A Christ Centred Life| Series on the Beatitudes - Introduction

Introduction to the Beatitudes 

The word beatitudes mean “the supreme blessedness or happiness”

Matthew 5:1-12
The Beatitudes

The Sermon on the Mount is the greatest sermon that was ever preached by the greatest Person who ever lived. And He is presenting to us our greatest need… Righteousness! To be right with God.

In Col. 1:9 the apostle Paul prays that “you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;”

Why…? He gives the reason in verse 10… “that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God”
In verse 16 of Colossians 1, we read that all things were created by Him and through Him and for Him.

• That includes you! You were created for the pleasure of Christ!

In other words, you were not created for yourself.
You were created to live for Him. For His pleasure. You were created to live a Jesus focused life! A Jesus guided life. A life “fully pleasing” to Him.
Only such a life can experience the supreme happiness and spiritual prosperity that is produced by living for Jesus.

Through what is called The Beatitudes, Jesus is showing us how we can fulfil this purpose for existing.
How we can live for Jesus and thereby know this supreme blessedness.
I think it was Paul Washer who said that the beatitudes is the clothing that genuine believers are dressed with.

But what is this BLESSEDNESS? What does it mean to be blessed?

The word “blessed” describes a person who is Supremely happy and favored.
· This is not some fleeting happiness that depends on what happens to you.
· This happiness does not depend on your circumstances or your mood.

This word “blessed” describes a person who has an abiding satisfaction in the soul.
· They have a genuine peace… an authentic joy deep within the inner core of their being. (James 1:2-3)
· They experience a steadfast and solid contentment and a supernatural peace that passes all understanding. (Phil. 4:7)

Why do they experience such contentment and joy?
Because this person has been chosen and set apart by God. “In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ.” (Eph. 1:4-6) And there is no greater blessing than Salvation.
There is no greater blessedness than being adopted into the family of God Almighty!
Because of the Life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the blessed person has become personally accepted and approved by God Himself.
This acceptance and approval is not based on the works of the blessed man, but on the work of the One who is the source of such blessedness – Jesus Christ.
For this reason his joy transcends the circumstances he finds himself in and reaches the One who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross. (Heb 12:2)

The word “blessed” describes a person who possesses a spiritual prosperity.
Their search for purpose, significance, fulfilment, and acceptance… has been met in the Lord Jesus Christ.
· They may be living in the poorest slums of India or in a shack under a bridge.
· They may be unemployed with kids to feed or divorced with kids on drugs.
· Regardless of their circumstances… They can still know this Spiritual Prosperity and blessedness.

2Cor. 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

This does not refer to temporal riches. It refers to eternal riches.
· These are the kind of riches that money cannot buy.
Spiritual Prosperity means to be rich toward God and fulfilled in Christ.
Every need of the believer will be supplied “according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19)

· Jesus says in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
· 1John 5:12 says, “He that has the Son has life.”

Listen… having a nice car, a big house or a lot of money does not make you blessed… Being rich does not make you blessed! The devil offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world… I like to say to those who chase after money and fame… ‘The devil will pay you enough money to get you into hell!’

Listen… worldly treasures does not make you a blessed person… No!

“The blessed person has a spiritual prosperity in the soul, because they have an intimate, irreversible, genuine union with the Lord Jesus Christ” – the greatest treasure in all existence.
“And because of that union they have an inner peace and blessed assurance that rises above the issues and situations of this life.”

The genuine believer can experience this reality of spiritual prosperity whether they are on the mountain top or deep in the valley.
Whether the storms of life is pounding on your door or from inside your home… you can still experience this supreme happiness and spiritual prosperity.

Now, the question is: How’s that even possible?
Here’s how:
This “spiritual prosperity” is not related to what you possess; but it is directly related to who you possess and who possesses you.

Lamentations 3:24 – “The Lord is my portion.” Says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”
These are the words of Jeremiah… a man who throughout his ministry experience the wrath of God on his nation.

He writes in the opening verses of this chapter: “I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath; he has driven and brought me into darkness without any light; surely against me he turns his hand again and again the whole day long.” (Jeremiah is not called the weeping prophet for nothing.)

BUT as we come to verses 21 through 24… Listen to what Jeremiah says… and this is the heart of the blessed person:

Lamentations 3:21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:(verse 22)The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
verse 24"The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him."

True blessedness is not related to what you possess; but it is directly related to WHO you possess and who possesses you.
· That’s why David could say, “The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want.”
· In Psalm 16 he makes this bold declaration: “I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."”

This is the testimony of grace in the truly blessed person.
· The Lord is my portion. He is my Shepherd. I want nothing but Him.
· He is my Lord and apart from Him I have nothing good in my life.

The testimony of the truly blessed person is that they are in Christ and Christ is in them.
· All that belongs to Christ belongs to them. And all that belongs to them belongs to Christ.
· They are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus (Rom. 8:17).
· They are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph. 1:3).
· They have been given all things that pertain to life and godliness (2Pet. 1:3).
· They are complete in Christ (Col. 2:10).

Their greatest boast is that they possess Christ and that He possesses them.
· There are many with great earthly possessions that die on a soft bed and get the most beautiful funerals, but like the rich man in Luke 16 they open their eyes in the flames of hell.
· And still, there are many poor people, even sick people who possesses a deep inner peace and satisfaction, because they found Christ to be their all satisfying treasure.

Is this your testimony? Is Christ your all satisfying treasure?
Are you truly blessed? OR are you possessed by your earthly possessions that are weighing you down with all sorts of sins.

Where your treasure is there your heart will be, and your heart is in bondage to sin. Only Jesus can free your heart from sin and give you true blessedness.

It is also important to note that the word “blessed” is often used to describe God Himself.
· Psalm 68:35 – …Blessed be God!
· Psalm 72:18 – Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel. Who only does wondrous things!
· 1 Timothy 1:11 - …according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.

And when describing Jesus…
1 Timothy 6:15 says, …He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords…

This tells us that God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is infinitely and supremely happy and infinitely spiritually prosperous within themselves.
· They need absolutely nothing outside of themselves to maintain this supremely happy and infinitely prosperous condition.

If God then is supremely happy and infinitely prosperous within Himself…
What does that mean for the truly born again disciple who is in an intimate union with Jesus Christ?

It must mean that:
This supreme happiness, which is a characteristic of God, becomes a characteristic of the person who has “the Lord as his portion”.
· Of those who are partakers of the divine nature through the new birth.
· Those who have been grafted into Christ. (Rom 11:17)
· Those who are born from above, who are a new creation. (Joh 3:3; 2Cor 5:17)
· Who turned from their idols or sin to serve the living God. (1Thes 1:9)
· Those to whom Christ has become more precious than their own lives. (Rev 12:11)

These are those who are in Christ. They experience no condemnation!
Their intimate union with Christ allows them to enjoy and experience this supreme blessedness under the worst circumstances.

If you’re reading this and you are truly born again. If you are truly converted… not just religious or a member of a church… If you are truly in an intimate relationship with Christ… having the lord as your portion…
This supreme happiness and spiritual prosperity is your inheritance… to walk in, to experience, to enjoy, to live out and express!

The Lord is a portion that completely satisfies the human soul.
· He is a portion of infinite measure and worth.

So when Jeremiah says in Lam. 3:24 “The Lord is my portion”
He is saying that the Lord is my supreme satisfaction. He infinitely satisfies all my needs and therefore my hope is in Him regardless of what’s happening around me.

I am saying that if the Lord is your portion you can live in supreme blessedness!
You may not have the riches of this world, but you have the riches of God in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 33:12 says, “Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.”

Now, let me conclude with this:
People seek for happiness and fulfilment everywhere, but there really is only One Giver of true happiness.

There is only one dispenser of this “supreme happiness” and soul satisfaction!
And I know most of you know what I am going to say… You know it’s God!
Why don’t you run to Him than?

The happiness I’m talking about… this blessedness that the Bible speaks of cannot be found in the world or in the things of world.
This happiness is a work of God ‘by the grace of God’ for the Glory of God and for the benefit of all who would bow the knee to Jesus.
· This happiness does not come when you have lots of money.
· Or when you get a promotion or a job.
· Or when you are healed from some sickness or infirmity.
· This happiness does not even come when you’re in love.

These are all good, but these are only temporary happiness… there are people who have all of this and yet without Christ all of these are meaningless.

What you need to understand is that God created you to experience this supreme blessedness in Christ for His glory and for your joy.
· You cannot have true lasting happiness without Christ! You must come to Him!

Those that can know real joy and experience true satisfaction in Christ are those who have come to Christ through the narrow gate.

Matt. 7:13-14 Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Those who have entered through the narrow gate are those whose lives display evidence that they are walking in the narrow way.
You can only know this blessedness if you have come to Jesus Christ on His terms… through genuine repentance and saving faith.
· Only those who have been born again shall see the Kingdom of God and enter into the blessed hope of the redeemed!

These are those who have come to know their desperate need of Christ; who are poor in spirit with a hunger and thirst after righteousness.
· They have come to see the utter vileness of their sins and are broken with grief before the holiness of God, begging God to have mercy on their souls.
· They are the meek whose will has been brought under the submission of Christ… they have bowed the knee to His Lordship and received Him as their only Saviour.

They came to Jesus on His terms… turning away from their sins they have placed their hope and trust fully on Jesus.

Did you come to Jesus on His terms?
Have you truly turned away from your sins?
Are you truly trusting in Jesus and living only for Him?

As we look at these Beatitudes we will see that:
Every true follower of Jesus Christ is called and commanded to manifest these beatitudes in their life.

Are you poor in spirit? Do you mourn over your sin? Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness? Have your will and desires been brought under the submission of God’s will? Or are you still doing what is right in your own eyes?

Listen to what Jesus is saying:
Matthew 16: 24 "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Please consider your life in light of Scripture. How is your life before a holy God? What is the condition of your soul? Are you truly, humbly following Jesus?

Matthew 7:22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

May the Lord be gracious to those who have no real relationship with Christ and may those of us who know Him, come to experience the supreme happiness and spiritual prosperity that is our inheritance in Christ. 

The 8 Elements of Effective Prayer

Teach us to Pray |"The 8 Elements of Effective Prayer"

19/06/2016

For the past two weeks we looked at an introduction to a series on “Teach us to Pray”. We concluded that prayer is a condition of the heart and that Spirit filled prayer is often borne in an environment of suffering.

This morning I want us to look at “8 Elements of Effective Prayer”.

I think it was important for me to first call attention to the condition of our heart towards God. I wanted us to see that prayer is about God, not about us.

Prayer is seeking God. Yearning after God. Desiring to be with God.

• ·         Prayer is not about us giving orders to God or making demands on God. Or twisting the arm of God.
• ·         Prayer is communion with God. It is having fellowship with God.

Psalm 42:1-2 says:

“¹As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. ²My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?”

Let me repeat what I said two Sundays ago…

• We are called to be more than just people that seek to be biblically correct in our doctrine.
• We are called to be a people that dwell with the Most High God.
• We are called to live in the presence of the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, to Him be honour and glory forever and ever. [1Tim 1:17]
•  We are those who earnestly seek the God of the Bible… not just knowledge about Him… We want Him!
• Do you want Him or are you satisfied just with knowing about Him?
• We are those that are constantly aware that we are in the presence of holiness – In Him we live and move and have our being!
• We know that God is sovereignly in control of every aspect of our lives and that He will do whatever it takes to draw us closer to Him.

Every conflict, every trial, every heart break, every sorrow in your life has one purpose… it’s to send you to your knees… it’s to drive you to the God of the Bible!

Every battle is won on your knees… You have to understand this…?

• ·         Every battle in your life will only be won in prayer.
• ·         Every victory is won in the presence of God
• ·         The battle is the Lord’s… that’s why we pray!

Now… Let’s look at the 8 Elements of Effective Prayer…

James 5:16b “…The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

(Now I must say… I had a lot of help from John MacArthur’s study on prayer.)

First… Effective prayer must start with Love and Praise.

• ·         When we approach God in prayer we need to have a sense of His majesty
• ·         We must know that He is the Sovereign Lord, but also our loving Father
• ·         We must come before Him with loving adoration and praise for who He is
• ·         We love Him because He first loved us
• ·         We come before Him with praise in our mouths and blessing in our hearts
• ·         We come with boasting about His greatness and awesome power in our lives and in the world

Psalm 34: 1  I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. ²My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. ³Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.

 Psalm 66:3 Say to God, "How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You"

Secondly… Effective prayer must include Gratitude and Thanksgiving.

• ·         We show gratitude for the fact that He loves us and that He is the one calling us to come into His presence
• ·         We don’t first come with complaints and requests!
• ·         We are grateful that we have the privilege to stand before a holy God
• ·         Jonah 2:9 says, “I will sacrifice to Thee with the voice of thanksgiving”
• ·         We are thankful for our salvation… He has already done enough for us!
• ·         He died for us… that’s enough!
• ·         Thank God for the Cross. Thank Him for Jesus. Thank Him for saving your soul! 

Sometimes we can be so overwhelmed with our burdens that we forget where He brought us from. We forget that we have much more to be thankful for. We need to remember that salvation is enough!

Thirdly we need to recognise that God is Holy.

Psalm 24:3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? 4He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.

Our God is a holy God and when we approach Him we must do so with reverence.

• ·         You can’t come before God and treat Him like you would another man
• ·         God is not like you and me… He is transcended… He is Holy!

Listen to what the Bible says:

Ecclesiastes 5:1 Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. 2 Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.

• ·         You need to realise who it is that you are talking to
• ·         You must be aware that you are in the presence of holiness

Exodus 15:11 " Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?

Before you ask anything of the Lord… Before you make any requests known..

• ·         The Character of God… He is almighty… and nothing is impossible for Him
• ·         The majesty of God… that He is the sovereign King, Ruler over everything… He is in control of everything!
• ·         You need to affirm the Nature of God… that He is Holy.. He alone is God and beside Him there is no other!

·         Our God is to be feared for He is holy!

Revelation 15:4 says: “Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy.”

Fourthly… Effective prayer must include a Desire to Please and Obey God

• ·         Are you coming to God, because you want to have things your way?
• ·         Or are you coming to God with a determination to please Him and to obey Him… no matter what!?

 Regardless of what you are going through. You must come to God with a commitment to obedience.

• ·         You cannot come to God with conditions or terms (if you do this, I will do this)
• ·         There’s no bargaining with God. Your heart attitude is always “Yes Lord!”
• ·         You must come to God with a spirit of obedience and a desire to Please Him

2Corinthians 5:9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.

Fifthly… Effective prayer must include Confession of Sin and a Pure Heart.

• ·         Because our God is Holy… and does not tolerate sin. We have to come before Him with a pure heart.

Let me read Psalm 24 again…

Psalm 24:3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? 4He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.

You cannot come before God with a heart that does not want to let go of sin and still expect Him to listen to your prayers.

Listen to what the Psalmist says:

Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.

Oh.. but thank God for Jesus… Thank God for the Blood of Christ that cleanses us from all sin.

The Bible says:

1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

So we humbly come before God confessing our sins with confidence in the Blood of our Saviour. It’s because of Him that we can receive forgiveness.

Sixthly… We must approach God Unselfishly.

• ·         When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray… Jesus started the prayer with “Our Father…”
• ·         He didn’t start praying, “My Father…” He could have, but He was teaching them that prayer is never selfish.

In fact the whole prayer in Matthew 6 is a prayer that teach us that true prayer is never just about me, I and myself… Look at these verses…

9 Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

11   Give us this day our daily bread.

12   And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.

13        And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.

We have become so self-centred that our prayers is all about me and my needs… my desires… my problems.

And then we wonder why God never answers our prayers.

• ·         We are supposed to bear each other’s burdens
• ·         We are supposed to call each other’s names before the Lord in prayer
• ·         You are supposed to weep before the Lord for your brothers needs
• ·         That’s usually the time when God takes care of your needs too.

Listen to what Proverbs says:

Proverbs 11: 25       The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself

He who waters others, will himself be watered.

• ·         Stop with these selfish prayers that only centres around you and your family
• ·         Start praying for those in need around you.
• ·         Start praying for those missionaries that are being killed for the sake of Christ.
• ·         Pray for that drug dealer and that prostitute in the street.
• ·         Pray for the president and the ministers.
• ·         Pray for all the saints everywhere…. There’s so much to pray for.

1 Timothy 2:1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Seventhly… If we’re going to pray effectively, we must pray with Perseverence.

One of the most difficult aspects of prayer is persevering when it seems that God is not answering.

God knows how easily we can lose heart and so we read in Luke 18:1, Jesus told a parable, “that men always ought to pray and not lose heart”

Let me read this parable to you in Luke 18

2 "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.

3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.' 4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.' " 6 Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

• ·         We must pray without ceasing [1Thess. 5:17]
• ·         We must pray until something happens
• ·         We keep on knocking until the door opens, we seek until we find
• ·         We ask until we get an answer… We hold unto His promise that says:

John 14:14 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Lastly… We pray effectively when we pray with Humility.

I have heard so many times how people come to God in prayer with boastful attitudes.

• ·         They pray as if they are the one’s giving orders to the Lord
• ·         They declare and decree as if they’ve got God’s authority and sovereignty
• ·         They think they are like God… some people actually think they are little gods.
• ·         You are made in the image of God, but you are not a god… you are a created being… God is Creator!

No creature can ever become a god!

You must realise that you are but dust…

Isaiah 40:15 Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing.

The heart that comes to God in humility will always cry out:

“What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” – Psalm 8:4

The humble heart always seeks out the will of God… to submit under it!

·         We see the greatest example of such humble submission in our Lord Jesus when He was in Gethsemane…

When He considered the sin of the world coming upon Him and the full wrath of God being poured out on Him who knew no sin…

Luke 22:42 "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."

John Macarthur says:

“Prayer is not asking God to do my will; it is bringing myself into conformity with His will, and asking Him to give me the grace to enjoy it.”

The purpose of all prayer is the glory of God. Prayer must always seek to glorify God, to lift up His name and to exalt His holiness.

John 14:14 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

The reason we pray and the reason why God answers our prayers is to put His glory on display…

If you do not know God… then the only prayer that will glorify God is when you ask God to have mercy on your soul… it’s when you surrender!

Repent! Ask God to save you! God is always glorified when sinners come to repentance!

The Necessary Environment for a Spirit filled Prayer life

Teach us to pray | Series Introduction part 2

Last week I started with an introduction on a series on “Teach us to Pray”. I spoke on the subject, “Prayer, A condition of the heart”.

It is my prayer that the Lord would show us the real reason for our lack of prayer and that we would repent from the sin of prayerlessness and get our hearts right with God so that we can seek Him and long for Him with a desperation that will grab hold of God and not let go until He comes down in a mighty way.

This morning I want to continue with the second part of my introduction to this series. I want us to consider the “Necessary environment for a Spirit filled Prayer life”.

I am aware that unless God drives us from our comforts and complacency, we will continue to love “stuff or ourselves” more than God. But thanks be to our God for His commitment towards His people. 2Tim. 2:13 says, “If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, since he cannot deny himself”

God has sacrificed His Son to be an atonement for us so that we can be reconciled to Him through the death of Christ.

I am convinced that if God would let Christ suffer to draw us near… He will also let us suffer so that we would draw near.

God is committed to drawing His people to Himself, to live in His place, under His rule, enjoying His blessing for His glory.

Last Sunday we considered Isaiah 64:1

Isaiah 64:1 Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence

We saw how Isaiah cried to the Lord with a passionate concern and desire

• ·         His prayer expressed a deep yearning for God to come down
• ·         A heartfelt longing that can only be expressed by a groaning sound… “Oh!”
• ·         It is a passionate, desperate, heart wrenching prayer for God to go into action.
• ·         It comes from the heart of someone who will not rest until God shows up.
• ·         A heart that will not be satisfied with anything less than the active presence of God!

Oh that the Lord would give us such a heart… Whatever it takes oh Lord!

Grant us your presence… We need Revival! We need the manifest presence of God among us! – AMEN!

Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence.

I mentioned last Sunday that this kind of prayer has at least three components: It’s a prayer with great humility, distress and longing.

There could probably be more components to this kind of prayer, but I think these three components are generally present in the heart that moves the heart of God into action… “Humility, Distress & Longing”

I don’t think I have to say much about this, but let me just mention it…

Prayer is not about twisting God’s arm to get what you want! – Prayer is about desiring God… It’s about you wanting God… not what you can get out of God. (E.G. Do you want your wife or just someone who can clean the house?)

This is where prayer starts… it starts with you longing for God!

But God knows our frame, He knows how easily we can get complacent and selfish and distracted… Listen to what the Bible says:

Psalm 103:13-14 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. ¹⁴For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

Remember… I’m preaching to the remnant this morning…

Our God loves us and He is committed to our sanctification.

• ·         He is committed to showing us how dependent we are upon Him
• ·         He will lead His children in the paths of righteousness for His Name sake
• ·         The Bible says, “The steps of a righteous man is ordered by the Lord” [Ps.37:23]

Ezekiel 36:27 says: “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes”

Psalm 23:2 says: “He makes me to lie down in green pastures”

Proverbs 20 verse 24 is even bolder as it describes God’s sovereignty over man’s ways:

Proverbs 20:24 A man's steps are of the LORD; How then can a man understand his own way?

Do you know where you will be tomorrow? Work? Hospital? Morgue?

And one of my favourite verses in the Bible…

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Our God will work out all things so that we might have The Necessary environment for a Spirit filled Prayer life.

God will cause things to happen in your life that will create the right environment for you to have a Spirit filled prayer life.

By now I’m sure you’ve guessed what that environment is…

The best environment for a Spirit filled prayer life is that of suffering.

I know we don’t want to hear that, but just think of the times in your life when you called to the Lord in desperation for Him to show up… it was most probably during a time of suffering.

The world hates suffering!

·         They do everything in their power to get the most comfort out of life as they can.

·         They do everything to avoid as much suffering as they possibly can.

It should not be the same for the genuine believer.

·         The genuine believer should embrace suffering as gift… an opportunity to reach the mercy seat of God!

Philippians 1: 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake

Even Jesus, the sinless Son of God learned obedience through suffering!

What about you and I who are sinful and easily tempted by the pleasures of this world.

Listen to this…

Hebrews 5:8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

This is the sinless Son of God… the God-Man… Immanuel, God with us!

It is recorded of Him in Luke 6:12 that He, “continued in prayer to God all night” – Christ learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

Listen to me believer…

God is committed to cause things to happen in your life that will create the right environment for you to have a Spirit filled prayer life.

·         So don’t waste your suffering on murmurings and complaints

• ·         Don’t waste your suffering by going to people for help
• ·         Stop blaming the devil for all you are going through… God is in control!
• ·         He has caused you to be where you are!
• ·         Run to God! Seek Him!
• ·         He has created that environment for you so that you might seek Him!

 This is the kind of environment for a prayer life that will consist of:

Great Humility, Distress and Longing

• Humility – You know who you are and who God is – What is man that You are mindful of him?
• Distress – You consider the kindness and severity of God – He will not let the guilty go unpunished, but He shows mercy to a thousand generations
• Longing – Your desire for God and His Glory outweighs your desire for your own needs to be met – His will be done

The person that is in an environment for a Spirit filled prayer life acknowledges that he deserves no kindness from God.

• ·         He understands that he is but a slave in the Master’s house
• ·         Yet he can come with boldness because he was adopted as a son
• ·         Not on his own merit but on the merit of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son of his Master
• ·         He knows that his reward is not on earth but in heaven
• ·         So he humbly approaches the mercy seat of his loving Father.. longing for His attention!

The person that is in an environment for a Spirit filled prayer life understands that God is merciful and loving and righteous and holy.

• ·         He knows that God hates sin and will punish it where ever He finds it
• ·         He knows that God is a consuming fire! And that His wrath burns against the unrepentant sinner
• ·         When he considers the judgement of God on the wicked he trembles and have great concern over their souls
• ·         He is in distress over the wickedness that the world enjoys, because it was for such wickedness that Christ died

·         He is in distress because so many hear the gospel call and still they reject the Son of God… and soon their day of judgement will come

The person that is in an environment for a Spirit filled prayer life have a desperate longing for the manifest presence of God.

• ·         He is constantly praying for Revival! He wants to see God rend the heavens
• ·         He longs for the glory of God to be seen amongst the people of God
• ·         He wants God! He longs for God!
• ·         He wants God more than sleep; more than pleasure; more than family; more than life itself
• ·         His heart cries out in the midst of severe trouble – not my will but yours be done!
• ·         His mind is constantly filled with thoughts of God
• ·         He is constantly aware of God’s presence with him
• ·         He is all heavenly minded – and that’s why he is of any earthly good!
• ·         As the deer pants for the water so his soul longs after God!

Now… please turn with me in your Bibles to 1Samuel chapter 1 and let’s consider the prayer life of Hannah… 1Sam. 1:1-18

This was a time when the Word of God was rare [1Sam. 3]. There was no revelation from God.

·         God was not speaking to His people and His presence was not known among them

• ·       The priests [Hophni & Phinehas] were corrupt. “they did not know the LORD.” (1Sam2:12)
• ·       They treated the worship of God with contempt
• ·       These guys took the best of the offering for themselves with no regard for how God’s instructed them to conduct His worship

This is the Temple which Elkanah and his wife Hannah comes to every year to worship God and to pay their vows.

Regardless of the corruption at Shiloh among the priests… Hannah came to worship God.

• ·         God was silent… But she still came faithfully
• ·         She knew that her help will only come from the Lord.
• ·         She did not come looking for the priests… She came to seek the Lord!

This brings us to our first component: Humility

God will create the necessary environment for you to become humble

·         It is clear from our text that Hannah was more loved by Elkanah than Peninnah was.

• ·         Hannah use to get a double portion of the offering from Elkanah
• ·         She was clearly the favourite wife.
• ·         If she had kids and still a husband who loved her more, it could have been Peninnah who might have been the one seeking the Lord in humility.

Her domestic troubles and her barrenness drove her to her knees before the Lord.

• ·         Her circumstances didn’t make her bitter… it humbled her!

We read in verse 11: “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant”

She understood who God was

·         She called Him Yahweh (Jehovah) – The Self-Existent or Eternal One

·         This was the proper name of God – it refers to His Sovereignty and Total rule over all things

 She understood who she was

• ·         She was the maidservant or female slave of Jehovah
• ·         She was His property and she had no rights
• ·         She gave up any rights that she thought she had
• ·         She realised that God can do with her as He pleased, because she did not belong to herself

Do you know who you are and who God is? Or do you still feel that God owes you a better life?

Maybe you still feel that God is treating you unfairly!

Peninnah never went to the Temple to worship God, but she had plenty children… Shouldn’t she be the barren one?

Unless you realise who you are and who God is, you will remain in your pride

• ·         And God gives grace to the humble, but He oppose the proud! [James4:6]
• ·         Don’t waste your suffering on pride and bitterness

The Word of God says:

James 4:9-10 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Your suffering is creating in you the humility that is needed for you to experience God’s grace in your darkest hour.

The second component needed for a Spirit filled prayer life is: Distress

God will cause such conflict in our lives that will move us from complacency to distress.

We read in 1 Samuel 1 verse 2 and verse 5… “Hannah had no children…” because “the Lord has closed her womb”

She was the favourite wife, but she could not provide her husband with the one thing that every women during that time desired to have… a child.

• ·         It was considered a curse for a woman not to be able to bear children
• ·         This was God’s doing! Scripture clearly says twice: God closed he womb!
• ·         On top of this Peninnah use to provoke her severely
• ·         She continually tried to make Hannah angry and miserable
• ·         She rubbed it in her face that she had children, but Hannah had none

·         Hannah was under great distress and affliction so much so that she could not even eat.

• ·         We read in verse 10, “she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish.”
• ·         She had no pretend happiness on her face. She was in misery and she needed to get to God.

Listen to me child of God… You must get this, this morning…

Your distress is meant to drive you to your knees

• ·         Don’t waste it! It’s meant to drive you to God!
• ·         It’s your opportunity to make your way to the mercy seat of God
• ·         It’s in your distress that you will find God waiting

·         Psalm 46:1 says that God is a very present help.. where? In trouble!

• ·         God is a very present help in trouble!
• ·         Verse 7 says, Hannah went year after year to the Temple of God
• ·         And year after year she was severely provoked, but she pressed on until God showed up in her life.

The third component (and I’m coming to a close now) is: Longing

At first Hannah looked at Peninnah and must have longed to have children of her own.

• ·         She could see how Peninnah played with her children
• ·         She saw how Peninnah taught her children and the special bond that she had with her children
• ·         Oh how Hannah must have longed to have a child of her own

But look at verse 11

¹¹Then she made a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head."

Hannah’s longing changed from her need to have a child for herself to her desire to have a child to give back to God for the glory of God.

• ·         Her longing changed from self-satisfaction to God’s glorification
• ·         She was now not looking for God to fill her needs, but for God to provide her with a child for His glory
• ·         Why would you get a child that you’ve longed for, for so many years and then give him away “all the days of his life”
• ·         She was willing to give up what she desires most for the purposes of God.

The phrase in verse 11, “and no razor shall come upon his head” refers to the Nazarite

·         A Nazarite according to WEBSTER: Is A Jew who professed extraordinary purity of life and devotion. It was someone that was completely separated for God’s work only.

Hannah was saying, Lord whatever you give to me I will give back to you and I will not put my hands on it again

• ·         Whatever you give to me or do in me must be for your glory alone!
• ·         I long to see your glory and your presence in whatever I ask of you
• ·         I am your servant… Your will be done through all my suffering.

·         Let me say it again… Don’t waste your suffering!

Is this your prayer? Now that you are where you are… is their humility, distress & longing?