We will discuss 10 reasons why your prayers may not be getting answered. We look at scenarios where: 1) God put you in charge, 2) you put yourself in charge, 3) you put the devil in charge.
Scriptures
- John 16:22-24
- Matthew 6:10
- Matthew 15:19
- Gen 1:1-2
- Matthew 10:1
Last week we looked at the fact that we should be praying to build a relationship with God.
But today we’ll focus on when we’re asking for stuff...
We will look at why our prayers sometimes don’t answered. We’ll look at reasons other than the normal “churchy” responses like: 1) it’s not in God’s will, 2) it’s because our prayers are selfish, and 3) it’s because we’ve not followed His laws. We’ve covered these in previous studies.
Did you ever notice that there’s no instruction for unanswered/unfulfilled prayer in the bible?
This lesson isn’t to teach you how to beg better
- it will address some fundamental reasons that you don’t get answers
Answered prayers make us happy and increase our faith
if we do not get answers:
- we have to get our joy from the discipline of prayer
- we celebrate form rather than breakthrough (or power)
- we become religious
- we concern ourselves with how things are worded
There is no virtue in prayer
- you don’t build Holy points for praying
- it is important to develop a relationship from God
God Cares About Your Wants, Not Just Your Needs
Is it okay to ask God for what you want?
Jesus instructs us not to worry about tomorrow, but He doesn’t say don’t ask.
John 16:22-24
22So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
Jesus says "whatever you ask in my name I will do"
- the father is glorified when you and I live fulfilled dreams
a father's delight is in the child's delight
- just giving the kids a gift doesn't delight the parent
- they want to see the child open and enjoy it
- a parent wants to find out their dreams and desires and help them get it
God's Will
Is it true that whatever happens is what God wanted to happen?
- many Christians blame God for everything that happens
- We're not asking if God knew it would happen
Things that weren’t God’s will
- God is not willing that any should perish
- This belief assumes that every sin ever committed was God’s will
- Hitler
- rape
- abortion
- murder
- homosexuality
- slavery
- So why would we pray against any of these things?
- Why did Jesus pray?
- If everything is going to happen as He planned he wouldn't need to pray.
Believing that everything that happens is God’s will is a contradictory concept in itself
- why would you need to pray?
- Why did Jesus tell us to pray that God’s will be done.
- Why would God do something and then empower us to pray against it?
- on one hand we believe it’s God’s will that our relative is dying
- “it’s God’s timing”
- on the other hand we pray that they don’t die
- if God approves everything that happens then why would you believe that He would change it
Evil things aren’t God’s will
It’s not God’s will that we sin
Thy Will Be Done
Matthew 6:10
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
In the Lord’s prayer, what is the purpose of us praying “on earth as it is in Heaven”?
- It assumes that we can influence things through prayer
- It assumes that God will fulfill the things we pray
- When He tells us what to pray it’s because He has resources waiting to fulfill our prayers
Why does God need us to pray about it instead of Him just doing it Himself?
- God has given us His word that we have free will
- Prayer is one of the processes that brings God’s will to the earth
- In our prayers we should be submitting our wills back to God
The will of God is the wish and dream of God
His intention is "thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven"
There's a distance between God's will and our will
Asking for a promise fills that gap
Not everything that happens is God's will
- God is all powerful
- God is in charge of everything
- God isn't in control of everything
- there are some things that God has given us control over
- there are some things that Adam gave control over to the enemy
- there are some things that we ourselves have given over to the enemy
example: asking Shantanu about the sodas
My Heart’s Desire
Would God put a desire your heart if He didn’t want you to have it?
- often used referencing a spouse
there are natural desires that God puts in everyone
- it's not necessarily something unique He gave you
- it’s not necessarily something He wants you to have in this season (if at all)
Example: I have a friend who desires to be filthy rich, drive a Ferrari in an Armani suit, with three supermodels as the passengers.
- He truly desires it in his heart
Does that make it God’s will?
- no
some desires have been put into your head from:
- American culture (TV, magazines, etc.)
- the world
- family
- friends
Did God give you a craving for chocolate because He wanted you to eat chocolate all of the time?
- just because you want something doesn’t mean it’s good for you
- just because you want something doesn’t mean that it’s God’s will
Matthew 15:19
19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
There are desires in our hearts that aren’t from God
10 Reasons Why Our Prayers Aren’t Answered
- The answer is “wait”
- God determined that it would be better if you got it later
- The answer is “no”
- answered prayer doesn’t always mean getting what you want
- if a 7 year old asks his Dad to let him drive he will get told no
- over and over
- You moved outside of God’s will, so He removed His protection
- life is designed so you always get a choice of wrong or right
- you chose a path different than the one God wanted you to take
- God handed control over to you to fend for yourself
- like when a child moves out of the house they can eat what they want
- You’re asking God to violate someone else’s will
- Don't ask God to violate someone else's free will
- Don't say God make him stop. Say God help me
- It will lead you away from your purpose in life
- God may have something better planned
- It will be harmful to you
- Perhaps you aren’t ready yet
- Example: Don't put a child in a situation they didn't put themselves in
- It’s a trials meant to build you*
- you’re in a season that’s supposed to build your character to prepare you for your destiny
- You gave control over to the enemy*
- You took control from God and/or yourself and gave it to the enemy
- Like Adam
- God already answered you*
- you already have it
- God put you in control*
Trials
God no longer acts out of anger or in judgment
- God isn’t punishing you for something bad you did
Jesus’ blood was sufficient to atone for our sins
Gen 1:1-2
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
- Did God start out creation by summoning forth something beautiful or good?
- no without form and void and dark
- it was chaotic
- Why not?
- sometimes God develops good things out of the chaos
- God can produce life out of chaos
God deliberately formed the chaotic waters as the womb from which to birth the earth
the Spirit hovering over the water was transforming the darkness into life
God’s method:
- speaking to create light
- we need to speak light into our situations
- reflected good
- look for the good in the situation
chaos can be seen as a principal of productivity not a principal of destruction
Example: caterpillars in cocoon
the only reason God comes to solve chaos is when we're not doing our job
If you realize that every time there's chaos there's something valuable hidden
- Satan will start to avoid you
- you’ve taken away one of his weapons
You Gave Control to the Enemy
This is when you opened yourself up to allow the enemy to come in.
3 Types of Access we give the enemy:
- Body
- sex outside of marriage
- abortion
- Soul
- occult activity (horoscope, fortune tellers, secret societies)
- generational curses (uncontrolled anger, fears, addictions, behaviours)
- Spirit
- unforgiveness
- judgment
- rejection
- fear
In the areas of the body and soul you know you’ve done it. In the area of the spirit you may not know.
Judgment
When something bad happens to us there are two levels of judgment:
- discernment
- judgment
discernment is recognizing that it’s wrong
judgment is when you think badly about them, feeling angry towards the person, have negative feelings towards them
Judgment causes unforgiveness which gives the enemy access
The enemy wants you to accuse God, take the blame yourself, or make a judgment on someone else
Fear
Fear is a natural response so it’s not bad in itself
it’s when you embrace and define yourself with it that it becomes a problem
If you have given the control over to someone else God won’t interfere:
- He won’t violate your will
- if you’ve turned control over to “the spirit of fear”
Inner Vows
Inner vows put yourself in charge instead of God
I'm ugly, I'm stupid, nobody likes me, I can't trust anyone, all men are dogs, i'm powerless, I'm helpless
you’re taking God out of the equation
Agreements with the enemy that become part of our part of our core belief system. The enemy lies and we believe him.
- therefore our reality is based on a lie and not the truth
Bondage comes from agreement with the enemy
- freedom comes through Jesus
Repeating patterns/habits are indications that you've opened up the door to the enemy
It's not about what happened to us but how we respond to what happened
- no, it’s not necessarily fair
Solutions:
- Inner healing
- Counseling
- Deliverance
We Already Have The Answer
Sometimes He won't talk to us because He's already told us the answer
- when you get desperate you begin to look for it
you might be praying for what you already have
If you're praying for God to do something but He has done nothing then you'll get frustrated
Or we’re praying in an area in which God has given us control
God Gave Us the Authority
Matthew 10:1
1Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
Jesus’ resurrection gave us that same authority “In the Name of Jesus”
God gave us the authority to:
- be forgiven of our sins
- be healed
- be delivered
if you knew what you had you wouldn't doubt that you'd get it
if you were convinced that you the ability it you wouldn't quit
- you would eventually see a physical manifestation
faith is not about getting God to do something
- it’s responding to what he’s already done
God Put You in Control
God won’t answer your prayers if you’re praying for something that God has delegated control over.
God put us in control of our health
He gave the disciples the ability to: “heal every disease and sickness”
Example: boss gives you a job and you ask Him to do it
Responses to Unanswered Prayer
The two responses to unanswered prayers/breakthroughs are:
- acts of faith
- more prayer
- fasting
- stand on a promise
- rest
Stand on a Promise
what scripture are you standing on?
we should be praying for God’s will
- we can quote God’s promises back to Him (in context)
Rest
sometimes God will only give you things when you’re not seeking it so you don’t take the credit for it yourself
Conclusion
the absence of a breakthrough is supposed to encourage us to find out why it didn’t work
If I'm the problem I can fix me
- I can’t change God
we cannot create our own theology to rationalize unanswered prayers
- we should find out why
- we can’t just say “it isn’t God’s timing”
- it’s supposed to make you question
- you’re supposed to be unsatisfied
it’s not good to make your primary focus what God hasn’t done, but it’s okay to go to Him with requests
If you have an area where you won’t be happy unless you get it you give the enemy an opportunity to come in and influence you when you don’t get the results you want.
Ask God what you should do when you need to make a decision
- ask God what you should think about a situation
Presenter: Michael Leadon
Extra Scriptures
John 15:5
5“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
- What is to God’s glory?
- the answered prayer
- He delights in answering your prayers and giving you what you want
- God is giving us a covenant that makes Him vulnerable
remaining in Christ must be:
1. conscious
2. intentional
3. practiced
there's a difference between this mutual indwelling and just knowing Jesus from your head (knowing about Him)
the fruit of the Holy Spirit is not your fruit
- it's when the Holy Spirit is upon you
- this passage refers to YOU producing fruit
if we produce fruit
- is it necessarily moralistic?
- it's not Jesus bearing fruit
No comments:
Post a Comment