- [Narrator] Welcome to a Grace Digital presentation.
In this video we will cover problems of unanswered prayer.
Number one problem, lack of a close relationship with God.
We need to understand first that effectual prayer grows
from an intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
God is always ready to talk with us,
and we need to form a habit of meeting with Him daily
to discuss the affairs of our hearts and His.
We need to commune with Him often,
not just when we have a dilemma.
Then when we have a specific inquiry or need for direction,
we are comfortable in His presence
and harmonized to hearing His voice when He answers.
Most of us have frequently heard that God answers prayer,
and prayer changes things.
We print these little signs and plaques to this conclusion
and fix them to the walls of our houses,
and Sunday class quarters, and put bumper stickers
with the same message on our vehicles.
This is all well and good because those statements
are fundamentally correct.
But as beautiful and grand as prayer is,
and as much as God delights in answering
the prayers of the redeemed,
the fact remains that there are moments when our prayers
seem to be unanswered.
That can be very troubling.
Particularly, in light of what we know
about God's delight in answering.
So we need to look at some of the grounds
why prayers don't get answered.
It is vital that we be aware of those things
that hinder our prayers.
Then we can do something about them.
We can exclude the obstacles
and start to see the strength of prayer flowing in us again.
Developing a connection with God
involves the reading and study of the word of God,
as well as prayer, naturally.
But prayer is simple and always available.
You can pray at any time, in any place,
and God is there to speak with you.
Many people, however, even amazingly confessing disciples,
simply do not pray at all.
They may ignore prayer out of negligence
or lack of regard for the Lord,
or lack of appreciation for prayer's power.
These are severe problems,
but many do it simply on the incorrect premise
that God knows what my needs are
and He will just provide me what I need.
And because He's going to provide me what I require anyway,
there's no need for me to pray.
There are others who say, well, I'm just a housekeeper
or handyman, or whatever,
and I don't think God is too interested
in a small, nobody like me.
He's busy with the important people like mega pastors,
so I don't pray much.
Both of those views are wrong.
It is true that God comprehends what we need,
but as our kind Heavenly Father,
he wants us to talk with Him and state our needs.
First Peter 5:7, lets us know to be constantly
"casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."
The basis for this is our own advantage.
We need to express our concerns to someone who cares.
And God not just cares, but He is able to satisfy our needs.
Thus, we are told again in Philippians 4:6,
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer
"and supplication, with thanksgiving,
"let your request be made known to God."
When we obey this command
and discuss our concerns with the Father,
what will be the effect?
Philippians 4:7, "And the peace of God
"which passeth all understanding
"shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
In the second case, shyness or feelings of inferiority
are not practical ideas for anyone's negligence to pray,
because God is no respecter of persons;
He doesn't play favorites.
He will answer the prayer of a queen or a janitor;
a mechanic or a king; a producer or a sales clerk;
a preacher or a business person.
God does not have the same hierarchy that man has.
His ways are unlike ours.
Isaiah 55:8-9, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts.
"Neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
"so are my ways higher than your ways
"and my thoughts than your thoughts."
He wants to hear from you
just as much as He wants to hear from your pastor.
And He will listen as carefully and thoughtfully to you
as to anyone else.
There is another purpose why a special relationship with God
is vital to seeing prayers answered.
One of the conditions of prayer
that God has given us in the Bible
is that prayers He will answer
must be prayers in line with His purposes.
First John 5:14 lets us know,
"This is the confidence we have in approaching God:
"that if we ask anything according to His will,
"He hears us."
How do we recognize the will of God
so that we can be more confident as time goes by
that our prayers are in agreement with His will?
The answer, again, is to spend time with Him
in His Word and in prayer so that our understanding of,
and intimacy with Him deepen.
As we get to better know our God and His ways,
we will find that our prayers are answered more often
because they follow His wishes more often.
We need to catch a vision of the sovereignty, the majesty,
the holiness, and the righteousness of God.
We need to understand that whereas our view of a situation
is limited to our terribly imperfect
mortal ability to understand,
the Lord says in Isaiah 55:9,
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
"neither are your ways, my ways, declares the Lord.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
"so are my ways higher than your ways
"and my thoughts than your thoughts."
We can not expect to have the Father's perfect knowledge
of a particular situation.
And we need to recognize His supremacy.
As we grow in our understanding of,
and admiration for Him, however,
we will also grow in our ability to discern His will,
and to pray in agreement with it.
It is natural, given our incomplete understanding,
to make a request we think is all for the good,
but God knows it is not the most suitable plan.
For example, assume you are concerned about a friend
who is an unemployed accountant.
You may hear about a position opening with company A
that sounds ideal for your neighbor.
So you tell him about it
and then ask God to grant him that job.
But God may know that there are factors at company A
that would make it very hard for your neighbor
to be fortunate or fruitful there.
And He may want to show him an opening
you know nothing about at company B.
The point is simple that God's knowledge is complete,
and His ways are pleasant,
whereas we are very limited in our knowledge.
Therefore, on various times
when our requests seem not to be answered,
the obstacle may be that we have not asked
according to His will.
But as we grow to know God and His will properly,
we will find that our prayers are increasingly effective.
Number two problem, incorrect motives.
Incorrect motives will surely prevent
one's getting answers to his prayers.
For example, to ask God for things
merely to serve ones selfish wants is wrong,
and God will not honor that kind of prayer.
James spoke to that point in his Epistle.
James 4:3 says, "Ye ask and receive not,
"because ye ask amiss
"that ye may consume it upon your lusts."
Our goals should glorify God.
First Corinthians 10:31, "Whether therefore ye eat or drink
"or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."
If you live by the basis of those terms,
you will see your prayers answered.
But if you are greedy, self-centered or self-indulgent,
your prayers will not be answered.
John Knox, the celebrated Scottish preacher,
gave us a fine example of praying selflessly.
"Lord, give me Scotland or I die," he said.
His burning desire was to see his entire nation
come to saving faith in Jesus.
And Mary, Queen of Scots, testified
to the efficacy of Knox's prayer when she said,
"I fear that man's prayers more than I fear
"all the armies of England and France."
Pride is another wrong motive
that will cause a person's prayers not to be answered.
Jesus told a story of two men
who went to the temple in Jerusalem to pray.
Luke 18:10, "Two men went up to the temple to pray,
"one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector."
In today's language, the Pharisee could be compared
to a very proper, morally-upright believer
who is very devoted to see God's law obeyed.
He believed in the Torah, the written word of God.
And he lived by the law and the prophets.
The other man might have been compared to an unchurched man.
One who lived in contravention of the laws
and rules of the church.
He probably had deceived the people
from whom he collected taxes,
demanding more than was needed and pocketing the difference.
So they both came to the temple to pray.
We know why the Pharisee came.
It was his habit to do so.
And he did three times every day.
We don't understand why the tax collector came to pray.
Perhaps he was having private or wellbeing problems.
At any rate, he came to the temple too, Jesus said.
"The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed,
"'God, I thank you that I'm not like other people.
"'Robbers, evildoers, adulterers,
"'or even like this tax collector.
"'I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
"But the tax collector stood at a distance.
"He would not even look up to heaven,
"but beat his breast and said,
"'God have mercy on me, a sinner.'" Luke 18:11-13.
Which of these two men do you think was justified?
Which one had his prayer answered?
Jesus gave us the answer.
"The Pharisee who exalted himself would be abased,"
Luke 18:14, or, in this case, not get through to God.
But of the tax collector who had humbled himself before God,
Jesus said, "He will be exalted," Luke 18:14.
The Pharisee prayed incorrectly,
with the incorrect attitude.
The Pharisee's prayer was rejected.
The tax collector prayed well.
The tax collector's prayer was answered.
He went home a changed man, a new creation,
by the power of Almighty God.
Yes, there are some prayers that cannot be answered,
but they are prayed by the wrong people,
with an incorrect attitude, at the incorrect time.
- [Announcer] We hope you were blessed by this message.
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