Prayer Changes People And Things
Prayer AW Tozer • Sermon • Submitted
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Transcript
Anyone who reads that Bible can tell that God places the value of man over things.
He made us in His own image.
He created things to serve us.
However, we as humans live in a material body where matter, time, and space are things that are important to us.
Because our lives are so interwoven with the world, there are times when “things” interfere with our ability to grow in the Spirit.
There are many promises recorded in the Bible that encourages us to ask, seek, and knock so that unfavorable things can be changed or even removed when this happens.
The history of Israel demonstrates that God does hear us and answers prayer.
We need to realize when we ask God to take care of these matters, that if they are part of God’s eternal plan for our lives, he will not change it.
When it comes to these matters, we need to realize it doesn’t matter how many people, how long, or how earnestly they are praying.
If this is something God wants us to learn from or grow, He isn’t going to change things.
God is going to remain who He is.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
He is as sovereign, loving, omniscient.
His Word, promises, and commands don’t change.
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
Paul commands us
pray without ceasing,
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
In a world that is constantly changing, we are exhorted to pray.
God desires the best for us.
He will also do this at any cost for us.
He open up rivers in deserts
still turbulent waves
quiet the winds and to so much more if you look in the Bible for the things He’s done.
Understand, these things happened because it was in the will of God.
No one persuaded Him to do these things.
What we do when we pray, we bring our will into line with His will for our lives.
When we do this, prayer has changed us and has enabled God to change things in answer to our prayer.
We will begin to see things from a heavenly perspective instead of looking at them from a human perspective.
This won’t happen immediately, but as we continue in prayer it will change us.
Abraham
The depths of the friendship is shown in Genesis
Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?
and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.
The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
Friends don’t hide from each other.
This whole exchange deals with Sodom and Gomorrah.
This whole experience in prayer not only changed Abraham’s life, but his family’s, Lot’s family’s, and all those who Abraham had influence over.
May we be willing to embrace this change to further God’s glory.