David Jeremiah - The Great Adventure of Prayer

August 24, 2025 | S1 E1328 | 58:20

Prayer is a great blessing from God, and as we bring our requests before God, we will see Him at work in answering them.

#inActive #Prayer #SeekGod #RelationshipwithGod #TrustGod #Bible #PromiseLand #Faith #Belief

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Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah | David Jeremiah - The Great Adventure of Prayer | August 24, 2025

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Dr. david jeremiah: as a pastor, i've had the profound privilege
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Of walking alongside people through life's checkpoints:
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Marriage, the birth of children, and unfortunately death as well.
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Throughout the years, the questions i often hear
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Aren't about this life.
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They're about what comes next.
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That's why i have spent decades studying
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And preaching about heaven.
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And now, i've gathered all that biblical teaching together
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Into one book called "the promise of heaven."
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Male announcer: "the promise of heaven: 31 reasons to get
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Excited about your eternal home," releases october 7th.
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Pre-order your copy for a gift of any amount.
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Plus, receive exclusive bonus digital access to dr. jeremiah's
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"the promise of heaven" teaching series and study guide.
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Also available for pre-order, "the promise of heaven"
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Study set.
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For more details and to preorder,
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Contact "turning point" today.
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♪♪♪
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Dr. jeremiah: we're a pretty self-sufficient people
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But that has caused us to make prayer our last resort
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When we're in trouble.
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We make prayer so difficult.
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Prayer may be mysterious, but it's not complicated.
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It's simple.
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And in this series, i'm going to teach you
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How to transform your prayer life.
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I'm not here to make you feel guilty
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About not praying as much as you should.
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The real issue isn't guilt.
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It's that we're missing out on the great adventure
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God has for us.
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So you want to know why you're not seeing your prayers
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Being answered?
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Well, they're just not specific enough.
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Your prayer should be so specific
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That when god answers it, you recognize it.
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If you want your prayers answered,
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Three things need to be true:
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The request needs to be right, the timing needs to be right,
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And you need to be right.
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Don't pray like an adult.
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Pray like a child.
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Keep it simple, keep it specific, and keep at it.
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God cares about everything in your life,
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Even the little things.
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Nothing is too insignificant to get on your prayer list
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Because god has the capacity to care about every detail
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Of every one of his children, including you.
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What is prayer?
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Prayer is a conversation, prayer is a relationship,
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And prayer is a great adventure.
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Announcer: coming up on "turning point."
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Dr. jeremiah: nothing is too insignificant
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To get on our prayer list.
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He cares about you.
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Somebody say, "i don't want to trouble god with that."
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You're talking about the infinite god
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Who has the capacity to care about every detail
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Of every child of his, including you.
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Announcer: prayer: keep it simple, keep it specific.
00:03:02.165 --> 00:03:04.968
"everything to god in prayer: guided prayers for your deepest
00:03:04.968 --> 00:03:07.937
Needs & biggest dreams," by dr. david jeremiah,
00:03:07.937 --> 00:03:10.807
Provides you with 100 carefully crafted prayers to guide you
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Through life's challenges and celebrations.
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When words fail you during times of grief;
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When your heart is filled with gratitude,
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But you can't express it; when you're facing decisions
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That seem impossible; dr. jeremiah helps you
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Bring everything to god.
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The bible tells us to go to god in prayer for all things.
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But sometimes we need guidance on how to pray effectively
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And specifically.
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Reading and praying these guided prayers by dr. jeremiah
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Will help you learn to pray with confidence and clarity
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And with renewed passion and purpose.
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Request "everything to god in prayer," new from dr. jeremiah,
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When you give a gift of any amount
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In support of "turning point."
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"everything to god in prayer," the perfect companion
00:03:51.748 --> 00:03:54.417
For your prayer life and a thoughtful gift
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For anyone in your bible study or prayer group.
00:03:56.386 --> 00:03:58.821
And you can request 2 copies for a gift of $60 or more.
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Your deepest needs and biggest dreams deserve the right words.
00:04:02.358 --> 00:04:06.129
Request "everything to god in prayer"
00:04:06.129 --> 00:04:07.764
By dr. jeremiah from "turning point" today.
00:04:07.764 --> 00:04:09.866
Announcer: thank you for watching "turning point."
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Here is dr. jeremiah with his message,
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"the great adventure of prayer."
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Dr. jeremiah: "ask, and it will be given to you;
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Seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."
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These three instructions, ask, seek, and knock,
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Are in the imperative mood.
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Now, i'm an old english major, so that means something to me,
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But let me tell you what it means
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If it doesn't mean anything to you.
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The imperative mood is not a suggestion;
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It's a command.
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They are not jesus asking us to consider asking
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To pray about seeking and to think about knocking.
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Demanding our attention over and over again is the word "ask."
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And if you haven't noticed, each word in this passage
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Builds in intensity.
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Even the three imperatives spell out the word "ask."
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If you put "ask," "seek," and "knock" underneath each other,
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The first letters spell the word "ask."
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I think jesus said, "if they won't get it in plain language,
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I'll put it in code."
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So, here is the code, the secret code.
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Do you see the emphasis?
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You can't escape it.
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The word "ask" is dominant in the text
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Because god wants us to ask.
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He doesn't tell us to beg.
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He doesn't command us to cry out,
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Though these may be valid expressions of prayer
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At any given time.
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But he gives us a clear, simple directive: ask.
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I remember when i first saw that word in the text on prayer,
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I was reminded of how many different words there are
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In the bible for prayer,
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And i just thought this was one of them.
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So i thought if i look this up in the greek lexicon,
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It will tell me what the word "ask" means for prayer.
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And i looked it up, and you know what i found out?
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It means ask.
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That's all it means.
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It's not a prayer word, it's a simple word for asking.
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It's the natural, normal way god has designed prayer to happen.
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He wants us to come and ask.
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I think one of the reasons why we may not pray as much
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As we ought to is we've made prayer a hard thing.
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Prayer is like a child going to his father
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To ask for what he needs.
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Oh, it's much more than that, but it's simply that.
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That's persistence.
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Kids never quit.
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They just keep asking, and that's exactly
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The kind of simplicity and determination
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That jesus is talking about in his lesson to us.
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So then he says, after you ask, seek.
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Jesus says seek, and i mentioned that each of these commands
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Grows in intensity.
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Seeking, to me, requires more effort than asking.
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It's as if you first come to ask, but after asking,
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You realize you need to seek out the one who holds the answer.
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So seeking is more about pursuing the giver than the
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Gift, and it says, i will seek out the one who has the answer.
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I will find him.
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I will get to him.
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Sometimes in prayer, we casually ask,
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Only to realize that we've allowed distance
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To come between us and the lord.
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Seeking means to close that gap.
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It means drawing near to him so we can truly communicate
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In our prayers.
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We're to ask, we're to seek, and then the bible says
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We're to knock.
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It's even more intimate and more intense than seeking.
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If you go to the place where you believe the answer is
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And you ask,
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Then you seek the one who has the answer,
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Finally, you find yourself at the door knocking
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And calling out, "where is he?
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How can i receive the answer?"
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However you interpret those three words, ask, seek,
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And knock, understand this, friends.
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Jesus is inviting us, each of us, to come.
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He wants us to come with intensity, bringing the needs
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That we have in our lives before him.
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We don't have to knock down the door.
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He's opened the door, and he invites us to ask.
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Let me say it this way.
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God is more anxious to hear your prayer
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Than you are to hear his answer.
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And so when we don't pray,
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We leave this tremendous opportunity on the table.
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The imperatives of prayer: ask, seek, and knock.
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Now let me talk with you for a few moments
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About the influence of prayer.
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In verse 8, jesus said, "for everyone who asks receives,
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And he who seeks finds,
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And to him who knocks it will be opened."
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This verse contains two key truths.
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First, it tells us that prayer is comprehensive.
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Notice the word "everyone," a great word.
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Not just pastors, not just deacons,
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Not just television preachers,
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Not just those who have been to seminary or taken courses
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On prayer, jesus is speaking to everyone.
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That means everyone in this room and everyone watching
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This message wherever you may be,
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You are included in this promise.
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Every kingdom child.
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That means you can pray like this.
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You can ask and seek and knock,
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And you can know that god will hear you.
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This promise is for every single one of us.
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Some might say, "well, i don't pray much.
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I just send my requests to the church, and i let them pray."
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I know that's true for a lot of people
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Because i'm at the other end of that.
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What a tragedy.
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I've had so many people come to me over the years
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And they would tell me about a problem
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And they would say, "pastor, this is going on
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In my life; would you pray for me?"
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And later in my ministry, i started to say to them,
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"have you prayed about this?"
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"well, no, that's why i'm bringing it to you.
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I'm asking you to pray about it."
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And then i would say to them, you know,
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"i am happy to do that, but let me remind you, sir,
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Missus, my prayer has no more efficacy before god than yours.
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I don't stand ahead of you in the prayer line.
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Just because i'm a pastor doesn't mean that my prayers
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Are answered more than yours.
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So i'm happy to pray for you, but you don't need to go
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Through me."
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You know, there is a branch of religion that teaches that
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But that's not what the bible teaches.
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The bible teaches we're to go to god,
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That he opens his heart to us,
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And no matter who we are or how insignificant we may think
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We are in the kingdom, god wants us to talk with him.
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And if you're thinking, "surely god doesn't mean me,"
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I'm going to say to you, "oh, yes, he does.
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What part of everyone don't you get?"
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Prayer's comprehensive.
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And then the bible teaches that prayer is certain.
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I'm not going to water this down or explain it away
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Because this is exactly what god has said.
00:11:20.196 --> 00:11:23.933
He says: "everyone who asks receives.
00:11:23.933 --> 00:11:28.504
Everyone who seeks finds.
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Everyone who knocks, it will be opened."
00:11:32.007 --> 00:11:35.778
Not some of the time, not most of the time,
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Not a few of the people, not just some of the people,
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Everyone who asks receives.
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One reason we don't pray is because we don't believe.
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And if we don't believe, we have a real problem
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With the integrity of god's word.
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You see, i believe god is waiting to open his treasures
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And provide what we need.
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He already has it.
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He doesn't have to go and get it.
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He is simply waiting for us to ask.
00:12:01.971 --> 00:12:05.674
There's an old story about a man who went to heaven.
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And when he got to heaven, he was ushered by st. peter
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Into the lobby of heaven.
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And quite surprised because the lobby was just surrounded
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With filing cabinets.
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He thought that wasn't what heaven was gonna be like,
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And so he asked saint peter what that was.
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He said, "these cabinets are full of files of all the things
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God wanted to give to his children,
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But they never asked for them."
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And i remember when i heard that story, i actually prayed,
00:12:35.871 --> 00:12:39.175
"lord, when i get to heaven, i want an empty file.
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I don't want to have anything up there that i didn't ask for,"
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Yeah.
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One of the best books on prayer that's ever been written,
00:12:50.386 --> 00:12:53.289
And i think really the first important book
00:12:53.289 --> 00:12:56.425
On prayer that i ever read was andrew murray's classic book,
00:12:56.425 --> 00:13:00.796
"with christ in the school of prayer."
00:13:00.796 --> 00:13:03.632
It's a small book, but i believe it's the best book on prayer
00:13:03.632 --> 00:13:07.303
I have ever read.
00:13:07.303 --> 00:13:09.171
It's an old book, but the truth it says is still the truth.
00:13:09.171 --> 00:13:13.943
In that book, murray wrote: "if there's one thing
00:13:13.943 --> 00:13:16.145
I think the church needs to learn,
00:13:16.145 --> 00:13:19.481
It is that god means prayer to have an answer
00:13:19.481 --> 00:13:23.118
And that it has not entered into the heart of man
00:13:23.118 --> 00:13:25.654
To conceive what god will do for his child who gives himself
00:13:25.654 --> 00:13:29.725
To believe that his prayer will be heard."
00:13:29.725 --> 00:13:34.230
When we pray, god answers.
00:13:34.230 --> 00:13:37.433
He's not on vacation.
00:13:37.433 --> 00:13:39.535
He doesn't take a day off.
00:13:39.535 --> 00:13:42.171
He's not sleeping.
00:13:42.171 --> 00:13:44.840
He's waiting to hear from us.
00:13:44.840 --> 00:13:47.710
I remember mark batterson, who is one of my favorite
00:13:47.710 --> 00:13:50.646
Current preachers, said, "i can guarantee you that 100%
00:13:50.646 --> 00:13:54.717
Of the prayers you don't pray will not be answered."
00:13:54.717 --> 00:13:58.687
And he's absolutely right.
00:13:58.687 --> 00:14:00.923
I wrote this simple prayer in my journal one day.
00:14:00.923 --> 00:14:03.859
Here's just a little verse: "i believe god answers prayer,
00:14:03.859 --> 00:14:09.198
Answers always everywhere.
00:14:09.198 --> 00:14:12.434
I may cast my anxious care, burdens that i never bear,
00:14:12.434 --> 00:14:16.872
On the god who answers prayer."
00:14:16.872 --> 00:14:19.742
God answers prayer.
00:14:19.742 --> 00:14:21.510
Everyone who prays receives.
00:14:21.510 --> 00:14:27.950
Then, along with the imperatives of prayer and the influence
00:14:27.950 --> 00:14:32.121
Of prayer, we have jesus's illustration of prayer.
00:14:32.121 --> 00:14:36.392
If you want to learn how to preach,
00:14:36.392 --> 00:14:38.360
You need to read jesus's sermons.
00:14:38.360 --> 00:14:41.196
He was a great preacher.
00:14:41.196 --> 00:14:42.865
And i take great counsel in the fact
00:14:42.865 --> 00:14:45.334
That jesus was a storyteller.
00:14:45.334 --> 00:14:47.603
He was a great storyteller.
00:14:47.603 --> 00:14:49.672
And he didn't have illustration books like we have
00:14:49.672 --> 00:14:52.541
Or novels or whatever we read.
00:14:52.541 --> 00:14:54.443
Didn't have a newspaper with current stories in it.
00:14:54.443 --> 00:14:57.012
But jesus often took illustrations
00:14:57.012 --> 00:14:59.882
From the things he saw.
00:14:59.882 --> 00:15:01.750
He'd be walking along, he had a fig tree one day,
00:15:01.750 --> 00:15:03.752
And he gave an illustration.
00:15:03.752 --> 00:15:06.221
Notice in verses 9 and 10, jesus illustrating these principles.
00:15:06.221 --> 00:15:12.261
"what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread,
00:15:12.261 --> 00:15:16.999
Will give him a stone?
00:15:16.999 --> 00:15:19.201
Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?"
00:15:19.201 --> 00:15:23.772
Jesus wants to make prayer very practical, not philosophical,
00:15:23.772 --> 00:15:29.745
Not overly spiritual.
00:15:29.745 --> 00:15:31.880
Do you remember when jesus was in the wilderness
00:15:31.880 --> 00:15:33.649
Being tempted by satan?
00:15:33.649 --> 00:15:35.584
Satan said to him, "why don't you turn this stone
00:15:35.584 --> 00:15:37.987
Into a loaf of bread?"
00:15:37.987 --> 00:15:40.289
What's often lost in that story is that the stones in the region
00:15:40.289 --> 00:15:44.226
Looked like small loaves of bread.
00:15:44.226 --> 00:15:47.162
I have no doubt that satan pointed to a stone that
00:15:47.162 --> 00:15:49.498
Resembled a loaf and said, "why don't you turn that into bread?"
00:15:49.498 --> 00:15:53.936
Now jesus is using the same analogy.
00:15:53.936 --> 00:15:56.972
He says, "which of you as a father,
00:15:56.972 --> 00:15:58.774
If your son comes to you and says,
00:15:58.774 --> 00:16:00.509
'i need a loaf of bread,' would pick up a stone
00:16:00.509 --> 00:16:04.013
From the ground and say, 'here, have this instead?'"
00:16:04.013 --> 00:16:08.417
Or he said--consider how fishing was done.
00:16:08.417 --> 00:16:11.220
Fishermen gathered their catch with nets,
00:16:11.220 --> 00:16:13.922
And sometimes a water snake
00:16:13.922 --> 00:16:15.624
Would get caught along with the fish.
00:16:15.624 --> 00:16:18.260
Jesus says, "which of you, when your son asks for a fish,
00:16:18.260 --> 00:16:21.597
Would hand him a snake instead?"
00:16:21.597 --> 00:16:25.067
Pretty preposterous illustrations when you stop
00:16:25.067 --> 00:16:27.336
And think about it.
00:16:27.336 --> 00:16:28.670
Then he drives the point home.
00:16:28.670 --> 00:16:30.672
Here's what he says: "if you being evil,"
00:16:30.672 --> 00:16:33.842
And he doesn't mean worst evil possible,
00:16:33.842 --> 00:16:36.712
He just means in comparison to god, we're evil.
00:16:36.712 --> 00:16:40.416
"if you, imperfect as you are, know how to give good gifts to
00:16:40.416 --> 00:16:43.986
Your children, do you not think god will do the same thing
00:16:43.986 --> 00:16:48.290
For you?"
00:16:48.290 --> 00:16:49.758
You're his child.
00:16:49.758 --> 00:16:51.393
If you, being sinful, know how to respond to your children's
00:16:51.393 --> 00:16:54.296
Needs, how much more will god respond to his children?
00:16:54.296 --> 00:16:59.268
That's the illustration.
00:16:59.268 --> 00:17:00.903
That's the way we are to approach god in prayer.
00:17:00.903 --> 00:17:04.807
Yet, friends, i wanna tell you, there are many christians who
00:17:04.807 --> 00:17:08.010
Pray as if they have to break down god's reluctance,
00:17:08.010 --> 00:17:12.414
As if they must bang on the door until he finally listens.
00:17:12.414 --> 00:17:16.952
All you have to do is ask.
00:17:16.952 --> 00:17:19.588
And god, like a loving father, is ready to listen.
00:17:19.588 --> 00:17:23.525
One thing i can tell you as a father is that one
00:17:23.525 --> 00:17:26.762
Of my greatest joys along the way over the years
00:17:26.762 --> 00:17:31.333
Has been to be the answer to the needs my children have.
00:17:31.333 --> 00:17:37.873
I now consider myself the ultimate safety net
00:17:37.873 --> 00:17:42.444
For the jeremiah family.
00:17:42.444 --> 00:17:44.813
And everybody in my family knows that.
00:17:44.813 --> 00:17:47.649
And it gives me great joy to be in that place.
00:17:47.649 --> 00:17:51.787
You know, if that's true for me as a human father,
00:17:51.787 --> 00:17:55.090
How do you think our heavenly father feels?
00:17:55.090 --> 00:17:58.894
There's more than one answer to prayer.
00:17:58.894 --> 00:18:01.730
I think we should talk about that for a few moments.
00:18:01.730 --> 00:18:04.566
Some people say, "i pray and god never answers."
00:18:04.566 --> 00:18:06.802
No, what happens is you pray and you get an answer
00:18:06.802 --> 00:18:09.605
You don't like.
00:18:09.605 --> 00:18:11.607
How many of you know there's more than one answer to prayer?
00:18:11.607 --> 00:18:14.943
In fact, i have a little thing i wrote in my bible
00:18:14.943 --> 00:18:17.346
Some years ago and it goes like this:
00:18:17.346 --> 00:18:20.048
"if the request is wrong, god says no."
00:18:20.048 --> 00:18:25.287
How many of you know you've asked god
00:18:25.287 --> 00:18:26.755
For some pretty stupid things over the years?
00:18:26.755 --> 00:18:29.892
If you'd go back and realize some of the prayers
00:18:29.892 --> 00:18:31.660
You've prayed, i mean, god would never answer those prayers.
00:18:31.660 --> 00:18:34.863
You know better than that.
00:18:34.863 --> 00:18:36.565
You almost have to ask god to forgive you
00:18:36.565 --> 00:18:38.400
For being so insolent in what you've prayed for.
00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:43.372
I think when we get to heaven we will be thankful
00:18:43.372 --> 00:18:45.674
For all the prayers that god said yes to
00:18:45.674 --> 00:18:48.877
And a few of the prayers that he said no to.
00:18:48.877 --> 00:18:52.614
I won't ask for a show of hands, but i think many of us could
00:18:52.614 --> 00:18:55.450
Testify that we're grateful for some of the times god said no.
00:18:55.450 --> 00:19:00.622
Looking back, we can see that we were asking for the wrong thing.
00:19:00.622 --> 00:19:04.726
Our request was wrong, and when our request was wrong,
00:19:04.726 --> 00:19:08.397
God said no.
00:19:08.397 --> 00:19:10.799
Sometimes the timing isn't right.
00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:13.669
I've run into that more than once.
00:19:13.669 --> 00:19:16.238
God says, slow.
00:19:16.238 --> 00:19:18.540
Is that an answer?
00:19:18.540 --> 00:19:19.908
Yeah, absolutely, we've all been there praying for something
00:19:19.908 --> 00:19:23.912
And it wasn't the right time.
00:19:23.912 --> 00:19:26.815
In hindsight, we can see his wisdom in delaying the answers.
00:19:26.815 --> 00:19:31.220
Other times, god says, grow.
00:19:31.220 --> 00:19:35.390
We may have asked for something we weren't ready to handle.
00:19:35.390 --> 00:19:39.628
And god, like a wise parent, says,
00:19:39.628 --> 00:19:41.597
"you need to mature first."
00:19:41.597 --> 00:19:43.999
But when all these things are true, when the request is right
00:19:43.999 --> 00:19:47.502
And the timing is right and we are right,
00:19:47.502 --> 00:19:50.539
Oftentimes god says go.
00:19:50.539 --> 00:19:53.141
He answers.
00:19:53.141 --> 00:19:54.576
When we step into the adventure of prayer we can be sure
00:19:54.576 --> 00:19:58.780
That god will respond.
00:19:58.780 --> 00:20:01.717
And then finally, the impact of prayer in verse 11.
00:20:01.717 --> 00:20:05.854
He says, "if you then being evil know how to give good gifts
00:20:05.854 --> 00:20:09.024
To your children, how much more will your father in heaven
00:20:09.024 --> 00:20:12.961
Give good things to you who ask him?"
00:20:12.961 --> 00:20:15.264
Before we move on, i want to briefly emphasize
00:20:15.264 --> 00:20:18.500
This fourth point.
00:20:18.500 --> 00:20:20.302
God has good gifts he wants to give.
00:20:20.302 --> 00:20:23.705
The bible says: "every good gift and every perfect gift
00:20:23.705 --> 00:20:26.775
Comes down from the father in heaven."
00:20:26.775 --> 00:20:29.645
And when we pray, we should expect that to be true
00:20:29.645 --> 00:20:33.715
In the way he answers.
00:20:33.715 --> 00:20:35.684
Before we close our bible, i want to highlight
00:20:35.684 --> 00:20:39.421
Three important lessons about prayer
00:20:39.421 --> 00:20:42.324
That come from these verses.
00:20:42.324 --> 00:20:44.893
Here's the first one.
00:20:44.893 --> 00:20:46.228
When we pray, we're to pray personally.
00:20:46.228 --> 00:20:51.266
Prayer is personal.
00:20:51.266 --> 00:20:53.302
Notice the wording in the passage.
00:20:53.302 --> 00:20:55.337
Every pronoun is personal.
00:20:55.337 --> 00:20:57.706
Prayer isn't just a corporate activity, though praying
00:20:57.706 --> 00:21:00.542
Together as a group is valuable.
00:21:00.542 --> 00:21:03.211
But group prayer is only as strong as personal prayer.
00:21:03.211 --> 00:21:07.482
After all, what is group prayer?
00:21:07.482 --> 00:21:09.851
It's a gathering of individuals who each bring
00:21:09.851 --> 00:21:12.054
Their own personal prayers.
00:21:12.054 --> 00:21:15.524
So we cannot pass off our responsibility to pray.
00:21:15.524 --> 00:21:19.494
The church, our sunday school class, our parents,
00:21:19.494 --> 00:21:22.064
Our small group, cannot pray in our behalf.
00:21:22.064 --> 00:21:26.535
Each one of us is personally called to pray.
00:21:26.535 --> 00:21:30.806
Let him ask personally, and it's an imperative.
00:21:30.806 --> 00:21:37.779
Secondly, we're to pray specifically.
00:21:37.779 --> 00:21:42.017
Let me give you an example.
00:21:42.017 --> 00:21:43.385
Your prayer should be so specific
00:21:43.385 --> 00:21:45.721
That when god answers it, you recognize it.
00:21:45.721 --> 00:21:49.691
Lord, i need this and i need it by tomorrow.
00:21:49.691 --> 00:21:53.028
That's how new christians pray.
00:21:53.028 --> 00:21:55.297
They don't over-complicate it.
00:21:55.297 --> 00:21:57.299
They heard that god answers prayers,
00:21:57.299 --> 00:21:58.867
So they just take it at face value.
00:21:58.867 --> 00:22:01.903
They haven't yet learned all the religious reasons
00:22:01.903 --> 00:22:03.905
Why that can't be true.
00:22:03.905 --> 00:22:06.007
They simply go to god and say, "god, it's me and it's here and
00:22:06.007 --> 00:22:09.811
It's what i need," and that's exactly how we should pray,
00:22:09.811 --> 00:22:12.814
Straightforward and specific.
00:22:12.814 --> 00:22:15.484
Do you know, nothing is too insignificant
00:22:15.484 --> 00:22:18.186
To get on our prayer list.
00:22:18.186 --> 00:22:20.021
He cares about you.
00:22:20.021 --> 00:22:21.390
Somebody's saying, "i don't want to ask,
00:22:21.390 --> 00:22:22.724
I don't want to trouble god with that."
00:22:22.724 --> 00:22:24.626
You're talking about the infinite god who has the
00:22:24.626 --> 00:22:28.663
Capacity to care about every detail of every child of his,
00:22:28.663 --> 00:22:33.201
Including you and including me.
00:22:33.201 --> 00:22:37.439
So we need to pray personally and we need to pray specifically
00:22:37.439 --> 00:22:42.010
And we need to pray persistently.
00:22:42.010 --> 00:22:44.713
I said at the beginning, we don't have to bang
00:22:44.713 --> 00:22:46.615
On the door and beg, and that's true.
00:22:46.615 --> 00:22:50.185
But it is also true that we need to continue praying.
00:22:50.185 --> 00:22:54.156
God will not necessarily answer our prayer
00:22:54.156 --> 00:22:56.658
On the first time we pray.
00:22:56.658 --> 00:22:58.860
In the greek language of the new testament,
00:22:58.860 --> 00:23:01.062
There are two basic kinds of imperatives.
00:23:01.062 --> 00:23:04.232
One is called an aorist imperative,
00:23:04.232 --> 00:23:06.902
And the aorist imperative is used to describe an action
00:23:06.902 --> 00:23:10.639
That takes place once and for all.
00:23:10.639 --> 00:23:13.675
For instance, suppose you're in a car and giving directions
00:23:13.675 --> 00:23:16.378
To the driver.
00:23:16.378 --> 00:23:17.746
At a particular intersection, you say, stop at that light.
00:23:17.746 --> 00:23:21.983
Stop is an imperative.
00:23:21.983 --> 00:23:24.085
But in that context, it is also an aorist imperative,
00:23:24.085 --> 00:23:27.489
A once-for-all action, stop.
00:23:27.489 --> 00:23:30.358
But if you were to say to the driver,
00:23:30.358 --> 00:23:33.228
Don't forget to stop at every light,
00:23:33.228 --> 00:23:35.730
That's a present imperative with continuous action.
00:23:35.730 --> 00:23:41.002
Do you know what kind of imperatives jesus
00:23:41.002 --> 00:23:42.838
Uses in this passage?
00:23:42.838 --> 00:23:45.674
All three of his commands, ask, seek, and knock,
00:23:45.674 --> 00:23:49.010
Are present imperatives.
00:23:49.010 --> 00:23:51.379
They could be translated this way, keep on asking,
00:23:51.379 --> 00:23:55.116
Keep on seeking, keep on knocking.
00:23:55.116 --> 00:23:59.454
Don't ever stop asking.
00:23:59.454 --> 00:24:00.956
Don't ever stop seeking.
00:24:00.956 --> 00:24:02.357
Don't ever stop knocking.
00:24:02.357 --> 00:24:03.725
Just keep at it.
00:24:03.725 --> 00:24:05.794
Keep bringing your prayers to god.
00:24:05.794 --> 00:24:07.395
If you think your request is legitimate, keep asking,
00:24:07.395 --> 00:24:10.632
Keep seeking, keep knocking.
00:24:10.632 --> 00:24:12.100
And let me put a parentheses in here.
00:24:12.100 --> 00:24:14.269
While you're doing that, god may not answer your prayer,
00:24:14.269 --> 00:24:16.738
But he will change you.
00:24:16.738 --> 00:24:19.207
He will change you.
00:24:19.207 --> 00:24:21.209
God wants to teach us through persistent praying
00:24:21.209 --> 00:24:23.645
To wait on him and to watch.
00:24:23.645 --> 00:24:26.114
And while we're praying and while we're watching,
00:24:26.114 --> 00:24:29.284
God will do in us what he pleases.
00:24:29.284 --> 00:24:33.388
He's working on us.
00:24:33.388 --> 00:24:34.856
He's conforming us more and more to the image of christ.
00:24:34.856 --> 00:24:38.493
And when you're ready, he will surely give you
00:24:38.493 --> 00:24:41.496
The right answer.
00:24:41.496 --> 00:24:43.465
Jesus emphasized this lesson with two parables.
00:24:43.465 --> 00:24:47.602
He said, "so i say to you, ask, and it will be given to you;
00:24:47.602 --> 00:24:51.439
Seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
00:24:51.439 --> 00:24:54.709
For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds,
00:24:54.709 --> 00:24:58.013
And to him who knocks it will be opened."
00:24:58.013 --> 00:25:00.248
The message is clear: never quit.
00:25:00.248 --> 00:25:03.618
In luke 18, jesus told about a widow who received justice from
00:25:03.618 --> 00:25:08.490
A corrupt judge simply because she refused to stop asking.
00:25:08.490 --> 00:25:13.261
In 1 thessalonians 5:17 it says: "pray without ceasing."
00:25:13.261 --> 00:25:19.367
That doesn't mean walk around mumbling prayers all the time.
00:25:19.367 --> 00:25:22.571
It just means don't ever get out of the mood of prayer.
00:25:22.571 --> 00:25:28.043
Don't ever get in a place where you can't say,
00:25:28.043 --> 00:25:29.678
"lord, i need your help," or "lord, i need your wisdom."
00:25:29.678 --> 00:25:34.015
Some of you have been praying for family members,
00:25:34.015 --> 00:25:36.184
But maybe you've given up
00:25:36.184 --> 00:25:37.552
Because god hasn't answered in your lifetime.
00:25:37.552 --> 00:25:40.488
Let me remind you that god is not on your schedule.
00:25:40.488 --> 00:25:43.925
He answering in his time, and he calls us to keep praying.
00:25:43.925 --> 00:25:47.329
Never stop asking.
00:25:47.329 --> 00:25:49.197
I want to testify to you today that god answers prayer.
00:25:49.197 --> 00:25:52.033
I've seen him do it.
00:25:52.033 --> 00:25:53.602
He can lead you to the right doctor
00:25:53.602 --> 00:26:00.041
In a busy secular hospital
00:26:00.041 --> 00:26:03.011
Who just happens to be a believer.
00:26:03.011 --> 00:26:06.214
He can connect you with the world's top specialist,
00:26:06.214 --> 00:26:09.985
40 minutes from your home at just the right time.
00:26:09.985 --> 00:26:14.856
He can place your child in a university where unbeknownst
00:26:14.856 --> 00:26:18.393
To you, the president and athletic director
00:26:18.393 --> 00:26:21.062
Are both committed christians.
00:26:21.062 --> 00:26:24.733
He can even bring a young man to salvation just in time
00:26:24.733 --> 00:26:28.503
For a christ-centered wedding.
00:26:28.503 --> 00:26:31.773
God answers prayer.
00:26:31.773 --> 00:26:34.376
I hope you believe that.
00:26:34.376 --> 00:26:36.645
And if you struggle to believe...
00:26:36.645 --> 00:26:38.413
[congregation applauding]
00:26:38.413 --> 00:26:44.686
Dr. jeremiah: ..the title of this little series
00:26:44.686 --> 00:26:46.588
Is "prayer: the great adventure."
00:26:46.588 --> 00:26:49.424
You may not always know what god is up to, but when you pray,
00:26:49.424 --> 00:26:54.663
You know he's up to something.
00:26:54.663 --> 00:26:56.698
[congregation applauding]
00:26:57.832 --> 00:27:03.738
Announcer: thank you for watching "turning point."
00:27:03.805 --> 00:27:05.940
Dr. jeremiah would like to offer you his new book,
00:27:05.940 --> 00:27:08.510
"everything to god in prayer: guided prayers
00:27:08.510 --> 00:27:10.979
For your deepest needs & biggest dreams,"
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Containing 100 carefully crafted prayers for life's challenges
00:27:13.415 --> 00:27:16.718
And celebrations.
00:27:16.718 --> 00:27:18.586
These guided prayers will help you pray with confidence
00:27:18.586 --> 00:27:20.822
And renewed purpose, as dr. jeremiah helps you
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Request "everything to god in prayer," new from dr. jeremiah,
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Your deepest needs and biggest dreams deserve the right words.
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Request "everything to god in prayer" by dr. jeremiah
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From "turning point" today.
00:27:46.147 --> 00:27:48.917
Announcer: if you have never taken the step to believe in
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Jesus christ as your lord and savior, you can do that today.
00:27:55.223 --> 00:27:59.594
If you will allow us, dr. jeremiah would like
00:27:59.594 --> 00:28:01.963
To send you two resources that will help you.
00:28:01.963 --> 00:28:05.033
The first is a booklet called, "your greatest turning point,"
00:28:05.033 --> 00:28:08.002
Which will help you as you begin your relationship with christ.
00:28:08.002 --> 00:28:11.573
And the second is our monthly devotional magazine,
00:28:11.573 --> 00:28:13.975
"turning points," to give you encouragement
00:28:13.975 --> 00:28:16.144
And inspiration throughout the year.
00:28:16.144 --> 00:28:18.680
These resources are yours, completely free,
00:28:18.680 --> 00:28:21.015
When you contact "turning point" today.
00:28:21.015 --> 00:28:23.017
Announcer: if you enjoyed today's message,
00:28:27.021 --> 00:28:28.556
Watch the entire "prayer: the great adventure" series
00:28:28.556 --> 00:28:30.892
From dr. david jeremiah on turning point+.
00:28:30.892 --> 00:28:34.529
Start streaming this series today along
00:28:34.529 --> 00:28:36.631
With more than 1200 messages from dr. jeremiah's
00:28:36.631 --> 00:28:39.033
4 decades of broadcast ministry.
00:28:39.033 --> 00:28:41.903
On turning point+,
00:28:41.903 --> 00:28:43.404
You'll find dr. jeremiah's bible-strong teaching,
00:28:43.404 --> 00:28:45.740
Original programming, plus special collections
00:28:45.740 --> 00:28:48.243
And playlists, all on demand and on any screen.
00:28:48.243 --> 00:28:51.880
Visit turningpointplus.org today.
00:28:51.880 --> 00:28:54.282
Announcer: coming up on "turning point."
00:28:56.851 --> 00:28:58.386
Dr. jeremiah: ask god to give you a forgiving heart,
00:28:59.687 --> 00:29:01.890
Breathe out your prayers in an atmosphere of grace.
00:29:01.890 --> 00:29:04.993
You will be so surprised if you do this,
00:29:04.993 --> 00:29:08.363
How wonderful it will be to pray again in the right way.
00:29:08.363 --> 00:29:12.167
Announcer: stay tuned for another message
00:29:13.301 --> 00:29:14.736
From dr. jeremiah's series, "prayer: the great adventure,"
00:29:14.736 --> 00:29:18.206
"why don't my prayers get answered?"
00:29:18.206 --> 00:29:20.742
Coming up next, here on "turning point."
00:29:20.742 --> 00:29:23.578
Dr. jeremiah: we are pretty self-sufficient people,
00:29:27.682 --> 00:29:29.651
But that has caused us to make prayer
00:29:29.651 --> 00:29:32.086
Our last resort when we're in trouble.
00:29:32.086 --> 00:29:36.691
We make prayer so difficult.
00:29:36.691 --> 00:29:38.893
Prayer may be mysterious, but it's not complicated.
00:29:38.893 --> 00:29:42.130
It's simple.
00:29:42.130 --> 00:29:43.898
And in this series, i'm going to teach you
00:29:43.898 --> 00:29:46.234
How to transform your prayer life.
00:29:46.234 --> 00:29:51.840
I'm not here to make you feel guilty about not praying
00:29:51.840 --> 00:29:54.742
As much as you should.
00:29:54.742 --> 00:29:56.344
The real issue isn't guilt.
00:29:56.344 --> 00:29:58.246
It's that we're missing out on the great adventure
00:29:58.246 --> 00:30:00.682
God has for us.
00:30:00.682 --> 00:30:04.185
So you wanna know why you're not
00:30:04.185 --> 00:30:05.620
Seeing your prayers being answered?
00:30:05.620 --> 00:30:07.956
Well, they're just not specific enough.
00:30:07.956 --> 00:30:11.326
Your prayer should be so specific
00:30:11.326 --> 00:30:13.361
That when god answers it, you recognize it.
00:30:13.361 --> 00:30:16.397
If you want your prayers answered,
00:30:16.397 --> 00:30:18.600
Three things need to be true:
00:30:18.600 --> 00:30:20.802
The request needs to be right, the timing needs to be right,
00:30:20.802 --> 00:30:24.873
And you need to be right.
00:30:24.873 --> 00:30:28.176
Don't pray like an adult.
00:30:28.176 --> 00:30:30.011
Pray like a child.
00:30:30.011 --> 00:30:31.679
Keep it simple, keep it specific, and keep at it.
00:30:31.679 --> 00:30:37.485
God cares about everything in your life,
00:30:37.485 --> 00:30:39.721
Even the little things.
00:30:39.721 --> 00:30:41.489
Nothing is too insignificant to get on your prayer list
00:30:41.489 --> 00:30:44.726
Because god has the capacity to care about every detail
00:30:44.726 --> 00:30:48.162
Of every one of his children, including you.
00:30:48.162 --> 00:30:52.166
What is prayer?
00:30:52.166 --> 00:30:53.735
Prayer is a conversation, prayer is a relationship,
00:30:53.735 --> 00:30:58.439
And prayer is a great adventure.
00:30:58.439 --> 00:31:00.508
Announcer: here is dr. jeremiah with his message,
00:31:04.379 --> 00:31:06.681
"why don't my prayers get answered?"
00:31:06.681 --> 00:31:08.249
Dr. jeremiah: evangelist ron dunn wrote a powerful book
00:31:10.184 --> 00:31:13.454
On prayer, and toward the end of it,
00:31:13.454 --> 00:31:15.623
He shared this personal story.
00:31:15.623 --> 00:31:18.092
He said, "god did not answer two of the biggest prayers
00:31:18.092 --> 00:31:20.395
Of my life.
00:31:20.395 --> 00:31:22.130
I wanted those more than all the others put together,
00:31:22.130 --> 00:31:25.166
And i would have gladly forfeited them all
00:31:25.166 --> 00:31:27.302
For those two.
00:31:27.302 --> 00:31:29.270
I was surprised because i just knew god would answer them.
00:31:29.270 --> 00:31:33.775
I had a word from god.
00:31:33.775 --> 00:31:35.643
We had done everything we were supposed to do.
00:31:35.643 --> 00:31:37.679
We believed.
00:31:37.679 --> 00:31:39.180
We prayed in faith.
00:31:39.180 --> 00:31:40.715
We confessed. we claimed.
00:31:40.715 --> 00:31:43.251
We pleaded the blood. we rebuked the devil.
00:31:43.251 --> 00:31:45.186
We thanked god in advance for the answer, and we even fasted.
00:31:45.186 --> 00:31:48.890
And god had answered plenty of prayers like that before.
00:31:48.890 --> 00:31:52.827
I was hurt because i felt god had betrayed me.
00:31:52.827 --> 00:31:57.265
He had strung me along.
00:31:57.265 --> 00:31:58.599
He'd tantalized me with big answers to small prayers,
00:31:58.599 --> 00:32:01.502
But when the big one came along, nothing.
00:32:01.502 --> 00:32:05.707
No answer, no explanation, just silence.
00:32:05.707 --> 00:32:10.845
My prayer life," he said, "shriveled.
00:32:10.845 --> 00:32:13.448
When i tried to pray, those two unanswered prayers
00:32:13.448 --> 00:32:15.717
Hovered over me like two grinning demons,
00:32:15.717 --> 00:32:18.619
Mocking me: 'what's this, praying again?
00:32:18.619 --> 00:32:21.456
Didn't do much the last time, did it?
00:32:21.456 --> 00:32:23.658
Just wasting your time.'
00:32:23.658 --> 00:32:25.460
The prayers died in my throat."
00:32:25.460 --> 00:32:27.895
I can remember, as many of you can, some times in my life
00:32:27.895 --> 00:32:31.866
When i felt exactly like ron dunn.
00:32:31.866 --> 00:32:35.636
And i'd be surprised if most of you haven't felt that same way
00:32:35.636 --> 00:32:38.406
At some point along the way.
00:32:38.406 --> 00:32:40.708
I'm gonna give you seven reasons from the bible
00:32:40.708 --> 00:32:42.944
Why god does not answer your prayers.
00:32:42.944 --> 00:32:45.413
In the old testament, habakkuk the prophet struggled and he
00:32:45.413 --> 00:32:48.883
Said, "o lord, how long shall i cry, and you will not hear me?"
00:32:48.883 --> 00:32:55.757
And job wrestled with it.
00:32:55.757 --> 00:32:57.592
Job said, "oh, that i had one to hear me!
00:32:57.592 --> 00:32:59.827
Oh, that the almighty would answer me."
00:32:59.827 --> 00:33:02.730
And david said the same thing, "how long, o lord?
00:33:02.730 --> 00:33:06.267
Will you forget me forever?
00:33:06.267 --> 00:33:08.202
How long will you hide your face from me?"
00:33:08.202 --> 00:33:11.839
When we turn from the old testament to the gospels,
00:33:11.839 --> 00:33:14.876
We find a familiar pattern, an interesting assortment
00:33:14.876 --> 00:33:19.047
Of requests that jesus denied.
00:33:19.047 --> 00:33:22.717
During his earthly ministry, our lord didn't say yes
00:33:22.717 --> 00:33:26.254
To his petitioners.
00:33:26.254 --> 00:33:27.688
In fact, when you start to look at it, it's kind of interesting
00:33:27.688 --> 00:33:30.858
How often he said no.
00:33:30.858 --> 00:33:33.728
Do you recall when the two ambitious brothers,
00:33:33.728 --> 00:33:35.563
James and john, aided by their mother,
00:33:35.563 --> 00:33:38.299
Asked if they could sit to our lord's left and right
00:33:38.299 --> 00:33:40.701
In the kingdom, and they didn't know
00:33:40.701 --> 00:33:42.503
The implications of what they were asking,
00:33:42.503 --> 00:33:44.405
And the lord didn't grant their request?
00:33:44.405 --> 00:33:46.174
Do you know that story?
00:33:46.174 --> 00:33:48.042
And martha asked jesus to tell her sister mary
00:33:48.042 --> 00:33:50.645
To help with the food preparation,
00:33:50.645 --> 00:33:52.880
And jesus said, "i'm not doing that.
00:33:52.880 --> 00:33:56.417
One thing is needed," he said, "and mary has chosen the
00:33:56.417 --> 00:33:58.653
Good part, which will not be taken away from her."
00:33:58.653 --> 00:34:02.657
One of the most interesting no's of christ was to a man
00:34:02.657 --> 00:34:06.561
Whom he had cast out a legion of demons.
00:34:06.561 --> 00:34:11.232
This newly delivered man asked if he could follow christ
00:34:11.232 --> 00:34:14.735
And travel with him among the broader group of disciples.
00:34:14.735 --> 00:34:19.240
But jesus had other plans for the man and told him,
00:34:19.240 --> 00:34:21.776
"no, go back to your own house, and tell what great things
00:34:21.776 --> 00:34:25.580
God has done for you."
00:34:25.580 --> 00:34:27.882
Now i want to be up front.
00:34:27.882 --> 00:34:29.317
I do not understand everything about prayer.
00:34:29.317 --> 00:34:31.452
And it's been kind of embarrassing for me
00:34:31.452 --> 00:34:33.154
To come here like i'm some sort of prayer guru because i'm not.
00:34:33.154 --> 00:34:37.391
But i'm learning alongside of you as i read the bible
00:34:37.391 --> 00:34:40.294
I find out that prayer is far more mysterious
00:34:40.294 --> 00:34:42.964
Than most of us will ever grasp this side of heaven.
00:34:42.964 --> 00:34:46.667
I do know that sometimes god delays his answers.
00:34:46.667 --> 00:34:51.005
I know that sometimes the answer is no,
00:34:51.005 --> 00:34:54.175
And no is just as much of an answer as yes.
00:34:54.175 --> 00:34:57.478
I know that sometimes god answers
00:34:57.478 --> 00:34:59.113
In ways we don't recognize at the time
00:34:59.113 --> 00:35:02.150
And don't realize until much later on in life.
00:35:02.150 --> 00:35:05.820
But i also know this, there are moments
00:35:05.820 --> 00:35:09.056
When god makes it very clear why he isn't answering.
00:35:09.056 --> 00:35:13.761
J. oswald sanders, who's written a lot about prayer, said,
00:35:13.761 --> 00:35:18.432
"when a prudent businessman discovers
00:35:18.432 --> 00:35:20.568
That his business is failing, he takes stock.
00:35:20.568 --> 00:35:24.572
He examines the books.
00:35:24.572 --> 00:35:26.040
He determines the cause.
00:35:26.040 --> 00:35:27.775
Should we be less prudent in our spiritual accounting?
00:35:27.775 --> 00:35:31.512
Have we ever sat down and honestly asked
00:35:31.512 --> 00:35:34.448
Why some of our prayers go unanswered?
00:35:34.448 --> 00:35:36.884
Do we simply accept failure fatalistically?
00:35:36.884 --> 00:35:40.555
Do we piously say, 'well, it just wasn't god's will,
00:35:40.555 --> 00:35:43.157
So i guess i shouldn't have asked.'"
00:35:43.157 --> 00:35:47.061
There are several places in scripture,
00:35:47.061 --> 00:35:48.963
And i want to take you through this list,
00:35:48.963 --> 00:35:51.299
Where god states plainly that under certain circumstances
00:35:51.299 --> 00:35:55.369
He will not answer prayer.
00:35:55.369 --> 00:35:57.505
I hope we can use this as kind of a checklist.
00:35:57.505 --> 00:35:59.874
I mean, if my prayers seem to go unanswered,
00:35:59.874 --> 00:36:02.743
Could the reason for that be found on this list?
00:36:02.743 --> 00:36:06.414
This isn't an exhaustive list.
00:36:06.414 --> 00:36:08.149
This isn't all the things that could keep your prayers
00:36:08.149 --> 00:36:11.485
From being answered.
00:36:11.485 --> 00:36:12.853
But these are the things that are in the bible
00:36:12.853 --> 00:36:14.188
And it's a pretty good place to start.
00:36:14.188 --> 00:36:16.691
First of all, our prayers are not answered
00:36:16.691 --> 00:36:18.859
Because of un-prayed prayers.
00:36:18.859 --> 00:36:21.929
Sometimes we miss out on what god wants to give us
00:36:21.929 --> 00:36:25.266
Just because we don't ask.
00:36:25.266 --> 00:36:26.701
The bible says it this way: "you have not, because you ask not."
00:36:26.701 --> 00:36:31.806
Our unspoken desires are like concert tickets never picked up
00:36:31.806 --> 00:36:35.977
At the window or an unredeemed gift certificate.
00:36:35.977 --> 00:36:39.547
We thank god for the day, we ask him to bless our food,
00:36:39.547 --> 00:36:43.217
But we fail to bring before him the things we truly need
00:36:43.217 --> 00:36:46.887
Or truly desire.
00:36:46.887 --> 00:36:48.289
I've actually had people say they're embarrassed
00:36:48.289 --> 00:36:51.359
To tell god what they really need.
00:36:51.359 --> 00:36:54.395
Years ago while preaching on prayer i watched the drama team
00:36:54.395 --> 00:36:58.933
Present a powerful illustration.
00:36:58.933 --> 00:37:01.402
The setting was the vestibule of heaven,
00:37:01.402 --> 00:37:04.538
And the stage was filled with file cabinets lining the room.
00:37:04.538 --> 00:37:08.843
As a new resident of heaven entered,
00:37:08.843 --> 00:37:10.678
He noticed the cabinets and he asked about them.
00:37:10.678 --> 00:37:13.881
He was told that each drawer bore the name of a believer,
00:37:13.881 --> 00:37:16.984
And curious, he found the drawer with his name on it
00:37:16.984 --> 00:37:19.487
And asked what was inside.
00:37:19.487 --> 00:37:22.356
The response was sobering.
00:37:22.356 --> 00:37:23.891
It was full of blessings, said the person he talked to.
00:37:23.891 --> 00:37:27.928
Things god had wanted to give him, but couldn't give him
00:37:27.928 --> 00:37:31.032
Because he never asked for them.
00:37:31.032 --> 00:37:33.134
What a shame it would be to miss out on god's provision,
00:37:33.134 --> 00:37:36.871
Not because he was unwilling, but because we never asked.
00:37:36.871 --> 00:37:41.542
Some people think god does not like to be troubled
00:37:41.542 --> 00:37:44.378
With our constant coming and asking.
00:37:44.378 --> 00:37:47.415
The only way to trouble god is not to come at all.
00:37:47.415 --> 00:37:51.152
That's what d.l. moody said.
00:37:51.152 --> 00:37:52.920
So sometimes our prayers are not answered
00:37:52.920 --> 00:37:55.189
Because they're never prayed.
00:37:55.189 --> 00:37:57.258
God wants you to recognize your need.
00:37:57.258 --> 00:37:59.460
He wants me to recognize my need.
00:37:59.460 --> 00:38:01.362
He wants us to say out loud, "this is my prayer."
00:38:01.362 --> 00:38:05.933
If we do not pray, we should not expect an answer.
00:38:05.933 --> 00:38:10.504
Number two, the bible is very clear about the fact
00:38:10.504 --> 00:38:14.041
That sometimes our prayers are not answered
00:38:14.041 --> 00:38:16.477
Because of unconfessed sin.
00:38:16.477 --> 00:38:19.680
Here's what psalm 66:18 says:
00:38:19.680 --> 00:38:23.084
"if i regard iniquity in my heart,
00:38:23.084 --> 00:38:27.888
The lord will not hear me."
00:38:27.888 --> 00:38:31.659
We often think of unanswered prayer as a master
00:38:31.659 --> 00:38:34.161
Of god's timing, or maybe even a test of faith.
00:38:34.161 --> 00:38:38.432
But sometimes the issue isn't with god's timing,
00:38:38.432 --> 00:38:42.169
It's with our hearts.
00:38:42.169 --> 00:38:44.672
And this isn't just one verse.
00:38:44.672 --> 00:38:46.307
The bible repeats this principle over and over.
00:38:46.307 --> 00:38:50.211
Listen to proverbs 28, verse 9: "one who turns away his ear
00:38:50.211 --> 00:38:54.615
From hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination."
00:38:54.615 --> 00:39:00.020
And then there's isaiah 1:15 where god says,
00:39:00.020 --> 00:39:03.391
"when you spread out your hands,
00:39:03.391 --> 00:39:05.059
I will hide my eyes from you; even though you
00:39:05.059 --> 00:39:07.895
Make many prayers, i will not hear,
00:39:07.895 --> 00:39:11.298
Because your hands are full of blood."
00:39:11.298 --> 00:39:14.435
Isaiah 59:1-2 puts it even more clearly: "his hand is not
00:39:14.435 --> 00:39:18.639
Shortened, that it cannot save; nor his ear heavy,
00:39:18.639 --> 00:39:21.976
That it cannot hear.
00:39:21.976 --> 00:39:23.477
But your iniquities have separated you from your god;
00:39:23.477 --> 00:39:27.348
And your sins have hidden his face from you,
00:39:27.348 --> 00:39:29.817
That he will not hear."
00:39:29.817 --> 00:39:32.052
Now let's go back to the top of the list and unpack this
00:39:32.052 --> 00:39:34.488
A little bit more.
00:39:34.488 --> 00:39:36.424
Psalm 66:18 says: "if i regard iniquity in my heart,
00:39:36.424 --> 00:39:41.495
The lord will not hear."
00:39:41.495 --> 00:39:43.330
Please note what the verse does not say.
00:39:43.330 --> 00:39:46.567
The verse does not say: "if i sin, the lord will not hear me."
00:39:46.567 --> 00:39:51.205
It says, "if i regard sin in my heart,"
00:39:51.205 --> 00:39:54.675
In other words, i know there is sin in my life
00:39:54.675 --> 00:39:57.545
And i'm not doing anything about it.
00:39:57.545 --> 00:40:00.481
A person who regards iniquity is one who holds a particular sin
00:40:00.481 --> 00:40:04.418
In his heart and loves it and makes an alibi for it
00:40:04.418 --> 00:40:07.955
And excuses it and covers it up.
00:40:07.955 --> 00:40:11.058
It is not primarily therefore the fact of sin,
00:40:11.058 --> 00:40:14.361
But rather a love for sin and excusing sin
00:40:14.361 --> 00:40:18.265
That makes a barrier between us and god.
00:40:18.265 --> 00:40:21.168
The prayer god wants to hear from us is 1 john 1:9:
00:40:21.168 --> 00:40:25.940
"if we confess our sin,
00:40:25.940 --> 00:40:27.908
He's faithful and just to forgive us our sin
00:40:27.908 --> 00:40:31.178
And to cleanse us from all iniquity."
00:40:31.178 --> 00:40:34.181
He will take all unrighteousness away.
00:40:34.181 --> 00:40:37.284
God doesn't want us to hoard sin in our life.
00:40:37.284 --> 00:40:40.020
Now you say, "pastor, what does that mean?"
00:40:40.020 --> 00:40:41.822
Well, you're a christian.
00:40:41.822 --> 00:40:43.424
You go to church every week.
00:40:43.424 --> 00:40:44.825
You live a good life.
00:40:44.825 --> 00:40:46.360
But there's something you know that you shouldn't be doing
00:40:46.360 --> 00:40:49.930
Or involved in, and you don't want to give it up.
00:40:49.930 --> 00:40:53.067
And you save a little place in your heart for it.
00:40:53.067 --> 00:40:55.269
It's a corner there.
00:40:55.269 --> 00:40:56.937
And you protect it with your excuses
00:40:56.937 --> 00:41:00.007
And all of the other things in your life.
00:41:00.007 --> 00:41:02.042
The bible says if you hoard sin in your life, if you regard it,
00:41:02.042 --> 00:41:05.679
If you keep it and you don't deal with it, it's hard pressed
00:41:05.679 --> 00:41:09.583
For you to go and ask god and expect him to hear you.
00:41:09.583 --> 00:41:13.687
Thirdly, our prayers are not answered
00:41:13.687 --> 00:41:16.123
Because of unbelieving minds.
00:41:16.123 --> 00:41:19.260
Here's another barricade to answered prayer.
00:41:19.260 --> 00:41:22.263
The bible says: "let him ask in faith, with no doubting,
00:41:22.263 --> 00:41:27.568
For he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven
00:41:27.568 --> 00:41:31.071
And tossed by the wind.
00:41:31.071 --> 00:41:32.907
For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything
00:41:32.907 --> 00:41:37.177
From the lord; he is a double-minded man,
00:41:37.177 --> 00:41:40.414
Unstable in all of his ways."
00:41:40.414 --> 00:41:43.584
Jesus said in mark 11, "i assuredly say to you,
00:41:43.584 --> 00:41:46.420
Whoever says to this mountain,
00:41:46.420 --> 00:41:48.188
'be removed and cast into the sea,'
00:41:48.188 --> 00:41:51.158
And does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things
00:41:51.158 --> 00:41:54.528
He says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
00:41:54.528 --> 00:41:59.033
Therefore i say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray,
00:41:59.033 --> 00:42:02.536
Believe and you will receive them, and you will have them."
00:42:02.536 --> 00:42:07.741
Faith is not an optional agreement when we pray.
00:42:07.741 --> 00:42:13.480
It is essential.
00:42:13.480 --> 00:42:14.815
Hebrews 11:6 says, "without faith it is impossible
00:42:14.815 --> 00:42:18.385
To please god,
00:42:18.385 --> 00:42:19.787
For he who comes to god must believe that he is,
00:42:19.787 --> 00:42:22.656
And that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him."
00:42:22.656 --> 00:42:27.595
John newton was the former slave trader who turned pastor
00:42:27.595 --> 00:42:32.333
And hymn writer.
00:42:32.333 --> 00:42:34.101
He understood the power of bold, faith-filled prayer.
00:42:34.101 --> 00:42:36.904
He often spoke of what he called large asking.
00:42:36.904 --> 00:42:41.342
Newton frequently cited a legendary story
00:42:41.342 --> 00:42:43.744
About a man who approached alexander the great,
00:42:43.744 --> 00:42:47.214
Requesting a vast sum of money
00:42:47.214 --> 00:42:49.550
In exchange for his daughter's hand in marriage.
00:42:49.550 --> 00:42:53.187
Alexander agreed and instructed the man to ask his treasurer
00:42:53.187 --> 00:42:57.591
For whatever he wanted.
00:42:57.591 --> 00:43:00.294
And when the man made an extravagant request,
00:43:00.294 --> 00:43:03.697
The treasurer was shocked.
00:43:03.697 --> 00:43:06.500
He hesitated and went to alexander,
00:43:06.500 --> 00:43:10.070
Arguing that even a small fraction of what this man
00:43:10.070 --> 00:43:13.207
Asked for would have been more than sufficient.
00:43:13.207 --> 00:43:16.477
Alexander's response was remarkable.
00:43:16.477 --> 00:43:19.246
He said, "no, let him have it. let him have it all.
00:43:19.246 --> 00:43:22.216
I like that fella. he does me honor.
00:43:22.216 --> 00:43:24.985
He treats me like a king and proves by what he asks
00:43:24.985 --> 00:43:27.788
That he believes me to be both rich and generous."
00:43:27.788 --> 00:43:31.358
Newton concluded, "in the same way, we should go to the throne
00:43:31.358 --> 00:43:34.962
Of god's grace and present petitions that express honorable
00:43:34.962 --> 00:43:39.433
Views of the love, riches, and bounty of our king."
00:43:39.433 --> 00:43:43.737
This is the kind of faith god desires, one that truly believes
00:43:43.737 --> 00:43:47.274
He's able, that he's good and he's capable.
00:43:47.274 --> 00:43:50.444
And i wonder sometimes if that's not one of the things
00:43:50.444 --> 00:43:53.814
We all could work on a little bit,
00:43:53.814 --> 00:43:55.449
To believe god for big things, to believe him for things
00:43:55.449 --> 00:43:59.353
That when you first think,
00:43:59.353 --> 00:44:00.988
"oh that's really--that's impossible."
00:44:00.988 --> 00:44:03.257
What does the bible say?
00:44:03.257 --> 00:44:05.659
"all things are possible with god."
00:44:05.659 --> 00:44:08.362
And then our prayers are not answered
00:44:08.362 --> 00:44:10.898
Because of unrighteous motives.
00:44:10.898 --> 00:44:13.600
Sometimes we pray and we don't pray for the right reasons.
00:44:13.600 --> 00:44:17.705
We have inferior motivations.
00:44:17.705 --> 00:44:19.773
To me this is quite difficult because you can't always trust
00:44:19.773 --> 00:44:22.943
Your motivations.
00:44:22.943 --> 00:44:24.812
Not even your own.
00:44:24.812 --> 00:44:26.313
I mean you can't know others' motivations,
00:44:26.313 --> 00:44:28.282
But sometimes you don't even know your own.
00:44:28.282 --> 00:44:30.284
You know, the bible says that god will reward us
00:44:30.284 --> 00:44:32.586
On the basis of our motivations.
00:44:32.586 --> 00:44:34.588
And sometimes you look back over your life and say,
00:44:34.588 --> 00:44:37.391
"did i ever do anything truly, totally, just for god
00:44:37.391 --> 00:44:41.361
Without any of my own stuff enmixed with it?"
00:44:41.361 --> 00:44:44.865
And it's not really easy to answer that question.
00:44:44.865 --> 00:44:48.502
We often do good deeds for selfish reasons.
00:44:48.502 --> 00:44:52.005
Sometimes we ask god for greater things from lesser motivations.
00:44:52.005 --> 00:44:56.810
James wrote, "you ask and you do not receive,
00:44:56.810 --> 00:45:00.881
Because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures."
00:45:00.881 --> 00:45:07.321
The phrase "ask amiss" means to ask in a wrong way
00:45:07.321 --> 00:45:12.025
With selfish or impure motives.
00:45:12.025 --> 00:45:14.228
And the greek word behind the word "pleasures"
00:45:14.228 --> 00:45:16.597
Is connected to hedonism, a lifestyle
00:45:16.597 --> 00:45:19.466
Consumed with personal pleasure and indulgence.
00:45:19.466 --> 00:45:22.970
A hedonistic society seeks gratification above everything.
00:45:22.970 --> 00:45:27.274
And too often our prayers reflect that same pursuit of
00:45:27.274 --> 00:45:31.145
Pleasure rather than a heart surrendered to god's purposes.
00:45:31.145 --> 00:45:35.549
We pray for health, not so that we can serve and glorify god,
00:45:35.549 --> 00:45:39.052
But so we can indulge in self-centered living.
00:45:39.052 --> 00:45:42.623
Or we pray for wealth, not so we can use our resources
00:45:42.623 --> 00:45:45.826
For the kingdom, but so that we can live in luxury
00:45:45.826 --> 00:45:48.862
And comfort and excess.
00:45:48.862 --> 00:45:51.198
This doesn't mean we cannot ask god to do something
00:45:51.198 --> 00:45:53.934
For those we love.
00:45:53.934 --> 00:45:55.803
This does not mean in any sense of the word
00:45:55.803 --> 00:45:59.273
That when we pray we cannot ask god
00:45:59.273 --> 00:46:01.909
To give us our daily bread and meet our needs.
00:46:01.909 --> 00:46:04.511
Surely we can do that.
00:46:04.511 --> 00:46:06.146
God delights in giving us good gifts but we must check
00:46:06.146 --> 00:46:10.017
Our motives.
00:46:10.017 --> 00:46:12.052
Are we seeking his glory or just our own desires?
00:46:12.052 --> 00:46:15.689
The bible warns that some prayers go unanswered
00:46:15.689 --> 00:46:19.226
Because they are from the wrong motive.
00:46:19.226 --> 00:46:22.796
Then the bible teaches us that our prayers are not answered
00:46:22.796 --> 00:46:26.333
Because of unresolved conflicts.
00:46:26.333 --> 00:46:28.836
I want you to write these verses down because these two verses
00:46:28.836 --> 00:46:31.238
Go together and if you're not careful you'll forget
00:46:31.238 --> 00:46:34.107
Where they are and you'll lose the power of them.
00:46:34.107 --> 00:46:36.810
So write these references down.
00:46:36.810 --> 00:46:38.846
Mark 11:25-26.
00:46:38.846 --> 00:46:41.582
Listen to what it says: "and whenever you stand praying,
00:46:41.582 --> 00:46:45.552
If you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your
00:46:45.552 --> 00:46:50.023
Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
00:46:50.023 --> 00:46:54.294
For if you do not forgive, neither will your father
00:46:54.294 --> 00:46:57.264
In heaven forgive your trespasses."
00:46:57.264 --> 00:47:01.368
So do you get what that says?
00:47:01.368 --> 00:47:02.936
The bible says if you have something against someone,
00:47:02.936 --> 00:47:06.673
You're holding a grudge against someone, you've got an issue
00:47:06.673 --> 00:47:08.742
With someone, the bible says you need to take the responsibility
00:47:08.742 --> 00:47:13.981
To forgive that person and get that relationship right,
00:47:13.981 --> 00:47:17.284
All right?
00:47:17.284 --> 00:47:18.619
Now he made the same point in his sermon on the mount.
00:47:18.619 --> 00:47:21.021
Listen to this: "therefore if you bring your gift
00:47:21.021 --> 00:47:23.957
To the altar, and there you remember
00:47:23.957 --> 00:47:26.593
That your brother has something against you,
00:47:26.593 --> 00:47:30.364
Leave your gift there before the altar,
00:47:30.364 --> 00:47:32.432
And go your way.
00:47:32.432 --> 00:47:33.967
First be reconciled to your brother,
00:47:33.967 --> 00:47:36.203
And then come and offer your gift."
00:47:36.203 --> 00:47:39.072
The first verse says if you have something against somebody,
00:47:39.072 --> 00:47:42.876
Go get it right.
00:47:42.876 --> 00:47:44.978
The second verse says if somebody's got something
00:47:44.978 --> 00:47:47.414
Against you, go get it right.
00:47:47.414 --> 00:47:50.050
And what that means, class, is it's always your turn.
00:47:50.050 --> 00:47:54.221
Because what happens to us when we get in situations like that,
00:47:54.221 --> 00:47:59.760
Well, and probably even in your marriage, i won't make
00:47:59.760 --> 00:48:02.562
Any confessions here, but probably even in your marriage,
00:48:02.562 --> 00:48:06.967
You have a little disagreement
00:48:06.967 --> 00:48:08.635
And you don't do anything about it
00:48:08.635 --> 00:48:10.070
Because you initiated the last time of forgiveness,
00:48:10.070 --> 00:48:13.273
And it's not your turn.
00:48:13.273 --> 00:48:14.675
Listen to me, it's always our turn.
00:48:14.675 --> 00:48:16.576
God made it clear in his word that our acceptance with him
00:48:16.576 --> 00:48:20.180
Is based solely on the work he did for us at calvary,
00:48:20.180 --> 00:48:23.250
And our belief in his son is our only hope of salvation.
00:48:23.250 --> 00:48:26.720
But the lord also told us that our fellowship with him in
00:48:26.720 --> 00:48:30.324
Prayer is conditioned upon our relationship with others.
00:48:30.324 --> 00:48:34.628
If you don't forgive someone who hurts you or that you hurt,
00:48:34.628 --> 00:48:38.432
It doesn't affect your salvation,
00:48:38.432 --> 00:48:40.701
But it may affect your fellowship with god.
00:48:40.701 --> 00:48:42.970
You may feel a distance come between you and god.
00:48:42.970 --> 00:48:45.806
You're still saved, but the walk of fellowship can be hurt.
00:48:45.806 --> 00:48:50.978
If i've offended my brother or my sister,
00:48:50.978 --> 00:48:53.814
I need to go make things right, or at least try to,
00:48:53.814 --> 00:48:58.118
Or my prayers may be hindered.
00:48:58.118 --> 00:48:59.720
If my brother has offended me, i must forgive him
00:48:59.720 --> 00:49:02.956
So bitterness won't be a barrier to my prayers.
00:49:02.956 --> 00:49:06.360
So have you hurt someone but haven't tried to make it right?
00:49:06.360 --> 00:49:10.330
Or are you resentful at someone?
00:49:10.330 --> 00:49:12.766
People can hurt us and some can hurt us in catastrophic ways.
00:49:12.766 --> 00:49:16.937
We can carry around bitterness for many years, but it's a
00:49:16.937 --> 00:49:20.407
Self-destructive attitude and a prayer-hindering emotion.
00:49:20.407 --> 00:49:25.812
Ask god to give you a forgiving heart, breathe out your prayers
00:49:25.812 --> 00:49:29.082
In an atmosphere of grace.
00:49:29.082 --> 00:49:31.051
You will be so surprised if you do this
00:49:31.051 --> 00:49:34.388
How wonderful it will be to pray again in the right way,
00:49:34.388 --> 00:49:39.292
Because you're not holding something back in your heart.
00:49:39.292 --> 00:49:45.165
Okay, number six: our prayers are not answered because
00:49:45.165 --> 00:49:50.003
Of uncompassionate hearts.
00:49:50.003 --> 00:49:52.906
Once again from the word of god, as i searched the scriptures
00:49:52.906 --> 00:49:55.976
Looking for hurdles that hinder our prayers, i found another
00:49:55.976 --> 00:49:59.713
Danger lurking in proverbs 21, verse 13:
00:49:59.713 --> 00:50:03.350
"whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
00:50:03.350 --> 00:50:07.888
Will also cry himself and not be heard."
00:50:07.888 --> 00:50:12.259
The apostle john also touches on this.
00:50:12.259 --> 00:50:14.728
He said, "whoever has this world's goods, and sees his
00:50:14.728 --> 00:50:18.765
Brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him,
00:50:18.765 --> 00:50:22.702
How does the love of god abide in him?
00:50:22.702 --> 00:50:25.472
Let us not love in word or in tongue,
00:50:25.472 --> 00:50:27.607
But in deed and in truth.
00:50:27.607 --> 00:50:29.309
And whatever we ask we receive from him,
00:50:29.309 --> 00:50:31.878
Because we keep his commandments
00:50:31.878 --> 00:50:34.047
And do those things that are pleasing in his sight."
00:50:34.047 --> 00:50:38.085
This is not about trying to feed the world's hungry,
00:50:38.085 --> 00:50:41.221
Although we ought to be concerned about that.
00:50:41.221 --> 00:50:44.324
This prayer barrier is about failing to have compassion
00:50:44.324 --> 00:50:47.260
For those we know who are in need,
00:50:47.260 --> 00:50:51.064
Especially those who come to us and seek our help,
00:50:51.064 --> 00:50:54.301
And we have the capability of meeting that need.
00:50:54.301 --> 00:50:57.904
If we respond without compassion,
00:50:57.904 --> 00:51:00.841
We violate our fellowship with god
00:51:00.841 --> 00:51:02.609
And he is not gonna answer our prayers
00:51:02.609 --> 00:51:04.744
Until we make that right.
00:51:04.744 --> 00:51:07.647
He's a god of compassion.
00:51:07.647 --> 00:51:10.750
Has he shown compassion to us?
00:51:10.750 --> 00:51:13.453
Out of the reservoir of his compassion to us,
00:51:13.453 --> 00:51:16.723
We're to have compassion on other people.
00:51:16.723 --> 00:51:19.960
Our prayers are not answered because of unprayed prayers.
00:51:19.960 --> 00:51:25.132
Our prayers are not answered because of unconfessed sin.
00:51:25.132 --> 00:51:29.636
Our prayers are not answered because of unbelieving minds.
00:51:29.636 --> 00:51:33.073
Our prayers are not answered because of unrighteous motives.
00:51:33.073 --> 00:51:36.776
Our prayers are not answered because of unresolved conflicts.
00:51:36.776 --> 00:51:40.780
Our prayers are not answered because of
00:51:40.780 --> 00:51:42.916
Uncompassionate hearts.
00:51:42.916 --> 00:51:45.018
And this last one is going to shock you.
00:51:45.018 --> 00:51:49.723
But i want to remind you again, i'm not making this up.
00:51:49.723 --> 00:51:52.926
This is from the bible.
00:51:52.926 --> 00:51:55.629
Our prayers are not answered because of
00:51:55.629 --> 00:51:58.131
Unresponsive husbands.
00:51:58.131 --> 00:52:02.569
Did you know that?
00:52:02.569 --> 00:52:05.639
"husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding,
00:52:05.639 --> 00:52:10.810
Giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel,
00:52:10.810 --> 00:52:14.681
And as being heirs together of the grace of life,
00:52:14.681 --> 00:52:18.351
That your prayers be not hindered."
00:52:18.351 --> 00:52:23.123
Men, the bible has a special category for us.
00:52:23.123 --> 00:52:29.162
It teaches us that men, and all the women are clapping,
00:52:29.162 --> 00:52:33.533
That's not fair.
00:52:33.533 --> 00:52:35.502
This teaches us that not having the right kind of relationship
00:52:35.502 --> 00:52:39.105
With our wives can hinder our prayers.
00:52:39.105 --> 00:52:42.709
It makes it hard to pray for your wife when you have not been
00:52:42.709 --> 00:52:46.046
Loving her and meeting her needs and living with her according
00:52:46.046 --> 00:52:48.782
To the teaching of the word of god.
00:52:48.782 --> 00:52:51.618
On the other hand, think of the potential that is wrapped up
00:52:51.618 --> 00:52:54.154
In the two of you praying together,
00:52:54.154 --> 00:52:56.590
Agreeing on things and praying in your prayers
00:52:56.590 --> 00:53:00.026
For the same things.
00:53:00.026 --> 00:53:01.528
Matthew 18 says, "i say to you that if two of you agree
00:53:01.528 --> 00:53:04.364
On earth concerning anything that they ask,
00:53:04.364 --> 00:53:07.467
It will be done for them by my father in heaven.
00:53:07.467 --> 00:53:10.570
For where two or three are gathered in my name,
00:53:10.570 --> 00:53:13.740
I am there in the midst of them."
00:53:13.740 --> 00:53:16.643
Unprayed prayers, unconfessed sin, unbelieving minds,
00:53:16.643 --> 00:53:20.180
Unrighteous motives, unresolved conflicts,
00:53:20.180 --> 00:53:22.983
Uncompassionate hearts, and unresponsive husbands.
00:53:22.983 --> 00:53:27.053
There you have it,
00:53:27.053 --> 00:53:28.388
Seven things that can be barriers to praying.
00:53:28.388 --> 00:53:31.324
Psalm 86:5 says: "for you, lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
00:53:31.324 --> 00:53:36.129
And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon you."
00:53:36.129 --> 00:53:40.100
We cannot afford to have our prayers hindered
00:53:40.100 --> 00:53:42.736
In days like these.
00:53:42.736 --> 00:53:44.504
We live in treacherous days and we can't let stuff
00:53:44.504 --> 00:53:48.475
Get between us and god.
00:53:48.475 --> 00:53:50.610
We need constant access to the throne of grace,
00:53:50.610 --> 00:53:53.113
And we need to live in the land of answered prayer.
00:53:53.113 --> 00:53:57.517
From the beginning of the bible to its conclusion,
00:53:57.517 --> 00:54:01.421
We see absolute evidence that god answers prayer.
00:54:01.421 --> 00:54:05.392
Things that we think are impossible,
00:54:05.392 --> 00:54:07.193
God does when people pray.
00:54:07.193 --> 00:54:09.996
Prayer has won victories over fire and earth and water.
00:54:09.996 --> 00:54:14.000
Prayer opened the red sea.
00:54:14.000 --> 00:54:16.303
Prayer brought water from the rock and bread from heaven.
00:54:16.303 --> 00:54:20.340
Prayer made the sun stand still.
00:54:20.340 --> 00:54:22.375
Prayer brought fire from the sky on elijah's sacrifice.
00:54:22.375 --> 00:54:26.579
Prayer overthrew armies and healed the sick.
00:54:26.579 --> 00:54:29.883
Prayer raised the dead.
00:54:29.883 --> 00:54:31.751
Prayer has paved the way for the conversion
00:54:31.751 --> 00:54:33.987
Of millions of people.
00:54:33.987 --> 00:54:36.156
When we pray, we align ourselves with the purposes of god
00:54:36.156 --> 00:54:40.160
And tap into the power of the almighty.
00:54:40.160 --> 00:54:43.096
Because we pray, god works through us in ways
00:54:43.096 --> 00:54:46.599
That he wouldn't otherwise.
00:54:46.599 --> 00:54:48.868
God has determined that he will use the prayers of his people
00:54:48.868 --> 00:54:52.672
To accomplish his purposes on this earth.
00:54:52.672 --> 00:54:56.242
If we want all the blessings god has available to us,
00:54:56.242 --> 00:54:59.946
We must pray.
00:54:59.946 --> 00:55:01.581
♪♪♪
00:55:01.581 --> 00:55:07.287
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From dr. david jeremiah on turning point+
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Announcer: next time on "turning point."
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Dr. jeremiah: the god who answers this prayer is a good
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And gracious and loving god.
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He never gives us anything that he does not give us
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The grace to deal with.
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He never asks us to walk a road that he does not lead us
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And go with us.
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Announcer: thank you for being with us today.
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Join dr. jeremiah next time for his message,
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"prayer, pagans, and pretenders,"
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Here on "turning point."
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David Jeremiah - The Great Adventure of Prayer

August 24, 2025 | S1 E1328 | 58:20

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