Prayer, Part 2

You will feel that. Many of us have felt that way. We have prayed to God, and then we've also studied His Word. And all of a sudden, we start reading something we've read many times before, and all of a sudden, we have an understanding that we never had before. And we realize God's in our lives. We realize that God, God, is talking to us. It's very, very important. We also talked about the different postures of prayer. But as we looked at all the ways you can pray, the most important message was, Pray! Just pray! Sometimes you have to be sitting in a car. Sometimes you cannot be on your knees before the great throne of God. But remember, it's important, sitting, lying down, whatever it is, to pray.

We okay? We also talked about the acrostic word, ax, A-C-T-S. And we talked about how the letters from the word showed also a progression that can happen in prayer. Ax, A-C-T-S, adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. Because all of us, you pray long enough, and you will find, you will find that it can become repetitious. Just like the progression of a quarterback, so should our prayer be. There are certain ways and certain things that take place, and adoration is very important. We must make sure we know who we are praying to. And then finally, and then finally, we got to where we understand from last week's sermon that one is in charge. One is a master, and the other is a servant. One says, I'm not worth anything. That's us. And the other, we must understand, is worth everything that is God. Is there power in prayer? You betcha. Many of us have felt it. But sometimes our only problem is what? We haven't felt it enough. So, why do I believe? Well, I study this book, and I see that God's people pray. God's people pray. Do we? Are we? God's people. Is there power in prayer?

Is there power in your prayer? I read the Bible, and I find that Abraham... I brought this comment out a few years ago when I gave this sermon. And someone came up and they wanted to correct me. Because I've always said, what? That I want to speak from the Bible. And I believe in speaking from the Bible. And I made the point that God's people pray.

Abraham's prayer saved his nephew, Lot. Abraham's prayer saved his nephew, Lot. That man came up to me and said, I can't find that in the Bible. Can you? I said, I believe if you study your Bible instead of reading your Bible, you will find some things fit. Abraham was a man who God called his friend, and he talked to him. And he showed he talked to him quite a bit. Revealed a lot to him. And so, you're going to tell me that Abraham decided to go and take 318 farmers, shepherds, and go take on over 10,000, according to historians, at least 10,000 to 50,000 men. And he won. Now, I do not believe a man of Abraham's stature, man that close to God that knew where his blessings and power came from, would not take 318 men and go conquer. He over 10,000 men without prayer. I don't know how you would do that. Moses' prayer brought manna and water. Joseph's prayer brought him to power in Egypt. Jacob's prayer, even though a reluctant prayer, brought blessings from God. Elisha prayed, and God spared a widow's son. Isaiah and Hezekiah, their prayers. Their two prayers together saved an entire nation and wiped out 185,000 Assyrians in one night. And Daniel prayed, and God clothed the mouths of lions. Jonah prayed in the belly of a fish, and what happened? God was able to use him. Hannah prayed, and God granted Israel's greatest judge into existence. Hezekiah prayed later, and God granted him what? 15 years, more life! Do you need 15 more years of life?

Maybe it's time to pray. Solomon prayed and became what? The wisest and the richest man ever! Kind of shows maybe we need to pray for our jobs. Need some more money? How about looking at the Scripture and praying for wisdom first? That's what he did.

Stephen prayed and saw the glory of God. Elijah prayed, and fire came down from heaven. And Christ thought it was so important that we would go and spend the entire night in prayer.

Greatest human prayer is in the Bible. You ever researched it? Has it ever been important enough to look at every single human prayer written in the Bible? It can be very eye-opening. How about Solomon's dedication of the temple? How about Hannah's prayer? Elijah, even Samson's prayer. Have you read that? What are your top three prayers from the Bible? I'm not sure. Sometimes, when you break it down, it's time that we start praying for help to pray. Now, if you've never ever had a problem praying, good for you. Come up and talk to me afterwards, because I've never met a person that didn't. Sometime in their life, didn't have problem with time, or didn't have a problem with what they were praying about.

Pray for help to pray. You ever thought about doing that? Because I read Ephesians 6 and verse 18. Ephesians 6 and verse 18. And it says, pray in the Spirit on all occasions. Pray in the Spirit on all occasions. What's that mean? Well, I can tell you one thing. I have prayed many times, but it wasn't in the Spirit. That was a very physical prayer. And sometimes that's necessary. But he says, pray in the Spirit on all occasions.

What about you? Do we use the Holy Spirit to pray? Or do we just go, well, you know how I am. I'm just so human. Forgive me for this. Or as I said last week, the problem is sometimes it's like laundry. We just throw them all into one big lump. Forgive me for all my sin instead of taking them one by one. Take them out.

Do we stir up the Spirit before we pray? So that we are able to pray in the Spirit. So it's more than just a request. Like you would ask somebody for a recipe.

Then it says, with all kinds of prayer and requests, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Takes a long time to pray for you guys every morning. I'm not complaining. Takes a long time to pray for people in the Caribbean who I love and cherish. Feel a responsibility for. Takes a long time to pray for family, brethren around the world, friends. And always keep on praying for all the saints. And it has been said, when we walk, we walk. But when we pray, God works. Do we remember that? When we pray, God works. Skeptics may argue that answered prayer are coincidences. It's amazing how many coincidences occur when we start praying. So I have this question for you this morning. If Jesus needed to leave and pray wrong to keep his ministry on track, do we need less? Do we need any less? He said, well, you're a minister, I'm not. What's your problem? Not mine. Each one of us has a ministry. Each one of us has been given the responsibility of marrying our brother and our father. Each one of us every day, whether you go off to work, go off to school, you're at home, you have a ministry to do. Because I've said many times, you may be the only Bible some people ever read. What are they reading? The power. If you get nothing else from today's message, the power is not in the prayer. Okay? Make sure. The power is not in the prayer. The power is in the one hearing the prayer. Okay? Make sure. The power is not in the prayer. The power is in the one hearing the prayer. Sometimes people have forgotten that. I think I'll just go pray. Pray, pray, pray. It's important for me to pray. It's important who you're praying to. He's the most powerful being. He owns everything. And when you pray, it's like asking Bill Gates for a penny. That's not even close. See, I need help in my prayer life. It can be better. No matter how good your prayer life is, I can't help. I can't help. I can't help. I can't help. I can't help. I can't help. I can't help. I can't help. I can't help. I can't help. I can't help. I can't help. No matter how good your prayer life is, I guarantee you it can be better. And the more I know about God, the better it can be. It's a relationship. It's a relationship. Do you want that relationship? See, the love of God is to please Him. It's about Him, not about me. What about your prayer? See, I, like, Humberta, pray about His cancer. I pray, and I pray every single day about His cancer.

God's in charge. I know what I want, but it's not important what I want. But as we saw last week, it's important that we ask and keep asking and asking and asking. Luke 18 verse 1. Luke 11 verse 1. He tells us what? Keep asking. Be persistent. And if I can say that, be a pain in the butt if you have to.

Because that widow sure was. Couldn't make it any plainer. And I wonder sometimes if He tells us that, just so we will pray more, because He wants to hear our voice a little more.

In prayer, I want to do my part, then let God do His. His way in His time. Are you heard every time? Is there such a thing as wasted prayer? Have you ever heard of hindered prayer? Is there such a thing as hindered prayer? How about your life? Is there something that may be hindering your prayer to God? It's interesting because the word hinder means to interfere, to obstruct, to block, impede, avert, deter, stop, to hamper, to prevent. And the Bible actually lists seven things which hinder our prayer to God. Now, I'll pull it straight from the Bible. Not from me. Not something I came up with, but something from the Bible. Because I think if we want to have God answer our prayer, if we want to have this relationship like no other, and we show Him the proper respect and love, so we talked about last week, making sure that we know who we are, where we are in the situation, that we need to make sure. Has anyone here... Why don't you say this? Hasn't everyone here been asked by someone in the last year to pray for them? I am. Most of us have, haven't we? Maybe it's a family member, maybe it's someone else. We've been asked to pray. Why? Because they realize that for some reason, even if they don't like you, that there's something about a relationship between God and people who respect and love God. So if it's that important, if it's so important, that people would come to you and ask you to pray for them or their family. Isn't it just as important to know everything we can about prayer? Now, this is part two. There will be a part three and four, but that's later on in the year. I won't cover it the next time. I have something else to cover.

So I want to look at the seven things which hinder our prayers to God. And let's see if we can eliminate them, because God actually wants us to have an incredible prayer life that actually can move mountains. Are we thinking that deep? Are we still just on the physical plane? You see, are we still praying physically? There's another level. It's the spiritual realm. That's where He wants us to go. Like you turn to James 4, Book of James.

James talks a lot about prayer. Very strong scriptures we'll go into later on in chapter 5 of James about prayer. But in James 4, verse 3, He says, You ask and do not receive because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. You come to God, you ask, but it's all about you. Hmm.

You know, a selfish purpose in prayer robs prayer of its power. The true purpose in prayer is that God may be glorified, not you and not me. I've had people tell me, and I think it's funny, I don't mean to insult you in case you, this is not, I just, I just find this, that they pray about winning the lottery. They actually pray to God, help me win this lottery. And God doesn't know already you need money. And a lot of times it's those people who can't handle money, asking God to give them more money so they can't handle that money. Right? See, I'm fairly convinced I'd be a multi-fillionaire if I could handle it. But God knows I can't. He knows I can't handle a million dollars. That's why I don't have a million dollars.

The purpose in prayer is that God may be glorified. When's the last time we prayed something and said, well, God, not about me, it's all about you. Isn't that what he wants? Isn't that what this scripture is all about? So we do not spend it on our own pleasures? I pray that that man right there be healed so that God would be glorified. Well, but God's in charge. He knows that's important. Enough in his way, in his time. I can turn to Isaiah 59. Number two, second way, second way in which our prayers could be hindered. Yeah, it's interesting if you just look at the first one about James. I mean, that's so simple, but God had to put it in there.

Isaiah 59.

It's so interesting because in chapter 58, he talked about fasting and drawing closer to God. But in chapter 59, it says in verse 1, Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, nor his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. Something's here, though. Okay, what's it say? God, but your iniquities have separated you from your God. Your sins have separated you from God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear you. You. We all have sins, right? That's why we pray every day, have our sins removed. Right, Lewis? Get them out. Right, clean. Hurged. So, what's he talking about here? We have sins that we sometimes overlook, the sins of omission and commission. Those that we know, we commit and we repent, but there's those others that, guess what? We said something that was a sin, because whatever is not of faith is of sin. We said something that's a sin. And it went right by us, just like there's nothing wrong with it. Oblivious to sin. Help God to open our ears, open our eyes, and open our minds. So, how many people cry to God in vain, simply because of sin in their lives? You see, it's so interesting when you study, and I have a full sermon on this somewhere down the road, about the story of Hezekiah and Isaiah and King Sennacherib and the Rab Shaka. It was interesting, as Assyria had surrounded them, had surrounded the city of Jerusalem, and they were going to actually come in and slaughter the entire people. They asked them to give up. They'd go in and strip all the gold, take everything. And it's interesting, because Hezekiah and Isaiah said, no. And here was the most dreaded soldiers, warriors on the planet, ready to come in, all 185,000, and take over. So, it's interesting that Hezekiah prayed that God would preserve. And he did. He said, okay, there's prayer, but you have to read the whole story, because the whole story was first Hezekiah came in and cleaned the country up, got rid of the idols, got rid of the sin, put people out, did whatever it took to clean the whole nation. Okay? And He did it with His whole heart. So, what does it tell us? What does it tell us? First, you obey, and then you pray. Okay? That's what this whole story tells us. First, you obey, and then you pray. There's so many people, oh, I got this problem, oh, God, please help me. If you'll do this, I'll never do that again. Endered prayer. If you'll just get me out of this, I'll make sure I'm yours from then on. Bargaining with God.

Sin, endered prayer. Put the sin out, then let's pray. Number three, you'll turn to Ezekiel. Ezekiel 14.

See, we all have certain things that hinder our prayers. I just want to make sure that we all know, so that we all can have a better prayer. I need you people to pray. I wish the whole entire country would pray. We're at a very great time of crisis in this country.

Ezekiel 14, verse 3, He said, Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let myself be inquired at all by them? Should I even listen to them? No. Why? It says because idols in their hearts causes God to refuse to listen to our prayers. What's an idol? Got any? Got any? Do you have any idols in your heart? Remember what you're supposed to have, the very first commandment, first and greatest, right? But an idol is anything that takes the place of God. Anything. Anything that is a supreme object of our affection. See, God alone has that right to that supreme place in our hearts. That's what it's... that's the thing that encompasses us about being a Christian. Because God is first. Not your wife. Not your children. Not your job. Not your money. Not your prestige. But you asked the question, how well today? Is God absolutely first? Is God absolutely first? You don't want your prayers hindered? Make sure He is absolutely first. Number four, like you turn to Proverbs. Like you turn to Proverbs 21, if you will. Proverbs 21.

21. Verse 13. 21. Verse 13. Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be hurt. You want your prayer hindered? Let me give you one word. Stinginess. Stinginess. Stinginess. What's the opposite of that word? One who gives to others. Luke 6 and verse 38 says, given it shall be given to you. Good measure. Press down. Shaking together, running over, will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. I like a good news translation. It says, the measure you use for others, God will use for you. So, he said, if he gave you something, would you be willing to give it to someone else? Also, would you be able, would you be willing? Able, willing. Would you be willing and able? To pray that someone else has something. If you're looking for a job, someone else is looking for a job. Are you willing to pray first for them, that they may have their job? And two are up for the same job? Would you be willing? To pray for them to get that job? So, you can, if you understand God is in supreme place over everything, that he knows your heart, and he loves that heart.

It's amazing in this world that people are drawn to prayer because they know that God's power flows primarily to people who pray. Okay? You got that? People are drawn to prayer because they know that God's power flows primarily to people who pray. Number five. Like you turn to Mark. Mark. The Book of Mark, chapter 11.

Verse 22, very important verses. If you like Mark, you may want to circle these and hang on to them. Look at them this week. Take them into your prayer closet. Verse 22. So Jesus answered and said to him, Have faith in God. Boy, that's a big one. That's the last time you prayed for more faith in God. Don't they go hand in hand? His. Amazing. You know, have faith in God. God, I can't help but have faith. I'm on my knees praying to you. Isn't that enough faith? Absolutely not. What do you say? Even the demons know there's God. What about us? Do we know He's our Father? Do we know that He will take care of us? Have faith in God, verse 23. For assuredly I say unto 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 come to pass, He will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, Whatever things you ask when you... What? Whatever things you ask when you pray, Believe. Okay, there's that faith. Believe that you receive them, and you will have them. I've not tried to move a mountain, have you?

Maybe you have. But it's interesting that when Jesus Christ is telling him, He goes through that and then He jumps down and then He jumps down in His next words in verse 25 and said, Whenever you stand praying, If you have anything against anyone, forgive him that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. Okay, here it is. The condition. See, this is conditional with God. We have to understand this point, and so many people don't. And their prayers are hindered. In the church, out of the church, everywhere, your prayers are hindered unless you get this point. And it's all a matter of the heart. And it says, 26, that if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses. Hmm. Neither will your Father. Can you really forgive people? Can you? I had to come to that conclusion that I had to make some serious changes in my life before I could become a pastor. Because I grew up, and I was taught one thing. You do something against me, I'm going to hold it for a very long time. And sooner or later, I'm going to hold it. I'm going to keep my mouth shut, and then I'm going to get you back. It may take years. But boy, can I ever get you. And when I do, you're going to know about it. And I'm going to hold that. And I think of three or four examples that I feel really bad about. Put it behind me, yes, but it stays in my mind. And I said, I can never do that. Because a minister has to be someone that people can come to and talk about their problems, talk about their sins, talk about things that are bothering them in their lives. And then once it's done, it's done. And I pray about it, but I'm not going to look at that person and go, there's that big fat liar on the other end. You know? There's that guy there, he does sit and laugh, I know. Here he does that, I know. Don't! You have to let these things go. And see, it's not only good for a minister to be able to do that, but it's great for a friend to be able to do that. Can you do that for your friends? Can we do that for the brethren in church? So that we don't keep remembering these things. Don't keep holding these things and, oh, I'm never going to forgive you for that because you set my seat last week at church. You know, I've actually seen people in the church believe the church because of some stupid flowers. Somebody was bringing flowers to the church. And they were all, and so they felt like it was their job. And then somebody else brings some other flowers that made their flowers look bad and took their flowers down and the people got all upset and they left the church. And when I tried to talk and mediate what happened, they wouldn't even talk to the other people. People playing church. We don't want to play church here. Let's not play church. This is God's house. Sanctuary. This is where we are here to help each other, not look down on each other.

Forgive in prayer. Can we pray and then forgive it? Forgive people who've sinned against us. Because if we don't, guess what? God's not going to forgive us. And our prayers are going to be hindered. Let it go. We must. And I thank God every day that He helped me overcome that. Because that was ingrained in me from years. My father taught me that. My father's a great man. But that's the way he was growing up. He held grudges. Oh! Like no tomorrow. But he learned to overcome it. I knew if he could, I could. Number six. Turn to 1 Peter 3.

1 Peter 3. Verse 7. Are you married? Listen up! If you're married. Verse 7 says, Likewise, you husbands dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. Why is it important to have a good relationship? That your prayers may not be hindered. Make it right. Get right. Pretty important. Because it plainly tells us that a wrong relationship between a husband and wife is a hindrance to prayer. Finally, number seven. Turn to James 1. James 1. James 1, verse 5. Because if any of you act wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally, and without reproach, and it will be given to him. You want wisdom? Ask. He says, he'll give it to you. Godly wisdom. The wisdom of Solomon. The wisdom of Christ. He will give it. When's the last time you prayed? For wisdom. Godly wisdom. Not just tell me what to do. Give me Godly wisdom. Number six. But let him ask in faith with no doubting. For he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. Purse are hindered by unbelief. God demands that we shall believe his word absolutely. Absolutely.

When we question him, it makes him out a liar. And I don't want to be standing near you when you call God a liar. Okay? How many of our prayers are not answered because of unbelief?

Because we get out and pray, but we do not believe truly that God will answer that prayer. God answers every single prayer. I've said that quite a few times in this congregation. He does. I know it. I'm absolutely positive. He answers every single prayer. Some are yes.

Some are no. And some? Not yet. Not yet. But he answers every single prayer. I have absolute faith in it. And I know it. But I come to him, knowing what I want. Many times, you know, I know it people. Know what I want, but I know what's most important is what he wants. What he's working with that person. Mark 9, verses 23 and 24, runs tells a story about a man and told him if you could believe. He said, if you can believe all things are possible, whether the man say, help my unbelief.

When's the last time we prayed that? Help my unbelief. I've had to say that more than a few times. Help my unbelief. For incredible words, the disciples ask. Lord, teach me to pray. It's in the book. Teaches us how to pray. We need to be in the book. We need to be looking at prayer. It's that important. It's important to me. It's important to you. It's important to this church. It's important to your family. Most of all, it's important to God. He's called you out of this world not to be like the world.

He's called you to be something special. Are we special? Nope. It's only God in us that makes us special. It's only what He does. It's only when He is glorified because this piece of flesh. As I saw the other day, there was a picture of two people. Two beautiful people from Hollywood that got married.

And it made the caption under there, showed a picture of these two genetically special, beautiful people. And I thought, I wonder what God would say about that. It's here that matters. It's here. But there is tremendous power in prayer. Ambrose Bierce. I quote him. And he said to pray, Why don't you think about this? Because it's very, very poignant. And we should think about it as we enter, as I wrap this sermon up. As we enter our prayer room, prayer closet, prayer space on our knees, where we'll be beers from many years ago, a couple hundred, 300 years ago, 200 years ago. So to pray is to ask the laws of the universe to be a no on behalf of a single petition, confessibly unworthy.

To pray is to ask the laws of the universe to be a no on behalf of a single person who is not even worth it. But God tells us to do it. Isn't that powerful? Isn't that beautiful? He's asking us to do that. That's incredible power. That's the power of prayer. That's the power of the one listening to the prayer. If we call upon God, we call upon God.

He has promised in his word to answer. If we don't call upon God, he has promised nothing. It's as simple as that. A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian. Prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian. And it makes me almost think a prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian. A powerless person. Because I don't know without prayer whether you can be a Christian. Because a Christian is a Christ-like person. And I see time and time again in this book where Jesus Christ prayed.

And what did he say? Father. Father. And he tells us to pray to our Father. Prayer must be a priority. So, rather than one in doubt, pray. Pray. As Henry Steinway listened to his greatest creation, our Father. If you read this Bible, you kind of see what I think God, our Father, daily is doing this. I think He's doing this. I think He's waiting to hear from you. He's waiting to hear from me. I have... I've never had any doubt that my physical Father loved me more than I loved Him.

You know, and I have no doubt in my mind that my Father up there, your Father loves you more than you love Him. That's why it's so important. And I miss that opportunity now that I did not have, that I had four months ago, pick up the phone and call my dad. Every single day we almost talked on the phone, and I wanted to talk to him, and he wanted to talk to me. Miss that boy. Don't make that mistake. Not with your Father up there. Don't make it. Pray. When in doubt, brethren, pray.