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Powerful Prayers Luk. 11:5-9 “And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” One problem in the body today is powerlessness. To bring forth God’s change, healing and deliverance, the Word must go forth in power and demonstration. When this is not taking place, we have a quandary. People want deliverance today. Why don’t they have it? We must take very seriously what Jesus is saying in this parable. In verse 7, who is the one from within? God the Father! He is saying “Don’t bother me.” That is an aspect of God’s nature that we don’t understand. We think because we pray that God is delighted and He will just bless us. But that is not so. “The door is shut and my children are with me in bed.” Father has all the saints of the ages with Him around the throne praising and worshipping. He doesn’t need all our troubles and evils. He can’t stand to look upon the sinful nature of people. Have we ever heard the Lord “Get away from Me. I can’t get up and give you anything?” When we have prayed all we want but have not received anything, how do we respond? When you hear a response like this from God what are you going to do? People need deliverance today. People need salvation. People need healing. God has put His Spirit upon you to minister, but nothing happens. What are you going to do? Stop praying for people? Paul says in Corinthians, if this ministry be hidden, it is hidden to those who are lost because they are blinded in their minds and can’t believe what God has done for them. Everyone we pray for doesn’t get saved. Everyone we pray for doesn’t get delivered or healed. Verse 8 says “Because he is a friend…importunity” = boldness, persistence, brassiness, prevenient (expectation), without shame. THAT IS THE KEY TO PRAYER. People today won’t pray because they think God is too busy, or it isn’t important, or “Whatever will be will be.” Believe it or not God does want to hear your voice. But people have lost their expectation because they haven’t received what they needed in the past. From the O.T. we see all the sacrifices of animals that were given. Some had to have oils and flour and spices put on them. Sacrifices had to be cooked a certain way. But none of that was to feed God. He didn’t eat it. God told them to do these things because He wanted their attention. He wanted them to do something for Him. When they did this, it kept their minds on God and that impact has lasted to this day. Jews are still influenced by that detail of observance towards God. “Because of His shamelessness.” We are so proud in America if we don’t get what we want when we want it, we get mad and pout. “If that’s the way God wants to be, let Him keep it.” “I asked Him and He didn’t answer.” That’s pride! We need to come on our face “boldly to the throne of grace.” Stop being mousy because things aren’t so good in your life. Get in there and ASK. And God says, “I’m busy go away.” (Response) “NO! I need help today, right now God.” [Sometimes when parents don’t hear their child, the child will get bold and ask, “Why don’t you listen to me? I need help.”} God is waiting for us to do this with Him. (Don’t get cocky – mean business.) “Dear Lord, this is in your Word, and I am asking shamelessly (without pretense = false reason, deception, right motives). “Look, it is summertime and everyone is on vacation. Come back in the fall when the people have time for Me.” “No, God I need you now. I’m not letting go until You bless me.” God: “Boy, are you ever shameless, coming to me like that.” “That’s right, Lord, I need this.” “Well, maybe he means business. Because of his boldness, I will give him whatever he needs.” In case what we ask isn’t God’s will, we need to add, “Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.” Paul had a thorn in the flesh and he prayed. When he didn’t get his answer he prayed again. Still nothing, so he prayed again. Then God spoke, but instead of healing him, God said, “You need this so that My strength can be perfected in you. You won’t be able to function spiritually without it.” When people are praying for healing or a miracle or whatever it is in the natural, they often get reasoned out of receiving the answer. They think “Maybe I’m too old” or “Maybe I’m too young,” or “Maybe I’m not good enough,” or “I have sin in my life.” Presuming it isn’t God’s will, they quit too soon. They don’t wait to hear from God. Paul didn’t pray three times and say, “Well, I guess it isn’t God’s will.” He waited to hear what the Lord would say. This is the key. If we know it is God’s will, we can ask why the answer is being delayed. If God says no, we need to accept His wisdom. But until He answers or speaks, we need to ask shamelessly and boldly. Many today have not been taught how to pray through. This generation has not walked the Biblical ways of prayer. There is an actual release that comes when you have prayed through. It is something you can know and experience. Here is the key: You pray and you run out of time or you go to bed, but the next time you get at it again and you stay with it, day after day until you get what you pray for. There may be a need for healing, for money, for a job, for deliverance of a loved one. But you stay with it. That is boldness. All of a sudden, the time when you least expect it, you will pray through. You will know because you won’t be able to pray any more about it. All you can do is thank Him and bless Him and praise Him. People don’t pray through because they are consumed with too many other things. The church is on very dangerous waters when they don’t pray through. Until we know what it is to pray through, we will receive anything without knowing if what we receive is really God’s will. When you get down, you have to let the Lord know you are not going to let go until you get a response. If you take that attitude you will get the ear of the Lord. (I John 5:15) “And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” I know it has been taught if you pray more than once you don’t have faith. That is not so. If you pray more than once it means you DO HAVE FAITH. It simply means you haven’t received the answer yet. Another problem in the church today is people’s discontent because they have not sought the Lord diligently. Don’t blame the Lord for your sorrows. No matter how hard life may be for the believer it should be the best life around. We know that we have the answer if we know that He hears us. That isn’t something you imagine; it is a sensation that you know that you know. You can’t pray anymore, even if you want to. You are released. You can get healings, deliverances, needs met, blessings. But the church today doesn’t know this. So they are weak, impotent, powerless, and full of unbelief. The deception of the church says the giftings of the Holy Spirit are not for today. The church is too educated, too proud, and not simple enough to believe God said it and therefore it is. But God wants us to see and hear it and to experience it. He wants the Word confirmed with signs following. To believe otherwise is to remain powerless. BUT, we have to stay with prayer until God either says, “It is not time;” or “It is coming.” To stay with prayer until God answers is to pray persevering prayers of faith. These are prayers of belief, prayer of determination, prayers of power. Remember, God ALWAYS answers, but do we want to spend the time to hear? Grab hold of God. If he says “Let go,” you say, “NO, not until You bless me.” -Pr. Steve July Newsletter 2003 | Powerful Prayers | Christian Education | Pastor's Journal July 2002 A Harlot's Torment | Faith and the End | Meekness and Mercy part 1 of 3 |
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