Sermon Tone Analysis

We’re going to continue teaching on the subject of *“VICTORY THROUGH PRAYER.”*

A few weeks ago I had you turn to Romans chapter 8.

I just want to go back there so that we all get a good foundation of what were talking about.

*I) *Look at *Romans 8:26-27*.

*A) **As we said last time these two Vs.* *are talking about intercession*.

*1) **In verse 26** where it says, “THE SPIRIT ALSO HELPETH OUR INFIRMITIES”* the Word *“HELPETH”* literally *means*, *“TO TAKE HOLD TOGETHER WITH AGAINST**.”*

*a) *In other words *the Holy Spirit takes hold together with us* *AGAINST THE POWERS OF DARKNESS*.

*2) **The HOLY SPIRIT HOOKS UP WITH US enabling to pray in the Spirit with intercession*.

*a) **Keep your finger there in Romans* and turn with me over to *1ST CORINTHIANS 14:2*.

*(i) **Paul likens* *“PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT”* *to* *“SPEAKING IN TONGUES.”*

*b) *Now go down to *1st Corinthians 14:14-15*.

*(i) **Paul clearly says in* *(verse 14)* that *the prayer he’s talking about is* *PRAYING IN TONGUES*.

*3) *In *(verse 15)* Paul says, *“I WILL PRAYER WITH THE SPIRIT.”*

*a) *The word *“WITH”* *in that verse* is *not* really there *in the Greek*; the *translators added it* to try to bring clarity.

*(i) *But the word *“WITH”* can be *just as well translated* *“IN,”* which other translations do.

*(ii) *The *AMPLIFIED BIBLE* translates it.

*“I WILL PRAY WITH MY SPIRIT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT IS WITHIN ME.”*

*(iii) **When we pray in tongues* *and* *when we enter into intercession* *the Holy Spirit hooks up with us to pray*.

*B) **WHY** IS THE HOLY SPIRIT SO WILLING TO HOOK UP TOGETHER WITH US?*

*1) **Back in (Romans 8:26-27)* it says that *many times we don't know how to pray** as we ought,* *but when** we're praying in the Spirit* *we're praying according to the perfect will of God.*

*C) **The Holy Spirit hooks up with us so readily* *because* *we’re NOT PRAYING* *according to our own will* *but* *ACCORDING TO THE PERFECT WILL OF GOD*.

*1) **But the Bible also tells us in (JUDE 1:20) when we pray in the Holy Ghost we are building up ourselves.*

*a) **The KJV quotes it this, “*But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.”

(JUDE 1:20)

*b) **If you want to be built up*, *edified*, *and* *strengthened* *you need to pray in the Holy Ghost*.

*2) **Another important aspect of praying in the Holy Ghost or in the Spirit is that you’re doing battle in the spirit.*

*II) **Many times* *when we pray* *and* *the answer doesn’t come soon*, *we feel* that *God hasn’t heard us*, *or* that He just *doesn’t bring the answer*.

*A) *The *answer* *doesn’t** always come immediately*.

*1) **Daniel had** the same problem*.

*The answer was sent immediately*, *but** because of the spiritual battle* *the answer was delayed*.

*2) **Sometimes* *when we pray*, the *answer doesn’t get through instantly*.

*a) *That *doesn’t mean* that *God doesn’t hear us* *or** hasn’t sent the answer.*

*B) *Turn with me to *1JOHN 5:14*.

*1) **Notice* *in* *(verse 14)* he says, *“IF WE ASK ANYTHING ACCORDING TO HIS WILL**.”*

*a) **If we want God to hear us* *and* to *answer** our prayers* *we have to pray according to His will*.

*(i) **That’s why it’s important to read the Word of God*, *so that you’ll know His will.*

*2) **But* *there is one way to pray the Will of God* *without ever knowing God’s will*.

*a) **We** read it in* *(Romans 8:27)*, which tells us, *when we pray in the Spirit* *(tongues)* *we are praying according to the perfect will of God*.

*C) *Look at *JOHN 5:14-15* again.

*1) **When we pray in ENGLISH** according to the Will of God* *or* *when we PRAY IN THE SPIRIT,** GOD does HEAR US and* *He does send the ANSWER*, but *many times* it *DOESN’T GET THROUGH* *immediately*.

*a) **Daniel had* that* problem* *when a powerful evil spirit did battle against the angel of God to stop the answer from getting through*.

*b) **(Ephesians 6:12)* says, *“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but we do wrestle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”*

*(i) **There is a spiritual battle going on*.

*c) **That’s why we can’t give up* *when** the attacks of the enemy come in, like DEPRESSION*, *FINANCIAL PROBLEMS*, *SICKNESS*, *and ATTACKS AGAINST YOUR CHILDREN*, *just to name a few*.

*(i) **You have to keep doing battle in the Spirit* *to overcome** these attacks* *and** to gain the victory*.

*d) **If you give up* *Satan will gain a STRONGHOLD** in your life* *and** that stronghold will turn into BONDAGE and that bondage into DEFEAT*.

*D) **Turn with me to** 2COR 10:4.*

*1) *The *NIV translation* says,* “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.

On the contrary, they have divine power TO DEMOLISH STRONGHOLDS.”*

*2) **Paul used** the most powerful weapons that exist* *and they are* *PRAYER*, *FAITH* *and* *THE WORD** OF GOD*.

*3) **That’s why Paul said in the next verse*, *“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God.”*

*a) **We can’t side in with the enemy with thoughts of defeat, failure and giving up*; *we have to continue to do battle in the Spirit*.

*b) *And *when we do* *we will DEMOLISH THE ENEMIES STRONGHOLDS*.

*4) **In (Matthew 17)* *the disciples could not get rid of an evil Spirit* *that was tormenting a boy*.

*a) **After the boy was brought to Jesus and delivered*, *the disciples asked Jesus why* *they could not cast out the Spirit*.

*(i) **1st* *Jesus said* *it was because of their unbelief*, *but then he added* that *this kind of Spirit only goes out by prayer and fasting*.

*b) **FAITH*, *PRAYER* *AND* *INTERCESSION* *along WITH* *THE WORD** OF GOD* *are going to be necessary** for you to walk in absolute victory*.

*(i) **We need to use prayer to drive out the enemy*.

*III) *Now *how* are we *supposed to pray*?

*A) *That *all **depends on the situation*, *what the problem is.*

*1) *But the *FIRST RULE** *to prayer *is to PRAY IN FAITH*.

*2) *Look at *James 1:6-8*.

(*Asking is prayer*.)

*a) **That’s why we need to cast down** every thought and imagination* *that is against the Word** of God*, *which is the opposite of faith*.

*b) **And we need to start believing God’s Word* *and* *praying according to His Word*.

*IV) *Before we go on I want to look at some *SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES** OF INTERCESSION*.

Turn with me to *GEN 18:16*.

*A) *In this chapter the *Lord appeared with 3 angels* *(GEN 18:1)*.

*1) *Something that the Lord said in *Genesis 18:17-18* *blessed me*.

(Read it)

*2) *The *Lord* was going to *reveal to Abraham* *what* was *going to happen* to Sodom and Gomorrah that He wasn’t going to reveal to the rest of the world.

*a) **Because* *Abraham* was *committed to God* and that he would *commission* his *children* *and* his *household* *to follow* after *the Lord*, *and* as (James 2:23) puts it, he was a *friend of God*, *God* was going to *reveal* it *to him*.

*(i) **I want God to be able to trust me* *and reveal things to me*.

*B) *Lets go on reading with *GEN 18:20-22*.

*1) *In *(GEN 18:22)* it says, *“And went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.”*

*a) **THIS IS THE ROLE OF AN INTERCESSOR*, *TO STAND BETWEEN THE LORD** AND ANOTHER SITUATION.*

*(i) *What *Abraham began to* do was to *plead the case** of another*.

And that is a *powerful position*.

*2) *Let’s look at what happened.

*Genesis 18:23-33*.

*a) *Unfortunately there were *not 10 righteous* in the city, but the *Lord* still *spared the righteous*.

*V) *Now turn with me to *Exodus 32*.

*A) *In this story *Moses* was up *on the mountain* with God where he just receive the tablets of stone written with the finger of God.

*1) *Moses was upon the mountain for some time and the *people began to think* that *Moses* was *not going to return*.

That’s when they began to *make the golden calf*.

*B) *Let’s pick up the story here with *Exodus 32:7-10*.

*1) **Because of their wickedness*, *God refused* *to* even *call* *them* *HIS PEOPLE* *and* he would *not* even *take credit* *for delivering them* out of Egypt.

*a) **In* (*verse 7*) the Lord *said* to Moses that *they’re your people*, *which you brought out Egypt*.

*2) *But look what *Moses said to God* in *Exodus 32:11*.

(Thy people which you brought out of Egypt).

*C) *Let’s go on reading with *Exodus 32:12-14*.

*1) **Again we see* *someone standing in the gap* *between* *the Lord and another*.

*a) **Moses began to plead his case* before the Lord *for* the children of *Israel*.

*And the Lord honored that intercession*.

*(i) **It says in* *(verse 14)* that *the Lord repented of the evil*, *which he thought to do unto his people*.

*b) **Sometimes* we *have a hard time with** the phrase* *“THE LORD REPENTED OF THE EVIL.”*

*c) *Let me give you a *definition* from the *Hebrew* of the *words* that are *used* here.

*2) *First the Word *“REPENTED”* here *means*, *“TO BE SORRY*, *BE MOVED WITH PITY*, *OR* *HAD COMPASSION**.”*

*a) **The Lord had compassion on the people* and felt sorry for them.

*3) *The word *“EVIL”* *doesn’t mean* *SIN*, but *it means* *“HURT OR HARM**.”*