#11 Is prayer a lottery ? (26sep2004)

Is prayer an art, science or just pure ‘tik kam, tik kam???

‘O You who hear prayer, to You all flesh will come’
Psalm 65:2

Most of our kids only come to us when they needed something, logically, we should go to God only when we are in need.


God is an awesome God

‘behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee…
1 Kings 8:27


God can and do hear our prayers

‘Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee today.’
1 Kings 8:27-28


God has and will keep His promises

‘….there is no God like thee, …….who keepest convenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart’
1 Kings 8:22


So, why are not all our prayers answered???

1. Is it because my posture is not right??

Jesus said,

‘And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.’
Matthew 6:5

God is not looking for Praying Mantis!!!



2. Maybe, I am not mouthing my requests with enough resonance and consistency??

Jesus said,
‘But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Be not ye therefore like unto them:..’
Matthew 6:7-8

Do not be a natural cicada or a man-made drone!!

3. Or are my efforts at good works short of God’s expectations

The Word of God says,
‘Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire…..’
Psalm 40:6

In the context of our human worldly values, we often are encouraged or encouraged others to speak up, seek out and stand up for one’s rights.
The loudest wins!!! The smartest dominates!!! By all means!!!


But is this truly what God wants??


BIBLICALLY, WHY ARE PRAYERS NOT ANSWERED

1. Our petitions may be self-serving

‘Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss…..’
James 4:3

2. Sin may be blocking our fellowship with Him

‘If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear me.’
Psalm 66:18

3. God is refining and transforming us into His likeness

‘For thou, O God, hast proved us:
Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.’
Psalm 66:10

‘We went through fire and through water:
But thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.’
Psalm 66:12




What makes an answered prayer different from an ‘unanswered one???’

1. Prayer is an Act of Faith

‘Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.’
Hebrews 11:1


2. Faith is trust and obedience to God’s will

‘By faith Abraham……………obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.’
Hebrews 11:8

3. Faith is about understanding and doing what pleases God and not us or anyone else

‘But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.’
Hebrews 11:6


God do and will answer our prayers

‘But verily God hath heard me. He hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer nor His mercy from me.’
Psalm 66:19-20


God knows what we need. He knows our hearts, He creates all things. God has provided, He will provide.

‘..for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things’
Mathew 6:32

‘…..and all these things shall be added unto you’
Matthew 6:33

Why pray then?? Prayer keeps us faithful


‘That ye not be slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises’
Hebrews 6:12

‘And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise’
Hebrews 6:15


In our coming to prayers,

we enter a time of communion with God.
In coming into the presence of God, the Holy Spirit ministers to us, heals us and teaches us to learn to focus on God.

‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness;….’
Matthew 6:33

In coming into prayers, we learned to let go of our needs and learn to put God’s will before ours.

Prayers is more than a listing of our needs, it is our taking up the opportunity that God gives to us to know Him better, to let Him renew our minds and transform our character to be in His image.

‘Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.’
Psalms 51:10