YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWEREDRomans 8:26-28
Rev. David Lunsford
Baptist Network Northwest
December 2017 Togo, West Africa
February 2018
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWEREDRomans 8:26-28
Rev. David Lunsford
Baptist Network Northwest
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
The key to praying well and seeing prayer answered is to understand what God calls “good” in Romans 8:28.
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
This “weakness” is not a sin
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
This “weakness” is not a sin
This “weakness” is our humanity
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
a) Our humanity causes us to assume that “good” is:
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
a) Our humanity causes us to assume that “good” is:
• a comfortable life
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
a) Our humanity causes us to assume that “good” is:
• a comfortable life
• a pleasurable experience
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
a) Our humanity causes us to assume that “good” is:
• a comfortable life
• a pleasurable experience
• plans that work out easily
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
a) Our humanity causes us to assume that “good” is:
• a comfortable life
• a pleasurable experience
• plans that work out easily
• days filled with fun
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
a) Our humanity causes us to assume that “good” is:
• a comfortable life
• a pleasurable experience
• plans that work out easily
• days filled with fun
• relationships that are always enjoyable
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
b) Our humanity has limited knowledge
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
b) Our humanity has limited knowledge
• We are human, God is divine.
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
b) Our humanity has limited knowledge
• We are human, God is divine.
• We are limited, and God is unlimited.
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
b) Our humanity has limited knowledge
• We are human, God is divine.
• We are limited, and God is unlimited.
• We know a little, God knows all,
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
b) Our humanity has limited knowledge
• We are human, God is divine.
• We are limited, and God is unlimited.
• We know a little, God knows all,
• How can we pray for His will when we are so limited?
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
Our natural inclination toward a pleasant life,and our limited knowledge of life causes us to pray in a way, that by itself, is ineffective.
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
2) Our prayers are refined by the Holy Spirit
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
2) Our prayers are refined by the Holy Spirit
IN our humanity we ask for things God the Father would reject, BUT the Holy Spirit takes our sincere but misguided prayers and translates them to God.
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
2) Our prayers are refined by the Holy Spirit
“makes intercession” The Holy Spirit steps in between us and God and translates our prayers.
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
2) Our prayers are refined by the Holy Spirit
John 16:23 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.
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
2) Our prayers are refined by the Holy Spirit
I can offer my best Christ-like prayer and rest in the Spirit’s assistance and wait for God’s answer, not worrying that I didn’t say the perfect words.
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
2) Our prayers are refined by the Holy Spirit
3) Our prayers accomplish God’s good
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
3) Our prayers accomplish God’s good
God’s definition of “good” is for us to be like Christ
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
3) Our prayers accomplish God’s good
God’s definition of “good” is for us to be like Christ
• “Good” doesn’t always mean comfort or safety
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
3) Our prayers accomplish God’s good
God’s definition of “good” is for us to be like Christ
• “Good” doesn’t always mean comfort or safety
• “Good” doesn’t always mean we are in control
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
3) Our prayers accomplish God’s good
God’s definition of “good” is for us to be like Christ
• “Good” doesn’t always mean comfort or safety
• “Good” doesn’t always mean we are in control
• “Good” doesn’t always mean that we will have a long easy life then die in our sleep
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
3) Our prayers accomplish God’s good
God’s definition of “good” is for us to be like Christ
• “Good” doesn’t always mean comfort or safety
• “Good” doesn’t always mean we are in control
• “Good” doesn’t always mean that we will have a long easy life then die in our sleep
• “Good” is measured by the degree to which we are like Christ
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
3) Our prayers accomplish God’s good
God doesn’t always alleviate the suffering because in His divine wisdom, He knows that our suffering will bring about the greatest good of all…Christlike character IN US and Christlike ministry THROUGH US.
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
3) Our prayers accomplish God’s good
a) Confirmation of our walk with the Lord
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
3) Our prayers accomplish God’s good
b) Opportunity to witness for the Lord
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
3) Our prayers accomplish God’s good
Acts 8:1 Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
Acts 11:19 Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
3) Our prayers accomplish God’s good
c) Growth in our character
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
3) Our prayers accomplish God’s good
c) Growth in our character
2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
3) Our prayers accomplish God’s good
c) Growth in our character
The difficulties we went through confirmed and deepened truths already known
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
3) Our prayers accomplish God’s good
d) God’s provision of our physical needs
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
3) Our prayers accomplish God’s good
d) God’s provision of our physical needs
Psalm 90:15 Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, The years in which we have seen evil. 16 Let Your work appear to Your servants, And Your glory to their children.
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
3) Our prayers accomplish God’s good
e) God’s witness to Satan
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
e) God’s witness to Satan
Job 1:8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
e) God’s witness to Satan
Job 1:9 So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing?
10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
e) God’s witness to Satan
Job 1:12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person. So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
1) Our prayers are flawed by our humanity
2) Our prayers are refined by the Holy Spirit
3) Our prayers accomplish God’s good
4) Our prayers are only effective if we love God
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
4) Our prayers are only effective if we love God
1 John 4:19 We love Him because He first loved us.
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
4) Our prayers are only effective if we love God
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
4) Our prayers are only effective if we love God
Mark 12:30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
If you want to avoid frustration in the Christian life, pray more effectively, and see answers to your prayers, you must view life through God’s definition of good.