Expecting God to Answer Prayer

Expecting God To Answer Prayer

John 15:7-8

Michael Catt, pastor of the Sherwood Baptist Church (the church that produced Facing the Giants) tells of this memory when he was a young man:

It was the 70's and the Jesus Movement had renewed an emphasis on prayer in the church. His youth pastor began a prayer meeting that met twice a week - Tuesdays and Thursdays. The first prayer meeting had five people - two of them adults. Next week it grew to 8, then 12, then 25, 30. Within a few months it had grown to over 100! They would often go to 2am. This is his memory of time:

Sometimes the Spirit of God was so powerful in that place that high school students driving by the church would stop because they saw a friend's car. They would come in and immediately fall under the Holy Spirit's conviction. I saw people set free from drug, alcohol and tobacco abuse. I distinctively remember one girl who was a cheerleader in our high school. She walked in the back door and didn't make it six feet before falling on her knees and crying out, "can somebody tell me how to be saved?"

This story raises a question for us this morning: do we believe God still does these things today? I'm not talking about the gimmicks and the hype and emotionalism that we hear about so often. Not the weird stuff that grabs the headlines and so often ends in a scandal that brings reproach to the name of church and Jesus.

Do we believe that the Spirit of God can fill His people with a fresh and burning passion for God? That it can fill us with a new boldness to witness for Christ - and do we believe that the Holy Spirit can drive the blessed gospel so powerfully into the heart of an unbeliever that they are instantly and soundly saved - not by power of eloquence but by power of Spirit? That hardened hearts can be softened and those in bondage to sin can be freed in an instant by power of God?

When Charles Spurgeon first arrived at the New Park Street Church in 1854, there were 232 members. Seven years later, in his first sermon preached in the larger Metropolitan Tabernacle he made this prediction:
"Suppose the fire should come here, and the Master be seen more than the minister, what then? Why, this church will become two, three and four thousand strong.... We shall have the lecture hall beneath this platform crowded at each prayer meeting, and we shall see in this place young men devoting themselves to God; we shall find ministers raised up, and trained, and sent forth to carry the sacred fire to other parts of the globe.... If God shall bless us, He will make us a blessing to multitudes of others.
Let God but send down the fire, and the biggest sinners in the neighborhood will be converted; those who live in dens of infamy will be changed; the drunkard will forsake his cups, the swearer will repent of his blasphemy, the debauched will leave their lusts...Dry bones be raised, and clothed afresh. And hearts of stone be turned to flesh."

For Spurgeon, the fire of God would only fall on a church that was devoted to prayer. Prayer was the power plant of the church. And it still is. Where God's people pray little, God does little. But where God's people pray much, there you will find the glorious activity of God! Reason is simple: prayer calls upon God to do His work, and when He does His work in response to prayer, He gets the glory.

I believe the Lord is calling us as a church to pray. To pray with a faith that expects answers to our prayers. This is the second message in the series, Expect God.

I. The promise of answered prayer

I want us to look at some words of Jesus that make us uncomfortable. Honestly we don't like to quote them much. We find it hard to believe they mean what seem to mean. In gospel of John, Jesus' last hours are recorded from chapter 13 on, so what we're going to read are Jesus' words to His disciples in last few remaining hours. In short time he promises them no less than six times: prayer will be answered.

John 14:12-14 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

John 15:7-8 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples

John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

John 16:23-24 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, He will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Listen to strong and unqualified certainty of what Jesus is saying: Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do...if you ask anything in my name I will do it... ask whatever you wish and it will be done...so that whatever you ask the Father in my name He may give it to you...whatever you ask of the Father in my name, He will give it to you...ask and you will receive that your joy may be full...

If these verses mean what seem to mean, than Jesus is making a massive promise that when Christians pray in accordance with these verses, they will receive their answer. Not might. Will.

II. The power and the purpose of answered prayer

So, why have many sincere Christians prayed prayers only to find them unanswered - at least not receiving what they asked for? So many disappointed? Why does prayer so often seem so unanswered?

The answer - at least in part - lies in the power and the purpose of answered prayer.

a. the power of prayer is when we pray: in Jesus' name.
Jesus isn't calling His disciples simply to pray: he's calling them to pray in His name. Power of answered prayer is when we ask in Jesus' name. What does that really mean? It can't just mean when we slap the phrase in Jesus name at end of our prayer. It must mean more than that. And it does.

The name of Jesus means the reality of Jesus - the Person of Jesus - all He is. To pray in the name of Jesus means that our prayer aligns with Jesus and His will. That's why he says we can pray this way when we are abiding in Him and He is abiding in us. His word is abiding in us.

In Acts 3, when Peter and John see the lame man at the Beautiful Gate, Peter healed him in the name of Jesus. John Piper makes this observation:

When Peter said "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk," (v. 6), he meant: "I am speaking the words, but Jesus is now healing you. When I speak in his name, with the faith that he has now given me for your healing, he is acting not me."

Peter wasn't acting as an independent agent: "hey I think I'll heal this person in Jesus' name..." There was this moment where their eyes were fixed on each other and Peter knew: Jesus wants to heal this man. Well, then in the name of Jesus...

The power of praying in the name of Jesus is that we are praying in the will of Jesus. What Jesus would ask of His Father if He were on earth, He is asking through us. And the same confidence that Jesus had when He prayed (Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me..." Jn 11:41-42) is ours when we pray.

This kind of faith to know what Jesus desires comes from abiding in Him. It can happen in a moment and be a gift, but mostly it comes from cultivating a life of prayer - more time we spend with the Lord in prayer and the closer we draw to Christ the more clearly we will hear His voice and know His will.

b. the purpose of prayer: to glorify the Father

There is a second point that we need to see in this promise: the power of prayer can never be severed from the purpose of prayer.

The purpose of prayer is found throughout these verses: that we might bear much fruit so that the Father is glorified. The purpose of prayer is to glorify the Father by bearing much fruit - doing the work of Christ. Powerful prayer needs to be connected to the work of Jesus. As Andrew Murray puts it:

"He that would do the works of Jesus must pray. He that would pray in His name must work."

We cannot sever these promises Jesus makes from their context - doing His work, bearing fruit for God's glory. The purpose of prayer isn't to give us what we want - it is to empower us to serve Jesus. The two are inseparably connected. In fact, in Jn 15:7-8 we see that prayer leads to the fruit. He that would do the work of Jesus must pray. But in verse 16 the fruit seems to be necessary for the Father to hear and do whatever we ask. In other words, he that would pray in the name of Jesus must also do the work of Jesus!

The fields are white unto harvest and we are to pray the Lord of the Harvest would send laborers - and we
are to be part of that labor force. Jesus calls His disciples to service - and in His service He gives us the
power of answered prayer. God empowers the church when the church is doing the work of Christ. Do you want more power from God? Get out in the fields and work.

Irony: many Christians are weary and listless in their faith not because they are tired of work, but because they aren't working. They want power, but they don't want to do anything. What do they need power for?

"There is no fatigue so wearisome as that which comes from lack of work" ~ Spurgeon

Yesterday we worked hard washing cars in order to share Jesus Christ with people. We all went home physically tired but hearts full of joy serve Jesus and share gospel with people.

God empowers the church for doing the works of Jesus. In that place (and for purpose) see answered pray

III. The practice of answered prayer

a. Pray specifically

Prayer needs to be specific if we are to know it has been answered. Too often we pray vague prayers that cannot be known to be answered or unanswered. This reveals that we don't expect them to be answered.

How much of our prayer is vague and pointless. Some cry for mercy without saying why they need mercy. Others ask to be delivered from sin but do not begin by naming any sin from which deliverance may be claimed. Still others pray for God's blessing on those around them, for the outpouring of God's Spirit on their land or the world, and yet do not pinpoint a particular spot where they will wait and expect to see God answer. To all of us, the Lord asks, "what is it you really want and expect me to do?"

If we don't pray specifically we probably don't expect an answer. How can we know hit mark if we establish no target?

At a prayer meeting where they had a practice of people asking prayer for what they called "special unspokens". Someone would say, "special unspoken" and then we'd pray for it. Man, it's hard to get worked up about a special unspoken!

"Lord, stretch forth Your Sovereign hand and answer this special unspoken...in fact perform special unspokens across this land. And we will give you all the unspoken praise and honor for it Lord."
Prayer needs to be specific.

b. Pray with faith and perseverance

We need not only to persevere in prayer, but do it with faith. After a while we can lift prayers up out of duty but with no expectation that they will be answered. Jesus said that we are to persevere, which means we are to expect that perseverance is sometimes needed and should not discourage us to give up.

c. Pray big and pray fervently

I think the reason some prayer meetings are so dreaded is that they pray for little things and pray half
heartedly. I love our corporate times of prayer - people engage with God. But I think we could use stirring our souls up in fervency more than we do. Engage your heart - pray with heart! Pray out loud! Push with your soul - intercede! The fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Jas 5:16

Pray for big stuff from God, that He would pour out his Spirit and power on this church, this community and the churches in this community. Pray that sinners come to saving faith in Christ. Pray that marriages are transformed. Pray for people you know that are under some kind of bondage that God would set them free. Pray for God to stretch His hand out in healing.

Sometimes we will pray for something and God will reveal that its not His will - then we withdraw the request. But pray big and pray fervently.

d. Look for ways to prepare for expected answers to prayer

Several weeks ago Jared and I were talking about this series, and after I mentioned that prayer was an important part of expecting God, he said that preparation was also an important part of expecting God. He quoted from the movie Facing the Giants when a parable is told of two farmers who prayed for rain, but only one prepared his fields for rain. Which one believed that God would bring the rain? Preparation demonstrates expectation.

• if we expect company to come over - prepare for company.
• if we expect a storm, prepare for a storm.
• We prepare for what we expect. Preparation reveals expectation.

When Hudson Taylor was on his way to China, his ship was sailing past New Guinea when the captain called him to deck. The situation was grave: they were being carried by a current toward some reefs and on the island cannibals were waiting for the ship. There was no wind and the captain said "we have done all that we can do." "Not all," was Taylor's response. On board were three other Christians and they began to pray. Feeling he had received confidence from God he went up on deck to tell first officer to let down the mainsail. The sailor refused being a godless man who did not believe in prayer, But when the corner of the sail began to stir he finally let it down and the wind took them safely past the reefs. This is what Taylor wrote from that experience:
"Thus God encouraged me, ere landing on China's shores, to bring every variety of need to Him in prayer, and to expect that He would honor the name of the Lord Jesus and give the help which each emergency required."

May the Lord give us confidence to let down the sail as He directs so that we are prepared for the answers He gives to our prayers! When we pray in Jesus name, He would have us expect answers!

We have reserved the Riverside Hall for Sunday, July 20th at 7pm for a time of corporate prayer - please mark your calendars to join our voices together in prayer.

Let's take a time of silent prayer.

God give us faith as a church to pray that You would send Your fire upon us.