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Delve into the sanctity of prayer through the trials it brings, emphasizing faith, trust, and understanding in God's answers, despite the challenges one may face. Learn to overcome the obstacles in praying and receiving from the Lord, as outlined in the scriptures and the teachings of Pastor Andrew Morgridge from Prov. 29:25.
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TOPIC:SENDING HELP FROM THE SANCTUARY: 3TRIALS IN PRAYER PASTOR ANDREW MORGRIDGE
TEXT: PROV. 29:25 • Inside the sanctuary, you live by faith, act by faith, not by sight – The incense filled room and total trust in God that he would not make a mistake to deserve death.
This 2 attributes – faith and trust in God you must show daily.
So when you make your petitions, know you are signing up for trial. That’s our topic today.
OUR GOD ANSWER PRAYERS • (Ps. 3:4) • (PS. 118:5) • (Eph. 3:20)
OUR GOD ANSWER PRAYERS The scriptures also say that His blessings do not add sorrow but maketh rich, and that the gifts of God are without repentance i.e. He does not take them back" (Rm. 11:29).
Now, if these scriptures are true (and they are true), then why do many people lose their blessings, even before they receive them: and why do many people lose their blessing after receiving them?
The answer is simply because trials always accompany prayers: and when one does not understand the rudiments of praying and receiving from the Lord, he will most times lose his blessings.
That is why the Lord said, "Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
A wise man is strong, yea a man of knowledge increaseth strength " (Prov. 24 :3-5). No knowledge, no wisdom equals to Moses with a shining face but empty pockets. Godly man with no prosperity to show for it.
FIRST LINE OF ATTACK • He is a strategist, and start his attacks first by discouraging us from asking from God. Thus, he comes at us even when we have not asked anything in different ways -
FIRST LINE OF ATTACK • sickness, lack, failure, destruction of property etc. to convince us that the promises of God are either null and void, or does not apply to the present day believers.
SECOND LINE OF ATTACK • If the Christian overcomes this first line of attack, then satan will move into the realm of accusation - the Bible calls him the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12-10),
SECOND LINE OF ATTACK • and anybody who has experienced his accusations and the attending worry and guilty conscience will confirm why the Holy Spirit dubbed him the accuser of the brethren.
He is a specialist in bringing our past deeds and mistakes to our minds when we want to pray. This is to discourage us from praying effectively - in faith and righteousness. • (2Cor. 5:21) (Rev. 12:11; Acts 17:30; Rm. 5: 16; 8:30).
THIRD LINE OF ATTACK • If we cross this line of attack, satan has been known to then come to cloud or distort our perception of the greatness and might of our Lord, by turning our attention to the "unfavourable" circumstances surrounding us.
THIRD LINE OF ATTACK • (II Kings 6 and 7). (Mt 14:24-33). • (Gen. 6 and 7). (Rm. 4:18-21). • (1 Sam. 17; Num. 13 and 14). (II Kings 5: 1-4). Lk 1:26-38
Focus on the God in the sanctuary, not circumstances or surrounding environment.
FOURTH LINE OF ATTACK • In the same manner, many do not receive because they always stereotype (limit) God to certain forms of action or deliverance. For instance, many do not receive blessings that maketh rich because they always refuse to start life from the lower cadres.
FOURTH LINE OF ATTACK • They think of qualifications and the status of their friends, (Gen. 39 thru: to 41) (Ps. 75:4-7).
FIFTH LINE OF ATTACK • Another area of life which satan use to deprive people of their blessings is what people call tradition or laid down rules. But these are mental blocks which people impose on themselves knowingly or unknowingly since you cannot limit God. (Mk. 5:25-34) (Mt. 15:21-28)
FIFTH LINE OF ATTACK • Another area of life which satan use to deprive people of their blessings is what people call tradition or laid down rules. But these are mental blocks which people impose on themselves knowingly or unknowingly since you cannot limit God. (Mk. 5:25-34) (Mt. 15:21-28)
SIXTH LINE OF ATTACK • Now, if satan sees that we can overcome these mental blocks, he will now come through false counselling and guidance; and in these lie, one of the most potent weapons of satan. This is because this line of attack takes place in the mind of the person waiting on the Lord for answers to prayers. (Jer. 17:9; 10:4; Rom. 6:6-9) (1kings 13) (Mt. 16:21-23)
Thus, when waiting on the Lord for answers to prayers, it is always best to seek the counsel of God alone. This is because the voice of the people (no matter how spiritually minded) due to different human nature, and thus, different perception of situations is not always right, (See for example Israel in I Sam. 8, Saul in I Sam. 15 and Macaiah and the prophets in 1 King 22).
Therefore, except the Lord confirms the voice of the people, it should always be taken with a pinch of salt, The calling of God is to individuals, and on any issue laid before Him, He operates (answers) within the ambit of the individual. And even where He uses people to answer prayers, he always confirms it to the individual (Is 45:4: Ps 32:8: Acts 9: 1-18: Acts 10).
So familiarity with people or situations should not be the case, but rather being sure that the Lord had spoken. (1King 19:1-13).
SEVENTH LINE OF ATTACK • Satan also deprives people of answers to prayers by exalting their knowledge and perception above the standard or the word of God. This happens, when after praying the Christian begin to live or act as if the prayer has been answered. Such people call it faith with works, But such faith with works is not in the Bible, and is more or less better qualified as presumption.
Abraham and Sarai tried to make the promise of God come alive by giving Hagar to Abraham to produce the promised child. They failed and got problems instead.
ATTACKING THE WORD OF GOD • Now, if you hold on to God - believing and trusting Him - and He eventually triumphs for you and you receive the answer to your prayer, satan will still come to try to steal, kill or destroy the answered prayer. How far He succeeds depend on how far you abide in the word of God.
ATTACKING THE WORD OF GOD • Adam and Eve: (Eccl. I0:8b). Job (Job 3:25; Prov. 1:26,27; Prov. 10:24 • (II Chron. 26; Provo l.7:19b Provo 18:12). (Judge 13:5).
But God is not ignorant of the devices of satan, and because He wants us to receive blessings that abides, He, from the time Adam and Eve fell began to use trials in prayers among other methods to teach His children to learn obedience and trust in the Lord, and thus ensure for themselves a steady flow of blessings that abides and a steady pace on the road that leads to heaven.
And in the same manner He tested Israel in the wilderness (Deut. 8: 1-3): and even when they got to the Promised Land, He did not allow them to have absolute control of the land, so that their trust might remain in Him (Judg. 3: 1-4). (Dan. 6)
(Dan.6: 14-16). (I Sam. 21:1-9; 22:9-23). And herein lies an important lesson for all - "Let us learn to look unto God alone for answers to prayers, lest we get other people into trouble, especially those not under the protection of the blood of Jesus. Learn to pray for such people against the anger of the backlash of satan. He is the ADVERSARY – that’s his job. Ours is to defeat him to take possession (Josh. 1:1-6).