Prevailing Prayer
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 17th October 2009
Passage: Luke 11:1-13
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 We're going to look at that passage. Let me pray, though.
00:00:03 --> 00:00:07 Father, I thank you that we can come together now and we can look at one of these,
00:00:07 --> 00:00:12 the essentials of those who are your disciples, looking at the issue of prayer.
00:00:12 --> 00:00:16 And, Lord, we acknowledge that we don't always have your priorities in our prayers.
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 Father, we pray that as we come to a passage which is familiar to us,
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 there's certainly words which are familiar to us.
00:00:23 --> 00:00:26 Lord, I pray that you help us to rediscover them afresh and anew
00:00:26 --> 00:00:30 and challenge us, we pray, and we ask it for your sake. Amen.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:37 One day out in the Canadian wilderness, an atheist was taking a walk,
00:00:38 --> 00:00:44 admiring the amazing wilderness that was some sort of freak accident
00:00:44 --> 00:00:49 had sort of brought together, the wildlife that was there by some random chance,
00:00:49 --> 00:00:54 the pristine stream that flowed by because a bunch of molecules come out,
00:00:54 --> 00:00:58 collided millions of years ago and ended up with this wonderful beauty,
00:00:58 --> 00:01:04 when all of a sudden he was awoken from his godless daydreaming by a grizzly bear
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 which was coming straight at him down the track.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 And before he knew it, he was flat on his back.
00:01:10 --> 00:01:16 The bear was knelt down beside him, pushed down on his chest with one paw,
00:01:16 --> 00:01:19 another paw raised, ready to strike him.
00:01:19 --> 00:01:22 And when he cried out all of a sudden, God save me!
00:01:24 --> 00:01:28 Then he realised the inconsistency of living a life as if God doesn't exist
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 and then in the moment of need, decided to call on God.
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 And so he had a bit of a moment of brainwave
00:01:33 --> 00:01:37 and instead he called out, God make the bear a Christian.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:42 He figured if the bear was a Christian, the bear's not going to eat him.
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 And lo and behold, he couldn't believe it.
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 His prayer was answered.
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 The bear pulled back its paw.
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 It pulled its paw off his chest.
00:01:51 --> 00:01:55 It knelt down beside him, closed its eyes, bowed its head,
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 put its paws together and said,
00:01:57 --> 00:02:00 for what I'm about to receive, may the Lord make me truly thankful.
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 When difficulty or danger strikes,
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 it's the immediate response of many people to pray.
00:02:10 --> 00:02:14 It's not unusual for people to pray.
00:02:15 --> 00:02:20 Prayer is one of those things which is, I would say, almost universal
00:02:20 --> 00:02:25 in that I can't obviously answer for six odd billion people,
00:02:25 --> 00:02:28 but I'm working on the assumption that most people,
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 nearly everyone at some point in their life will pray.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 However, when we pray, we often don't give much thought to what we're praying.
00:02:37 --> 00:02:40 Adults often struggle with prayer,
00:02:40 --> 00:02:46 whereas kids tend to find prayer sort of simple and easy,
00:02:46 --> 00:02:49 certainly in a way that we often don't.
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 I want to say that as a Christian though,
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 and hear me bearing some of my soul here,
00:02:55 --> 00:03:00 I think that my own lack of prayerfulness exposes my ungodliness
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 in a way like nothing else does.
00:03:02 --> 00:03:09 I want to say that there is nothing like a lack of prayer
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 to make me feel like a hypocrite.
00:03:13 --> 00:03:14 Nothing else like it.
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 It exposes my true heart.
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 That is, if you understand ungodliness
00:03:23 --> 00:03:28 as being going about our daily life as if God doesn't exist.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:31 It's getting up in the morning,
00:03:31 --> 00:03:32 going about our business,
00:03:33 --> 00:03:36 and giving little or no regard to the God
00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 who has control of this whole universe.
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 And so day by day,
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 I give little consideration for his glory,
00:03:44 --> 00:03:45 for his will, for his purposes,
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 or even the fact that I am completely dependent upon this God
00:03:49 --> 00:03:50 for my very breath,
00:03:50 --> 00:03:53 let alone the gifts that I have to do the job that I do,
00:03:53 --> 00:03:54 or the studies that I do,
00:03:54 --> 00:03:55 or whatever it might be.
00:03:55 --> 00:03:59 If that's what you consider ungodliness,
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 then that exposes my heart more than anything else.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:03 And there are many good people,
00:04:04 --> 00:04:04 many good people,
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 good, moral, upright, religious people
00:04:08 --> 00:04:12 who live day by day in ungodliness
00:04:12 --> 00:04:18 because they give little regard to this God
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 and his purposes, his will,
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 or even acknowledgement of our dependency upon him
00:04:23 --> 00:04:24 moment by moment.
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 Yeah, we may get up and we might,
00:04:26 --> 00:04:29 you know, pray a prayer as we get up in the morning
00:04:29 --> 00:04:30 or read something from the Bible
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 or maybe close the day with a few words of prayer
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 before we sort of nod off to sleep.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 But the bulk of the day in between
00:04:38 --> 00:04:41 is lived in ungodliness.
00:04:41 --> 00:04:46 And ungodliness is also revealed in the content of our prayers.
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 That is, do we pray for kingdom priorities in our prayers
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 or are they just the usual shopping list of things
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 that are concerning me at the moment?
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 Now, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with a shopping list.
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 I'm saying, what I am saying though,
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 if that is all that you pray,
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 then that is a significant problem.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:11 That is, do your prayers reveal a human-centeredness
00:05:11 --> 00:05:13 or a God-centeredness?
00:05:15 --> 00:05:19 Because frankly, I've got a lot of non-Christian friends
00:05:19 --> 00:05:19 who will pray
00:05:19 --> 00:05:23 and their prayers are always human-centered.
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 You might remember that we are traveling with Jesus.
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 Jesus has resolutely set his face for Jerusalem.
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 And on the way there to Jerusalem,
00:05:37 --> 00:05:39 he is clarifying with his disciples
00:05:39 --> 00:05:43 some of their misconceptions of what it means to follow him.
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 And today we have his teaching,
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 one of the essentials of discipleship,
00:05:49 --> 00:05:50 the life of prayer.
00:05:52 --> 00:05:55 We are looking at the most famous of all prayers.
00:05:55 --> 00:05:56 We know it.
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 We have said this prayer again and again and again
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 for centuries as a church.
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 We say it here in this church most weeks
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 and frankly, most services most weeks.
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 And so I think it's kind of ironic
00:06:10 --> 00:06:13 that when Matthew records Jesus teaching on prayer,
00:06:14 --> 00:06:15 this same kind of passage
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 that he's referring to here in Luke's gospel,
00:06:17 --> 00:06:21 he does it in the context of telling his disciples
00:06:21 --> 00:06:24 to not be like the pagans and the hypocrites
00:06:24 --> 00:06:27 who go on with their mindless babbling when they pray.
00:06:27 --> 00:06:30 And so we have taken Jesus teaching in the Lord's prayer
00:06:30 --> 00:06:34 and mindlessly babbled it throughout the centuries.
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 What we have done then is we've forgotten
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42 that Jesus is revealing to us a model of prayer
00:06:42 --> 00:06:44 and instead we've taken his very words
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 and recited and recited and recited it
00:06:46 --> 00:06:50 until it virtually has no meaning for us anymore.
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 I'm not really sure that's what Jesus had in mind.
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 When you look through Luke's gospel,
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 we see very clearly that Jesus is a man of prayer.
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 He was praying when the Holy Spirit descended on him
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 like a dove in Luke chapter 3 verse 21.
00:07:03 --> 00:07:07 He began his ministry after a 40-day fast
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 in chapter 4 verses 1 to 15.
00:07:09 --> 00:07:12 Other times he redrew into the wilderness to pray
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 in chapter 5, 16.
00:07:14 --> 00:07:17 He prayed all night before choosing the 12 disciples
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 in chapter 6 verse 12.
00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 He was praying alone just before he was asked by,
00:07:23 --> 00:07:24 just before he asked Peter,
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 who do you say that I am?
00:07:26 --> 00:07:27 In chapter 9 verse 18.
00:07:27 --> 00:07:30 And just before he was transfigured,
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 he was praying with Peter, James and John
00:07:33 --> 00:07:34 up on a mountain.
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 And he was praying here again
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 at the beginning of chapter 11.
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 As a man,
00:07:42 --> 00:07:45 Jesus sought his strength and his guidance
00:07:45 --> 00:07:46 from his father through prayer.
00:07:48 --> 00:07:49 From this alone,
00:07:49 --> 00:07:50 we should feel motivated
00:07:50 --> 00:07:54 to make prayer more central to our lives.
00:07:54 --> 00:07:58 Let me say that I want to be a man of prayer
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 more than anything else.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:02 If there's one thing that I really,
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 truly want to desire to develop
00:08:03 --> 00:08:04 in my Christian life,
00:08:05 --> 00:08:06 it is prayerfulness.
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 I think I've kind of got the activity thing
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 kind of worked out,
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 you know, busy in ministry
00:08:12 --> 00:08:13 and stuff like that.
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 But it's prayerfulness.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 It's actually stop the doing
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 and start the being stuff more
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 that I want to be more than anything else.
00:08:21 --> 00:08:28 And so Jesus has taught us to pray.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:31 But he's also made some amazing promises
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 to us about prayer.
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 He lived a life of prayer
00:08:34 --> 00:08:35 and he taught a life of prayer.
00:08:36 --> 00:08:37 And let me say that it is
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 the will of the Lord Jesus
00:08:39 --> 00:08:43 that St. Paul's be a church of prayer.
00:08:44 --> 00:08:47 That this building that we're sitting in right now
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 be a house of prayer,
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 that you the people
00:08:50 --> 00:08:53 be daily given to prayer,
00:08:54 --> 00:08:57 prevailing prayer for our personal needs,
00:08:57 --> 00:08:58 for the power of the Spirit,
00:08:59 --> 00:09:00 for the progress of the gospel
00:09:00 --> 00:09:03 and for the glory of God's name.
00:09:04 --> 00:09:07 That we be given wholeheartedly to those things.
00:09:09 --> 00:09:10 And so let's have a look at this.
00:09:10 --> 00:09:11 Open up your Bibles, Luke chapter 11.
00:09:11 --> 00:09:19 The first thing that Jesus teaches us here
00:09:19 --> 00:09:22 is to make our praying God-centered.
00:09:23 --> 00:09:24 That's the first thing.
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 When the disciples ask Jesus
00:09:26 --> 00:09:27 to teach them to pray,
00:09:27 --> 00:09:28 which I think is an amazing thing in and of itself.
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 Here are guys, right?
00:09:31 --> 00:09:31 These are Jewish dudes
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 who have grown up all their life praying
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 and then they go to Jesus.
00:09:35 --> 00:09:36 Now they're following Jesus.
00:09:36 --> 00:09:37 They teach us to pray.
00:09:37 --> 00:09:38 Like as if you don't know.
00:09:38 --> 00:09:39 It's pretty easy.
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 Close your eyes, shut your, you know,
00:09:40 --> 00:09:42 pay your head, you know, whatever.
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 Pray, it's really easy.
00:09:43 --> 00:09:44 But it's actually not.
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 What they're actually wanting Jesus to teach them
00:09:46 --> 00:09:47 is their priorities.
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50 What are the priorities in prayer?
00:09:51 --> 00:09:53 And he says this to me in verse 2.
00:09:53 --> 00:09:55 When you pray, say,
00:09:55 --> 00:09:56 Father, hallowed be your name,
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 your kingdom come.
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 Notice that their requests.
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02 In fact, if you look at all of the Lord's prayer,
00:10:02 --> 00:10:03 it's actually all requests.
00:10:03 --> 00:10:05 It's not thanks, it's not praise.
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 Jesus says our first desire,
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 our first request,
00:10:10 --> 00:10:13 should be for God's name to be hallowed,
00:10:13 --> 00:10:16 or that is for God's name to be glorified,
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 and that his kingdom be advanced,
00:10:18 --> 00:10:19 that his kingdom would come.
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 That is what I mean when I say
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 about our prayers being God-centered.
00:10:24 --> 00:10:26 The glory of God's name,
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 the advancement of his kingdom,
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 is to be the primary concern in our prayers.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:34 The God-centeredness,
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 and this is what I'm meaning
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 when I talk about ungodliness.
00:10:37 --> 00:10:40 The God-centeredness of our prayers,
00:10:41 --> 00:10:42 or the lack of it,
00:10:42 --> 00:10:45 has to be the difference between a mature prayer
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 and an immature prayer.
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 The God-centeredness,
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 or the lack of it,
00:10:55 --> 00:10:58 is the difference between maturity and immaturity in prayer.
00:10:58 --> 00:11:02 Or, you might call godliness and ungodliness in prayer.
00:11:06 --> 00:11:09 The plea here is that we have Jesus' priorities in our praying,
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 namely that God's name,
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 the Father's name be hallowed,
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 and that the kingdom come.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 If this feels foreign to you,
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 you think about your prayer life at the moment,
00:11:19 --> 00:11:20 you think about your prayer life just for today,
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 if this feels foreign to you,
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 then please,
00:11:25 --> 00:11:25 plead,
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 plead with God
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 for you not to be content with that.
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34 That you may not stay here,
00:11:34 --> 00:11:35 even tonight,
00:11:35 --> 00:11:36 even as you move from here,
00:11:36 --> 00:11:38 that you may not stay stuck
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 at an immature level of prayer.
00:11:42 --> 00:11:42 Instead,
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 say in a fresh way,
00:11:44 --> 00:11:46 in a new way to God,
00:11:46 --> 00:11:46 tonight,
00:11:46 --> 00:11:46 right now,
00:11:47 --> 00:11:47 if you have to,
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 this coming week,
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 Father,
00:11:51 --> 00:11:53 hallowed be your name
00:11:53 --> 00:11:55 in my life,
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 in my praying
00:11:57 --> 00:12:00 for this coming week,
00:12:00 --> 00:12:01 for the rest of this year,
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 and as we launch into another one
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 in a couple of months.
00:12:07 --> 00:12:08 It's amazing.
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 The reality of it is,
00:12:10 --> 00:12:12 God's name will be hallowed.
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 God's kingdom will come.
00:12:15 --> 00:12:19 He will be vindicated among all the nations
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 as true and glorious,
00:12:22 --> 00:12:25 but He has decreed that we will have a hand
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 in His triumph
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 through our prayer.
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 It's an amazing thought.
00:12:31 --> 00:12:35 So make the glory of God
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 the centre of your prayers.
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 Pray again and again and again
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 in as many words as you can possibly
00:12:41 --> 00:12:43 muster in your vocabulary.
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 Father,
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 let your name be hallowed.
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 Let your kingdom come.
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 Let your name be hallowed.
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 Let your kingdom come.
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 Jesus also teaches in this prayer
00:12:55 --> 00:12:57 to pray with a sense of security
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 in the Father's love.
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 Jesus doesn't want us
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 to feel insecure in our prayers.
00:13:02 --> 00:13:04 He shows this mainly by teaching us
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 to call God our Father
00:13:05 --> 00:13:07 when we pray to Him.
00:13:07 --> 00:13:09 And so in verses 11 to 13,
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 He unpacks for us
00:13:10 --> 00:13:13 some of the security implied
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 in this word Father.
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 Which of you fathers,
00:13:17 --> 00:13:19 if your son asks you for a fish,
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21 will give him a snake instead?
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 Or if he asks for an egg,
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 will give him a scorpion?
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 If you then,
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 though you are evil,
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 know how to give good gifts
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 to your children,
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 how much more
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 will your Father in heaven
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 give the Holy Spirit
00:13:31 --> 00:13:33 to those who ask Him?
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 The words,
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 how much more,
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 mean that God
00:13:39 --> 00:13:41 is much more inclined
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 to hear us
00:13:42 --> 00:13:44 and help us
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 when we pray
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 than our earthly fathers are.
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 Jesus wants us
00:13:52 --> 00:13:52 to feel secure
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 in the Father's love
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 when we come to Him
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 in prayer.
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 He does not want us
00:13:56 --> 00:13:58 to feel precarious.
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 He does not want us
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 to feel unsure
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 of our acceptance
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 or fearful
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 that we will find
00:14:03 --> 00:14:03 the Father
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 out of sorts
00:14:05 --> 00:14:07 or just unconcerned
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 about our daily issues.
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 This sense of security
00:14:13 --> 00:14:15 is utterly crucial
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 for us.
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 It is utterly crucial
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 for us
00:14:20 --> 00:14:20 in a life of prayer
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 and a life of worship.
00:14:21 --> 00:14:23 You cannot sustain
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 a life of prayer
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 if you think
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 that God is angry
00:14:26 --> 00:14:26 with you
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 or you think
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 that He's neutral
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 to the circumstances
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 of your life.
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 Prayer is sustained
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 by the confidence
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 that God
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 is our Father
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 and that He
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 is concerned
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 and that His disposition
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 towards us
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 is,
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 as Jesus says it is,
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 that is,
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 He's more inclined
00:14:47 --> 00:14:47 to give
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 what we need
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 than our best
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 human fathers.
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 That's the promise.
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 And so we are to pray
00:14:56 --> 00:14:56 with a sense
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 of the Father's security,
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 the sense of the security,
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 the Father's love for us.
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 Jesus also teaches us
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 here to prevail
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 in prayer
00:15:05 --> 00:15:05 without doubting
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 the Father's love
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 in this passage.
00:15:08 --> 00:15:08 He teaches us
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 to hang in there,
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 to persevere,
00:15:10 --> 00:15:10 to persist,
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 to keep on
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 and not giving up,
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 to keep on asking
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 and seeking
00:15:15 --> 00:15:15 and knocking
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 until,
00:15:16 --> 00:15:16 you know,
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 at heaven's door
00:15:17 --> 00:15:19 until the answer comes
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 or until God
00:15:20 --> 00:15:20 basically says
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 stop praying.
00:15:24 --> 00:15:24 But,
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 isn't that a little bit
00:15:26 --> 00:15:26 inconsistent
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 with what I just said?
00:15:29 --> 00:15:29 I mean,
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 just a tad
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 little inconsistent.
00:15:31 --> 00:15:31 I mean,
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 if God is more caring
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 than the best earthly father,
00:15:35 --> 00:15:35 then why would He
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 be so slow
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 to respond
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 to my prayers
00:15:38 --> 00:15:38 sometimes?
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 Why would He do that?
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 Jesus tells a story
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 in verses 5 to 8
00:15:45 --> 00:15:47 of a bloke
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 who went to his mate's place
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 because he got this guest,
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 came into town
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 pretty late one night,
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 goes to his mate's place,
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 knocks on his door,
00:15:53 --> 00:15:53 give me some bread,
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 I need some bread
00:15:54 --> 00:15:54 to feed him
00:15:54 --> 00:15:56 and his mate's upstairs,
00:15:57 --> 00:15:57 you know,
00:15:57 --> 00:15:59 lights are out,
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 kids are in bed,
00:16:01 --> 00:16:01 he's sort of
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 starting to nod off,
00:16:03 --> 00:16:03 here's his rat-a-tat
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 at the door
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 and he looks out the window
00:16:05 --> 00:16:05 and says,
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 go away mate,
00:16:06 --> 00:16:06 you know,
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 it's all shut up
00:16:07 --> 00:16:07 for the night
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 and he goes,
00:16:08 --> 00:16:08 no,
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 no,
00:16:09 --> 00:16:09 I need some food
00:16:09 --> 00:16:11 and then they go away,
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 just go away.
00:16:12 --> 00:16:16 The man says,
00:16:16 --> 00:16:16 the door's locked,
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 the children are asleep,
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 don't bother me,
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 but his friend keeps knocking
00:16:20 --> 00:16:22 and he keeps asking
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 until the man gets up.
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 He doesn't get up
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 because of his friendship,
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 he doesn't have a moral conscience
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 all of a sudden
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 and go,
00:16:32 --> 00:16:32 oh,
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 well,
00:16:33 --> 00:16:33 he is my mate
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 and I did get some bread
00:16:35 --> 00:16:35 from him,
00:16:35 --> 00:16:35 you know,
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 last week.
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 It's because
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 the man's prevailing,
00:16:39 --> 00:16:41 because of his boldness
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 as it says,
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 he's persisting,
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 he's persevering
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 in knocking,
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 he annoyed him
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 so much
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 that he went downstairs
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 and opened the door
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 and gave us a bread.
00:16:51 --> 00:16:51 Take it!
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 But doesn't that seem
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 an unpleasant image
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 when we approach prayer?
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 But immediately
00:17:01 --> 00:17:01 in verse 9,
00:17:02 --> 00:17:02 Jesus says
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 that there is a lesson
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 to be learned here.
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 Ask
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 and it will be given you.
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 Seek
00:17:07 --> 00:17:07 and you'll find.
00:17:08 --> 00:17:08 Knock
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 and it will be open to you.
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 There are three things here
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 that stress
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 the importance
00:17:13 --> 00:17:15 of prevailing,
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 not giving up prayer.
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 One
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 is
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 a little bit technical.
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 It's the tense
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 in the original language
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 which means
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 an ongoing activity.
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 It means
00:17:26 --> 00:17:28 keep on asking,
00:17:28 --> 00:17:30 keep on seeking,
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 keep on knocking.
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 The second
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 is the fact
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 that Jesus
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 commands this
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 continuous action
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 three times
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 in verse 9
00:17:40 --> 00:17:42 and he repeats
00:17:42 --> 00:17:42 the three words
00:17:42 --> 00:17:44 again in verse 10.
00:17:45 --> 00:17:47 And the third thing
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 that stress is prevailing
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 is that the three words
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 used
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52 get an increasingly
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 close to the answer
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 and show a pressing
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 in on God
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 if you like.
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 So asking
00:17:59 --> 00:17:59 as it were,
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 coming to the house,
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 give me some bread.
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 seeking
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 until we find it
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 and knocking
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 until the door
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 is opened.
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 Asking
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 is the simplest bit.
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 It requires
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 no movement
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 whatsoever.
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 Seeking
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 turns the activity
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 into a pursuit
00:18:17 --> 00:18:19 and knocking
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 on the door
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 again
00:18:21 --> 00:18:21 and again
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 and again
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 signifies
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 an earnestness
00:18:24 --> 00:18:24 and even
00:18:24 --> 00:18:26 a desperation
00:18:26 --> 00:18:28 to get
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 an answer
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 to this
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 and I need it.
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 So Jesus
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 clearly wants us
00:18:34 --> 00:18:34 to be like this
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 friend
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 at his mate's
00:18:36 --> 00:18:36 door.
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 He wants us
00:18:38 --> 00:18:38 to be like that.
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 He wants us
00:18:40 --> 00:18:40 to prevail
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 in prayer
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 and yet
00:18:42 --> 00:18:44 all of a sudden
00:18:44 --> 00:18:44 he makes
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 this little
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 sudden turn
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 in verse 11
00:18:47 --> 00:18:49 this little twist
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 and he shifts
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 from the grumpy
00:18:51 --> 00:18:53 old friend
00:18:53 --> 00:18:53 who's just
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 been woken up
00:18:54 --> 00:18:56 to the image
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 of a caring
00:18:57 --> 00:18:57 father.
00:18:59 --> 00:18:59 The point
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 Jesus is getting
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 across
00:19:01 --> 00:19:01 is the prevailing
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 prayer
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 persisting
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 persevering
00:19:04 --> 00:19:04 in prayer
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 is utterly
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 important for us.
00:19:08 --> 00:19:08 He stamps
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 the truth
00:19:09 --> 00:19:09 of it
00:19:09 --> 00:19:09 in our
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 memories
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 with a
00:19:11 --> 00:19:11 shocking
00:19:11 --> 00:19:11 image
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 of a
00:19:12 --> 00:19:12 friend
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 who won't
00:19:13 --> 00:19:13 get out
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 of his
00:19:14 --> 00:19:14 bed
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 to help
00:19:15 --> 00:19:15 someone
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 until he's
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 bothered
00:19:17 --> 00:19:17 enough
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 to do
00:19:18 --> 00:19:18 it.
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 But then
00:19:20 --> 00:19:20 Jesus
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 qualifies
00:19:21 --> 00:19:21 the point
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 in verses
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 11 to
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 13
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 and says
00:19:24 --> 00:19:26 but God's
00:19:26 --> 00:19:26 not like
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 that.
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 God's
00:19:29 --> 00:19:29 not like
00:19:29 --> 00:19:29 that.
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 He's
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 not like
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 that friend.
00:19:32 --> 00:19:32 He is
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 like the
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 most caring
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 father
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 imaginable.
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 So yes
00:19:39 --> 00:19:39 God
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 sometimes
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 gives us
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 what we
00:19:42 --> 00:19:42 need
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 only after
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 a long
00:19:44 --> 00:19:44 long
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 season
00:19:45 --> 00:19:45 of
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 prevailing
00:19:46 --> 00:19:46 and
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 persisting
00:19:47 --> 00:19:47 in
00:19:47 --> 00:19:47 prayer
00:19:47 --> 00:19:49 but it's
00:19:49 --> 00:19:49 not because
00:19:49 --> 00:19:49 he's
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 uncaring
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 and it's
00:19:51 --> 00:19:51 not because
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 he's
00:19:52 --> 00:19:52 insensitive
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 to our
00:19:53 --> 00:19:53 needs.
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 So why?
00:19:57 --> 00:19:57 I think
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 verse 11
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 gives us
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 a few
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 clues
00:19:59 --> 00:20:02 and that
00:20:02 --> 00:20:02 is that
00:20:02 --> 00:20:02 a good
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 father
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 will not
00:20:04 --> 00:20:04 give his
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 son a
00:20:05 --> 00:20:05 serpent
00:20:05 --> 00:20:05 if he
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 asks
00:20:06 --> 00:20:06 for a
00:20:06 --> 00:20:06 fish.
00:20:10 --> 00:20:10 In other
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 words
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 a good
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 father
00:20:13 --> 00:20:13 will give
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 their
00:20:14 --> 00:20:14 children
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 what is
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 good
00:20:16 --> 00:20:16 for
00:20:16 --> 00:20:16 them.
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 It's
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 like this
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 morning
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 I got
00:20:20 --> 00:20:20 up
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 and
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 brought
00:20:22 --> 00:20:22 Isabel
00:20:22 --> 00:20:22 downstairs
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 as soon
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 as I
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 put her
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 feet on
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 the floor
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 she makes
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 a beeline
00:20:27 --> 00:20:27 straight for
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 the cupboard
00:20:28 --> 00:20:28 where she
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 knows where
00:20:29 --> 00:20:29 the biscuits
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 are.
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 This is
00:20:31 --> 00:20:31 like at
00:20:31 --> 00:20:31 6.30
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 in the
00:20:32 --> 00:20:32 morning.
00:20:32 --> 00:20:32 This is
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 breakfast
00:20:33 --> 00:20:33 in her
00:20:33 --> 00:20:33 mind
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 and she
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 goes to
00:20:35 --> 00:20:35 the cupboard
00:20:35 --> 00:20:35 door.
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 She can't
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 quite reach
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 the handles
00:20:37 --> 00:20:37 thank God
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 at this
00:20:38 --> 00:20:38 stage.
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 But she
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 goes to
00:20:40 --> 00:20:40 the cupboard
00:20:40 --> 00:20:40 door and
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 goes
00:20:41 --> 00:20:44 and then
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 you're like
00:20:45 --> 00:20:45 what?
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 And then
00:20:46 --> 00:20:46 she goes
00:20:46 --> 00:20:48 which is
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 tiny teddies.
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 And if it
00:20:54 --> 00:20:54 wasn't for the
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 fact that maybe
00:20:55 --> 00:20:55 Nat was hot
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 on my heels
00:20:56 --> 00:20:56 I might have
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 sort of
00:20:57 --> 00:20:57 given her
00:20:57 --> 00:20:57 that moment.
00:20:58 --> 00:21:00 But she
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 persisted in
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 her asking
00:21:01 --> 00:21:01 but she
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 got a no
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 because it's
00:21:03 --> 00:21:03 not good
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 for her
00:21:04 --> 00:21:04 to have
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 biscuits
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 for breakfast
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 not unless
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 you're camping
00:21:07 --> 00:21:07 or something
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 like that.
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 See God
00:21:14 --> 00:21:14 is giving
00:21:14 --> 00:21:14 us what
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 is good
00:21:15 --> 00:21:15 for us.
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 There is
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 something in
00:21:18 --> 00:21:18 the prevailing
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 in the
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 asking the
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 seeking the
00:21:21 --> 00:21:21 knocking that
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 we need.
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 It's something
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 in it that
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 is good for
00:21:24 --> 00:21:26 us and he
00:21:26 --> 00:21:26 knows best.
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 The promise
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 that will
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 encourage us
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 in prevailing
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 prayer is
00:21:31 --> 00:21:31 verse 10.
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 And I'll
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 read it
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 with a
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 bit of
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 a twist
00:21:34 --> 00:21:34 based on
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 the original
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 language.
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 Everyone
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 who goes
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 on asking
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 receives
00:21:38 --> 00:21:40 and he
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 who goes
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 on seeking
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 will find
00:21:43 --> 00:21:45 and to him
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 who goes
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 on knocking
00:21:46 --> 00:21:46 it will be
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 opened.
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 God is
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 not
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 unresponsive
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 to our
00:21:51 --> 00:21:51 prevailing
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 prayer.
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 The
00:21:53 --> 00:21:53 difficulties
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 in prevailing
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 prayer is
00:21:55 --> 00:21:55 that we
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 are in
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 the instant
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 generation.
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 We live
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 in a
00:21:59 --> 00:21:59 culture
00:21:59 --> 00:21:59 where
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 satisfaction
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 is now
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 where
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 30 seconds
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 on a
00:22:04 --> 00:22:04 microwave
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 is just
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 I don't
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 know if
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 you notice
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 how slow
00:22:06 --> 00:22:06 that is
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 nowadays.
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 Once upon
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 a time
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 you want
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 a steak
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 you know
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 you've
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 got to
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 go and
00:22:12 --> 00:22:12 catch
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 the cow
00:22:13 --> 00:22:15 nowadays
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 it's out
00:22:16 --> 00:22:16 of the
00:22:16 --> 00:22:16 freezer
00:22:16 --> 00:22:16 into the
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 microwave
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 and even
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 then you
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 know five
00:22:19 --> 00:22:19 minutes to
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 defrost the
00:22:20 --> 00:22:20 thing for
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 goodness sake.
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 I mean is
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 there anything
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 faster than a
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 microwave?
00:22:24 --> 00:22:24 I hope
00:22:24 --> 00:22:24 someone's
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 working on
00:22:25 --> 00:22:25 it.
00:22:25 --> 00:22:28 And that's
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 what makes
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 prevailing
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 prayer so
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 difficult for
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 us because
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 we want the
00:22:32 --> 00:22:32 answer we
00:22:32 --> 00:22:32 want it
00:22:32 --> 00:22:34 now but
00:22:34 --> 00:22:34 it's not
00:22:34 --> 00:22:34 good for
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 us.
00:22:36 --> 00:22:36 The final
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 teaching that
00:22:37 --> 00:22:37 God gives
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 on prayer
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 is if you
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 like a
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 circling back
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 to the
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 original point
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 and that is
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 the God
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 centredness
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 of prayer
00:22:44 --> 00:22:46 and if I
00:22:46 --> 00:22:46 understand
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 Jesus here
00:22:47 --> 00:22:49 he means
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 for it to
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 be the
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 prevailing
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 heartbeat
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 of the
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 prayer life
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 of our
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 church.
00:22:53 --> 00:22:55 This is
00:22:55 --> 00:22:57 the main
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 point.
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 If I
00:22:59 --> 00:22:59 understand
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 what Jesus
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 is saying
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 here he
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 means for
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 this prayer
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 to be the
00:23:04 --> 00:23:04 prevailing
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 heartbeat
00:23:05 --> 00:23:05 of the
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 life of
00:23:06 --> 00:23:06 our
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 church.
00:23:08 --> 00:23:08 Jesus
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 teaches
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 in verse
00:23:09 --> 00:23:11 13 that
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 our prevailing
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 in prayer
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 should be a
00:23:14 --> 00:23:14 prevailing
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 for the
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 Holy Spirit.
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 If you
00:23:18 --> 00:23:18 then though
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 you are
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 evil know
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 how to
00:23:21 --> 00:23:21 give good
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 gifts to
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 your children
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 how much
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 more will
00:23:25 --> 00:23:25 your Father
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 in heaven
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 give the
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 Holy Spirit
00:23:28 --> 00:23:28 to those
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 who ask
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 him.
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 He's
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 saying if
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 you know
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 how to
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 give good
00:23:33 --> 00:23:33 gifts then
00:23:33 --> 00:23:35 God the
00:23:35 --> 00:23:35 gracious
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 Father
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 giver who
00:23:37 --> 00:23:37 knows all
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 good things
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 will give
00:23:39 --> 00:23:39 you
00:23:39 --> 00:23:41 not your
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 new car
00:23:42 --> 00:23:44 not your
00:23:44 --> 00:23:44 health
00:23:44 --> 00:23:46 he will
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 give you
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 the Holy
00:23:48 --> 00:23:48 Spirit.
00:23:49 --> 00:23:49 There is
00:23:49 --> 00:23:49 nothing
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 greater than
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 that.
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 And so
00:23:52 --> 00:23:52 it's no
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 accident that
00:23:53 --> 00:23:53 Luke tells
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 us in
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 chapter 3
00:23:55 --> 00:23:55 verse 21
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 that while
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 Jesus was
00:23:57 --> 00:23:57 praying the
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 Holy Spirit
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 descended upon
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 him like a
00:24:00 --> 00:24:00 dove or
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 that the
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 outpouring of
00:24:02 --> 00:24:02 the Spirit
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 at Pentecost
00:24:03 --> 00:24:05 came at the
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 climax of a
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 10 day prayer
00:24:06 --> 00:24:08 vigil or in
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 Acts 4 31
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 that when the
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 church had
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 prayed the
00:24:12 --> 00:24:12 place where
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 they were
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 gathered was
00:24:14 --> 00:24:14 shaken and
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 was filled with
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 the Holy Spirit
00:24:16 --> 00:24:18 prevailing
00:24:18 --> 00:24:20 prayer is the
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 pathway to
00:24:21 --> 00:24:21 the outpouring
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 of the
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 Holy Spirit.
00:24:25 --> 00:24:25 And my
00:24:25 --> 00:24:27 hope is for
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 us as a
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 church as
00:24:28 --> 00:24:28 we've mentioned
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 and we've
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 been bleating
00:24:30 --> 00:24:30 on about it
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 for a while
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 our vision
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 our next
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 stage of
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 ministry for
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 this church
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 launching into
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 2020 for the
00:24:37 --> 00:24:37 next 11 years
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 is coming up
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 very soon and
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 that we might
00:24:40 --> 00:24:40 be a church
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 that prevails
00:24:41 --> 00:24:43 in prayer and
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 asking for God
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 to pour out
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 his spirit
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 amongst us.
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 And as I've
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 said before in
00:24:49 --> 00:24:49 a previous
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 sermon to
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 pour out his
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 spirit amongst
00:24:51 --> 00:24:53 us another my
00:24:53 --> 00:24:53 way of saying
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 that is for God
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 to invade our
00:24:55 --> 00:24:58 lives that we
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 might prevail in
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 that prayer that
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 there might be
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 truly a revival
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 amongst us here
00:25:03 --> 00:25:07 because when we
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 prevail in prayer
00:25:08 --> 00:25:08 for the outpouring
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 of the Holy Spirit
00:25:09 --> 00:25:11 more is happening
00:25:11 --> 00:25:13 in our life through
00:25:13 --> 00:25:13 that prevailing
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 prayer than we
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 could ever imagine.
00:25:16 --> 00:25:18 God waits because
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 our prevailing
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 is good for us.
00:25:22 --> 00:25:22 May the Lord
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 prevent us from
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 losing heart
00:25:24 --> 00:25:26 and failing in
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 the very thing
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 we need
00:25:27 --> 00:25:30 mighty prevailing
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 prayer for the
00:25:31 --> 00:25:31 outpouring of the
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 spirit.
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 So let's this
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 week as we
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 enter even
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 into this
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 evening and
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 enter this
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 week with
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 God
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 centred
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 prayer.
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 with a sense
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 of security
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 and the
00:25:45 --> 00:25:45 fatherly care
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 of God
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 with a new
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 resolve to
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 prevail and
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 to persist
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 in prayer
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 without doubting
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 God's love
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 for us
00:25:53 --> 00:25:55 and let us
00:25:55 --> 00:25:55 prevail
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 specifically
00:25:56 --> 00:25:58 in praying
00:25:58 --> 00:25:58 for the
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 outpouring of
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 the Holy Spirit
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 amongst us
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 for his power
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 his gifts
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 his full
00:26:04 --> 00:26:04 blessing
00:26:04 --> 00:26:07 and get
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 this
00:26:07 --> 00:26:09 all the
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 while
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 rejoicing
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 that the
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 prevailing
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 in itself
00:26:14 --> 00:26:14 for that
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 prayer
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 is a great
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 work of
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 the indwelling
00:26:17 --> 00:26:20 spirit of the
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 living God
00:26:21 --> 00:26:23 in and of
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 itself.
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 So let's
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 pray the
00:26:27 --> 00:26:27 Lord's
00:26:27 --> 00:26:27 prayer.
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 I'm going
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 to pray the
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 Lord's
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 prayer for
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 us
00:26:30 --> 00:26:32 as a
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 model
00:26:33 --> 00:26:35 and picking
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 up the
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 intention
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 of Jesus'
00:26:37 --> 00:26:37 words.
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 Let's bow
00:26:38 --> 00:26:38 and let's
00:26:38 --> 00:26:38 pray.
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 Our
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 gracious
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 God,
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 loving
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 Heavenly
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 Father,
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 we long
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 to see
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 you
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 honoured
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 more and
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 more in
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 our church
00:26:59 --> 00:27:01 and in
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 our city.
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 Cause your
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 name to be
00:27:05 --> 00:27:05 hallowed
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 among us.
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 Magnify
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 your worth
00:27:09 --> 00:27:09 and your
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 glory
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 amongst us
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 and let
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 your kingdom
00:27:13 --> 00:27:13 come.
00:27:16 --> 00:27:16 Take up
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 your kingly
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 rule more
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 and more
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 fully over
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 our church,
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 over our
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 lives,
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 over our
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 families,
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 over
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 Chatswood,
00:27:27 --> 00:27:29 over this
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 city,
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 over this
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 country
00:27:32 --> 00:27:35 and speed
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 the day
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 of Christ's
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 final
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 appearing,
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 we pray.
00:27:40 --> 00:27:40 Meet our
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 physical needs,
00:27:41 --> 00:27:41 we pray,
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 Lord,
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 not for our
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 own comfort
00:27:43 --> 00:27:45 but so that
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 we can
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 press on
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 with joy
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 in the
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 work you
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 called us
00:27:49 --> 00:27:49 to do
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 for your
00:27:50 --> 00:27:50 namesake.
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 Forgive us,
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 O Lord,
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 where we
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 have sinned,
00:27:55 --> 00:27:55 where we
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 have fallen
00:27:56 --> 00:27:56 short of
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 your glory,
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 where we
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 have lived
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 each day
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 in ungodliness
00:28:00 --> 00:28:02 revealed in
00:28:02 --> 00:28:02 the lack
00:28:02 --> 00:28:04 of prayerfulness
00:28:04 --> 00:28:04 or in the
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 human
00:28:05 --> 00:28:05 centredness
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 of our
00:28:06 --> 00:28:06 prayer.
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 And
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 Father,
00:28:10 --> 00:28:10 we ask
00:28:10 --> 00:28:10 that you
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 might keep
00:28:11 --> 00:28:11 us from
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 the entangling
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 temptations
00:28:13 --> 00:28:15 that would
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 want to
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 trip us
00:28:16 --> 00:28:16 up as
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 your people
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 and bring
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 criticism
00:28:19 --> 00:28:19 to your
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 name
00:28:20 --> 00:28:20 and to
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 your
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 church.
00:28:22 --> 00:28:22 And we
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 ask it
00:28:23 --> 00:28:23 through Jesus
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 Christ,
00:28:24 --> 00:28:24 our Lord.
00:28:25 --> 00:28:25 Amen.