January 26, 2025
Tim Woodcock

Prayer - Week 4

Sermon #
4
in the series
Prayer is a powerful connection with God, who hears and answers when we align our hearts with His will. Through Jesus’ example, we learn to seek His glory, trust His provision, and walk in forgiveness and faith. Whether His answer is "yes," "no," or "not yet," prayer invites us to trust His perfect plan and experience His presence in every moment.
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Praying to the God Who Answers

1 John 5:13-15 - These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. (NASB)

v. 14a-15 - if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

Wesleyan Quadriteral

Scripture / Tradition / Reason / Experience

Question

“What does God’s Word say about answering prayer?”

  • John 11:22 - Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”
  • Mark 11:24 – Therefore, I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted to you.
  • Matthew 21:22 - And whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive it all.
  • James 4:3 - You ask and do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, so that you may spend what you request on your pleasures.

Tim Keller – “Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies.”

Question

“How can I know if what I’m asking (praying) is aligned with God’s will?”

Matthew 6:9-13 - ‘Our Father, who is 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 do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’ (NASB)

Praying according to God’s will means praying the way that Jesus taught us to pray – And it involves…

  1. Prayer that brings glory to God.
  1. Prayer that reflects what the Kingdom Come looks like.
  1. Prayer for a dependence upon God’s presence and provision.
  1. Prayer for forgiveness and to walk in forgiveness.
  1. Prayer to keep us from the devil’s plans.

C.S. Lewis - “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.” 

3 Answers that God Gives:

  • Yes -> When the prayer is in alignment with God’s Word.
  • No -> When the prayer is not in alignment with God’s Word.
  • Not Yet -> When the prayer is in alignment with God’s Word but the timing isn’t right.

“The Christian has to learn to live in the tension of the Miracle and the Mystery”

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