When We Pray

The first two are the only two that people want to believe because that gives them control. If God answers all prayer, then God is the servant of man, and all we have to do is manipulate God through prayer. We have the secret formula, and He is in our hands.

The unbeliever and atheist goes for number two, for if God answers no prayer, He is of no use, and so for all practical purposes does not exist, and man is in control.

The third alternative people shy away from because if that one is true, we don't have any control over God.

He is free to chose to answer or not, and we do not like God having that kind of freedom. It takes Him out of our hands altogether, and it leaves us at His mercy.

Like it or not, that is the way it is. God is free, and in His sovereign freedom He can, He does, and He will chose not to answer prayers for any number of reasons.

Elijah‘s relationship with the Lord God

1 Kings 19:3–4 ESV

3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

Jeremiah‘s relationship with the Lord God

Jeremiah 20:7–9 ESV

7 O Lord, you have deceived me, and I was deceived; you are stronger than I, and you have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me. 8 For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, “Violence and destruction!” For the word of the Lord has become for me a reproach and derision all day long. 9 If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.

Jesus’ relationship with the Father

Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46

Apostle Paul’s relationship with the LORD God

2 Corinthians 12:8–9 ESV

8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Moses’s relationship with the Lord God.

Numbers 11:11–12 ESV

11 Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to give their fathers?

Numbers 11:15 ESV

15 If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.”

Transition To Body- Treating the LORD as Holy in the midst of the people of God

For the most part in Deuteronomy, our attention is not drawn to Moses, even though he is always present. This is a mark of his devotion to God’s service—he may well have called himself God’s servant (24). Here we have a glimpse of the man himself.

His prayer shows how close was his relationship with God, even though he asked something which was refused. It expressed worship;

Numbers 20:10–13 ESV

10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. 12 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” 13 These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and through them he showed himself holy.

Numbers 27:12–18 ESV

12 The Lord said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the people of Israel. 13 When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, 14 because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled, failing to uphold me as holy at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.) 15 Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, 16 “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation 17 who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.” 18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.

Although Numbers 20:1–12 provides the background to this prayer and Numbers 27:12–14 probably describes the context, the only clue Moses provides here to the occasion for this prayer is the phrase “at that time” (v. 23), that is, after the defeat of the Amorite kings. Israel’s overwhelming triumph over the enemy must have excited this 120-year-old man, and we should understand his intense desire to see his dream of entering the Promised Land fulfilled. From where he stands he can see the land just across the Jordan. In the prayer Moses pleads with Yahweh to be gracious and let him cross.

Block, Daniel I.. Deuteronomy (The NIV Application Commentary) . Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.

Body

Appreciate The LORD’S Sovereign Power

Deuteronomy 3:23–24 ESV

23 “And I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying, 24 ‘O Lord God, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours?

Appreciate- to grasp the nature, worth, quality, or significance of

: to value or admire highly

: to judge with heightened perception or understanding : be fully aware of

Adonay Yhwh (Sovereign LORD)

a title of the true God with a focus on the authority and majesty of a ruler (Ge 18:27), see also 123; 2. LN 12.1–12.42 unit: אֲדֹנָי יהוה (ʾǎḏō·nāy yhw(h)), יְהוִה (yhwh) Sovereign Lord, formally, Majestic Lord Yahweh, i.e., a title of the true God with a focus on the authority and majesty of a ruler, yet also implying a relationship based in promise, covenant, or other relational factors

Greatness- majesty, glory, greatness of power

The invocative address: “O Sovereign LORD.” The double invocation establishes contact with God (cf. 9:26). By opening with adônây (“lord, master, suzerain”), Moses expresses his subordination before God, a disposition that he reinforces by referring to himself as “your servant.”11 But Moses also addresses God by name, which is possible only because God in his grace has revealed it to him (cf. Ex. 3:13–15; 34:6–7). Indeed Moses has the courage to address Yahweh because of his personal relationship with Israel’s gracious Suzerain.

Block, Daniel I.. Deuteronomy (The NIV Application Commentary) . Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.

1 Chronicles 29:10–15 ESV

10 Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. 11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. 13 And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. 14 “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. 15 For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding.

Psalm 145:1–6 ESV

1 I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. 2 Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. 4 One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. 5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. 6 They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness.

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Appreciate The LORD’S Sovereign Power

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Comprehend The LORD’S Righteous Anger

Deuteronomy 3:25–26 ESV

25 Please let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon.’ 26 But the Lord was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. And the Lord said to me, ‘Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again.

Comprehend-to grasp the nature, significance, or meaning of

: to be thoroughly familiar with the character and propensities of

Anger- In 30 instances it means “anger, wrath,” or “expression of anger” (the latter esp. in the pl.), and in 4 instances “arrogance.”

The LORD’s anger

Divine Anger. In the majority of instances, the OT uses ʿeḇrâ or ʿāḇar II to refer to divine wrath. The subst. ʿeḇrâ occurs 23 times with this meaning; the verb ʿāḇar II, meaning “be angry” exclusively with reference to divine anger, occurs 5 times. These two terms occur most frequently in the prophetic books (15 times) and in Psalms and Lamentations (10 times), and exhibit an inclination to be combined with other nouns referring to anger.

Numbers 11:1 ESV

1 And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp.

Psalm 103:1–3 ESV

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,

Psalm 103:8–10 ESV

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.

Our Anger

substantively related insofar as both describe actions deriving from unbridled emotions in which someone is driven to words or deeds with unforeseeable consequences.

Ephesians 4:25–27 ESV

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.

James 1:19–21 ESV

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

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Appreciate The LORD’S Sovereign Power

Comprehend The LORD’S Righteous Anger

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Recognize The LORD’S Unchanging Character

Deuteronomy 3:26–29 ESV

26 But the Lord was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. And the Lord said to me, ‘Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again. 27 Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes westward and northward and southward and eastward, and look at it with your eyes, for you shall not go over this Jordan. 28 But charge Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he shall go over at the head of this people, and he shall put them in possession of the land that you shall see.’ 29 So we remained in the valley opposite Beth-peor.

Meaning of Listen in Hebrew- Hearing is critical for the interaction between God and human beings; the medium through which God makes his will known among his people (in commandments or mediated by the prophets) is the audible word. Interruption of this communication has consequences: Israel’s refusal to hear served as grounds for the punishment of the exile. Conversely, Dt. 4:28 and Ps. 115:4–7 heap scorn on a god who cannot hear human beings. To exaggerate the point: one who cannot hear does not exist; one who can no longer hear, no longer communicate, is doomed (Ps. 38:14–15[Eng. 13–14]).

God Hears Humans. This principle is also at work in the Psalter when Yahweh is called on to hear or thanked for a favorable hearing. The vb. šāmaʿ (by itself or with an accusative object) appears primarily in those genres where an individual addresses Yahweh.

Jeremiah 11:11 ESV

11 Therefore, thus says the Lord, Behold, I am bringing disaster upon them that they cannot escape. Though they cry to me, I will not listen to them.

Numbers 23:19–20 ESV

19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? 20 Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.

Psalm 102:26–27 ESV

26 They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, 27 but you are the same, and your years have no end.

Malachi 3:6–8 ESV

6 “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. 7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ 8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions.

Titus 1:1–3 ESV

1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, 2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began 3 and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;

Hebrews 6:18–20 ESV

18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Strong Faith is Accepting God’s No!

Rather than being a means by which supplicants get God to do what they desire, sometimes prayer becomes the process whereby God brings the wills of those who pray into conformity with his own. As was the case with Moses, our faith may not necessarily be measured by the extent to which we can move God. Strong faith also may demand that we accept God’s “no” and get on with the tasks to which he has called us. Sometimes his “no” is final.

Block, Daniel I.. Deuteronomy (The NIV Application Commentary) . Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.

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Appreciate The LORD’S Sovereign Power

Comprehend The LORD’S Righteous Anger

Recognize The LORD’S Unchanging Character

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Transition To Close- When Jesus Prayed to His Father

Matthew 26:38–44 ESV

38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.

Close- When Jesus Prayed Anxiously

Hebrews 13:7–8 ESV

7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

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