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Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - The Power of Faith-Kneeling (Part 1)

May 2, 2025 | 27:29

Robert Jeffress - The Power of Faith-Kneeling (Part 1)
Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.
#Faith #TrustGod #WalkwithGod #Victory #LoveofGod #Bible #Religion #Dr.RobertJeffress #RobertJeffress

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - The Power of Faith-Kneeling (Part 1) | May 2, 2025
  • ...
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist church of
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  • Dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory"
  • 00:00:08.965 --> 00:00:11.668
  • With dr. robert jeffress.
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  • Dr. robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress, and welcome
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  • Again to "pathway to victory."
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  • As god's children, we're free to lay any request at the feet of
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  • Our heavenly father.
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  • Yet oftentimes, we forget to bring our cares and concerns
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  • To him.
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  • Or, we only view prayer as the last resort when everything else
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  • Has failed.
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  • Well, today, i want to share with you two truths that will
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  • Help you unleash the power of prayer in your life.
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  • My message is titled "the power of faith-kneeling" on today's
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  • Edition of "pathway to victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male announcer: god never intended for the holy spirit to
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  • Be a mystery to believers.
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  • In fact, if you're a follower of jesus, then god's spirit is
  • 00:01:00.517 --> 00:01:04.154
  • Dwelling inside of you, and he's waiting to unleash his
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  • Supernatural power in your life.
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  • In his best-selling book, "i want more!," dr. robert jeffress
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  • Teaches what it means to be filled with the power of the
  • 00:01:13.329 --> 00:01:16.132
  • Holy spirit.
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  • Looking to satisfy your spiritual cravings?
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  • Request the book "i want more!"
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  • When you give a generous gift to "pathway to victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Jeffress: one writer calls it "the prayer fade."
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  • You may not be familiar with that term, but i bet you've
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  • Experienced the reality behind it.
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  • You read a book, you hear a sermon, you attend a seminar
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  • That talks about the importance of prayer.
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  • You're reminded that all of the great men and women of the bible
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  • Prayed consistently and experienced the power of
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  • God consequently.
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  • You're reminded that even jesus himself, the son of god, made
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  • Prayer priority in his life.
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  • He got up in the early morning when it was still dark, and he
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  • Found a lonely place to pray.
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  • And you're told that jesus, the son of god, made prayer a
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  • Priority in his life, how much more should it be a priority in
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  • Our life?
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  • And so, convinced of the lack of prayerfulness in your own life,
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  • You make a vow to god.
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  • You say, "god, whatever else i do every day, i'm gonna spend at
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  • Least five or ten minutes talking with you."
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  • And that commitment lasts several months, several weeks,
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  • Several days, until you give up, disgusted by your own lack of
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  • Discipline and disappointed in god's answers to your prayers.
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  • Has that ever happened to you?
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  • One writer describes "the prayer fade" this way in his own life.
  • 00:02:53.463 --> 00:02:56.733
  • He said, "when i first became a christian, the idea of speaking
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  • To the god of the universe excited me.
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  • I couldn't pray enough.
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  • I prayed in the morning before the day began.
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  • I took time off at lunch to pray.
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  • We prayed at meal times as a family.
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  • I prayed at night before i went to bed.
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  • I was seeing answers to my prayers all the time.
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  • Prayer was changing me and others, but then i don't know
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  • What happened.
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  • I lost interest.
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  • Even though i'm still active in the church, i just don't pray
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  • That much anymore."
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  • We've all been there, haven't we?
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  • And yet as you look at the bible, you find that prayer is
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  • One of those important channels through which the holy spirit's
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  • Power is poured into our life.
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  • If you have your bibles this morning, turn to romans
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  • Chapter 15.
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  • I like what john piper has written, he said, "prayer is our
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  • Splicing our lamp wire into the lightning bolt of heaven."
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  • Another good description, "prayer is splicing our lamp
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  • Wire into the lightning bolt of heaven."
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  • Indeed, as you look at both the old and the new testaments,
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  • You'll discover that it was through prayer that the power of
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  • God fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifices on mount
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  • Carmel when elijah was battling against the prophets of baal.
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  • You'll discover it was through prayer that jesus was able to
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  • Transform five loaves and two fish in order to feed 25,000
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  • People or more.
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  • You'll find that it is through prayer that peter was
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  • Supernaturally released from prison.
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  • Through prayer, over and over again, we see the power of
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  • God demonstrated.
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  • And i imagine most of us here today could also give a personal
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  • Testimony of how god's power was unleashed in our life
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  • Through prayer.
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  • I remember some years ago when i was at my previous church, we
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  • Were getting ready to build a new worship center, a
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  • New sanctuary.
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  • We were faced with a dilemma, though.
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  • We wanted to build the new sanctuary on the parking lot,
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  • Across from where our main facility was, but there was a
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  • Street that bisected our main property from the parking lot.
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  • And in order to build that new sanctuary there, we needed the
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  • City to give us that street.
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  • Well, they made it very clear they had no interest in giving
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  • Us that street.
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  • And so, we had the dilemma, where are we going to stay in
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  • Our present location or move the church to a new location?
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  • And we were battling back and forth, roy sparkman back there
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  • Was the chairman of our committee.
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  • And we debated back and forth, you know, should we move?
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  • We didn't want to move, but we couldn't stay with that street
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  • Not being given to us.
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  • And so one morning, one wednesday morning, i was meeting
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  • With our pastor's prayer partners just discussing the
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  • Situation, and i had this novel idea.
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  • It was a revolutionary idea.
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  • Why don't we pray about this?
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  • You know, isn't it sad that the pastor has to think of prayer as
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  • The last resort instead of the first thing that we ought to do
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  • When we face a difficulty?
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  • I bet i'm not the only one who does that, though.
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  • You know, you wait until your back is up against the wall, and
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  • When nothing else works, pray.
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  • Well, i said, "let's pray about it."
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  • So, we got 50 of the men who were there that morning, and we
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  • Marched down to the old sanctuary, and we spent about 30
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  • Minutes on our knees praying before god, asking for him to
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  • Give us that street.
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  • Now, that was about 7:30 on that wednesday morning.
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  • 4:30 that afternoon, one of the city officials called me.
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  • Now, he had said over and over again, "we're not giving you
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  • That street, you can appeal it if you want to,
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  • But we're not gonna give it to you."
  • 00:06:36.118 --> 00:06:37.787
  • The city official called me at 4:30 that afternoon and said,
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  • "are you still interested in having that street?"
  • 00:06:40.656 --> 00:06:44.060
  • And within a month, we had possession of that street.
  • 00:06:44.060 --> 00:06:48.030
  • Is that just a coincidence?
  • 00:06:48.030 --> 00:06:50.900
  • I like what one person said, "it's amazing how many
  • 00:06:50.900 --> 00:06:54.237
  • Coincidences occur when we begin to pray."
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  • We see that all the time.
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  • I imagine every one of you here today could give a testimony
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  • About how god miraculously answered a prayer in your life.
  • 00:07:04.413 --> 00:07:09.285
  • So, why don't we pray more?
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  • I mean, if we believe intellectually, we know
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  • Experientially that prayer is the conduit through which god's
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  • Power is poured into our life, why don't we pray more?
  • 00:07:16.859 --> 00:07:20.897
  • Well, some people say, "i don't have time to pray.
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  • I'd like to, i just don't have time to do it."
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  • The fact is, we make time for doing the important things in
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  • Our life, don't we?
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  • I mean, we make time to eat.
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  • I can tell by looking at a lot of you, you make time to eat.
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  • That's a cheap shot from the pulpit.
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  • Pardon me, forgive me for doing that.
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  • I mean, we do.
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  • We make time for the things that are important to us.
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  • I like what oswald chambers writes, he says, "remember, no
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  • One has time to pray.
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  • We have to take time from other things that are valuable in
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  • Order to understand how necessary prayer is."
  • 00:07:53.462 --> 00:07:57.433
  • Now, i realize that talking about the need to pray induces
  • 00:07:57.433 --> 00:08:00.970
  • About as much guilt on us as talking about our need to read
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  • The bible.
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  • I mean, we all know we ought to pray more, just like we need to
  • 00:08:05.174 --> 00:08:07.810
  • Read the scriptures more.
  • 00:08:07.810 --> 00:08:09.412
  • And yet, most of us have difficulty maintaining a
  • 00:08:09.412 --> 00:08:12.748
  • Consistent prayer life.
  • 00:08:12.748 --> 00:08:14.083
  • Could i share with you, as we begin this morning, two truths
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  • That i think will be an encouragement to you
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  • About prayer?
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  • First of all, remember that "praying consistently
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  • Is difficult."
  • 00:08:24.126 --> 00:08:25.561
  • Praying consistently is difficult.
  • 00:08:25.561 --> 00:08:28.030
  • Look at romans 15, verse 30.
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  • Paul writes, "now i urge you, brethren, by our lord jesus
  • 00:08:30.299 --> 00:08:34.870
  • Christ and by the love of the spirit, to strive together with
  • 00:08:34.870 --> 00:08:39.742
  • Me in your prayers to god for me."
  • 00:08:39.742 --> 00:08:43.446
  • Paul said, "i beg you to strive in your prayers for me."
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  • That word, "strive," is the greek word "agonitzomai."
  • 00:08:48.818 --> 00:08:53.055
  • "agonitzomai," you don't have to have a degree in greek to know
  • 00:08:53.055 --> 00:08:56.192
  • What that word means.
  • 00:08:56.192 --> 00:08:57.893
  • It's the word we get our english word "agonized" from.
  • 00:08:57.893 --> 00:09:02.064
  • "agonize with me in prayer."
  • 00:09:02.064 --> 00:09:04.734
  • Paul is saying, "prayer is agonizing work."
  • 00:09:04.734 --> 00:09:08.571
  • That word, "agonitzomai," is an athletic term.
  • 00:09:08.571 --> 00:09:12.208
  • It refers to the effort expended by someone in an
  • 00:09:12.208 --> 00:09:16.712
  • Athletic contest.
  • 00:09:16.712 --> 00:09:18.614
  • It refers to the sweat, the effort.
  • 00:09:18.614 --> 00:09:21.283
  • And it's particularly referring to a wrestling match.
  • 00:09:21.283 --> 00:09:24.720
  • Just as a wrestler struggles with his opponent, paul says,
  • 00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:29.258
  • "prayer is a struggle."
  • 00:09:29.258 --> 00:09:31.894
  • Say, "well, how is prayer a struggle?"
  • 00:09:31.894 --> 00:09:33.329
  • Well, first of all, it's a struggle with our enemy,
  • 00:09:33.329 --> 00:09:35.431
  • With satan.
  • 00:09:35.431 --> 00:09:36.999
  • Paul uses a similar term, not the same term, but a similar
  • 00:09:36.999 --> 00:09:40.102
  • Term in ephesians 6, verse 12, where he says, remember, "for
  • 00:09:40.102 --> 00:09:43.739
  • Our struggle, our struggle, is not against flesh and blood, but
  • 00:09:43.739 --> 00:09:48.110
  • Against the rulers, against the powers, against the unseen
  • 00:09:48.110 --> 00:09:51.147
  • Forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of
  • 00:09:51.147 --> 00:09:54.550
  • Wickedness in the heavenly places."
  • 00:09:54.550 --> 00:09:56.552
  • We spent months studying the subject of spiritual warfare,
  • 00:09:56.552 --> 00:10:00.656
  • And we said we have a very real enemy who wants to destroy
  • 00:10:00.656 --> 00:10:04.694
  • Everything important in our life.
  • 00:10:04.694 --> 00:10:06.629
  • Does satan want you to pray?
  • 00:10:06.629 --> 00:10:08.664
  • Does he want you to receive the power of god's blessing in
  • 00:10:08.664 --> 00:10:11.367
  • Your life?
  • 00:10:11.367 --> 00:10:12.702
  • Of course not, and so he's gonna do everything he can to
  • 00:10:12.702 --> 00:10:15.304
  • Discourage you from praying.
  • 00:10:15.304 --> 00:10:17.306
  • That's why paul says, "prayer is a struggle."
  • 00:10:17.306 --> 00:10:19.475
  • It's a struggle, first of all, with satan.
  • 00:10:19.475 --> 00:10:22.244
  • But secondly, prayer is a struggle with god himself.
  • 00:10:22.244 --> 00:10:26.449
  • Remember jacob in the old testament?
  • 00:10:26.449 --> 00:10:28.384
  • He struggled, he wrestled with god.
  • 00:10:28.384 --> 00:10:31.721
  • In the new testament, we see jesus wrestling with god in the
  • 00:10:31.721 --> 00:10:36.525
  • Garden of gethsemane.
  • 00:10:36.525 --> 00:10:38.160
  • It was a wrestling match over whether god's will or jesus's
  • 00:10:38.160 --> 00:10:42.031
  • Will was gonna be accomplished.
  • 00:10:42.031 --> 00:10:43.599
  • With jacob, it was either god's will or jacob's will.
  • 00:10:43.599 --> 00:10:47.903
  • That's why it tells us in luke 22:44 that when jesus agonized
  • 00:10:47.903 --> 00:10:52.308
  • In the garden of gethsemane, that "he began to sweat as if
  • 00:10:52.308 --> 00:10:56.846
  • Great drops of blood were falling to the ground."
  • 00:10:56.846 --> 00:11:00.649
  • Prayer is a struggle.
  • 00:11:00.649 --> 00:11:02.251
  • It's a struggle with whether we're going to acquiesce to the
  • 00:11:02.251 --> 00:11:05.287
  • Will of god or not.
  • 00:11:05.287 --> 00:11:06.655
  • We're gonna say more about that in a moment.
  • 00:11:06.655 --> 00:11:08.491
  • But not only is prayer struggle with satan, it's a struggle
  • 00:11:08.491 --> 00:11:10.993
  • With god.
  • 00:11:10.993 --> 00:11:12.328
  • Most of all, prayer is a struggle with ourselves,
  • 00:11:12.328 --> 00:11:14.597
  • Isn't it?
  • 00:11:14.597 --> 00:11:15.965
  • I mean, let's face it, it is a struggle to get up in the
  • 00:11:15.965 --> 00:11:19.201
  • Morning and get some blanket victory in order to take a few
  • 00:11:19.201 --> 00:11:22.438
  • Moments to pray.
  • 00:11:22.438 --> 00:11:23.939
  • It's a struggle of whether or not we're gonna say no to that
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  • Additional television program and instead make time to pray.
  • 00:11:26.942 --> 00:11:30.646
  • It's a struggle to lay aside that great scintillating novel
  • 00:11:30.646 --> 00:11:34.183
  • We just started in order to take time to pray.
  • 00:11:34.183 --> 00:11:37.353
  • It's a struggle, even when we do begin to pray, to keep our mind
  • 00:11:37.353 --> 00:11:41.123
  • Focused on what we're saying to god, instead of reviewing our
  • 00:11:41.123 --> 00:11:44.827
  • Daily to-do list.
  • 00:11:44.827 --> 00:11:46.929
  • Prayer is a struggle.
  • 00:11:46.929 --> 00:11:48.297
  • The good news is god understands that.
  • 00:11:48.297 --> 00:11:50.699
  • God says he knows our frame.
  • 00:11:50.699 --> 00:11:52.835
  • He understands that we're nothing but dust.
  • 00:11:52.835 --> 00:11:56.539
  • Sometimes, god has a better understanding of our limitations
  • 00:11:56.539 --> 00:11:59.208
  • Than we do.
  • 00:11:59.208 --> 00:12:00.743
  • I love what brother lawrence wrote one time.
  • 00:12:00.743 --> 00:12:02.778
  • He said, "for many years, i was bothered by the thought that i
  • 00:12:02.778 --> 00:12:06.215
  • Was a failure at prayer.
  • 00:12:06.215 --> 00:12:08.284
  • Then one day, i realized i would always be a failure at prayer,
  • 00:12:08.284 --> 00:12:12.555
  • And i've gotten along much better at praying ever since."
  • 00:12:12.555 --> 00:12:16.258
  • And just mark it down, remember it, praying consistently will
  • 00:12:16.258 --> 00:12:20.529
  • Always be a struggle.
  • 00:12:20.529 --> 00:12:21.864
  • Nobody ever ends that struggle.
  • 00:12:21.864 --> 00:12:24.967
  • But here's the balancing truth.
  • 00:12:24.967 --> 00:12:26.468
  • Yes, praying consistently is difficult, but praying
  • 00:12:26.468 --> 00:12:30.039
  • Effectively is simple.
  • 00:12:30.039 --> 00:12:32.575
  • Write it down, "praying effectively is simple."
  • 00:12:32.575 --> 00:12:35.211
  • Turn over to matthew chapter 6, the passage we just read a few
  • 00:12:35.211 --> 00:12:38.747
  • Moments ago.
  • 00:12:38.747 --> 00:12:40.249
  • You know, there is a plethora of books, seminars, cds, sermons
  • 00:12:40.249 --> 00:12:45.087
  • About prayer, but i think one of the downsides of all of this
  • 00:12:45.087 --> 00:12:49.158
  • Information we have out there about prayer is we have overly
  • 00:12:49.158 --> 00:12:52.561
  • Complicated prayer.
  • 00:12:52.561 --> 00:12:54.864
  • I mean, we've given people the idea that unless everything is
  • 00:12:54.864 --> 00:12:57.800
  • Right in your life, or unless you have the right vocabulary,
  • 00:12:57.800 --> 00:13:01.237
  • Unless you have a phd in intercessory prayer, you're just
  • 00:13:01.237 --> 00:13:04.440
  • Not qualified to pray.
  • 00:13:04.440 --> 00:13:06.709
  • And that's why more people don't pray more consistently.
  • 00:13:06.709 --> 00:13:09.545
  • We've overcomplicated prayer.
  • 00:13:09.545 --> 00:13:10.980
  • For example, we give the idea to people that unless you have two
  • 00:13:10.980 --> 00:13:14.416
  • Or three hours to pray every day like martin luther did, you
  • 00:13:14.416 --> 00:13:17.920
  • Might as well not bother.
  • 00:13:17.920 --> 00:13:19.955
  • To pray a simple short prayer to god is almost disrespectful
  • 00:13:19.955 --> 00:13:23.525
  • Of god.
  • 00:13:23.525 --> 00:13:24.894
  • God will only hear a long prayer, not a short prayer.
  • 00:13:24.894 --> 00:13:27.763
  • And yet, look at what jesus said in matthew 6, verse 7, "and when
  • 00:13:27.763 --> 00:13:31.333
  • You are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the
  • 00:13:31.333 --> 00:13:35.471
  • Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for
  • 00:13:35.471 --> 00:13:40.509
  • Their" what?
  • 00:13:40.509 --> 00:13:42.011
  • "many words."
  • 00:13:42.011 --> 00:13:44.747
  • Jesus said it is a myth to think that god is impressed with how
  • 00:13:44.747 --> 00:13:49.551
  • Many words you use.
  • 00:13:49.551 --> 00:13:52.121
  • Don't confuse the length of your prayer with the strength of
  • 00:13:52.121 --> 00:13:56.258
  • Your prayer.
  • 00:13:56.258 --> 00:13:58.160
  • Let me illustrate that for you, why length and strength are not
  • 00:13:58.160 --> 00:14:03.265
  • Always related.
  • 00:14:03.265 --> 00:14:05.968
  • Who in here today, in this vast audience, can identify a man
  • 00:14:05.968 --> 00:14:10.739
  • Named edward everett?
  • 00:14:10.739 --> 00:14:13.042
  • How many of you know the name edward everett?
  • 00:14:13.042 --> 00:14:15.577
  • We had two people in the first service.
  • 00:14:15.577 --> 00:14:18.747
  • One, two, marshall, i should know you would, or you ought to
  • 00:14:18.747 --> 00:14:24.720
  • Know who edward everett is.
  • 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:26.989
  • He spoke for two hours at the dedication of the
  • 00:14:26.989 --> 00:14:30.659
  • Gettysburg cemetery.
  • 00:14:30.659 --> 00:14:32.728
  • And yet, only two of you know who he is, and i bet not one of
  • 00:14:32.728 --> 00:14:35.564
  • You can recall anything he said in his two hours at the
  • 00:14:35.564 --> 00:14:39.401
  • Dedication ceremony of the gettysburg cemetery.
  • 00:14:39.401 --> 00:14:42.905
  • But his speech was followed by a man named abraham lincoln, who
  • 00:14:42.905 --> 00:14:48.243
  • Spoke for two minutes at the gettysburg cemetery, and we all
  • 00:14:48.243 --> 00:14:52.815
  • Remember his words.
  • 00:14:52.815 --> 00:14:54.483
  • "four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on
  • 00:14:54.483 --> 00:14:57.686
  • This continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and
  • 00:14:57.686 --> 00:15:02.725
  • Dedicated to the principle that all men are created equal."
  • 00:15:02.725 --> 00:15:08.230
  • Isn't that interesting?
  • 00:15:08.230 --> 00:15:09.598
  • Two minutes, and yet we remember those words.
  • 00:15:09.598 --> 00:15:12.501
  • Don't confuse the length of your words with the strength of
  • 00:15:12.501 --> 00:15:16.672
  • Your words.
  • 00:15:16.672 --> 00:15:18.073
  • Think about elijah, 1 kings, chapter 18.
  • 00:15:18.073 --> 00:15:21.410
  • Here he is in this battle to prove to everyone is yahweh or
  • 00:15:21.410 --> 00:15:25.914
  • Is baal the true god?
  • 00:15:25.914 --> 00:15:28.083
  • Remember he allowed the prophets of baal to go first to
  • 00:15:28.083 --> 00:15:30.586
  • Demonstrate baal's power?
  • 00:15:30.586 --> 00:15:32.454
  • And the bible says that "the prophets of baal danced around
  • 00:15:32.454 --> 00:15:35.724
  • The altar from noon until the time of the evening sacrifice,
  • 00:15:35.724 --> 00:15:40.062
  • Pleading, pleading, repeating, 'oh, baal, hear us.
  • 00:15:40.062 --> 00:15:43.766
  • Oh, baal, answer us.'
  • 00:15:43.766 --> 00:15:46.435
  • And baal did not answer," the bible says.
  • 00:15:46.435 --> 00:15:48.570
  • "he could not answer."
  • 00:15:48.570 --> 00:15:50.372
  • And then by contrast, elijah stands up, and he prays this
  • 00:15:50.372 --> 00:15:55.611
  • Simple, short prayer.
  • 00:15:55.611 --> 00:15:57.846
  • A prayer that in the english language is only 64 words long.
  • 00:15:57.846 --> 00:16:03.886
  • And yet after those 64 words, the fire from god fell from
  • 00:16:03.886 --> 00:16:07.823
  • Heaven and consumed those animal sacrifices.
  • 00:16:07.823 --> 00:16:11.527
  • Don't fall into the trap of thinking that god is impressed
  • 00:16:11.527 --> 00:16:15.097
  • By the length of your words.
  • 00:16:15.097 --> 00:16:16.432
  • Other people say, "well, you know, in order to pray
  • 00:16:16.432 --> 00:16:18.934
  • Effectively, i've just got to empty myself of anything i
  • 00:16:18.934 --> 00:16:22.037
  • Really want and pray about the things i think i'm supposed to
  • 00:16:22.037 --> 00:16:25.274
  • Pray about."
  • 00:16:25.274 --> 00:16:26.875
  • Boy, what a myth, to think that we can't tell god what is really
  • 00:16:26.875 --> 00:16:30.612
  • On our hearts.
  • 00:16:30.612 --> 00:16:32.581
  • Think about the apostle, peter, for a moment.
  • 00:16:32.581 --> 00:16:34.950
  • Remember the story?
  • 00:16:34.950 --> 00:16:36.285
  • Peter and the apostles were out on a boat ride one evening.
  • 00:16:36.285 --> 00:16:38.821
  • Actually, god had told them to go from one side to the other
  • 00:16:38.821 --> 00:16:41.223
  • Side, and he would meet them on the other side.
  • 00:16:41.223 --> 00:16:44.026
  • And they looked out, and they saw jesus walking on the water.
  • 00:16:44.026 --> 00:16:47.496
  • And peter was enthused by that, and he jumps out of the boat and
  • 00:16:47.496 --> 00:16:51.166
  • Into the water to go walk toward the lord.
  • 00:16:51.166 --> 00:16:53.268
  • And he's doing well until he takes his eyes off the lord and
  • 00:16:53.268 --> 00:16:57.306
  • Begins to look at the boiling sea underneath him, and he
  • 00:16:57.306 --> 00:16:59.942
  • Begins to sink.
  • 00:16:59.942 --> 00:17:01.510
  • And what does he do?
  • 00:17:01.510 --> 00:17:03.278
  • He begins to pray.
  • 00:17:03.278 --> 00:17:05.180
  • And this is what he prays, "oh lord, the father of abraham,
  • 00:17:05.180 --> 00:17:08.684
  • Isaac, and jacob, how we thank you today for your
  • 00:17:08.684 --> 00:17:11.587
  • Glorious name.
  • 00:17:11.587 --> 00:17:12.988
  • And god, while i'm praying, i wanna remember the missionaries
  • 00:17:12.988 --> 00:17:15.691
  • In ecuador.
  • 00:17:15.691 --> 00:17:17.025
  • Oh lord, bless them as they share," is that how he prayed?
  • 00:17:17.025 --> 00:17:21.196
  • No, he prayed a simple three-word prayer.
  • 00:17:21.196 --> 00:17:25.701
  • "lord, save me. lord, save me."
  • 00:17:25.701 --> 00:17:30.372
  • Now you don't get much more selfish in your praying than
  • 00:17:30.372 --> 00:17:32.774
  • That, but that's what he needed.
  • 00:17:32.774 --> 00:17:35.744
  • He shared with the lord the real need that was in his own heart,
  • 00:17:35.744 --> 00:17:38.780
  • And what did the lord do?
  • 00:17:38.780 --> 00:17:40.115
  • He reached out his hand, and he lifted up peter.
  • 00:17:40.115 --> 00:17:43.051
  • Don't think that prayer is trying to fool god.
  • 00:17:43.051 --> 00:17:46.855
  • Don't think prayer is trying to empty yourself of anything that
  • 00:17:46.855 --> 00:17:49.658
  • You want and just praying about what you think you should
  • 00:17:49.658 --> 00:17:52.261
  • Pray for.
  • 00:17:52.261 --> 00:17:53.695
  • Some people think, in order to pray effectively, that they have
  • 00:17:53.695 --> 00:17:56.865
  • To have enough faith.
  • 00:17:56.865 --> 00:17:58.400
  • You've heard that said before, that unless you're 100%
  • 00:17:58.400 --> 00:18:01.503
  • Convinced that god is going to do what you ask him to do, you
  • 00:18:01.503 --> 00:18:04.806
  • Might as well not pray at all.
  • 00:18:04.806 --> 00:18:07.075
  • Well, the bible dispels that myth as well.
  • 00:18:07.075 --> 00:18:09.411
  • Turn over to acts chapter 12 for just a minute.
  • 00:18:09.411 --> 00:18:12.347
  • Remember the story?
  • 00:18:12.347 --> 00:18:13.682
  • The early church had gathered together in a home to pray for
  • 00:18:13.682 --> 00:18:17.586
  • Their pastor, peter, who'd been in prison because of his
  • 00:18:17.586 --> 00:18:20.722
  • Faithfulness in preaching the gospel.
  • 00:18:20.722 --> 00:18:22.457
  • So, peter is in jail, the church members are in a home praying
  • 00:18:22.457 --> 00:18:26.728
  • For their pastor's release, and acts 12 tells us that because of
  • 00:18:26.728 --> 00:18:30.866
  • The early church prayer, that god miraculously released peter
  • 00:18:30.866 --> 00:18:35.003
  • From jail.
  • 00:18:35.003 --> 00:18:36.371
  • The chains fall off, peter is free, so where does he want
  • 00:18:36.371 --> 00:18:38.974
  • To go?
  • 00:18:38.974 --> 00:18:40.309
  • Well, naturally, he wants to go to where his church members are
  • 00:18:40.309 --> 00:18:42.077
  • Gathering to pray for him.
  • 00:18:42.077 --> 00:18:43.445
  • He wants to share with them the exciting news of what
  • 00:18:43.445 --> 00:18:46.114
  • Has happened.
  • 00:18:46.114 --> 00:18:47.449
  • To me, this is just hilarious.
  • 00:18:47.449 --> 00:18:48.817
  • Look at verse 13.
  • 00:18:48.817 --> 00:18:50.152
  • He goes to the house where they're meeting, and the bible
  • 00:18:50.152 --> 00:18:52.821
  • Says, "when he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant girl
  • 00:18:52.821 --> 00:18:57.025
  • Named rhoda came to answer."
  • 00:18:57.025 --> 00:18:58.827
  • Now, all the church is in the living room gathered together
  • 00:18:58.827 --> 00:19:00.963
  • Praying, okay?
  • 00:19:00.963 --> 00:19:02.297
  • They hear this knock at the door.
  • 00:19:02.297 --> 00:19:03.665
  • They say, "rhoda, go answer that.
  • 00:19:03.665 --> 00:19:05.000
  • We're too busy praying.
  • 00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:06.368
  • You go answer that."
  • 00:19:06.368 --> 00:19:07.703
  • So, rhoda goes and answers the door, and the bible says, verse
  • 00:19:07.703 --> 00:19:10.405
  • 14, "when she recognized peter's voice, because of her joy, she
  • 00:19:10.405 --> 00:19:15.244
  • Did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that peter was
  • 00:19:15.244 --> 00:19:18.580
  • Standing in front of the gate."
  • 00:19:18.580 --> 00:19:20.148
  • Don't you know peter was frustrated?
  • 00:19:20.148 --> 00:19:21.850
  • He said, "here i am."
  • 00:19:21.850 --> 00:19:23.819
  • She runs away, forgets to open the door, leaves him
  • 00:19:23.819 --> 00:19:26.488
  • Standing there.
  • 00:19:26.488 --> 00:19:27.823
  • And she breaks into the prayer meeting, and says, "i've got
  • 00:19:27.823 --> 00:19:30.392
  • Some great news."
  • 00:19:30.392 --> 00:19:31.827
  • They say, "shhh, rhoda, we're praying, don't interrupt people
  • 00:19:31.827 --> 00:19:34.630
  • Of god, we're praying."
  • 00:19:34.630 --> 00:19:36.298
  • "but you don't understand." "don't interrupt."
  • 00:19:36.298 --> 00:19:38.500
  • Finally, they said, "what is it?"
  • 00:19:38.500 --> 00:19:40.435
  • They say, "peter," she says, "peter is here.
  • 00:19:40.435 --> 00:19:42.504
  • He's standing at the gate." and how did they respond?
  • 00:19:42.504 --> 00:19:44.806
  • Did they say, "oh, praise god that he has answered
  • 00:19:44.806 --> 00:19:46.842
  • Our prayers?"
  • 00:19:46.842 --> 00:19:48.176
  • No, they said to her, verse 15, "you're out of your mind."
  • 00:19:48.176 --> 00:19:52.180
  • But she kept insisting that it really was peter, and they kept
  • 00:19:52.180 --> 00:19:56.151
  • Saying, "it must be his angel."
  • 00:19:56.151 --> 00:19:59.021
  • Isn't that interesting to you?
  • 00:19:59.021 --> 00:20:00.355
  • Here they were, praying that god would release peter.
  • 00:20:00.355 --> 00:20:03.725
  • When the answer comes, they don't believe it.
  • 00:20:03.725 --> 00:20:07.596
  • So the fact is, they weren't 100% sure god could do it.
  • 00:20:07.596 --> 00:20:11.667
  • They weren't 50% sure.
  • 00:20:11.667 --> 00:20:13.168
  • They may not have even been 10% sure.
  • 00:20:13.168 --> 00:20:16.605
  • They had a teeny, tiny faith.
  • 00:20:16.605 --> 00:20:20.575
  • But what did jesus say?
  • 00:20:20.575 --> 00:20:22.477
  • He said, "if you have the faith of a," what?
  • 00:20:22.477 --> 00:20:25.180
  • "a mustard seed, you can move mountains."
  • 00:20:25.180 --> 00:20:28.684
  • It's not the quantity of your faith that matters, it's the
  • 00:20:28.684 --> 00:20:32.721
  • Object of your faith.
  • 00:20:32.721 --> 00:20:34.456
  • If your faith is in god, it doesn't matter how small that
  • 00:20:34.456 --> 00:20:37.659
  • Faith is, god will respond.
  • 00:20:37.659 --> 00:20:41.697
  • What i'm saying to you is, don't get caught up in these myths
  • 00:20:41.697 --> 00:20:44.933
  • About prayer, that you have to pray a long time, or you have to
  • 00:20:44.933 --> 00:20:48.070
  • Be dishonest in your praying and not tell god what's in your
  • 00:20:48.070 --> 00:20:50.672
  • Heart, or you have to have everything right in your life.
  • 00:20:50.672 --> 00:20:53.675
  • Or don't think that you have to have enough faith before you can
  • 00:20:53.675 --> 00:20:56.311
  • Pray, just pray.
  • 00:20:56.311 --> 00:20:59.514
  • I love what paul said in philippians 4:6.
  • 00:20:59.514 --> 00:21:02.117
  • He said, "in everything with prayer and supplication, let
  • 00:21:02.117 --> 00:21:06.388
  • Your requests be made known to god."
  • 00:21:06.388 --> 00:21:08.924
  • Notice what he says, "you can pray about everything."
  • 00:21:08.924 --> 00:21:12.694
  • I like the way one person says it, "when we pray, we don't need
  • 00:21:12.694 --> 00:21:16.365
  • To pray what we wish were in our hearts, but what is in
  • 00:21:16.365 --> 00:21:20.669
  • Our hearts."
  • 00:21:20.669 --> 00:21:22.237
  • Isn't that great advice?
  • 00:21:22.237 --> 00:21:23.939
  • When you pray, pray what's in your heart, not what you wish
  • 00:21:23.939 --> 00:21:26.875
  • Were in your heart, not what you think should be in your heart.
  • 00:21:26.875 --> 00:21:30.312
  • That's the kind of honest praying that god answers.
  • 00:21:30.312 --> 00:21:32.647
  • Why is that?
  • 00:21:32.647 --> 00:21:33.982
  • Look at verse 8, "so do not be like them; for your father knows
  • 00:21:33.982 --> 00:21:37.919
  • What you need before you ask him."
  • 00:21:37.919 --> 00:21:41.223
  • You know one reason you ought to be honest with god when
  • 00:21:41.223 --> 00:21:43.291
  • You're praying?
  • 00:21:43.291 --> 00:21:44.860
  • He already knows what's in your heart anyway.
  • 00:21:44.860 --> 00:21:47.629
  • And he knows what you need, so why not be honest with him?
  • 00:21:47.629 --> 00:21:53.201
  • Praying consistently is difficult, but the truth is
  • 00:21:53.201 --> 00:21:56.004
  • Praying effectively is quite simple.
  • 00:21:56.004 --> 00:21:59.741
  • Nevertheless, many of us struggle with maintaining a
  • 00:21:59.741 --> 00:22:02.544
  • Consistent prayer life.
  • 00:22:02.544 --> 00:22:04.379
  • And i believe we will never unleash god's power through
  • 00:22:04.379 --> 00:22:07.616
  • Prayer in our life until we have four questions about
  • 00:22:07.616 --> 00:22:10.719
  • Prayer answered.
  • 00:22:10.719 --> 00:22:12.320
  • Today, in the final moments we have, we're gonna look at two of
  • 00:22:12.320 --> 00:22:14.523
  • Those questions, and we're gonna look at the final two questions
  • 00:22:14.523 --> 00:22:17.659
  • Next week.
  • 00:22:17.659 --> 00:22:19.027
  • The first question that many of us have, but few of us have the
  • 00:22:19.027 --> 00:22:21.663
  • Guts to ask, is this question.
  • 00:22:21.663 --> 00:22:24.466
  • And that is, "why should we pray if god's going to do what he
  • 00:22:24.466 --> 00:22:28.336
  • Wants to do anyway?"
  • 00:22:28.336 --> 00:22:30.372
  • Have you ever wondered about that?
  • 00:22:30.372 --> 00:22:32.374
  • I mean, why should we pray if god is sovereign and he's gonna
  • 00:22:32.374 --> 00:22:36.244
  • Do whatever he wants to do anyway?
  • 00:22:36.244 --> 00:22:39.347
  • I was actually asked that question one time by a deacon on
  • 00:22:39.347 --> 00:22:44.920
  • A wednesday night when we were walking down the hallway on the
  • 00:22:44.920 --> 00:22:48.089
  • Way to prayer meeting.
  • 00:22:48.089 --> 00:22:49.925
  • "now, pastor, why are we going down here to pray?
  • 00:22:49.925 --> 00:22:52.761
  • If god's gonna do what he wants to do anyway, does prayer
  • 00:22:52.761 --> 00:22:58.033
  • Actually change god's will and plan, or does it simply
  • 00:22:58.033 --> 00:23:02.003
  • Change us?"
  • 00:23:02.003 --> 00:23:03.672
  • Now people go to one of two extremes when they talk about
  • 00:23:03.672 --> 00:23:06.007
  • The relationship between prayer and god's sovereignty.
  • 00:23:06.007 --> 00:23:09.544
  • There's some people who say that god is actually limited in what
  • 00:23:09.544 --> 00:23:13.715
  • He can do by our willingness to pray.
  • 00:23:13.715 --> 00:23:16.918
  • To say that god is limited with what he can do by our
  • 00:23:16.918 --> 00:23:20.455
  • Willingness to pray is to strip god of his sovereignty.
  • 00:23:20.455 --> 00:23:23.892
  • God can do whatever he chooses to do.
  • 00:23:23.892 --> 00:23:27.429
  • Remember in romans chapter 9, god is talking about god's
  • 00:23:27.429 --> 00:23:30.532
  • Sovereign election.
  • 00:23:30.532 --> 00:23:32.067
  • He says, "jacob have i chosen, esau have i hated.
  • 00:23:32.067 --> 00:23:35.370
  • I will have mercy on whomever i will have mercy."
  • 00:23:35.370 --> 00:23:38.406
  • And then in romans 9:16, paul says, "so then, it does not
  • 00:23:38.406 --> 00:23:42.911
  • Depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on god who
  • 00:23:42.911 --> 00:23:47.516
  • Has mercy."
  • 00:23:47.516 --> 00:23:49.184
  • Ladies and gentlemen, god can do whatever he chooses to do
  • 00:23:49.184 --> 00:23:52.888
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:23:52.888 --> 00:23:58.226
  • Jeffress: we know from the word of god and from our own
  • 00:23:58.226 --> 00:24:00.662
  • Experience that prayer is the key to experiencing god's power.
  • 00:24:00.662 --> 00:24:05.267
  • And i hope you'll join us again next time when i'll say more
  • 00:24:05.267 --> 00:24:08.503
  • About the importance of making prayer a consistent part of your
  • 00:24:08.503 --> 00:24:12.507
  • Daily life.
  • 00:24:12.507 --> 00:24:14.142
  • Now, before we close today, let me say thank you to those of you
  • 00:24:14.142 --> 00:24:17.512
  • Who generously provide financial support.
  • 00:24:17.512 --> 00:24:20.949
  • "pathway to victory" has enjoyed a trajectory of growth that
  • 00:24:20.949 --> 00:24:24.586
  • Defies human explanation.
  • 00:24:24.586 --> 00:24:26.821
  • And it's all because of viewers like you who believe in our
  • 00:24:26.821 --> 00:24:30.158
  • Mission, and you give generously, so please keep up
  • 00:24:30.158 --> 00:24:34.296
  • The good work.
  • 00:24:34.296 --> 00:24:35.630
  • God is using your gifts to pierce the darkness with the
  • 00:24:35.630 --> 00:24:39.734
  • Light of his word.
  • 00:24:39.734 --> 00:24:41.903
  • Now, stay right there.
  • 00:24:41.903 --> 00:24:43.271
  • I'll be back with more "pathway to victory" in just a moment.
  • 00:24:43.271 --> 00:24:47.576
  • Male announcer: the bible promises that when we put our
  • 00:24:47.642 --> 00:24:49.711
  • Faith in jesus christ, our lives will be changed from the
  • 00:24:49.711 --> 00:24:53.548
  • Inside out.
  • 00:24:53.548 --> 00:24:54.916
  • And yet, many christians feel discouraged and defeated in
  • 00:24:54.916 --> 00:24:57.285
  • Their daily walk.
  • 00:24:57.285 --> 00:24:58.620
  • Jeffress: if you're longing for something more in your
  • 00:24:58.620 --> 00:25:00.789
  • Relationship with god, you're not alone.
  • 00:25:00.789 --> 00:25:03.224
  • At one time, i felt dissatisfied and powerless to change it.
  • 00:25:03.224 --> 00:25:07.562
  • But by god's grace, i discovered how to deploy the power of the
  • 00:25:07.562 --> 00:25:11.666
  • Holy spirit in my life.
  • 00:25:11.666 --> 00:25:13.668
  • And today, i wanna help you discover that as well in my
  • 00:25:13.668 --> 00:25:17.439
  • Best-selling book, "i want more!"
  • 00:25:17.439 --> 00:25:20.542
  • Male announcer: the book, "i want more!," was written to help
  • 00:25:20.542 --> 00:25:22.877
  • You build spiritual strength as you pursue a fresh way to
  • 00:25:22.877 --> 00:25:26.147
  • Unleash god's supernatural power in every area of your life.
  • 00:25:26.147 --> 00:25:30.352
  • You're invited to request a copy of "i want more!"
  • 00:25:30.352 --> 00:25:33.221
  • When you give a generous gift to support the ministry of "pathway
  • 00:25:33.221 --> 00:25:36.257
  • To victory," or when you become a pathway partner.
  • 00:25:36.257 --> 00:25:39.194
  • And when you give $75 or more, we'll also send you the complete
  • 00:25:39.194 --> 00:25:43.598
  • "unleashed teaching" series on dvd and audio disc.
  • 00:25:43.598 --> 00:25:47.335
  • Jeffress: god has granted to you everything you need to lead a
  • 00:25:47.335 --> 00:25:52.741
  • Fulfilling existence while here on earth.
  • 00:25:52.741 --> 00:25:55.377
  • And everything he has given you is all wrapped up in the holy
  • 00:25:55.377 --> 00:25:59.247
  • Spirit of god.
  • 00:25:59.247 --> 00:26:01.316
  • Male announcer: your generous giving will help us encourage
  • 00:26:01.316 --> 00:26:03.652
  • And equip viewers like you with biblical truth and hope.
  • 00:26:03.652 --> 00:26:07.255
  • Thank you so much for your support as we continue to impact
  • 00:26:07.255 --> 00:26:10.525
  • You, your family, and our nation with the transforming truth of
  • 00:26:10.525 --> 00:26:14.462
  • God's word.
  • 00:26:14.462 --> 00:26:15.864
  • Jeffress: while praying effectively is simple, praying
  • 00:26:17.465 --> 00:26:20.235
  • Consistently can be very difficult.
  • 00:26:20.235 --> 00:26:22.971
  • And personally, i don't believe any of us will ever pray
  • 00:26:22.971 --> 00:26:26.107
  • Consistently until we have four specific questions answered
  • 00:26:26.107 --> 00:26:30.912
  • About prayer.
  • 00:26:30.912 --> 00:26:32.247
  • So on the next edition of "pathway to victory," i'm going
  • 00:26:32.247 --> 00:26:35.250
  • To answer the first two of those questions that can help every
  • 00:26:35.250 --> 00:26:39.054
  • Christian become more diligent in prayer, starting with
  • 00:26:39.054 --> 00:26:42.991
  • This one.
  • 00:26:42.991 --> 00:26:44.359
  • Why pray if god is going to do as he pleases?
  • 00:26:44.359 --> 00:26:48.296
  • Do our prayers actually make any difference?
  • 00:26:48.296 --> 00:26:51.833
  • Stay tuned for a preview of my answer to that question coming
  • 00:26:51.833 --> 00:26:55.403
  • Up on "pathway to victory."
  • 00:26:55.403 --> 00:26:58.707
  • Jeffress: so, what does it mean to pray, "god, your will
  • 00:26:58.773 --> 00:27:01.743
  • Be done?"
  • 00:27:01.743 --> 00:27:03.111
  • Here's what it means, it says, "god, this is what i want.
  • 00:27:03.111 --> 00:27:06.081
  • I'm gonna be very honest in what i want, god.
  • 00:27:06.081 --> 00:27:08.583
  • This is what i'm asking you to do, but i also realize that you
  • 00:27:08.583 --> 00:27:13.955
  • Know best.
  • 00:27:13.955 --> 00:27:15.323
  • And ultimately, i'm submitting myself to your
  • 00:27:15.323 --> 00:27:18.226
  • Providential will."
  • 00:27:18.226 --> 00:27:19.794
  • Male announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for part two
  • 00:27:19.794 --> 00:27:22.731
  • Of the message, "the power of faith-kneeling" here on "pathway
  • 00:27:22.731 --> 00:27:26.768
  • To victory."
  • 00:27:26.768 --> 00:27:26.768