Q & A with Pastor Jon – “How do our prayers affect God’s Will?”

Jon Beck

My teaching notes for Wednesday night, Jan. 19th. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the teaching. They are provided as a listening guide each week. The church provides a live stream of the service each Wednesday at 6:30 on Facebook. We also provide the services through YouTube. You can find our Worship Guides, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer Lists, and other resources at our Church Website.

This question addresses the impact and effectiveness of our prayers.

  • Do our prayers really matter?
  • How do our prayers and God’s will relate?

Consider the two extremes

  1. God is sovereign and so our prayers do not matter.
  2. God is limited by our prayers.

It would appear we either sacrifice God’s sovereignty or we sacrifice our responsibility/free will

Consider what Scripture teaches:

  • Eph 1:11 – Works all things according to the counsel of His will.
  • Psalm 103:19 -His kingdom rules overall.
  • James 4:2 – You do have because you do not ask.
  • James 5:16 – The prayer of a righteous man avails much
  • Matt. 7:7-8 – Ask and you will receive

REMEMBER… all of Scripture fits together.  Verses do not cancel each other out.

  • God is absolutely in control of every aspect of the universe that HE CREATED.
  • My prayers really do matter
    • They avail much.
    • I do not have because I do not ask

To me the issue is not the effectiveness of our prayers, but the condition of the heart of the one praying.

  • RIGHTEOUS MAN (pure heart, motives, desires) avails much.
  • Why am I praying?
    • Prayer is not a grocery list
    • Prayer is not informing God what we think is best
    • Prayer is not asking for something and then knowing we will question the outcome… if not of our choosing.

Prayer is not getting God on my agenda, but rather ME GETTING ON GOD’S AGENDA

  • God hears my words and knows my heart.
  • He knows and does what is BEST
  • WHAT IS THE BEST… FOR THE KINGDOM…HIS GLORY!

Matthew 6:9-13 – Lord’s Prayer

9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread,12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

HIS MAJESTY AND GLORY (WHO HE IS)– vv. 9-10

  • His Holiness – v. 9
  • His Reign – v. 10a
  • His Rule and Purpose – v. 10b

OUR NEEDS – vv. 11-13

  • Our Physical – v. 11
  • Our Spiritual – vv. 12-13
  • God knows what we need before we ask. v. 8

A few closing thoughts:

  • Do I believe God is completely in control of all His creation? Yes I do.
  • Do I believe God has a plan and will complete His plan perfectly? Yes I do
  • Do I believe God commands us to pray and pray with expectation? Yes I do
  • Do I believe my prayers matter? Yes I do.
  • We pray with expectation because WE KNOW WHO GOD IS.
    • What good would praying do if we did not think God was really God?
      • Our belief, trust and confidence in Him
    • Because of His attributes it gives us the confidence to pray.
    • The more I “biblically” pray the more I can embrace the hope of God’s will.
      • His will not my will
  • It takes praying as a true child of God. As a child cries out to their earthly father, we too should cry out in hope and dependence to our Heavenly Father.
    • Our dependence upon Him for everything.
  • Praying with POWER, PURPOSE and PASSION
    • Takes Belief, Trust, Confidence and Dependence
  • THEREFORE
    • We pray for the lost because we know God is the redeemer of souls.
    • We pray for the sick because we know God is the great healer.
    • We pray for the discouraged because we know God is the great God of comfort.

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