United Church of God

Unanswered Prayer: Waiting Upon the Lord

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Unanswered Prayer

Waiting Upon the Lord

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MP3 Audio (11.46 MB)

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Unanswered Prayer: Waiting Upon the Lord

MP3 Audio (11.46 MB)
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When we suffer, we pour out our hearts to God for relief. What if those prayers are not answered? Discover several examples from the Bible including King David and Moses to show the patience we need to wait upon the Lord.

Sermon Notes

When we suffer we often go to God with our trials.  Sometimes when we go to God and the trials are not answered, we might think our prayers are not being answered.  When we get at our lowest, we pour our hearts out to God for relief.

1 Sam. 13:14

Acts 13:22

We can look to David as an example.  He wanted God desperately in his life, but David also experienced many unanswered prayers.  

Psalm 13:1 → How long will you forget me?  How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul.  How long will my enemies triumph over me?
We know that God and Christ can answer our prayers

If our prayers are delayed, what are we to do?

God word gives us clear instruction.  Be patient and wait upon God.

Importance of waiting upon the Lord.

Exo. 4:1-9 → Moses had a lot of concerns on his mind when going before Pharaoh.

Exo. 4:10 → Moses was feeling self-conscious.  He saw an amazing display of power from God and then focused on his own personal weaknesses.

Exo. 4:11 

God chose not to heal Moses stuttering problems.  He had to wait for God’s power.

Remember God will Provide.

Waiting on the Lord isn’t easy, but that is what we told to do.  God promised that He will be there for us.  This is a tough answer from God.  Sometimes God allows our trials to continue to He can show us a deeper understand of Him working in our life.

Exo. 4:12 → God tells Moses to just go.  I will be with your mouth and teach you what to say.  Physical things do not have to be perfect for God to work with them.  Often, God works with a weaker vessel.  

Paul was perfect example of this.  Paul felt self important and then God brought him down physically.  Paul had physical health problems, he was jailed and whipped.  God doesn’t like to see us suffer, but He knows He can work powerfully through us when we do suffer.

1 Cor. 1:26 → God has purposely made us weak.  Our flesh is weak to sin, disease, and sickness.

God is leading us to an unimaginable glory.  What we’ve been called to is incredible.  We have to look forward to God’s Kingdom.  We are called to wait on God.

God promises a day of resurrection when we will never be susceptible to sickness.

Phil. 3:20 → Our citizenship where we wait for our savior.  One day God will give us that glorious body, but today we have to suffer at times.

2.)  As we wait upon God, remember His miracles in our life.

Exo. 4:10 → Moses was thinking of his weaknesses instead of the miracles that just took place in front of him.

God is telling Moses that He is control of everything.  God is a God of supreme justice, He will make all things right.

Isa. 30:18 -> The Lord is  God of justice, He makes things right and corrects the wrongs.  

When God begins to work with someone, he begins to reveal His power to that person.  How has God revealed Himself to you?  How has He shown his power, guidance, and mercy?  God has called us and given us an opportunity to have a relationship with Him.

John 6:44

The world doesn’t love God’s truth and God hasn’t called them into a relationship

Three power statements of scripture that point to God working in our lives.

A.] Matt. 13:11 → Remember that God has unlocked the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven.  We are given the Sabbath and the knowledge of the Holy Days.

B.] John 3:19 → The world doesn’t like the light or the truth because they love the darkness since their deeds are evil.

John 3:21 → He who does the truth comes to the light.  We build our relationship with Jesus Christ by ridding ourselves of evil.

C.] John 12:37 → Jesus Christ performed so many miracles, they did not believe in him and just dismissed Him.  If we did not believe, God would not be working powerfully in our lives.

Eventually, Moses got the idea.  As the Israelites are fleeing that had a major test of the Red Sea ahead fo them.

Exo. 14:13 → Do not be afraid.

God wants to heal us, but sometimes there are more powerful lessons to learn in our lives.

Psalm 27:14 → Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and He shall strengthen your spirit in this life or the next.