Dedicated To The Men of God Who Preach the Word of God As It
Is To Men As They Are
"Preach The Word"
"PUT THE KEY IN TO OPEN THE
DOOR"
Dr. James Gilmour, a long-time missionary to Mongolia, was once asked to help treat some wounded soldiers. Although he was not a doctor, he did have some knowledge of first aid, and knew that he couldn't refuse the request. He dressed the wounds of two men, but a third man had a badly broken thigh bone. The missionary had no idea what to do for such an injury, the only thing he knew to do was pray. So, kneeling beside the man, he asked the Lord for help. He didn't know how God would answer his prayer, but he just believed that the need would be supplied.
He looked, but he could find no books on physiology, in the primitive hospital, and no doctor had yet arrived. To complicate matters, a crowd of beggars came to ask him for money. He was deeply concerned with his patient, yet his heart went out to these beggars. Hurriedly, he gave them money, and some words of encouragement, and then turned away. A moment later, he stared in amazement at one weary beggar who had remained behind. The half-starved beggar was little more than a living skeleton. The missionary, at this moment, realized that God had answered his prayer, and had brought him a walking lesson in anatomy. He asked the elderly man if he could examine him. He agreed, and by carefully tracing the femur bone with his fingers, in order to learn how to treat the soldier's broken leg, he was able to return to his patient and set the fracture. Gilmour testified later how God had provided him with a strange, yet sufficient response to his prayer. Once again he was reminded that in order to get an answer to prayer, one must simply pray!
In the past three weeks, much of the territory of prayer has been covered. We have been given much instruction on what the Word of God has to say of prayer. Yet, we can take what's already been said, and by itself, it is to no avail, in opening the door to heaven's resources. In order to open the door, we must take the key of I John 5:14-15.
In March 1997, Newsweek conducted a poll on what Americans thought of prayer.
---87% believe that God answers prayer
---82% don't give up when prayer seems unanswered
---80% believe that God doesn't play favorites in answering prayer
---64% believe that if God doesn't answer, it wasn't His will
---51% believe that God doesn't even answer prayer
1However, in I John 5:14-15, we're reminded once again, quite emphatically, that God does answer prayer. Thus, if we're to embark upon reaching the throne room of heaven, John seems to tells us that we must, "Put In The Key To Open The Door!" John describes for us three keys that we must put in, if we're to open this door. We must be:
I. CONFIDENT IN OUR PRAYER (v. 14a)
In the first part of verse 14, John explains to us that in order to touch heaven, through prayer, we must be fully persuaded, and confident in our prayer.
ILLUSTRATION:
I remember reading of a man, in West Virginia, who for his birthday, received an airplane ride from his children. It was his first airplane ride, though he was somewhat afraid, he was greatly looking forward to it. After it was over, and they were back on the ground, his children asked him how he liked it. The man replied, "Well, it wasn't as bad as I though. But I tell you this, I never did put my full weight down!"
How often, we as Christians, resemble this man in our prayer life. We Take God at His Word, but we don't Trust God With His Word! However, John explains to us that in order to open the door, we must put in the key of confidence in our prayer, and there must be confidence:
A. IN AN EARNEST PETITION
. The first thing that requires confidence is the earnest petition of our prayer.
ILLUSTRATION:
In her book, Early Will I Seek Thee, Eugenia Price well described how we often approach prayer. She said, "We belittle God when we beg for the crumbs, while He stands before us in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, and declares Himself to be the Bread of Life. Far from expecting too much, we expect far too little!"
2. I believe that Oswald Chambers, in his book, Prayer: The Holy Occupation, said it well, when he said, "Prayer does not fit us for the greater work. Prayer is the greatest work!"
. Many Christians pray, however, there is no confidence in their prayer. Yet, we're exhorted to believe God, trust God, and be confident that He will do what He said He would do. By looking closer into this phrase, we see the:
1. POSITION WE SHOULD HOLD
"confidence". I believe the key to understanding this concept is to see the position, in prayer, that we should hold.
. John defines this position as a position of confidence.
CONFIDENCE(lit): "to be steadfast, or have assurance"
PICTURE: Of a large, monstrous, and immovable object
. Thus, we see that if we're to open the door, through prayer, we must be assured, steadfast, and confident, and be in the position we should hold.
2. POSSESSION WE SHOULD HAVE
"we have". Not only is there a position we should hold, there is a possession we should have.
. It's interesting to note the personal involvement John is speaking of.
. He isn't addressing the whole congregation. He isn't addressing the entire family. He's speaking on a personal basis. Though he uses the word "we", he's speaking to you and I as individuals.
. Many of you, this morning, often request prayer for various needs in your life.
. However, I've found that, quite often, we do this as a means of saying, that there's not much confidence in our own prayer life.
ILLUSTRATION:
I remember dealing with a man that I used to pastor. He came into my office one day, distraught, discouraged, and defeated. He had some very personal issues that he was dealing with, and he asked me to have prayer with him. While I was honored to do so, I asked him if he had spent time, alone with God, in prayer about this. I never will forget his answer, "Well, preacher, I've prayed about it, but I figure that if anyone could get a prayer through, it would be you!"
. Too often I believe, we expect others to approach God for us. John seems to say that there's a position we should hold, and there's a possession we should have. Those two ingredients must be present if there's to be confidence in an Earnest Petition!
B. IN AN EXCELLENT PERSON
"in him". We see that there must not only be confidence in an earnest petition, but confidence in an excellent person.
. We move, now, from our part in prayer, to God's part in prayer.
. This is the greatest concept of prayer that is mentioned in scripture.
. It is not only that there is a petition, and a prayer involved. There is a Person Involved. There is an Excellent Person Involved. It's HIM!!
. We all have heard the old saying that "prayer works." While that is the truth, that is not the whole truth. It's not that prayer works, it's that HE works! One of the ways that He works is through prayer. Therefore, there must not only be confidence in an Earnest Petition, but also, in an Excellent Person. We must be Confident in Our Prayer!
II. CONFORMED TO HIS PLAN (v. 14b)
We move to the second key that we must have in order to open the door, and we see that not only must we be confident in our prayer, but we must also be conformed to His plan. Notice, in the last part of verse 14, there is a:
A. VAST REALM THAT IS EXPLAINED
"anything". He explains to us the vast realm that is included in prayer.
. What a blessed word—anything! What a beautiful word---anything! What a bountiful word---anything!
. As you know, this word is not a new word to the New Testament, for you will remember the words of our Lord in Matthew 18:19, "If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything…. it shall be done for you of my Father which is in heaven."
. Then, the same writer of our text, in the gospel that bears his name, John 14;14, said, "If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it."
. Thus, in this one word, there is a vast realm that is explained.
B. VITAL REQUIREMENT THAT IS EXPECTED
"according to his will". Not only is there a vast realm, but there is a vital requirement that is expected.
. Many stop at the previous point, at the word "anything", and shout all over the house.
. However, that's not all that's involved in being conformed to His plan. Simply put, you must encounter the Vital Requirement if you are to enjoy the Vast Realm.
. Therefore, the issue is prayer; but, prayer according to the will of God.
. Oswald Chambers, expressed it well, when he said, "The whole essence of prayer is finding the mind of Christ!"
. S. D. Gordon, in his book, Quiet Talks on Prayer, said, "The primary purpose of prayer is to get God's will done. We ought to become skilled in knowing His will. The more we know Him, the better shall we be able to read intelligently His will."
3. Thus, we see that if prayer is to be answered, and the door of heaven opened, then it must be our desire to pray according to the will of God.
ILLUSTRATION:
One of the greatest presidents, as well as Americans, that ever lived was Abraham Lincoln. Although he never belonged to a particular denomination, he often looked to heaven for strength and direction. It is the opinion of several Christian historians that Lincoln became a born-again believer at the Battle of Gettysburg. Despite the many pressures of political office, Lincoln's attitude, and the motto of his life, could be summed up in the words he penned in his diary: "I am satisfied that when the Almighty wants me to, or not to do, a particular thing, He finds a way of letting me know it!"
4. Possibly the reason your prayer is yet to be answered is that you've not met the vital requirement. You've yet to be conformed to his plan in your prayer life. You've yet to pray according to the will of the Father. Adrian Rogers defined the powerful prayer life well, by saying, "The prayer that gets to heaven is the prayer that starts in heaven!"
. Can you honestly say, of your request, this morning, as did our Lord, "Father, not my will, but thine done." There is a Vast Realm that is Explained. There's also a Vital Requirement that is Expected. We must be Conformed to His Plan!
III. COMFORTED BY HIS PROMISE (v. 14c,15)
We move to the climax of these verses. Much has been said to help us to be confident in our prayer, and conformed to His plan. Now, the result of obeying, the first two, is that we're comforted by His promise, and there is a:
A. GRACIOUS OCCASION THAT IS SEEN (14c)
. As a result of being confident in our prayer, and conformed to His plan, we can be comforted by His promise. Part of this comfort comes from the gracious occasion that "he heareth us."
HEARETH(lit.): "to give careful attention to, to perceive"
IDEA: Of hearing in order to perform that which has been asked, or spoken
. Thus, when we're confident in our prayer, and conformed to His plan, in prayer, a gracious occasion is afforded, and God Hears Our Prayer!
B. GLORIOUS OUTCOME THAT IS SHOWN (15)
. Not only is there a gracious occasion that is seen, but a glorious outcome that is shown.
. John comforts those of us who have prayed earnestly, specifically, and perpetually, and seems to say, that if we're confident, and convinced that He hears us. Then, we can be comforted, and certain that "we have the petitions that we desired of him."
DESIRED(lit): "to ask, or to request"
SAME WORD AS 'ask' in Matthew 7:7, where our Lord said:
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you.". What a promise! If we will be Confident in our Prayer, Conformed to His Plan, we will enjoy the Gracious Occasion that is Seen, and the Glorious Outcome that is Shown, and we'll be Comforted By His Promise!
ILLUSTRATION:
It is said that during the reign of Alexander the Great, that on one occasion he was asked by a worker in his court, for some financial aid. That great leader told him to go to his treasurer and ask for whatever amount he wanted. A while later, the treasurer appeared and told Alexander that the man had asked for an enormous sum, and that he hesitated to pay him so much. Alexander the Great replied, "Give him what he asks for. He has treated me like a King in his asking, and I shall treat him like a King in my giving!"
How grieved must our King feel because of the way we approach Him in prayer. Ladies and gentlemen, He is the Creator of this universe, and He's able to meet the need which lies heavy upon your heart this morning. Heed the words of Walter B. Knight, who wrote the poem:
"Thou art coming to a King,
Large petitions with thee bring;
For His grace and power are such,
None can ever ask too much!"
5 Therefore, be Confident in Your Prayer, Conformed to His Plan, and you will be Comforted By His Promise! However, you must "Put The Key In To Open The Door!"Sermon from Steve Wagers
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