Sermon from the series:

"THE VICTORIOUS LIFE OF THE BELIEVER"

1 JOHN 5:14-15 "VICTORY THROUGH PRAYER"

Rev. Bryant C. Wyatt, Pastor

Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church

3407 Altos Ave

Sacramento, CA. 95838

(916) 925-8854

 

OBJECTIVES:

1. To learn and understand what Prayer is.

2. To learn and understand the importance of Prayer.

3. To find out what can hinder our Prayers.

4. The different answers God gives to our Prayers.

5. "How do I know that my Prayers will be answered?"

In the Beginning, when God made man, God desired man to have fellowship with him.  As a matter of fact, when you read Genesis 2, you will discover that Man's relationship and fellowship  with God was so strong that God gave Adam the wisdom to name all of the animals.  But in the Garden of Eden, when man sinned by believing the devils lie he lost his fellowship with God. 

But because of the death, burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we now have access to the Father.  As a matter of fact, we now have the awesome priveledge to talk to God on a continuous basis.  God desired fellowship with man back in Genesis, and God still desires fellowship with man.

God desires that unsaved folk receive Jesus as their personal savior.  Upon receiving Jesus as our personal Savior, we receive eternal life, according to 1John 5:11-13.  Yes, God wants all men to be saved.  God doesn't want anyone to perish, but he want's all to come to repentance. 

But after we receive Jesus as our personal Savior, God desires that we live a life of victory.  God doesn't want us to make it in by "the skin of our teeth".  God doesn't want us to barely make it in, but God desires that we live a life of victory.  God just doesn't want us to be victorious when we get to heaven, but He wants us to experience some victory while we are still down here on planet earth.  I am not suggesting a sort of heaven on earth, but I am saying that God does want us to live a full, more complete life.

The title of this Sermon/study, "Victory through Prayer", is suggestive.  It suggests the possibility of defeat.  And just know that the Believer that does not have a strong and vibrant prayer life will live a life of defeat.  And many believers are living defeated lives.  Now when I speak of defeated lives, I speak not of material possessions, but there are some things that material goods just can't do.  But I am speaking of a life that is totally sold out to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  So, for a few moments, let us deal with this Sermon, "VICTORY THROUGH PRAYER".

There are many believers that have think that because they didn't receive what they asked for, then God did not hear "my" prayer.  Because you didn't get what you requested from God doesn't mean that God did not hear you, or God did not answer you.  We must first thing we must ask ourselves is, "Did God hear my prayer?", and I will deal with that a little later.  But then we must realize that God does not always answer our prayers with a "YES" answer.  Sometimes, God says

-"Yes" - Acts 12:1-19

-"No" - 2Corinthians 12:7-10

-"Wait" - John 11

-"You do it yourself" - Luke 10:1-3

-"I have a better idea" - 2Samuel 7:1-3

And just because God didn't answer your prayers like you thought they should be answered, does not mean that God did not answer your prayers.  As a matter of fact, according to Romans 8:26, the Holy Spirit takes our prayers and makes intersession for us because there are times when we just don't know what to pray for.

So for a few moments, let us look at, "VICTORY THROUGH PRAYER".

Prayer is the spontaneous, heartfelt sharing by needy human beings with the Holy God, who is able and willing to help.  The late Dr. C. W. Johnson, said that, "Prayer is keeping company with God".  Prayer is keeping company with God.  Prayer is humanity in conversation with deity.  Prayer is earth claiming kinship with heaven.  Prayer is saying, "I need thee this very hour".  Prayer is saying, "Lord I can't, but I know that you can".  Prayer is a child talking to his heavenly Father.

I recall when I was growing up in Richmond CA, that I was trying to be grown at the age of 17.  I recall when I was about to do something that I should not have done.  My father knew that I was going to mess up and go my own way.  He wanted me to talking to him and ask for his advice.  But I was too grown and too stubborn, and I ended up suffering much hardship and pain.  But if only I had talked to my father when I had the chance, he could have helped me avoid much of the pain.  And all that I am trying to say to us is that we bare so much on our own, yet we have an all wise, all knowing, loving heavenly Father.  And our heavenly Father is waiting for us to talk to him, for we would avoid many of life's pitfalls if we only talked to him first.  "Oh what peace we often forfeit.  Oh what needless pains we bare, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer".

Have you ever prayed for something for a long time, but it seemed that your prayers were not going past the roof of your house?  Have there been times that you have prayed, and it seemed that the more you prayed the worse things got?  Have you ever prayed, and yet it seemed that God didn't answer your prayer at all?  If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then the information that you are going to receive can revolutionize your very life.   

God is ready to hear and answer our prayers, but before I deal with God's answer to prayer, we must understand that there are things that can hinder our prayers, so for a few moments, let us discuss some hindrances to prayer.

 *          The first hindrance to prayer that I would like to mention is for all of us husbands.  1Peter 3:7 says, "In like manner, ye husbands, dwell with them, 'your wives' according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered". 

*            Secondly, Sin hinders our prayers.  Isaiah 59:1-2 says, "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear.  But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, that he will not hear".

*          Thirdly, having unconfessed sins in our lives will hinder our prayers.  Psalms 66:18 says, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me". 

*          The forth hindrance to prayer is "Being unforgiving towards others".  Matthew 6:14-15 says, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses".

*          The last hindrance to prayer that I will mention is, Praying out of selfishness.  James 4:3 says, "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lust".

Now that we have dealt with Hindrances to prayer, let us look at, "The Keys to effective Prayer".

 *          Key # 1, Keeping His commandments.  1John 3:22-24 says, "And whatever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.  And this is the commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him.  And by this we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit whom he hath given us".

*          Key # 2, Asking in faith.  Mark 11:24 says, "Therefore, I say unto you, whatever things ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them".

*          Key # 3, Asking in His will.  Matthew 6:9-10 says, "After this manner, therefore, pray ye: Our Father, who art in heaven, Hollowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven".  1John 5:14 says, "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, he heareth us; And if we know that he hear us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him". 

*          Key # 4, Asking in the Name of Jesus.  John 16:23-24 says, "And in that day ye shall ask me nothing.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.  Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name; ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full".

Now, many have taken this scripture out of it's context.  Many have taught and are still teaching that by adding "In the Name of Jesus" or "In Jesus Name" at the end of your prayer is going to somehow magically cause God to give you what it is that you are asking for.  Thus, we seem to feel that if we ask God for $200,000,000.00 and then end the prayer with "In the Name of Jesus", that obligates God to give us what we want.

First of all, when we think of praying in "The Name of Jesus" we usually associate it with material possessions.  We ask for homes, and furniture, and cars, and clothes, and cash, and big screen televisions, and diamonds in "The Name of Jesus". 

Now first of all, if you work hard enough, and work enough overtime, and use your credit cards, you can usually get material goods.

Now the term "In the Name of Jesus" mean by the Authority of Jesus.  And whenever praying "In the name of Jesus", I believe that it caries two ideas.

First, it caries the idea of Jesus' pre-approval.

Some time ago, on a first Sunday morning, the deaconess noticed that we had run out of Communion cups.  The place that we can get these Communion cups is not open on Sundays.  So I called a good friend of mine, Pastor Varnado and he informed me that he had some extras.  I told him that I was sending one of the Deacons over to pick them up.  I believe it was Bro. Jones that went over to pick them up.  When bro. Jones picked them up, I believe he told Rev. Varnado "Pastor Wyatt sent me to pick up the Communion cups".  Because he went and said, "Pastor Wyatt sent me", they gave him the cups.  Now, what do you think would have happened if I had not called Rev. Varnado and Bro. Jones would have went over to Macedonia and said, I'm from Mt. Calvary M.B.C. and we need some communion cups?  They would have looked at him like he was crazy.  Then they would have called me.  But because I had called ahead and made pre-arrangements, bro. Jones could go and say, "Rev. Wyatt sent me" and they gave him the communion cups.

Secondly, Praying "In the Name of Jesus" has to do with what ever is conformable to Jesus' character and His purpose.  That great theological mind J. Richards said, "Since I am only 17 years old, there is no since asking God to give me a Condo in Hawaii, because Jesus would not ask for that for me". 

So, is it right to ask for material goods "In the Name of Jesus"?

Well, if you are asking God for a new house, and a new car, and new clothes, and you ask "In the Name of Jesus", and you are not giving God his tithes, then it suggestive that you are asking for selfishness.  So Jesus would not ask that for you.

But when you are keeping his word, then according to Psalms 84:11, "For the Lord God is a Sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory.  No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly."  So we as believers can have Victory Through Prayer.

And isn't it strange that the things that we ought to do the most of, we find ourselves doing the least of.  God says, 'Study the Word' and we say, that I am too busy and I have to much to do already.  God says, Pray without ceasing, and yet we say, "I really don't have time to pray, but God knows my heart".  But the truth of the matter is that we should take time and make time to pray and talk to God, and allow God to talk to us through His Word.  Folk in the Church house don't pray.

And now, allow me to give to you what I have labeled, "The A B C's of an un-praying Church.

A Church that doesn't pray has

-Abstract absolutes

-boring Bible studies

-a commitment to confusion

-division in demonstration

-external excitement

-false followings

-grotesque greed