what can happen if we really pray? part 4: my prayers are not happening…now what?

What Can Happen IF We Really Pray?

Part 4:

My Prayers Are Not Happening…Now What?


“It is good to speak of God today.”

Thank You for coming and worshiping.


I hope you have been praying for the:

40 Days Of PrayerPraying for our Nation and the

election that approaches&

Praying for our church and revival in our hearts


Billy Graham & David Jeremiah:

We need to prayerfully vote our values

Have you been praying about voting your values?


We as believers need to:

Practice more prayer in our lives




Promote extra prayer in other’s lives





Profit from prayerful seeking God (profit more than $ & ¢ )





Profit from prayerful seeking God (profit more than $ & ¢ )

Perpetuate Powerful Prayer in other’s lives


Food for thought:

What are the chances our children will be better prayer warriors than we are?

What are the chances they will pray if we don’t?


We ask amiss

James 4:3(KJV) 3Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

James 4:3(NKJV) 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.


We ask amiss

Matthew 7:7-8(NKJV) 7“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

John 14:14(NKJV) 14If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Some will argue God’s Word guarantees He will say yes to our requests (prayers)


We ask amiss

John 14:15-16(KJV) 15If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; John 14:15-16(NKJV) 15“If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—

We can see He is referring to helping us with SALVATION and serving Him – He promises His HOLY SPIRIT (COMFORTER or HELPER)


We ask amiss

John 15:16(NKJV) 16You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

We can see He promises to bless His ministry (that we serve)


We ask amiss

John 16:23-33(NKJV) 23“And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. 25“These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.


We ask amiss

28I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.” 29His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! 30Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.” 31Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”


We ask amiss

It would appear that Jesus promises to help us when we struggle for Him

It would appear we may face tribulations along the way, but He promised to be with us


What can we learn?

When we look at these scriptures, it seems that Jesus did NOT give us carte blanche when it comes

to praying and requests!


We need to try harder

Daniel 9:2-14(KJV) 2In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. 3And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

4And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; 5We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:



6Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

7O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee. 8O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. 9To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;



Daniel knew prayer needs or does better with the right attitude




Prayer – too often a form instead of from the heart





Supplications – Seeking, entreating the Lord - 3






Fasting – refusing something for a period (food) to get closer to God







Sackcloth and ashes – a form of humility, showing repentance or grief








Confession – admitting his sin and his nation’s sin








Confession – admitting his sin and his nation’s sin

Forgiveness sought – seeking a pure heart before the Lord



Jesus knew prayer was more than a few well spoke words

Mark 9:14-31(NKJV) 14And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. 15Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. 16And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?” 17Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.




18And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.” 19He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” 20Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.




21So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”And he said, “From childhood. 22And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” 24Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”




25When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” 26Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”




29So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” 30Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it. 31For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.”




Prayer calls for faith





Prayer needs the right attitude





Prayer needs the right attitude

Fasting helps us get in the right attitude to talk better with God


What can we learn?

When we look at these scriptures, it seems that prayer involves much

more than just words (no matter how pretty they are)

If our prayers seem shallow we need to increase the depths of them by getting more serious


We need to stay steadfast in prayer

Elijah knew there were times when one must continue in prayer

1 Kings 18:41-46(NKJV) 41Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” 42So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, 43and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”




44Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’” 45Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. 46Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.




He knew God heard his prayers (3½ years without rain – his prayers)





He knew there are times when we must take enough time (7 times he prayed) to really pray





He knew there are times when we must take enough time (7 times he prayed) to really pray

He knew God answers prayers



Anna prayed and fasted in the temple

Luke 2:36-38(KJV) 36And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.




She was blessed with the sight of the Messiah





Her prayers were blessed





Her prayers were blessed

Her blessing became blessings for others


What can we learn?

When we look at these scriptures, it seems that prayer involves spending time with God with the right attitude.

Elijah was expecting it to rain.

Anna was blessed because she was close to God through her prayers and

fastings.

Our prayers bring great blessings


Remember...

We must not ask selfishly for our own pleasures


Remember...


We must add to our prayers and pray harder


Remember...


We must add to our prayers and pray harder

We must stick with it and trust Him completely


May your prayers be close to Him this week!

what can happen if we really pray? part 4: my prayers are not happening…now what?

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