Sermon Tone Analysis

We’re going to *pick up* where we *left off last time* in teaching on the subject of *VICTORY THROUGH PRAYER*.

Last time we *ended on* the subject of *effective prayer*.

And as we *said* *last time*, *we just can’t pray anyway we want to* *and* *see results*.

*I) *The *Word* of God has *given* us some *very explicit rules for prayer* and I just want *touch on a couple of them*.

The *1ST RULE* *for having a victorious prayer* life is to *KNOW WHAT YOU WANT* from the Lord.

You have to have a *certain amount of decisiveness* in your prayers.

*A) *James said in* (James 1:6-8) **“But let him ask in faith*, *NOTHING WAVERING.

**For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

(7) For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

(8) A double minded man {is} unstable in all his ways.”*

*1) **You can’t be asking in faith* *by wavering* *or* *unsure* *what you want*.

*2) *We have to *be **specific as possible* *without* *putting limitations* *on God* *or* the *Will of God*.

*B) *The *2ND POINT* that *we brought out* on the subject of prayer is that *“You need to FIND SCRIPTURES that PROMISE the ANSWER.”*

*1) *In *(JOSHUA 1:8)* it says; *“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”*

*a) *The *only way* that you’re going to *have good success* *in* your *prayer* life *is to* *fine* a *scripture* that *promises the answer*.

*(i) *But *not only* *do you have to find it* in the Bible *but* that scripture also *has to be* found *in your heart*.

*2) *Turn with me to *MARK 11:23*.

*a) *In the *middle of* this *verse* *it says*, *“And shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe.”*

*(i) **True faith is not* *believing with your head*, *but* believing *with* your *heart*.

*b) *The *“HEART”* *refers* to the *“Spirit of man.”* *Peter* refers to the *human spirit* as *“The hidden man of the heart.”*

*(i) **How do we get faith in our heart?*

*(Romans 10:17)* says*, “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”*

*(ii) **Strong faith doesn’t come by just hearing* the Word *once*.

*It comes by continuously hearing* the Word of God *and* *meditating* on God’s Word.

*c) **Joshua said* *when* you’re *meditating on God’s Word* (which *produces* *faith* in the heart) it will *produce* *good success* in all that you to.

*(i) **When you find,* *a scripture* *that* *promises the answer to your need* *and* *you meditate on it*, *you’re prayers are going to have good success*.

*(ii) **WHY?* *Because faith* *is in your heart* *and* *your prayers* are *based on the Word* of God.

*3) **(PRO 4:20-22)* Says*, “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

(21) Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

(22) For they {are} life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.”*

*a) **Keep* the *promises of God’s* Word *in your heart* *and* *meditate on them*.

*II) *For us *to have* the type of *success in* our *prayer* life we need to *BELIEVE THAT WE RECEIVE.*

*A) **MARK 11:24*.

*1) *The *Amplified translation* says, *“When you pray, **trust **and **be confident **that it is granted you, **and you’ll get it.”*

*a) *The *NIV* translation *says, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED IT, and it will be yours.”*

*2) *You have to *believe you have it **before you get it.*

*B) **Let me* just *touch on one thing* before we go on.

*1) **Many people* *have the **idea **that TRUTH AND REALITY pertains to things they* can *SEE* *with* their *physical eye*, *or **TOUCH with* their *hands*.

*a) *But we *can’t see the things of the Spirit*.

*b) *(*2nd* *Corinthians 4:18*) says, *“For the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”*

*(i) *The *things* that are *of the Spirit* *are eternal* *and* will *last forever*.

*2) *In (*EPH 1:3*) it says, *“Blessed {be} the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly {places} in Christ.”*

*a) **Many times* *people have the **idea that **if they can’t see it **or **feel it, **it doesn’t exist **or it’s **not true.*

*3) **That’s walking by **SENSE KNOWLEDGE*: *not believing until you see it*.

*a) *What *that really is*, is *being led by your senses*.

*C) *In *(JOHN chapter 20)* the resurrected *Jesus appeared to the disciples* *but* *Thomas* was *not there* with them.

*1) **When* the other *disciples* *told him* *“We have seen the Lord*,” *Thomas said*, *“Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.”*

*a) *But *eight days later* *Jesus* again *appeared* *to* the *disciples* but *this time* *Thomas was with them*.

*2) **Jesus said to Thomas* *“Because thou hast seen me,* *thou hast believed:* *blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”*

*D) **True faith is based on God’s Word* and *not what can be* *SEEN*, *FELT *or *TOUCH*.

*1) **(2nd Corinthians 5:7)* says *“For we walk by faith, not by sight.*”

*a) *We are *not to be ruled* *by* what our *senses* tell us, *but* *by the Word* of God.

*III) **Back in (MARK 11:23) where Jesus said, “Shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe.”*

*A) *In that portion of scripture *Jesus is saying*, *“Don’t doubt,*” or you could say, *“refuse to let yourself doubt.”*

*1) *He says, *“Shall not doubt in his heart.”*

How does *DOUBT get into your HEART?*

*a) *It *starts* by *DOUBTING in your HEAD.*

*B) **(James 4:7)* Says*, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”*

*1) **Really, doubt is of the Devil*.

*a) **“DOUBT”* is *FAITH IN THE DEVIL* *that he will bring about the worst* and *you can resist anything that **is from the Devil and it has to flee*.

*C) **A very important part of faith and prayer is to “Give God **PRAISE *“

*1) **Philippians 4:6*

*a) *The words, *“Be careful for nothing”* *means don’t worry.*

*b) **That goes along with* what we were *just talking about*.

*2) **Worry is really doubt*.

*Paul’s telling us **not to worry or **doubt*.

*D) **Then he says*, *“But in every thing by prayer and supplication WITH THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known unto God.”*

*1) **Notice* that He’s saying; *“With thanksgiving* *let your requests be made known* unto God.” (KJV)

*a) **When you’re making a request* from God, *do it with thanksgiving.*

*b) **Thank Him for the answer **before you even see it.*

*(i) **Don’t wait until you have it*.

*(ii) **Thank Him **and Praise him **when you’re asking Him.*

*IV) *Turn with me to *Romans 4:20*.

*A) **In this story* here, *Abraham* *was* *promised a son* when he was a hundred years old *but* *Abraham did not stagger or waiver* *at God’s promise*.

*1) **He stayed strong in faith* *believing that if God said it*, *it was his*.

*2) *But *look at what Paul said* *about Abraham* at the *end of verse 20*, *“Giving glory to God.”*

*a) *The word *“GLORY”* refers to *“PRAISE.”*

*B) **Abraham* *gave* *GLORY OR PRAISE to God* *for his son* *before Sarah ever conceived*.

*1) **Giving God praise* *THAT HE HAS ALREADY GIVEN YOU THE ANSWER BEFORE YOU SEE IT is one of the highest forms of faith* *and* *one of the highest forms of prayer*.

*C) *Do you *remember* when *Paul and Silas* were *thrown into prison?*

*1) **They began to praise God* *that the already had the answer* *and* *that God has set them free* *when* they were *thrown* *into* the *deepest* darkest *dungeons*.

*a) **There is power in praise*.

All of a sudden *God began to shake the place*.

*Their chains* *fell on* *and* the *prison doors opened *wide.

*b) **Praise is going to set you free* *from any area that the Devil has you* *TRAPPED OR IN PRISON*.

*Praise will set you free from* *BONDAGE AND THE ATTACKS of the enemy*.

*2) **There is great power in FAITH*.

*There is great power in PRAYER and* *PRAISE is the highest form of prayer*.

*D) **When you’re going through a battle* *put on that garment of praise*, *it will bring you through those heavy times* *and it will bring you into victory*.

January 7, 1990 TFC & WOLCC 5~/24~/92 and Sunday, “Prevailing Prayer to Peace” by Kenneth E. Hagin, pages 11–16 discernment was taken mostly from prayer#2.doc

with some changes.

Sunday, August 16, 1998 some of this message is from prayer#2.doc,

but much of it has been changed.