1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:03,300 We’re returning today to the series on Elijah, 2 00:00:03,300 –> 00:00:06,740 and today we come to the subject of prayer. 3 00:00:07,640 –> 00:00:09,120 Jesus said on one occasion, 4 00:00:09,120 –> 00:00:11,200 without me, you can do nothing. 5 00:00:12,320 –> 00:00:14,000 Paul said on one occasion, 6 00:00:14,000 –> 00:00:19,000 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 7 00:00:19,260 –> 00:00:22,700 And it is prayer that brings these two realities together. 8 00:00:22,700 –> 00:00:25,559 It is by prayer that the power and the presence 9 00:00:25,559 –> 00:00:28,799 of Christ is brought to bear on the realities 10 00:00:28,820 –> 00:00:31,959 of your life, of mine, the reality of the church, 11 00:00:31,959 –> 00:00:34,360 and of the world in which we live. 12 00:00:34,360 –> 00:00:37,560 And so we’re looking at a subject of huge importance 13 00:00:37,560 –> 00:00:40,360 for every Christian today. 14 00:00:40,360 –> 00:00:42,820 Now, if you are a leader, you have probably found 15 00:00:42,820 –> 00:00:46,799 that prayer does not come easily or naturally to you. 16 00:00:46,799 –> 00:00:48,520 The reason for this is very simple. 17 00:00:48,520 –> 00:00:51,959 Most leaders are activists by nature. 18 00:00:51,959 –> 00:00:54,340 A leader sees a problem, develops a plan, 19 00:00:54,419 –> 00:00:57,099 takes an initiative, that is what makes 20 00:00:57,099 –> 00:00:59,220 these people leaders. 21 00:00:59,220 –> 00:01:03,259 And prayer is not the natural disposition 22 00:01:03,259 –> 00:01:05,900 of the activist mindset. 23 00:01:05,900 –> 00:01:09,580 So the reality is that very often missionaries 24 00:01:09,580 –> 00:01:13,660 and pastors and counselors struggle when it comes 25 00:01:13,660 –> 00:01:17,379 to the issue of prayer, and if you struggle 26 00:01:17,379 –> 00:01:20,459 in relation to prayer, then you need to know 27 00:01:20,459 –> 00:01:21,620 that you are not alone. 28 00:01:21,620 –> 00:01:24,000 We are in this together. 29 00:01:24,019 –> 00:01:28,339 Candidly it is much easier to teach 30 00:01:28,339 –> 00:01:32,400 a Sunday school class than to pray faithfully 31 00:01:32,400 –> 00:01:35,559 and insightfully for that class. 32 00:01:35,559 –> 00:01:38,959 It is easier to lead a life group than it is 33 00:01:38,959 –> 00:01:42,480 to pray with faithfulness and with perceptiveness 34 00:01:42,480 –> 00:01:44,120 for the members of that group. 35 00:01:44,120 –> 00:01:48,220 It is much easier to put on a youth ministry program 36 00:01:48,220 –> 00:01:50,800 and to lead that program than it is to be 37 00:01:50,800 –> 00:01:53,160 truly an intercessor for young people. 38 00:01:53,160 –> 00:01:56,639 It is easier to speak in public from a platform 39 00:01:56,639 –> 00:02:00,959 than it is to pray in private in reality 40 00:02:00,959 –> 00:02:03,400 and with genuine faith. 41 00:02:03,400 –> 00:02:06,699 So this is a struggle for all of God’s people 42 00:02:06,699 –> 00:02:09,520 and a subject of huge importance in which 43 00:02:09,520 –> 00:02:13,279 all of us need encouragement today. 44 00:02:13,279 –> 00:02:15,600 Now our title is very significant. 45 00:02:15,600 –> 00:02:20,520 Leaders Plead the Promises Of God. 46 00:02:20,520 –> 00:02:22,479 And in this Elijah is a great help 47 00:02:22,919 –> 00:02:25,559 and an encouragement to us because we have seen this man 48 00:02:25,559 –> 00:02:28,399 as the great leader that he is, the man of action. 49 00:02:28,399 –> 00:02:30,800 Today we’re going to see Elijah the Prophet 50 00:02:30,800 –> 00:02:33,419 as a man of prayer. 51 00:02:34,259 –> 00:02:35,960 Now as we resume the story, 52 00:02:35,960 –> 00:02:37,759 let’s remember where we are in it. 53 00:02:37,759 –> 00:02:40,339 Ahab was the worst king that Israel had known 54 00:02:40,339 –> 00:02:41,960 to that point in their history. 55 00:02:41,960 –> 00:02:43,960 He had done more evil than any of the kings 56 00:02:43,960 –> 00:02:46,199 who had come before him. 57 00:02:46,199 –> 00:02:48,440 Elijah came to him therefore with great courage 58 00:02:48,440 –> 00:02:50,880 and said, there will no longer be rain, 59 00:02:51,000 –> 00:02:52,199 there will be not a drop of rain 60 00:02:52,199 –> 00:02:55,320 over these next years on this land. 61 00:02:55,320 –> 00:02:58,660 God is the one who controls the weather, right? 62 00:02:58,660 –> 00:02:59,639 You agree with that? 63 00:02:59,639 –> 00:03:00,539 Were you awake this morning? 64 00:03:00,539 –> 00:03:02,320 This an Amen moment? 65 00:03:02,320 –> 00:03:03,539 God controls the weather. 66 00:03:03,539 –> 00:03:04,919 You agree with that? 67 00:03:04,919 –> 00:03:06,960 And God sends the rain, 68 00:03:06,960 –> 00:03:10,759 and at this time God withheld the rain 69 00:03:10,759 –> 00:03:15,479 as a particular judgment over this land of Israel. 70 00:03:15,479 –> 00:03:18,039 And what a devastating judgment it was. 71 00:03:18,039 –> 00:03:19,139 For three and a half years, 72 00:03:19,139 –> 00:03:20,860 there wasn’t a single drop of rain 73 00:03:20,880 –> 00:03:25,199 on the land, so crops fail, famines follow, and so forth. 74 00:03:25,199 –> 00:03:27,600 God’s people had given themselves to idols. 75 00:03:28,639 –> 00:03:31,360 Ahab had given himself over to the influence 76 00:03:31,360 –> 00:03:33,479 of Jezebel, that wicked queen 77 00:03:33,479 –> 00:03:36,759 who had launched a campaign of terror 78 00:03:36,759 –> 00:03:39,520 against all who spoke the Word of God. 79 00:03:39,520 –> 00:03:42,199 And we came to the point earlier in the series 80 00:03:42,199 –> 00:03:44,039 where Elijah challenges the people. 81 00:03:44,039 –> 00:03:45,339 Are you going to be for God 82 00:03:45,339 –> 00:03:46,800 or are you going to be for Baal? 83 00:03:46,800 –> 00:03:49,240 You can’t be limping between two opinions. 84 00:03:49,259 –> 00:03:51,119 And he challenges the prophets of Baal 85 00:03:51,119 –> 00:03:53,139 to call down fire, to call on Baal 86 00:03:53,139 –> 00:03:54,759 and for him to send fire. 87 00:03:54,759 –> 00:03:57,440 They try and do that and, of course, nothing happens. 88 00:03:57,440 –> 00:03:59,039 There is no objective reality 89 00:03:59,039 –> 00:04:00,960 to correspond to the name of Baal. 90 00:04:00,960 –> 00:04:04,139 He’s only, it’s an idol, it’s a figment 91 00:04:04,139 –> 00:04:06,720 of the imagination of the peoples. 92 00:04:06,720 –> 00:04:09,479 And then Elijah calls down fire from heaven, 93 00:04:09,479 –> 00:04:11,960 he calls on the Lord, and fire falls 94 00:04:11,960 –> 00:04:13,960 from heaven and consumes the sacrifice 95 00:04:13,960 –> 00:04:15,660 and all the people say, the Lord, 96 00:04:15,660 –> 00:04:18,320 he is God, the Lord, he is God. 97 00:04:18,399 –> 00:04:20,399 And so we’ve come to the point in the story 98 00:04:20,399 –> 00:04:22,619 where God’s name again is honored 99 00:04:22,619 –> 00:04:25,019 but his people are still in great need. 100 00:04:25,019 –> 00:04:27,459 For three and a half years, there has been no rain, 101 00:04:27,459 –> 00:04:30,399 God has sent fire, but now Elijah prays 102 00:04:30,399 –> 00:04:33,100 for the restoration of the rain. 103 00:04:34,100 –> 00:04:36,140 And there is a wonderful glimpse 104 00:04:36,140 –> 00:04:38,200 of the Lord Jesus Christ here 105 00:04:38,200 –> 00:04:40,980 as we think about the fire consuming the sacrifice 106 00:04:40,980 –> 00:04:44,739 and then the intercession for the blessing of rain. 107 00:04:44,739 –> 00:04:46,519 Think of how our Lord Jesus becomes 108 00:04:46,579 –> 00:04:49,540 the sacrifice for our sins on the cross, 109 00:04:49,540 –> 00:04:52,619 the lightning rod of God’s judgment strikes him 110 00:04:52,619 –> 00:04:55,959 so that if we’re in him, it will never strike us. 111 00:04:55,959 –> 00:04:57,320 But the story does not end there, 112 00:04:57,320 –> 00:04:58,480 He rises from the dead, 113 00:04:58,480 –> 00:05:00,559 he ascends to the right hand of the father 114 00:05:00,559 –> 00:05:02,119 and what is he doing there for us? 115 00:05:02,119 –> 00:05:06,880 Even now, he is interceding for us 116 00:05:06,880 –> 00:05:08,920 so that the blessing of God may fall 117 00:05:08,920 –> 00:05:11,899 like the rain upon his people. 118 00:05:12,779 –> 00:05:14,959 Well, we’re going to look at Elijah’s ministry 119 00:05:14,980 –> 00:05:17,299 of intercession and we read about it 120 00:05:17,299 –> 00:05:19,160 in two places in the Bible. 121 00:05:19,160 –> 00:05:21,119 One is 1 Kings in chapter 18 122 00:05:21,119 –> 00:05:23,200 that has just been read for us. 123 00:05:23,200 –> 00:05:25,000 The other is in the New Testament 124 00:05:25,000 –> 00:05:27,880 and that is in James in chapter five 125 00:05:27,880 –> 00:05:31,440 verses 17 and 18 and I draw your attention 126 00:05:31,440 –> 00:05:32,920 just to these two verses now 127 00:05:32,920 –> 00:05:36,019 because we will be touching on them. 128 00:05:36,019 –> 00:05:38,179 We’re told there, that Elijah was a man 129 00:05:38,179 –> 00:05:41,200 with a nature just like ours. 130 00:05:41,200 –> 00:05:43,399 He prayed fervently that it might not rain 131 00:05:43,420 –> 00:05:45,200 and for three years and six months 132 00:05:45,200 –> 00:05:47,220 it did not rain on the Earth 133 00:05:47,220 –> 00:05:50,980 and then he prayed again and heaven gave rain 134 00:05:50,980 –> 00:05:54,859 and the Earth bore its fruit. 135 00:05:54,859 –> 00:05:57,339 Now putting these two scriptures together 136 00:05:57,339 –> 00:05:58,859 I want to offer to you today 137 00:05:58,859 –> 00:06:02,839 seven observations from this story 138 00:06:02,839 –> 00:06:05,399 and unusually we don’t usually do it this way 139 00:06:05,399 –> 00:06:08,839 but they happen all to begin with the letter P. 140 00:06:08,839 –> 00:06:11,779 We don’t often have an aliderative outline 141 00:06:11,839 –> 00:06:13,880 for a message we do today 142 00:06:13,880 –> 00:06:18,880 so here are seven Ps of effective prayer 143 00:06:19,940 –> 00:06:21,720 and I put them into a sentence 144 00:06:21,720 –> 00:06:24,239 that I hope might be useful to you 145 00:06:24,239 –> 00:06:25,779 and it’s simply this, 146 00:06:25,779 –> 00:06:29,220 position yourself in private 147 00:06:29,220 –> 00:06:30,959 to pray what God has promised 148 00:06:30,959 –> 00:06:35,200 with precision and with passion and with persistence 149 00:06:35,200 –> 00:06:36,660 and I know some of you are going through 150 00:06:36,660 –> 00:06:37,500 and counting up, 151 00:06:37,500 –> 00:06:39,200 there are indeed seven words 152 00:06:39,239 –> 00:06:43,019 that begin with the letter P in that sentence. 153 00:06:43,019 –> 00:06:44,200 We’ll touch on all of them, 154 00:06:44,200 –> 00:06:46,799 though not in the same order. 155 00:06:46,799 –> 00:06:47,880 Let’s begin here. 156 00:06:48,959 –> 00:06:53,959 Position yourself in private to pray 157 00:06:55,399 –> 00:06:57,739 and I draw that from I Kings chapter 18 158 00:06:57,739 –> 00:06:59,339 and verse 42 where we’re told 159 00:06:59,339 –> 00:07:04,000 that Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel 160 00:07:04,000 –> 00:07:06,239 and there he prayed. 161 00:07:06,239 –> 00:07:07,480 Now, think about what had happened. 162 00:07:07,480 –> 00:07:10,000 Elijah had just called down fire from heaven, 163 00:07:10,000 –> 00:07:12,260 the people have said, the Lord, he is God, 164 00:07:12,260 –> 00:07:15,480 Elijah is now the proclaimed hero of the people. 165 00:07:15,480 –> 00:07:19,399 He would have been regarded by them like a sports star 166 00:07:19,399 –> 00:07:23,839 or a sports team would after winning a great trophy. 167 00:07:23,839 –> 00:07:25,640 If he had stayed with the people, 168 00:07:25,640 –> 00:07:27,880 they would have carried him on their shoulders 169 00:07:27,880 –> 00:07:29,500 all the way back home. 170 00:07:30,940 –> 00:07:34,600 But instead of allowing himself to become a celebrity, 171 00:07:34,600 –> 00:07:38,279 Elijah deliberately withdraws from the crowd, 172 00:07:38,279 –> 00:07:41,519 goes back up the mountain, and apart from his servant, 173 00:07:41,519 –> 00:07:45,899 he’s completely alone, and there he gets with God to pray. 174 00:07:47,399 –> 00:07:50,299 You read this, you think about the Lord Jesus. 175 00:07:50,299 –> 00:07:52,059 You remember at the beginning of his ministry, 176 00:07:52,059 –> 00:07:55,000 Mark chapter one, we’re told that he heals 177 00:07:55,000 –> 00:07:57,279 Simon Peter’s mother-in-law. 178 00:07:57,279 –> 00:07:59,619 Word gets around the town, and the next thing, 179 00:07:59,619 –> 00:08:02,760 they bring all the sick and all the oppressed, Mark says, 180 00:08:02,899 –> 00:08:05,559 so that the whole town was gathered outside the door, 181 00:08:05,559 –> 00:08:07,320 and Jesus healed many. 182 00:08:08,480 –> 00:08:12,179 The next morning, the crowd is back, all these needs. 183 00:08:12,179 –> 00:08:14,959 And they’re looking for Jesus, he’s not there, where is he? 184 00:08:14,959 –> 00:08:18,559 He’s gone up on the mountainside, he’s on his own, 185 00:08:18,559 –> 00:08:21,519 he’s with his father, and he has withdrawn 186 00:08:21,519 –> 00:08:24,179 from the crowd in order to pray. 187 00:08:26,160 –> 00:08:27,959 This is what Elijah does here, 188 00:08:27,959 –> 00:08:30,700 and it is the example of our Lord. 189 00:08:30,760 –> 00:08:34,700 Now, from this, I want to derive this principle. 190 00:08:34,700 –> 00:08:38,539 Praying with other people is important, 191 00:08:38,539 –> 00:08:40,419 but there is a kind of praying 192 00:08:40,419 –> 00:08:43,179 that you can only do on your own. 193 00:08:46,039 –> 00:08:48,799 Lovers like to be alone together, 194 00:08:51,020 –> 00:08:54,359 and God is the great lover of your soul, 195 00:08:56,039 –> 00:08:58,960 and he desires time alone with you. 196 00:09:01,099 –> 00:09:03,679 Every happily married couple, 197 00:09:03,679 –> 00:09:06,080 every courting couple knows this, 198 00:09:06,080 –> 00:09:07,799 it’s great to be with other folks, 199 00:09:07,799 –> 00:09:11,159 but it’s very special when it’s just the two of us, 200 00:09:11,159 –> 00:09:14,599 and God the great lover of your soul 201 00:09:14,599 –> 00:09:16,599 has that regard for you. 202 00:09:17,719 –> 00:09:19,440 He delights when his children come together, 203 00:09:19,440 –> 00:09:23,619 but he seeks time one-on-one alone in fellowship with you. 204 00:09:26,619 –> 00:09:28,960 That is why Jesus said when you pray, 205 00:09:29,039 –> 00:09:33,559 go into your room, shut the door, Jesus said, 206 00:09:33,559 –> 00:09:36,320 and pray to your Father who is in secret. 207 00:09:36,320 –> 00:09:40,140 This is intimate, this is you and God, 208 00:09:40,140 –> 00:09:41,400 and there’s a kind of praying 209 00:09:41,400 –> 00:09:43,719 that can only be done on your own. 210 00:09:43,719 –> 00:09:46,159 Now, I’m simply asking you this question, 211 00:09:46,159 –> 00:09:48,640 what do you know about this in your life? 212 00:09:50,960 –> 00:09:53,559 Your Lord, Jesus Christ if you’re a Christian, 213 00:09:53,559 –> 00:09:56,219 he says to you, go into your room. 214 00:09:56,219 –> 00:09:58,159 This isn’t an option, this is a command. 215 00:09:58,179 –> 00:10:03,179 Close the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. 216 00:10:03,479 –> 00:10:04,739 When do you do that? 217 00:10:04,739 –> 00:10:08,059 What is your pattern for this in your life 218 00:10:08,059 –> 00:10:12,559 that Jesus Christ has called you to do? 219 00:10:12,559 –> 00:10:14,380 This is important for all Christians 220 00:10:14,380 –> 00:10:17,679 and it is especially important for Christian leaders. 221 00:10:18,580 –> 00:10:22,419 Elijah calls down fire in the presence of many people, 222 00:10:22,419 –> 00:10:25,299 but he also prays for rain when he’s completely alone. 223 00:10:26,099 –> 00:10:28,719 The Apostles said we must give ourselves publicly 224 00:10:28,719 –> 00:10:30,580 to the ministry of the Word of God, 225 00:10:30,580 –> 00:10:32,760 but they also give themselves privately 226 00:10:32,760 –> 00:10:34,020 to the ministry of prayer. 227 00:10:35,099 –> 00:10:39,099 The public work of proclamation must be followed 228 00:10:39,099 –> 00:10:42,940 by the private work of intercession, 229 00:10:42,940 –> 00:10:44,460 that’s how the ministry of the Word of God 230 00:10:44,460 –> 00:10:46,979 and of the church moves forward. 231 00:10:46,979 –> 00:10:49,840 So I’m giving to you this encouragement 232 00:10:49,840 –> 00:10:51,859 and this challenge for all of us 233 00:10:51,859 –> 00:10:53,520 that it is of great importance 234 00:10:53,640 –> 00:10:57,479 that we position ourselves in private to pray. 235 00:10:57,479 –> 00:11:00,299 How are you going to build that into your life this week? 236 00:11:00,299 –> 00:11:01,340 Will you do that? 237 00:11:02,979 –> 00:11:07,979 Second, position yourself in private to pray. 238 00:11:10,659 –> 00:11:13,840 Now draw your attention here to verse 42 of 1 Kings 18, 239 00:11:13,840 –> 00:11:17,239 Elijah bowed himself down to the earth 240 00:11:17,239 –> 00:11:21,719 and put his face between his knees, 241 00:11:22,599 –> 00:11:25,140 this is very interesting that the scripture 242 00:11:25,140 –> 00:11:29,700 does not record what Elijah said when he prayed, 243 00:11:29,700 –> 00:11:33,799 but it does record the posture that he adopted 244 00:11:33,799 –> 00:11:36,700 when he came before God in prayer. 245 00:11:37,659 –> 00:11:39,359 God always speaks with intent 246 00:11:39,359 –> 00:11:40,960 and always speaks with precision 247 00:11:40,960 –> 00:11:44,400 and the Holy spirit has preserved this vivid description 248 00:11:44,400 –> 00:11:47,280 of Elijah’s posture, picture him with me, will you? 249 00:11:47,280 –> 00:11:49,599 He is kneeling on the ground 250 00:11:49,640 –> 00:11:52,239 and his head is all the way forward, 251 00:11:52,239 –> 00:11:56,340 touching the ground in front of his knees. 252 00:11:57,260 –> 00:12:01,039 And again, this makes us think about the Lord Jesus Christ. 253 00:12:01,039 –> 00:12:02,359 We’re told by Matthew, 254 00:12:02,359 –> 00:12:04,799 that when he came to the Garden of Gethsemane, 255 00:12:04,799 –> 00:12:09,799 that Jesus fell on his face and he prayed. 256 00:12:10,919 –> 00:12:13,799 And in all probability, if you think of a great rock, 257 00:12:13,799 –> 00:12:17,840 Jesus draping himself, his entire body over this rock 258 00:12:18,280 –> 00:12:21,440 with great sweat, pouring himself out 259 00:12:21,440 –> 00:12:24,979 in intercession before the Father. 260 00:12:26,140 –> 00:12:28,799 Now, the Bible does not give to us 261 00:12:28,799 –> 00:12:33,119 any one commanded posture for prayer. 262 00:12:33,119 –> 00:12:36,239 There are different postures that are appropriate 263 00:12:36,239 –> 00:12:38,799 for different situations. 264 00:12:38,799 –> 00:12:40,400 You can pray when you’re walking. 265 00:12:40,400 –> 00:12:42,179 It’s a good thing to do. 266 00:12:42,179 –> 00:12:43,840 You can pray while you’re driving, 267 00:12:43,840 –> 00:12:45,919 but make sure you do it with your eyes 268 00:12:45,919 –> 00:12:48,080 well and truly open. 269 00:12:49,679 –> 00:12:52,119 The Bible does not give to us 270 00:12:52,119 –> 00:12:54,099 any one posture for prayer. 271 00:12:54,099 –> 00:12:55,900 We are given great liberty in this regard, 272 00:12:55,900 –> 00:12:58,520 but it does record the posture 273 00:12:58,520 –> 00:13:01,559 that people adopted in particular times, 274 00:13:01,559 –> 00:13:04,820 and that surely, therefore, has some significance. 275 00:13:05,679 –> 00:13:10,460 We talk today about the subject of body language, 276 00:13:10,460 –> 00:13:13,520 body language, which simply means this, 277 00:13:13,559 –> 00:13:16,840 that the posture of your body 278 00:13:16,840 –> 00:13:21,840 says a great deal about what is going on in your mind. 279 00:13:22,880 –> 00:13:24,059 So that even as I speak, 280 00:13:24,059 –> 00:13:27,080 and even as you are engaged in active listening, 281 00:13:27,080 –> 00:13:28,700 the posture of the speaker 282 00:13:28,700 –> 00:13:31,599 and the posture of those who listen, 283 00:13:31,599 –> 00:13:32,780 this says something, 284 00:13:32,780 –> 00:13:35,119 this communicates something 285 00:13:35,119 –> 00:13:37,599 about how engaged each of us is, 286 00:13:37,599 –> 00:13:39,859 and this is part of normal life. 287 00:13:39,859 –> 00:13:44,619 I was in an extremely long meeting not so long ago. 288 00:13:44,619 –> 00:13:47,919 And afterward someone said to me, 289 00:13:47,919 –> 00:13:49,500 a dear friend said to me, 290 00:13:49,500 –> 00:13:53,940 you know, Collin, I was watching you in that meeting 291 00:13:53,940 –> 00:13:56,919 and I can read you like a book. 292 00:13:56,919 –> 00:13:59,859 He said, it’s fascinating. 293 00:13:59,859 –> 00:14:02,059 You come in and you go out 294 00:14:02,059 –> 00:14:04,460 and when you’re lean forward 295 00:14:04,460 –> 00:14:06,440 when you’re engaged and interested 296 00:14:06,440 –> 00:14:07,400 in what’s being said, 297 00:14:07,400 –> 00:14:08,739 and then you sorta lean back 298 00:14:08,760 –> 00:14:10,640 when you’re losing interest. 299 00:14:10,640 –> 00:14:11,599 He said, it’s fascinating. 300 00:14:11,599 –> 00:14:13,299 He wasn’t listening to anything that I said. 301 00:14:13,299 –> 00:14:15,260 He was just watching. 302 00:14:15,260 –> 00:14:17,059 He said, you know, you’re looking at the clock 303 00:14:17,059 –> 00:14:17,900 when you’re. 304 00:14:19,780 –> 00:14:21,359 And I thought, I gotta watch that. 305 00:14:21,359 –> 00:14:22,719 I gotta watch that. 306 00:14:24,580 –> 00:14:26,859 I can read you like a book. 307 00:14:26,859 –> 00:14:28,299 Well, it’s true, isn’t it? 308 00:14:28,299 –> 00:14:31,059 That the posture of the body 309 00:14:31,059 –> 00:14:33,400 says a great deal about what is going on 310 00:14:33,400 –> 00:14:34,780 in the mind and heart. 311 00:14:35,700 –> 00:14:38,419 Now, what does the posture of Elijah’s body 312 00:14:38,419 –> 00:14:41,239 say about what is going on in his mind and his heart? 313 00:14:41,239 –> 00:14:45,260 Here, surely as you picture, this great prophet. 314 00:14:45,260 –> 00:14:49,859 And now he’s rolled up like a little ball on the ground 315 00:14:50,799 –> 00:14:52,419 before almighty God. 316 00:14:52,419 –> 00:14:53,619 What is that saying? 317 00:14:53,619 –> 00:14:54,659 What’s going on? 318 00:14:54,659 –> 00:14:58,159 He’s surely confessing in that body language 319 00:14:58,159 –> 00:15:01,320 his total dependence upon God. 320 00:15:02,260 –> 00:15:07,080 His intense seriousness before God. 321 00:15:07,080 –> 00:15:09,780 People have been dying because of this drought. 322 00:15:09,780 –> 00:15:12,179 It’s been going on three and a half years. 323 00:15:12,179 –> 00:15:14,580 This is not a casual request of God 324 00:15:14,580 –> 00:15:17,539 that he can say kind of wandering around on a sunny day 325 00:15:17,539 –> 00:15:19,179 on the top of the mountain. 326 00:15:19,179 –> 00:15:20,719 No, he kneels to the ground, 327 00:15:20,719 –> 00:15:22,859 he puts his face between his knees. 328 00:15:22,859 –> 00:15:25,039 Oh, God, I’m serious. 329 00:15:27,500 –> 00:15:29,619 I’ll tell you one of the great blessings to me 330 00:15:29,679 –> 00:15:32,979 at the end of our church board meetings 331 00:15:32,979 –> 00:15:34,580 is it has become a pattern 332 00:15:34,580 –> 00:15:37,659 for all of the members of the church board 333 00:15:37,659 –> 00:15:42,140 to get on their knees out in the conference room there 334 00:15:43,059 –> 00:15:46,059 and to pray for the blessing of God 335 00:15:46,059 –> 00:15:47,739 on this congregation 336 00:15:47,739 –> 00:15:49,940 and on the life and the ministry of the church. 337 00:15:49,940 –> 00:15:54,260 There’s something incredibly moving and powerful about that. 338 00:15:54,260 –> 00:15:56,739 Our sense of dependence upon God, 339 00:15:56,739 –> 00:15:58,719 our sense of serious desire 340 00:15:58,799 –> 00:16:02,880 that the blessing of God will fall in greater measure. 341 00:16:02,880 –> 00:16:05,520 Now in as much as you are able 342 00:16:05,520 –> 00:16:07,299 and that sometimes in particular 343 00:16:07,299 –> 00:16:09,780 you may find this to be very helpful to you 344 00:16:09,780 –> 00:16:12,000 to come before God on your knees 345 00:16:12,000 –> 00:16:13,479 and it’s a way of saying, 346 00:16:13,479 –> 00:16:16,400 oh God, here I am again 347 00:16:16,400 –> 00:16:20,239 and I feel the weight of who you are 348 00:16:20,239 –> 00:16:25,239 and I feel the weight of what I am now bringing to you. 349 00:16:25,559 –> 00:16:28,780 By the way, and this is very important, 350 00:16:28,780 –> 00:16:33,780 some Christians have become completely confused 351 00:16:33,940 –> 00:16:38,940 between Christian praying and eastern mysticism. 352 00:16:39,020 –> 00:16:42,440 You know, you see all over the place these days 353 00:16:42,440 –> 00:16:45,239 images of someone adopting a posture 354 00:16:45,239 –> 00:16:49,340 that is to relax the mind and to relax the body 355 00:16:49,340 –> 00:16:51,760 and the language of spirituality 356 00:16:51,760 –> 00:16:54,799 is always flowing over all of this stuff 357 00:16:54,799 –> 00:16:58,299 and it’s very easy, particularly for young Christians, 358 00:16:58,299 –> 00:17:01,000 to look at this, and to see this and to say, 359 00:17:01,000 –> 00:17:03,159 well now this must be just another version 360 00:17:03,159 –> 00:17:05,579 of what praying is, this kind of moving 361 00:17:05,579 –> 00:17:10,199 into a kind of relaxation mode and so forth and so on. 362 00:17:10,199 –> 00:17:12,160 Let me say to you as clearly as I can 363 00:17:12,160 –> 00:17:14,119 because this is very important, 364 00:17:14,119 –> 00:17:16,219 the aim of Christian praying 365 00:17:16,219 –> 00:17:18,939 is not the relaxation of the body. 366 00:17:20,439 –> 00:17:21,920 The aim of Christian praying 367 00:17:21,920 –> 00:17:24,739 is not the relaxation of the body. 368 00:17:24,739 –> 00:17:26,520 If you’re into the relaxation of the body, 369 00:17:26,520 –> 00:17:30,180 you’re into something totally different, totally different. 370 00:17:32,140 –> 00:17:33,739 The aim of Christian praying 371 00:17:33,739 –> 00:17:35,339 is not to send your mind to sleep, 372 00:17:35,339 –> 00:17:36,939 it is to waken it up. 373 00:17:38,939 –> 00:17:41,040 This is not to get in touch 374 00:17:41,040 –> 00:17:43,300 with some kind of inner self. 375 00:17:44,459 –> 00:17:48,180 This is Elijah doing the intense, 376 00:17:48,180 –> 00:17:52,819 holy work of pleading with almighty God 377 00:17:52,920 –> 00:17:55,060 and what he finds appropriate as a posture 378 00:17:55,060 –> 00:17:57,439 there is not some expression of relaxation, 379 00:17:57,439 –> 00:17:59,859 it is to curl himself up like a ball 380 00:17:59,859 –> 00:18:03,140 and say oh God I am utterly dependent on you. 381 00:18:03,140 –> 00:18:05,880 There’s all the difference in the world, do you see that? 382 00:18:07,739 –> 00:18:09,660 So position yourself, 383 00:18:09,660 –> 00:18:12,500 no one posture that’s commanded in the Bible 384 00:18:12,500 –> 00:18:15,020 so use many and different appropriate settings 385 00:18:15,020 –> 00:18:18,060 but learn from Elijah because his body language 386 00:18:18,060 –> 00:18:21,780 is saying something important here. 387 00:18:21,780 –> 00:18:26,780 Number three, position yourself in private 388 00:18:26,780 –> 00:18:30,260 to pray what God has promised. 389 00:18:30,260 –> 00:18:33,380 There’s the third P I want just to focus on for a moment. 390 00:18:34,579 –> 00:18:36,180 Now when Elijah prayed for rain 391 00:18:36,180 –> 00:18:37,900 he was clearly praying for something 392 00:18:37,900 –> 00:18:40,140 that God had already promised. 393 00:18:40,140 –> 00:18:42,680 We know that from one King zaityan in verse one 394 00:18:42,680 –> 00:18:44,619 where the word of the Lord came to Elijah 395 00:18:44,619 –> 00:18:48,880 in the third year saying I will send rain upon the earth. 396 00:18:49,719 –> 00:18:51,800 So when Elijah prays for rain 397 00:18:51,800 –> 00:18:55,459 he is praying for something that God has promised to do 398 00:18:55,459 –> 00:18:58,000 for the revealed will of God. 399 00:18:58,000 –> 00:18:59,300 Again, this is important. 400 00:18:59,300 –> 00:19:01,880 I want to be practical and helpful 401 00:19:01,880 –> 00:19:04,719 in encouraging us all in our prayers here today. 402 00:19:04,719 –> 00:19:09,359 Remember that prayer and faith in prayer 403 00:19:09,359 –> 00:19:11,719 is never a matter of sort of trying 404 00:19:11,719 –> 00:19:14,040 to muster up the self-belief 405 00:19:14,040 –> 00:19:16,579 that something that you want to happen will happen. 406 00:19:16,939 –> 00:19:18,739 That’s called auto-suggestion 407 00:19:18,739 –> 00:19:21,660 and it has no part in Christian praying. 408 00:19:21,660 –> 00:19:23,619 The power doesn’t reside within you. 409 00:19:25,359 –> 00:19:28,380 Faith is not convincing myself 410 00:19:28,380 –> 00:19:30,859 that something I want to happen is going to happen. 411 00:19:30,859 –> 00:19:35,859 Faith is a believing response to the Word of God, right? 412 00:19:35,979 –> 00:19:38,540 So praying with faith has the same character. 413 00:19:38,540 –> 00:19:42,420 It has the character of a believing response 414 00:19:42,420 –> 00:19:44,239 to the Word of God. 415 00:19:45,239 –> 00:19:47,939 And this is very important when we bring our requests 416 00:19:47,939 –> 00:19:51,380 to God because God has given us the wonderful freedom, 417 00:19:51,380 –> 00:19:55,959 the invitation to ask anything that we want from Him. 418 00:19:57,060 –> 00:19:59,800 But the freedom to ask anything does not come 419 00:19:59,800 –> 00:20:03,739 with a commitment from God to give everything that we ask. 420 00:20:04,900 –> 00:20:07,640 Prayer is never a means of manipulating God 421 00:20:07,640 –> 00:20:10,619 into doing something he did not intend or plan. 422 00:20:11,599 –> 00:20:14,339 Prayer is not some way in which you could kind of, 423 00:20:14,339 –> 00:20:18,680 as it were, strong-arm God into doing something 424 00:20:18,680 –> 00:20:20,060 that was counter to his will. 425 00:20:20,060 –> 00:20:21,839 How would that ever be possible? 426 00:20:21,839 –> 00:20:24,140 That would be the worst kind of idolatry 427 00:20:24,140 –> 00:20:27,140 even to be thinking like that. 428 00:20:28,099 –> 00:20:29,859 And this is important because many of you 429 00:20:29,859 –> 00:20:31,359 will have friends and some of you 430 00:20:31,359 –> 00:20:34,119 will have had this experience. 431 00:20:34,119 –> 00:20:35,599 I think of someone who I loved dearly 432 00:20:35,599 –> 00:20:39,739 who was very, very ill, and then some Christian came 433 00:20:40,199 –> 00:20:41,780 and said to this lady, 434 00:20:42,859 –> 00:20:46,479 if you had more faith, you would be healed. 435 00:20:46,479 –> 00:20:47,839 That is devastating. 436 00:20:48,760 –> 00:20:51,699 That added insult to injury. 437 00:20:52,640 –> 00:20:54,880 There’s something wrong with you and your faith 438 00:20:54,880 –> 00:20:56,680 that you have not been healed, you see? 439 00:20:56,680 –> 00:20:58,079 And it comes from this assumption 440 00:20:58,079 –> 00:21:00,439 that somehow faith is a way of producing 441 00:21:00,439 –> 00:21:01,880 this strong arming of God 442 00:21:01,880 –> 00:21:03,800 and that we can get anything that we want. 443 00:21:03,800 –> 00:21:06,140 That is not the promise of Scripture. 444 00:21:06,140 –> 00:21:08,760 We are invited to ask what we will. 445 00:21:10,060 –> 00:21:11,300 But God is God 446 00:21:12,660 –> 00:21:16,979 and we are not the ones who command Him. 447 00:21:16,979 –> 00:21:21,979 So Elijah prayed for what God had said he would do, 448 00:21:22,780 –> 00:21:23,859 and there’s a principle here 449 00:21:23,859 –> 00:21:25,699 that we can apply to our own prayers. 450 00:21:25,699 –> 00:21:29,260 And it’s simply this, to cultivate the practice 451 00:21:29,260 –> 00:21:33,180 of praying what God has promised. 452 00:21:33,180 –> 00:21:34,739 Now, I want to encourage you, in that today, 453 00:21:34,739 –> 00:21:38,479 to cultivate the practice of praying 454 00:21:38,500 –> 00:21:40,739 for what God has promised. 455 00:21:40,739 –> 00:21:43,020 And here’s how you do that. 456 00:21:43,020 –> 00:21:48,020 You use the Bible to fuel your prayers. 457 00:21:48,719 –> 00:21:50,959 When you go into your room and you close the door, 458 00:21:50,959 –> 00:21:54,479 take your Bible with you, pray with an open Bible. 459 00:21:54,479 –> 00:21:56,359 And as you read the Bible, 460 00:21:56,359 –> 00:21:58,699 turn what you are reading in the Bible, 461 00:21:58,699 –> 00:22:00,719 what God is saying to you, 462 00:22:00,719 –> 00:22:03,760 turn it back to Him in your prayers. 463 00:22:03,760 –> 00:22:05,680 You will find this wonderfully refreshing 464 00:22:05,719 –> 00:22:07,839 for your prayer life. 465 00:22:07,839 –> 00:22:09,439 So I’ll give you an example, 466 00:22:09,439 –> 00:22:14,439 I was reading from Daniel chapter 12 verse three. 467 00:22:14,459 –> 00:22:15,959 Just this verse in reading through 468 00:22:15,959 –> 00:22:17,780 a few verses from Daniel, 469 00:22:17,780 –> 00:22:21,040 those who are wise shall shine like the brightness 470 00:22:21,040 –> 00:22:22,479 of the sky above, 471 00:22:22,479 –> 00:22:25,359 and those who turn many to righteousness 472 00:22:25,359 –> 00:22:29,099 shall be like the stars forever and forever. 473 00:22:29,099 –> 00:22:31,280 So that little verse that just popped out 474 00:22:31,280 –> 00:22:33,479 of the first part of Daniel in chapter 12, 475 00:22:33,540 –> 00:22:35,020 from reading these few verses 476 00:22:35,020 –> 00:22:38,199 is telling me a couple of very important things. 477 00:22:38,199 –> 00:22:41,099 That God wants his people to be wise, 478 00:22:41,099 –> 00:22:42,459 and that God wants his people 479 00:22:42,459 –> 00:22:44,400 to turn many to righteousness, 480 00:22:44,400 –> 00:22:46,020 for them to have influence. 481 00:22:47,060 –> 00:22:48,939 There are two things that I can pray 482 00:22:48,939 –> 00:22:50,380 in regards to myself, 483 00:22:50,380 –> 00:22:52,579 because I can think immediately of situations 484 00:22:52,579 –> 00:22:55,060 in which I really need wisdom, 485 00:22:55,060 –> 00:22:56,579 and I can think of situations 486 00:22:56,579 –> 00:22:58,780 in which I long to be an influence 487 00:22:58,780 –> 00:23:01,579 in helping someone find a right path, 488 00:23:01,579 –> 00:23:04,900 I can see ways in which I need that in my own life. 489 00:23:04,900 –> 00:23:06,760 Then I begin to pray for others. 490 00:23:06,760 –> 00:23:07,800 I think of some missionaries, 491 00:23:07,800 –> 00:23:09,219 I think of folks within the family, 492 00:23:09,219 –> 00:23:10,959 I think of others who are on my prayer list 493 00:23:10,959 –> 00:23:12,579 at a particular time, 494 00:23:12,579 –> 00:23:13,939 and here are two things 495 00:23:13,939 –> 00:23:16,579 that are going to apply in all kinds of different ways 496 00:23:16,579 –> 00:23:19,859 into their sphere and give me something fresh to pray. 497 00:23:22,199 –> 00:23:24,839 And then, tomorrow, or the next day, 498 00:23:24,839 –> 00:23:26,859 as I pray for some folks again, 499 00:23:26,859 –> 00:23:30,619 there’s something else in the scripture that I read, 500 00:23:30,619 –> 00:23:34,540 and it provides fresh fuel for prayer. 501 00:23:34,540 –> 00:23:36,459 To begin to pray fresh things 502 00:23:36,459 –> 00:23:38,660 in relation to the Word of God, 503 00:23:38,660 –> 00:23:40,660 to pray back what God has said. 504 00:23:41,660 –> 00:23:43,420 Otherwise, how do you pray for people 505 00:23:43,420 –> 00:23:45,239 faithfully for 20 years, 506 00:23:45,239 –> 00:23:47,020 just saying, God bless them, God bless them, 507 00:23:47,020 –> 00:23:50,079 God bless them, you run dry, don’t you? 508 00:23:50,079 –> 00:23:51,939 You need fuel. 509 00:23:51,939 –> 00:23:53,619 And the Word of God is going to be 510 00:23:53,619 –> 00:23:56,380 the fuel for your prayers. 511 00:23:56,380 –> 00:23:58,420 Think of it this way. 512 00:23:58,420 –> 00:24:03,420 Engines run better when there is fuel in the tank, right? 513 00:24:03,939 –> 00:24:06,819 You think about starting up one of your small engines. 514 00:24:06,819 –> 00:24:09,180 Make sure there is fuel in the tank 515 00:24:09,180 –> 00:24:10,979 before you start the engine. 516 00:24:10,979 –> 00:24:15,500 The fuel of the engine of prayer is the Word of God, 517 00:24:15,500 –> 00:24:17,859 put the fuel of the Word of God in the tank 518 00:24:17,859 –> 00:24:21,020 before you crank up the engine of prayer, 519 00:24:21,020 –> 00:24:23,859 and it will help you, and it will refresh your prayer. 520 00:24:23,859 –> 00:24:27,020 And it will give you a way of responding 521 00:24:27,020 –> 00:24:30,920 to the Word of God as you bring it back to Him in prayer. 522 00:24:32,099 –> 00:24:34,300 So I’m saying position yourself in private 523 00:24:34,300 –> 00:24:36,239 to pray what God has promised. 524 00:24:37,260 –> 00:24:39,520 Work on this this week, see how you do 525 00:24:39,520 –> 00:24:43,020 with letting the Scriptures be fuel for your prayer. 526 00:24:43,020 –> 00:24:44,660 And see how it brings freshness to you. 527 00:24:44,660 –> 00:24:46,099 Look for one thing that you could say, 528 00:24:46,099 –> 00:24:49,219 I could pray that for myself and for others. 529 00:24:51,459 –> 00:24:55,260 Number four, position yourself in private 530 00:24:55,260 –> 00:24:59,079 to pray what God has promised. 531 00:25:00,300 –> 00:25:02,540 As soon as we talk about what God has promised, 532 00:25:02,540 –> 00:25:04,739 the question that obviously arises is, 533 00:25:04,739 –> 00:25:06,500 well, if God has already said a thing, 534 00:25:06,500 –> 00:25:07,859 why do I need to pray it? 535 00:25:08,819 –> 00:25:10,520 If God has already made a promise, 536 00:25:10,520 –> 00:25:12,300 what is the purpose of prayer? 537 00:25:13,319 –> 00:25:15,420 And that question will have occurred to you, 538 00:25:15,420 –> 00:25:18,479 I’m sure, as it occurs sometimes to almost every Christian. 539 00:25:18,479 –> 00:25:21,060 And the answer actually is very, very simple. 540 00:25:22,099 –> 00:25:25,079 It is the God’s decrees, not only what will happen, 541 00:25:25,079 –> 00:25:26,839 but also how it will come about. 542 00:25:28,180 –> 00:25:29,959 But God determines not only ends, 543 00:25:29,959 –> 00:25:33,199 but He also determines the means by which they happen. 544 00:25:34,239 –> 00:25:36,239 The what is the promise of God, 545 00:25:36,239 –> 00:25:40,839 but the how involves our prayers. 546 00:25:40,839 –> 00:25:43,479 So far from making our prayers redundant, 547 00:25:43,479 –> 00:25:48,479 God’s promises tell us what we should ask. 548 00:25:48,959 –> 00:25:52,339 They direct us with regards to our asking. 549 00:25:52,859 –> 00:25:55,540 A.W. Pink puts this very beautifully. 550 00:25:55,540 –> 00:25:57,180 This is, I think, a quote that’s well worth 551 00:25:57,180 –> 00:25:58,780 writing down and remembering. 552 00:25:58,780 –> 00:26:03,579 He says God’s promises are the mold 553 00:26:03,579 –> 00:26:07,979 into which our prayers are cast. 554 00:26:07,979 –> 00:26:08,800 That’s beautiful. 555 00:26:08,800 –> 00:26:13,800 Here’s this mold and the mold is the promise of God. 556 00:26:13,900 –> 00:26:18,180 And I’m to cast my prayers into that mold. 557 00:26:18,180 –> 00:26:20,579 We’ve just described how that might be done 558 00:26:20,640 –> 00:26:25,640 as you bring the scriptures as the fuel into your praying. 559 00:26:26,239 –> 00:26:31,000 God’s promises tell us what we should ask for. 560 00:26:31,000 –> 00:26:32,819 And here is the greatest encouragement, 561 00:26:32,819 –> 00:26:35,540 surely in relation to our praying, 562 00:26:35,540 –> 00:26:39,780 that God has willed, what God has willed in His promise, 563 00:26:39,780 –> 00:26:43,060 he brings into affect through your prayers. 564 00:26:43,060 –> 00:26:46,540 That brings huge significance 565 00:26:46,540 –> 00:26:48,459 to this wonderful ministry of prayer 566 00:26:48,500 –> 00:26:52,260 that is open to every Christian believer 567 00:26:52,260 –> 00:26:57,260 and is God’s calling to you as well as to me today. 568 00:26:58,219 –> 00:27:01,979 Number five, position yourself in private 569 00:27:01,979 –> 00:27:04,119 to pray for what God has promised 570 00:27:04,119 –> 00:27:08,359 with precision, with precision. 571 00:27:08,359 –> 00:27:11,640 And I’m drawing this observation from James in chapter five 572 00:27:11,640 –> 00:27:16,060 where we’re told that Elijah prayed very precise prayers. 573 00:27:16,180 –> 00:27:21,180 He prayed that it might not rain. 574 00:27:21,180 –> 00:27:22,859 That’s a devastating prayer to pray 575 00:27:22,859 –> 00:27:25,140 but it couldn’t have been clearer. 576 00:27:25,140 –> 00:27:29,839 Then James says he prayed again and heaven gave rain. 577 00:27:30,979 –> 00:27:35,979 So Elijah was very clear in what he asked God for. 578 00:27:37,920 –> 00:27:42,300 Are you clear in what you are asking God for? 579 00:27:42,920 –> 00:27:45,439 What would be three things 580 00:27:45,439 –> 00:27:48,660 that you are asking God for at this time? 581 00:27:48,660 –> 00:27:52,060 What are you asking God for yourself? 582 00:27:52,060 –> 00:27:57,060 What are you asking God in relation to the church? 583 00:27:57,619 –> 00:28:00,739 What are you asking God for in relation 584 00:28:00,739 –> 00:28:02,719 to the advance of the gospel 585 00:28:02,719 –> 00:28:04,680 which is at the center of the vision 586 00:28:04,680 –> 00:28:06,459 that we pray for together? 587 00:28:07,640 –> 00:28:09,040 Is it clear? 588 00:28:10,599 –> 00:28:11,540 It’s a good thing, by the way, 589 00:28:11,560 –> 00:28:13,520 when you have prayed 590 00:28:13,520 –> 00:28:15,540 and you finish praying, you get up, you go through, 591 00:28:15,540 –> 00:28:17,459 you make yourself a cup of coffee 592 00:28:17,459 –> 00:28:19,079 and then ask yourself this question, 593 00:28:19,079 –> 00:28:20,839 what did I ask of God today? 594 00:28:21,880 –> 00:28:23,339 Can you answer that question? 595 00:28:24,819 –> 00:28:28,459 Many of you I’m sure get bombarded with emails. 596 00:28:28,459 –> 00:28:29,619 Is there anyone here thinks 597 00:28:29,619 –> 00:28:32,020 they get too many emails? 598 00:28:32,020 –> 00:28:33,420 I have an agreement on that. 599 00:28:33,420 –> 00:28:35,459 Yeah, I get lots of emails 600 00:28:35,459 –> 00:28:39,300 and you have to find a way of sorting them, you know? 601 00:28:39,500 –> 00:28:41,500 One of the things that I just find very useful 602 00:28:41,500 –> 00:28:43,439 is to distinguish between emails 603 00:28:43,439 –> 00:28:45,479 that need a response from me 604 00:28:45,479 –> 00:28:49,640 and others that are simply information. 605 00:28:49,640 –> 00:28:52,060 And obviously when you make that distinction 606 00:28:52,060 –> 00:28:55,180 you go with the ones that need a particular response 607 00:28:55,180 –> 00:28:57,760 and you deal with the ones that are simply information 608 00:28:57,760 –> 00:28:59,859 at a later time. 609 00:29:01,239 –> 00:29:03,479 Now, think about that in relation to prayer. 610 00:29:04,400 –> 00:29:09,400 Don’t send up prayers to heaven that are information only. 611 00:29:10,079 –> 00:29:11,640 You know that kind of prayer. 612 00:29:11,640 –> 00:29:12,839 Lord, you know this, 613 00:29:12,839 –> 00:29:15,219 and you know He’s been there and she’s been here 614 00:29:15,219 –> 00:29:16,199 and you know this. 615 00:29:16,199 –> 00:29:19,119 Yes, He knows. 616 00:29:19,119 –> 00:29:20,900 He doesn’t need the information. 617 00:29:22,459 –> 00:29:27,459 Offer prayers that ask for a response. 618 00:29:29,359 –> 00:29:32,319 Offer prayers where there is something 619 00:29:32,359 –> 00:29:34,800 that you are looking for God to do. 620 00:29:34,800 –> 00:29:37,660 He has said to you, ask. 621 00:29:39,520 –> 00:29:42,079 Jesus said on more than occasion, 622 00:29:42,079 –> 00:29:43,500 He said to a blind man 623 00:29:43,500 –> 00:29:45,300 and then He also said to James and John. 624 00:29:45,300 –> 00:29:47,219 He asked this great question. 625 00:29:47,219 –> 00:29:49,119 What do you want me to do for you? 626 00:29:50,880 –> 00:29:53,219 What do you want me to do for you? 627 00:29:55,540 –> 00:29:59,760 If Jesus Christ were to appear before you today 628 00:29:59,760 –> 00:30:01,020 and to ask you that question, 629 00:30:01,020 –> 00:30:01,920 what would you say? 630 00:30:02,000 –> 00:30:05,300 What do you want me to do for you? 631 00:30:07,760 –> 00:30:10,619 I guess most of us might come up with an immediate answer, 632 00:30:10,619 –> 00:30:13,859 someone that we want in our family circle to come to faith 633 00:30:13,859 –> 00:30:16,099 or someone who has a great illness 634 00:30:16,099 –> 00:30:19,719 and we would ask for them and then Jesus would say yes. 635 00:30:19,719 –> 00:30:22,619 But what do you want me to do for you? 636 00:30:24,420 –> 00:30:28,439 Karen and I took a trip awhile back around Lake Michigan 637 00:30:28,439 –> 00:30:31,979 and up to Lake Superior with two dear friends 638 00:30:31,979 –> 00:30:34,160 and we got into a conversation in the van 639 00:30:34,160 –> 00:30:37,079 about that question, the four of us. 640 00:30:37,079 –> 00:30:39,439 What would you say to Jesus Christ 641 00:30:40,359 –> 00:30:42,079 if he were to say to you today, 642 00:30:42,079 –> 00:30:44,760 what do you want me to do for you? 643 00:30:45,760 –> 00:30:47,599 And that conversation took us all the way 644 00:30:47,599 –> 00:30:49,719 from Lake Huron to Lake Superior. 645 00:30:50,760 –> 00:30:54,420 It is a harder question to answer than you may think. 646 00:30:55,400 –> 00:30:58,079 And when you come up with an answer, 647 00:30:58,079 –> 00:31:00,439 then ask yourself the question, 648 00:31:00,439 –> 00:31:03,880 is that really the most important thing? 649 00:31:05,319 –> 00:31:09,479 Jesus said to a blind man, what do you want me to do for you? 650 00:31:09,479 –> 00:31:10,619 You think, the answer’s obvious, 651 00:31:10,619 –> 00:31:12,359 he’s a blind man, he wants to see. 652 00:31:13,800 –> 00:31:17,459 But you say, is that really the biggest thing? 653 00:31:19,579 –> 00:31:22,020 Was there something bigger that that man could’ve asked 654 00:31:22,020 –> 00:31:24,040 of the savior of the world? 655 00:31:25,680 –> 00:31:26,839 And when you’ve been in heaven 656 00:31:26,859 –> 00:31:29,640 for 10,000 million years, 657 00:31:29,640 –> 00:31:31,680 will the thing that seems biggest to you now 658 00:31:31,680 –> 00:31:33,479 seem the biggest thing to you then? 659 00:31:35,260 –> 00:31:36,959 What do you want me to do for you? 660 00:31:38,479 –> 00:31:42,359 Be specific in your ask, but ask. 661 00:31:44,000 –> 00:31:49,000 You are coming to a king, large petitions with you bring, 662 00:31:51,500 –> 00:31:56,500 for his grace and power are such that none can ever under. 663 00:31:56,839 –> 00:31:59,420 Ask too much. 664 00:32:01,599 –> 00:32:03,119 I’m in the presence of someone 665 00:32:03,119 –> 00:32:06,099 with great resources I will ask. 666 00:32:08,060 –> 00:32:11,140 What will you ask in the presence of the King of Kings? 667 00:32:13,640 –> 00:32:17,880 Number six, position yourself in private 668 00:32:17,880 –> 00:32:22,319 to pray what God has promised with precision, 669 00:32:22,319 –> 00:32:23,839 but also with passion, 670 00:32:24,199 –> 00:32:27,640 and I take that from James 5, verse 17, 671 00:32:27,640 –> 00:32:31,359 where we’re told that Elijah prayed fervently. 672 00:32:31,359 –> 00:32:33,439 He prayed fervently. 673 00:32:33,439 –> 00:32:37,680 Literally translated, the words there are in prayer, 674 00:32:37,680 –> 00:32:40,359 he prayed, he prayed fervently. 675 00:32:40,359 –> 00:32:41,719 In prayer, he prayed. 676 00:32:42,560 –> 00:32:43,719 It’s a very helpful little phrase. 677 00:32:43,719 –> 00:32:47,459 It’s actually a Hebrewism, a Hebrew way of speaking. 678 00:32:47,459 –> 00:32:51,439 When Jesus spoke to the disciples about the Passover, 679 00:32:51,520 –> 00:32:53,760 he said, I have eagerly desired 680 00:32:53,760 –> 00:32:55,439 to eat the Passover with you. 681 00:32:55,439 –> 00:32:57,040 Literally what he said was, 682 00:32:57,040 –> 00:33:00,040 with desire I have desired to eat the Passover. 683 00:33:00,040 –> 00:33:01,099 Isn’t that beautiful? 684 00:33:01,099 –> 00:33:04,119 With desire I desire this fellowship with you. 685 00:33:05,319 –> 00:33:06,880 And this same form is here. 686 00:33:06,880 –> 00:33:09,760 Elijah, in prayer he prayed. 687 00:33:09,760 –> 00:33:10,699 In prayer he prayed. 688 00:33:10,699 –> 00:33:11,839 He didn’t just say a prayer. 689 00:33:11,839 –> 00:33:13,380 In prayer he prayed. 690 00:33:13,380 –> 00:33:14,719 He prayed fervently. 691 00:33:14,719 –> 00:33:17,060 In other words, there was light, there was energy, 692 00:33:17,060 –> 00:33:20,479 there was faith, there was engagement in his prayer. 693 00:33:20,479 –> 00:33:23,040 It is easy for the best Christian 694 00:33:23,959 –> 00:33:26,699 to fall into a kind of spiritual drowsiness 695 00:33:28,040 –> 00:33:29,900 in which we pray with little life, 696 00:33:29,900 –> 00:33:32,599 little energy, and little desire, 697 00:33:32,599 –> 00:33:34,959 and there is little power in such prayer. 698 00:33:36,680 –> 00:33:37,959 Elijah’s prayer was different. 699 00:33:37,959 –> 00:33:39,540 He prayed with life and with vigor. 700 00:33:39,540 –> 00:33:40,760 He prayed fervently. 701 00:33:40,760 –> 00:33:43,020 In prayer he prayed. 702 00:33:44,579 –> 00:33:47,000 Someone wrote these words, I find them helpful. 703 00:33:48,000 –> 00:33:53,000 I often say my prayers but do I ever pray? 704 00:33:54,420 –> 00:33:59,160 And do the wishes of my heart go with the words I say? 705 00:34:00,260 –> 00:34:04,000 I may as well kneel down to gods of wood and stone 706 00:34:04,000 –> 00:34:08,719 as offered to the living God, a prayer of words alone. 707 00:34:10,040 –> 00:34:13,360 For words without the heart the Lord will never hear 708 00:34:13,360 –> 00:34:15,760 nor will he to those lips attend 709 00:34:15,780 –> 00:34:18,280 whose prayer is not sincere. 710 00:34:20,280 –> 00:34:25,239 So Lord teach me what I need and teach me how to pray 711 00:34:26,199 –> 00:34:29,620 and do not let me seek Thy grace 712 00:34:29,620 –> 00:34:34,620 not meaning what I say. 713 00:34:36,260 –> 00:34:41,260 Number seven, position yourself in private 714 00:34:42,239 –> 00:34:44,219 to pray what God has promised 715 00:34:44,219 –> 00:34:49,219 with precision and with passion and with persistence. 716 00:34:50,340 –> 00:34:53,699 And I take this obviously from verse 44 717 00:34:53,699 –> 00:34:56,580 when we’re told that it was the seventh time 718 00:34:56,580 –> 00:35:01,239 that Elijah sent his servant before he saw the cloud 719 00:35:01,239 –> 00:35:05,419 that was just the size of a man’s hand on the horizon. 720 00:35:06,300 –> 00:35:10,040 And that speaks to us about Elijah’s perseverance in prayer. 721 00:35:11,219 –> 00:35:13,340 He had prayed for what God had promised. 722 00:35:13,340 –> 00:35:14,879 He had certainly prayed with clarity, 723 00:35:14,879 –> 00:35:19,179 with precision, and with passion fervently. 724 00:35:19,179 –> 00:35:24,179 But the answer was not immediately given even to Elijah. 725 00:35:24,840 –> 00:35:26,679 Let that be an encouragement to you. 726 00:35:28,040 –> 00:35:29,919 He sends his servant, here’s Elijah, 727 00:35:29,919 –> 00:35:31,560 and he’s rolled up like a ball, 728 00:35:31,560 –> 00:35:33,560 and he’s praying, and he’s interceding, 729 00:35:33,560 –> 00:35:35,719 and he’s pleading the promise of God. 730 00:35:35,719 –> 00:35:38,760 And he sends his servant to the brow of the hill 731 00:35:38,760 –> 00:35:41,879 where he can look out down over the horizon 732 00:35:41,899 –> 00:35:45,479 and out to sea, as you can from Mount Carmel. 733 00:35:45,479 –> 00:35:47,699 And he looks out, and he comes back, 734 00:35:47,699 –> 00:35:49,100 and he says, there’s nothing, 735 00:35:49,100 –> 00:35:50,919 there’s not a sign of a cloud. 736 00:35:52,639 –> 00:35:55,000 Just like it’s been for three and a half years. 737 00:35:56,600 –> 00:35:58,879 Elijah prays some more, says to the servant, 738 00:35:58,879 –> 00:36:00,820 you go again, have another look. 739 00:36:00,820 –> 00:36:03,459 The guy who’s running off to the horizon has another look. 740 00:36:03,459 –> 00:36:04,500 It’s exactly the same. 741 00:36:04,500 –> 00:36:06,739 He comes back, Elijah, there’s still nothing. 742 00:36:07,840 –> 00:36:09,600 Elijah says, well, you better go running again. 743 00:36:09,600 –> 00:36:10,919 Elijah carries on praying. 744 00:36:10,919 –> 00:36:12,780 The guy goes on running, he comes back. 745 00:36:12,780 –> 00:36:15,239 The fourth time, he knows what Elijah’s gonna say. 746 00:36:15,239 –> 00:36:18,300 He’s nearly exhausted running. 747 00:36:18,300 –> 00:36:20,639 And then the fifth time, then the sixth time. 748 00:36:20,639 –> 00:36:25,639 Some of you have been praying with passion, 749 00:36:26,600 –> 00:36:28,679 with fervor, with precision, 750 00:36:30,320 –> 00:36:33,600 for someone or something that deeply burdens your heart, 751 00:36:33,600 –> 00:36:37,080 and you’re not on the sixth time nor on the 60th time, 752 00:36:37,080 –> 00:36:39,959 nor even on the 600th time. 753 00:36:41,260 –> 00:36:45,300 And you’re beginning to wonder, will this ever happen? 754 00:36:46,860 –> 00:36:48,659 And you wonder if there’s any point. 755 00:36:50,219 –> 00:36:52,620 The word of the Lord Jesus comes to you afresh 756 00:36:52,620 –> 00:36:54,100 through the scriptures today. 757 00:36:54,100 –> 00:36:56,100 Remember he said this to his disciples 758 00:36:56,100 –> 00:37:01,100 that we ought always to pray and never give up. 759 00:37:04,300 –> 00:37:06,540 And thank God that Elijah didn’t give up 760 00:37:06,540 –> 00:37:09,360 on the fourth or the fifth or even the sixth time. 761 00:37:09,399 –> 00:37:12,320 His servant goes the seventh time as the great man 762 00:37:12,320 –> 00:37:15,919 is there rolled up on the ground, interceding. 763 00:37:17,600 –> 00:37:21,780 And he sees a little cloud the size of a man’s hand, 764 00:37:21,780 –> 00:37:23,320 just a little mist. 765 00:37:24,179 –> 00:37:25,959 And he comes back and he tells Elijah, 766 00:37:25,959 –> 00:37:27,679 well there hasn’t even been a little bit of mist 767 00:37:27,679 –> 00:37:31,320 that’s been seen for the last three and a half years. 768 00:37:31,320 –> 00:37:33,280 And then verse 45 we read, 769 00:37:33,280 –> 00:37:36,139 In a little while the heavens grew black 770 00:37:36,600 –> 00:37:40,620 with clouds and wind and there was a great rain. 771 00:37:43,639 –> 00:37:47,479 So dear friends, here are seven Ps of effective prayer. 772 00:37:47,479 –> 00:37:48,540 If you see them on the screen, 773 00:37:48,540 –> 00:37:51,560 maybe you’d like to say them together with me. 774 00:37:51,560 –> 00:37:53,820 Position yourself in private 775 00:37:54,760 –> 00:37:57,399 to pray what God has promised, 776 00:37:57,399 –> 00:38:01,459 with precision and with passion and with persistence. 777 00:38:01,459 –> 00:38:03,340 And what we’re learning from Elijah is 778 00:38:03,379 –> 00:38:06,879 that this kind of praying avails much. 779 00:38:06,879 –> 00:38:08,760 Lives were changed through this kind of praying 780 00:38:08,760 –> 00:38:12,459 from Elijah and lives will be changed 781 00:38:12,459 –> 00:38:14,020 through this kind of praying for you 782 00:38:14,020 –> 00:38:18,300 because God ordains not only the ends but also the means. 783 00:38:18,300 –> 00:38:20,979 And your praying plays a part 784 00:38:20,979 –> 00:38:23,699 in the bringing about of the very purposes of God 785 00:38:23,699 –> 00:38:26,179 here and around the world 786 00:38:26,179 –> 00:38:28,679 because we are God’s fellow 787 00:38:29,500 –> 00:38:30,360 workers. 788 00:38:31,459 –> 00:38:33,040 Now just one more thing before we’re through 789 00:38:33,879 –> 00:38:35,239 and it’s simply this. 790 00:38:35,239 –> 00:38:37,219 James tells us one more thing about Elijah 791 00:38:37,219 –> 00:38:40,080 that he was a righteous man. 792 00:38:41,000 –> 00:38:43,780 And he tells us that it is the prayer 793 00:38:43,780 –> 00:38:48,780 of a righteous man that is powerful and is effective. 794 00:38:50,320 –> 00:38:52,719 That does not mean of course that Elijah was perfect, 795 00:38:52,719 –> 00:38:54,000 he certainly wasn’t. 796 00:38:54,000 –> 00:38:55,919 We’re going to see next week, God willing, 797 00:38:55,919 –> 00:38:56,959 that he came to a point 798 00:38:56,959 –> 00:38:59,679 where he didn’t even see any point in his life 799 00:38:59,679 –> 00:39:01,959 and maybe some of you have been there. 800 00:39:02,639 –> 00:39:05,159 This man, who at one point became so low, 801 00:39:05,159 –> 00:39:08,000 was held up to us as the model for our praying. 802 00:39:08,000 –> 00:39:10,540 So you say, how was he righteous? 803 00:39:11,560 –> 00:39:12,860 How was he righteous? 804 00:39:14,360 –> 00:39:15,919 Matthew Henry says this beautifully, 805 00:39:15,919 –> 00:39:18,860 “‘He who prays must be a righteous man.” 806 00:39:19,919 –> 00:39:23,020 Not righteous in an absolute sense, 807 00:39:24,080 –> 00:39:28,260 but righteous in a gospel sense. 808 00:39:28,260 –> 00:39:29,179 I love that. 809 00:39:30,139 –> 00:39:31,639 What that means is simply this, 810 00:39:31,639 –> 00:39:33,780 everything that we’ve said about prayer today, 811 00:39:33,780 –> 00:39:36,320 we’ve got to write over the top of it, 812 00:39:36,320 –> 00:39:40,679 in Christ, in Christ. 813 00:39:42,080 –> 00:39:46,419 Effective prayer only happens in Christ. 814 00:39:46,419 –> 00:39:48,620 It happens as your sins are washed, 815 00:39:48,620 –> 00:39:51,459 it happens as you hunger and thirst after righteousness, 816 00:39:51,459 –> 00:39:54,459 it happens as God’s Holy Spirit fills you. 817 00:39:54,459 –> 00:39:57,959 God will accept you before he accepts your prayer. 818 00:39:58,879 –> 00:40:01,260 So you must offer yourself to him 819 00:40:01,260 –> 00:40:04,280 before you offer your prayer to him. 820 00:40:04,280 –> 00:40:05,800 The order is important. 821 00:40:05,800 –> 00:40:07,340 Ask him to cleanse you. 822 00:40:08,580 –> 00:40:11,520 Ask him to fill you with his Spirit 823 00:40:11,520 –> 00:40:12,979 and to renew your heart. 824 00:40:12,979 –> 00:40:15,239 Tell him that you’re tired of the sins 825 00:40:15,239 –> 00:40:17,280 that have been clinging to you for so long. 826 00:40:17,280 –> 00:40:20,199 Ask him to clothe you with the righteousness 827 00:40:20,199 –> 00:40:23,280 of Jesus Christ, so that as one who follows him, 828 00:40:23,280 –> 00:40:26,439 you may be effective in the ministry of prayer. 829 00:40:26,439 –> 00:40:31,439 And then, in Christ, position yourself, in private, 830 00:40:32,320 –> 00:40:35,919 to pray the promises of God with precision 831 00:40:35,919 –> 00:40:39,739 and with passion and with persistence. 832 00:40:41,719 –> 00:40:44,000 Great hero of mine, Andrew Boner, 833 00:40:44,000 –> 00:40:45,520 wrote to a dear friend. 834 00:40:46,959 –> 00:40:48,739 Oh, Brother, pray. 835 00:40:50,040 –> 00:40:52,300 Pray in spite of Satan. 836 00:40:53,520 –> 00:40:54,939 Spend hours in prayer. 837 00:40:55,820 –> 00:40:59,060 Rather, neglect friends than not pray. 838 00:41:00,500 –> 00:41:05,300 Rather, miss breakfast, dinner, tea, and supper, 839 00:41:05,300 –> 00:41:07,939 aye, and sleep, too than not pray. 840 00:41:09,939 –> 00:41:13,620 And do not only talk about prayer. 841 00:41:15,020 –> 00:41:17,659 Pray in earnest. 842 00:41:19,379 –> 00:41:24,379 Father, teach us to pray. 843 00:41:25,860 –> 00:41:29,120 And ignite this holy work 844 00:41:29,120 –> 00:41:31,899 and refresh the flame of it 845 00:41:32,939 –> 00:41:35,899 by your holy fire in us 846 00:41:37,179 –> 00:41:38,899 to the glory of Christ 847 00:41:40,260 –> 00:41:42,580 for the good of our own souls 848 00:41:42,580 –> 00:41:44,360 and all who are around us. 849 00:41:45,780 –> 00:41:47,939 And in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 850 00:41:47,939 –> 00:41:49,340 we ask these things. 851 00:41:50,300 –> 00:41:51,139 Amen.