May 21-22, 2005, Selected

LIVING VERTICALLY!
THE KEY TO ANSWERED PRAYER!

*** John 14:14 “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” [NIV]
*** 1 John 5:15 “And if we know he is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for.” [New International Version]

OUR PRAYERS WILL BE HEARD WHEN WE HAVE:

1. AN HONEST RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD!
*** John 15:7 “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” [NIV]

GOD REQUIRES THAT WE LISTEN TO HIM BEFORE HE LISTENS TO US!
THREE EVALUATION QUESTIONS TO ASK:

A. AM I CONCEALING SIN IN MY LIFE?
*** Psalm 66:18 “If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, my Lord would not have listened.” [New Living Translation]
*** Isaiah 59:2 “But there is a problem—your sins have cut you off from God. Because of your sin, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.” [NLT]
*** Micah 3:4 “Then you beg the Lord for help in times of trouble! Do you really expect him to listen? After all the evil you have done…!” [NLT]
*** 1 John 1:9 “God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we've done wrong.” [God’s Word to the Nations]

B. AM I IGNORING ANY OF GOD’S PRINCIPLES?
*** 1 John 3:21-23 “My dear friends, if our hearts do not make us feel guilty, we can come without fear into God's presence. And God gives us what we ask for because we obey God's commands and do what pleases him.” [New Century Version]
***Pr.28:9 “God has no use for the prayers of the people who won't listen to him.”
*** Pr. 1:24-26, 28 “I called, and you refused to listen. I stretched out my hands to you, and no one paid attention. You ignored all my advice. You did not want me to warn you. They will call to me at that time, but I will not answer….” [GW]
*** Proverbs 28:9 “If you refuse to obey what you have been taught, your prayers will not be heard.” [NCV]

C. DO I REALLY WANT GOD'S WILL TO BE DONE?
*** 1 John 5:14-15 “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.” [NIV]

“In Jesus’ Name, Amen” - AMEN = SO BE IT!

*** James 4:3 “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” [NIV]

2. A FORGIVING ATTITUDE TOWARDS OTHERS!
*** Mk. 11:24-25 “For this reason I tell you: When you pray and ask for something, believe that you have received it, and you will be given whatever you ask for. And when you stand and pray, forgive anything you may have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive the wrongs you have done." [Today’s English Version]
*** Hebrews 12:15 “Look after each other so that not one of you will fail to find God's best blessings. Watch out that no bitterness takes root among you, for as it springs up it causes deep trouble, hurting many in their spiritual lives.” [Living Bible]
*** Matthew 6:9,12 “So when you pray, you should pray like this…Forgive us for our sins, just as we have forgiven those who sinned against us.” [NCV]
*** 1 Peter 3:7 “In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat her with understanding as you live together. She…is your equal partner in God's gift of new life. If you don't treat her as you should, your prayers will not be heard.” [NLT]

3. A CARING ATTITUDE TOWARDS OTHERS!
*** Pr. 21:13 “Whoever shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will call & not be answered.” [GW]

HOW CAN I BLESS YOU IF YOU ARE NOT A BLESSING TO OTHERS?
*** Isaiah 58:3-9 ***

· GOD WANTS US TO BE A CONDUIT, NOT A CONTAINER!
· GOD WANTS US TO BE A RIVER, NOT A RESERVOIR!

*** James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” [NIV]

4. A BELIEF THAT GOD WILL ANSWER!
*** James 1:5-7 “If any of you needs wisdom to know what you should do, you should ask God, and he will give it to you. God is generous to everyone and doesn't find fault with them. When you ask for something, don't have any doubts. A person who has doubts is like a wave that is blown by the wind and tossed by the sea. A person who has doubts shouldn't expect to receive anything from the Lord.” [GW]

ONLY ONE KIND OF PRAYER THAT GOD ANSWERS – A PRAYER OF FAITH!

*** Matthew 17:20 “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." [NIV]
*** Mark 9:22b-24 “But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" [NIV]

GOD DOESN’T EXPECT PERFECT FAITH, HE DOES EXPECT SINCERE FAITH!

5. MAKING OUR REQUESTS IN JESUS' NAME!
*** John 14:13 “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” [NIV]
*** John 15:16 “Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” [NIV]
*** John 16:23 “I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” [NIV]

WHICH OF THESE CONDITIONS MIGHT BE KEEPING YOU FROM
HAVING ANSWERS TO YOUR PRAYERS?