, kissed Dad goodbye, and went to the post office to mail the money and the book. When she gets back, Dad asked, "Well how much did you give the boy this time?" "Oh, I wrote 2 checks, one for $20, and the other for $1,000 out to him." "That's $1020!!!" yelled Dad, "Are you crazy???" "Don't worry hon," Mom said, kissed Dad on the on top of his bald head, "I taped the $20 check to the cover of his book, but I put the $1,000 one somewhere between the pages in chapter 19!"

·         A favorite pastime of parents—moaning about paying for all the stuff their kids need and want—but we really love giving it to them, don’t we. Any parent worth his or her salt—wants the absolute best for the kidos—and they’ll work to see that the kids get it. And that’s what Jesus is saying here. Only he goes on (as you can see) to compare us—parents—to God the Father. But sin affects how I answer the requests/meet the needs of my children. Sin is never a problem for God—he answers our prayer and meets our needs perfectly. As he deems best.

·         Now let’s stop a minute and soak this up a few seconds—if I ask, seek, and knock, I’ll get it, find it and get in—what I get will be the best—what I find will be the best—and what I get into will be the best. Prayer potential—amazing.

·         But wait—hold up! If you’re a skeptic like me—someone who’s always looking for kinks, etc. Asking—But what’s the catch?

3.     A Few Qualifications

·         Quick survey through the NT of the Qualifications—see the above verses.

·         There’s some overlap but we need to hear each one.

·         I’ll just give you each key word and we’ll go from there.

1) Faith

·         Matthew 21:22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” NIV

·         James 1:5-8 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. NIV

·         We can keep on asking, seeking, and knocking, but if we don’t believe it does any good to ask, seek, and knock—that God will respond—well . . . you get the picture. The potential for prayer is tied to our faith—whether or not we trust—whether or not we truly believe Mat. 7.7-11!

2) Relationship

·         Prayer power is activated within the realm of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

·         John 15:7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. NIV

·         It would be ever so easy to tune in to the last part of the verse—ask whatever . . . What a promise! Whatever. Whatever I wish! And it will be given to me! Cool.

·         But we can’t do that—split the verse—the whatever—happens within the realm of an intimate relationship with Christ—that’s what the remaining is all about—other trans.—abiding.

3) Jesus

·         Our prayer must be in Jesus’ name:

·         John 14:13-14 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. NIV

·         John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. NIV

·         John 16:23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. NIV

·         Leon Morris—This does not mean simply using the name as a formula. It means that prayer is to be in accordance with all that the name stands for. It is prayer proceeding from faith in Christ, prayer that gives expression to a unity with all that Christ stands for, prayer which seek to set forward Christ Himself. And the purpose of it all is the glory of God.

4) Motives

·         James 4:2-3 You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. NIV

·         We need to be careful that our prayers aren’t selfishly motivated.

5) Obedience

·         1 John 3:22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. NIV

·         Don’t misunderstand—John isn’t saying—do for God and he’ll do for you. And no, not one of us will ever be perfect in obeying him. The idea is that I respond to God in loving obedience—and as I grow in obedience to him, my desires will be more in line with his desire and I will be more inclined to pray according to his will.

6) Will

·         1 John 5:14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. NIV

·         Never let anyone tell you any differently—the potential for prayer lies in the hands of the Father—and we must pray according to his will to see that potential unleashed!

Conclusion

·         How’s your prayer life?

·         Potential for prayer meeting