"Keep Widening Your Prayer Circle"
Keys to Unanswered Prayers • Sermon • Submitted
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· 6 viewsOpening Sermon in the Keys to Unanswered Prayers Sermon Series, Late Summer 2022
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Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
THE BACK COVER OF THE BOOK SAYS IT ALL, BELOVEDS, “WE ALL PRAY......SOME” AND AS YOU OPEN THE
BOOK,
“BEFORE AMEN” IT’S PREACHER AUTHOR GOES FURTHER…WE ALL PRAY:
ON TEAR STAINED PILLOWS. IN GRAND LITURGIES WE PRAY. AT THE SIGHT OF GEESE IN FLIGHT WE PRAY.
QUOTING ANCIENT DEVOTIONS, WE PRAY. THIS WEEK MORE OF US WILL PRAY THAN EXERCISE, GO TO
WORK OR EXPERIENCE INTIMATE CONNECTION WITH A LOVER. SURVEYS INDICATE THAT ONE IN FIVE
UNBELIEVERS PRAYS DAILY. WE PRAY TO STAY SOBER, CENTERED OR SOLVENT. WE PRAY WHEN THE LUMP
IS DEEMED MALIGNANT. WHEN THE MONEY RUNS OUT BEFORE THE MONTH DOES. WHEN THE UNBORN
BABY HASN’T KICKED IN AWHILE. WE ALL PRAY.....SOME...
PRAYER, ANNE LAMOTT WENT ON TO WRITE, IS OUR SOMETIMES REAL SELVES TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE
REAL, THE TRUTH, WITH THE LIGHT. IT IS REACHING OUT TO BE HEARD, HOPING TO BE FOUND BY A LIGHT AND
WARMTH IN THE WORLD, INSTEAD OF DARKNESS AND COLD. EVEN MUSHROOMS RESPOND TO LIGHT— I SUPPOSE
THEY BLINK THEIR MUSHROOMY LITTLE EYES, LIKE THE REST OF US.....
AND HERE IS OUR TASK AND OUR DILEMMA FOR THESE NEXT 6 SUNDAYS, BELOVEDS, STRUGGLING AND
WRESTLING WITH OUR OWN SENSE THAT OUR PRAYING IS OUR REACHING UP TO BE HEARD BY THE DIVINE ONE,
THAT OUR PRAYING IS OUR HOPE TO BE FOUND BY JESUS, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, THE WARM BLANKET OF
LOVE THAT WILL SET US FREE, REMEMBERING THAT WHEN WE’RE PRAYING TO JESUS, WE’RE PRAYING TO THE ONE
OF WHOM THE PROPHET ISAIAH SAID:
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
OUR NEW SERMON SERIES, KEYS TO ANSWERED PRAYERS SEEKS TO TOUCH ON AND REVEAL HOW, WHEN AND
WHERE THE GOD OF ALL CREATION LOOKED KINDLY ON THE PRAYERS OF MORTAL HUMAN BEINGS, FOLKS LIKE
YOU AND ME, FOLKS LIKE OUR MAMAS AND PAPAS, OUR SISTERS AND BROTHERS, AUNTIES AND UNCLES AND SO
ON, AND SO ON........IN THIS SERIES I SHALL SEEK TO REASSURE YOU THAT GOD IS LISTENING, EVEN WHEN IT
FEELS LIKE GOD IS SILENT OR FAR AWAY, OR INATTENTIVE....OR SLOW TO ANSWER.........
ONE KEY TO ANSWERED PRAYER
ONE KEY TO ANSWERED PRAYER
ONE KEY TO ANSWERED PRAYER IS REMEMBERING TO SEARCH THE BIBLICAL RECORD FOR PRAYERS THAT WENT
UNANSWERED FOR SOME OF THE BIBLE’S BIGGEST FIGURES......ONE SUCH FIGURE WAS DAVID.....
HE SPENT YEARS RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE FROM KING SAUL
Saul’s name as David’s chief persecutor appears five times in the titles of Psalm 18, Psalm 52, Psalm 54, Psalm 57,
and Psalm 59
AND THEN IT’S SAUL WHO IS THE ENEMY IN PSALM 35:1-2
Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me.
Take up shield and armor;
arise and come to my aid.
HE WENT ON TO WRITE OF HOW FORSAKEN AND LET DOWN HE FELT, FEELINGS WELL KNOWN TO US WHEN IT
SEEMS OUR OWN PRAYERS ARE GOING UNANSWERED…HE WROTE IN PSALM 35:11-14
Ruthless witnesses come forward;
they question me on things I know nothing about.
They repay me evil for good
and leave me like one bereaved.
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
and humbled myself with fasting.
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
I went about mourning
as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
as though weeping for my mother.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE WHEN IT FEELS LIKE YOUR PRAYERS ARE TAKING TIME TO REGISTER WITH THE ALMIGHTY,
BELOVED.....
THEOLOGIAN/WRITER/PASTOR MARK BATTERSON WROTE THIS GOOD REMINDER TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD:
TOO OFTEN WE PRAY ASAP PRAYERS, WE NEED TO START PRAYING ALAT PRAYER…AS LONG AS IT TAKES....
THE CONTOURS AND CURVES OF ALAT PRAYING
THE CONTOURS AND CURVES OF ALAT PRAYING
THERE IS AN ANONYMOUS PRAYER THAT HELPS IN THE STRETCH IT TAKES FOR US TO KEEP WIDENING OUR PRAYER
CIRCLES BELOVEDS......THE BEAUTIFUL PRAYER SAYS:
I asked God to take away my pride. God said, “No. It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.” I asked God
to make my handicapped child whole. God said, “No. Her spirit is whole, her body is only temporary.” I asked God to
grant me patience. God said, “No. Patience is a byproduct of tribulations; it isn’t granted, it is earned.” I asked God
to give me happiness. God said, “No. I give you blessings, happiness is up to you.” I asked God to spare me pain.
God said, "No. Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.”
I asked God to make my spirit grow. God said, “No. You must grow on your own, but I will prune you to make you
fruitful.” I asked for all things that I might enjoy life. God said, “No. I will give you life so that you may enjoy all
things.” I asked God to help me love others, as much as God loves me. God said... “Ahhhh, finally you have the idea!”
(Author unknown)
ITS THAT LOVE OF GOD THAT HELPS US WIDEN OUR PRAYER CIRCLES.....TO KEEP INCREASING THOSE PEOPLE,
CAUSES, SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES WE GO TO GOD’S THRONE ROOM FOR.....AND WHILE PRAYING IS ONE
EXPRESSION OF THAT LOVE, THEOLOGIAN N.T. WRIGHT WAS ONTO SOMETHING GOOD WHEN HE WROTE:
WHAT YOU DO IN THE PRESENT — BY PAINTING, PREACHING, SINGING, SEWING, PRAYING, TEACHING,
BUILDING HOSPITALS, DIGGING WELLS, CAMPAIGNING FOR JUSTICE, WRITING POEMS, CARING FOR THE
NEEDY, LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF — WILL LAST INTO GOD’S FUTURE. THESE ACTIVITIES ARE
NOT SIMPLY WAYS OF MAKING THE PRESENT LIFE A LITTLE LESS BEASTLY, A LITTLE MORE BEARABLE, UNTIL
THE DAY WHEN WE LEAVE IT BEHIND ALTOGETHER. THEY ARE PART OF WHAT WE MAY CALL BUILDING FOR
GOD’S KINGDOM.....
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.
AS YOU CONTINUE PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT BELOVEDS, YOU’LL KEEP WIDENING YOUR PRAYER CIRCLE BY PRAYING
THOSE INTERCESSORY PRAYERS.......INTERCESSORY PRAYERS ARE A SOUL CRY TO GOD FOR ANOTHER PERSON OR
PERSONS..
IT’S HEALING FOR YOUR SOUL AND BODY AS YOU PERSEVERE IN SUPPLICATION....AND SUPPLICATION
IS SIMPLY CRYING OUT TO GOD FOR ALL THE SAINTS......ONE WRITER WROTE, “STRESS BEGINS TO DISAPPEAR AS
WE PRAY.” THIS SCRIPTURE IS PAUL, ECHOING THE VERY WORDS OF JESUS TO THE EPHESIANS AND FOR ALL THE
AGES, WHERE ST. LUKE RECORDED JESUS ENCOURAGING HIS FOLLOWERS TO:
Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
AS YOUR WEEK BEGINS KEEP IT COVERED IN PRAYER, AS YOUR MID-WEEK, HUMP DAY APPEARS KEEP IT COVERED IN
PRAYER, AS YOU PLAN FOR YOUR NEXT WEEKEND’S ACTIVITIES....COVER IT IN PRAYER.....
AND WE’LL CONTINUE OPENING UP THIS SUBJECT, “KEYS TO ANSWERED PRAYERS....” NEXT SUNDAY, JOIN US IN
PERSON OR ONLINE FOR THE MESSAGE, “JESUS SAYS, ‘SUSTAIN & REMAIN’ FROM JOHN 15: ONE THROUGH SEVEN
LET US PRAY.......