Sermon
The Dependent Church: Growing in Prayer
Publisher transcript
Transcript
-
Hey, good morning. Guys, how are you? How are you doing so far?
-
Okay, so I guess none of you actually heard myself teaching the Bible because I never actually stand in front to preach.
-
But I want to share a little bit on my view on prayer.
-
So I hope that your group discussion will be helpful.
-
Any group has, this question is not applicable to them, meaning that they already pray as often as they should.
-
Any group? Okay, so the question actually is, you're trying to identify what are the things that hinder our prayer.
-
Okay, so I asked many Christian friends about the same question.
-
Why do we not pray as often as we should?
-
And the response fell into two categories.
-
The first category is that they tend to handle things in their own ways, meaning that there is very little consciousness of God in their own lives.
-
The second category falls into the fact that they are very skeptical whether prayer works in their situation in their lives.
-
So these two categories of response, I want you to take the next maybe 15 to 20 minutes to really let you to be convinced and convicted by the Holy Spirit
-
that the actual prayer is essential to our spiritual lives as water is essential to our physical lives.
-
Okay, let's put that into our main theme of this discussion.
-
So before I start, I want to briefly define what prayer is.
-
Okay, prayer simply is as us having an intentional communion with God.
-
Intentional communion with God, not a casual chat.
-
Intentional communion with God.
-
Some truth about Christian prayer that we may easily overlook and the implication worth to highlight here.
-
So let's consider the main passage.
-
If you have the Bible, you can turn to Matthew 6.
-
So this is where Jesus taught the disciples how to pray.
-
It is also called the Lord's Prayer.
-
I think everyone of us, most of us actually are familiar with the passage.
-
But we will refer to this passage with different references.
-
So Matthew 6.9.
-
Your fathers know what you need before you ask them.
-
Pray then like this.
-
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
-
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
-
Give us this day our daily bread.
-
And forgive our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.
-
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
-
First and foremost, I want to stress one important point.
-
It is that our prayer assumes a father and children relationship between us and God.
-
So as a father, God wants to hear from us just as a good earthly father wants to hear from their children.
-
So I still remember how I love to hear my daughter's story in her high school.
-
I want to know what makes her motivated.
-
I want to know what makes her happier.
-
So, me as a sinful and imperfect father, my desire is to provide her with whatever I can.
-
Right?
-
To make her happier.
-
So by the way, I did not tell my daughter about this.
-
So, if you know my daughter, don't tell her.
-
But how much more so our heavenly father is to us.
-
Think about it.
-
Right?
-
I am a sinful and imperfect father.
-
And our father in heaven is perfect.
-
So, in other words, non-Christian do not have this relationship with God.
-
It also means that whatever we talk about here may not be applicable to non-Christian.
-
Okay?
-
Second, prayer is being made according to our knowledge of who God is.
-
Unlike the Gentile God, Jesus told us in this passage, our father knows what we need before we ask of him.
-
Okay?
-
So, our goal of our prayer is then not to tell God about what we need as if he doesn't know.
-
He knows.
-
Okay?
-
So, instead, we present our needs to God because we know that God is pleased to hear our prayers and answer our prayers.
-
That's the essence of our prayer.
-
Okay.
-
We would like to take the discussion into three reasons why prayer is essential to our spiritual lives.
-
Okay?
-
The first reason, I noticed that you all have an iPad.
-
When we address God as our father, we are reminded that Jesus Christ is the one and what he has done on the cross to make this relationship possible.
-
Okay?
-
Correct?
-
And it is the work of the Holy Spirit within us, convince us that we are his children.
-
Sometimes we, why God is my father?
-
Why I am his children.
-
Right?
-
It's the work of the Holy Spirit.
-
In Romans 8.15, Paul told us, you have received the spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, Abba, Father.
-
The Holy Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
-
So, the work of the Holy Spirit within us actually validate our status with our father.
-
Second, our father wants to hear exactly or really hear from us from our hearts what we really need.
-
Okay?
-
It's not what we should ask for God.
-
Okay?
-
Sometimes we're just trying to frame our prayer into something.
-
Oh, let's ask God for whatever he wants.
-
No.
-
God wants us to tell her or tell him what exactly we want.
-
Okay?
-
In Hebrew 10.22, let us come near God with a sincere heart and a sure faith.
-
So, God really opened a safe space for all of us.
-
For us to pray for anything and everything.
-
As long as it is a sincere desire from our hearts.
-
Right?
-
In our prayer, we also express our gratitude to God.
-
Okay?
-
If you look at the Lord's Prayer,
-
we hallow his name.
-
Okay?
-
We think about how he treats us with his goodness and faithfulness.
-
We are counting the faithfulness and goodness of God.
-
We are hallowing his name for his holy character.
-
I don't know about you.
-
I think there are many facets of God's holiness that we can praise him with.
-
Right?
-
For me, I'm always amazed by this fact.
-
That God is just.
-
But he justified the wicked by paying the penalty of their sins.
-
Who are the wicked?
-
We are the wicked.
-
What area of God's holiness do you want to praise him with?
-
That's the question I pose to you.
-
Think about this.
-
Right?
-
God has a lot of attributes that demonstrate his holiness.
-
In our prayer, we also align our requests to God's desire.
-
Mainly, what is God's desire or Jesus' desire?
-
God's desire is the coming of his kingdom and the doing of his will.
-
So this is in the Lord's Prayer as well.
-
Have you ever thought of God's providing us three meals a day?
-
And a job to live and be part of his will as well?
-
It is true.
-
Yes, this is also part of his will to provide us the necessity of our lives.
-
And it is glorifying God when God provides us those needs.
-
Through prayer, God wants to build a trusting relationship with us.
-
So when we think about prayer, it's to offer, to ask for something.
-
But actually, God wants to build a trusting relationship with him.
-
The more we pray, the more we see God answer our prayer.
-
And the more we can trust God.
-
And in turn, this increase of trust will cause us to pray more.
-
And not only for our petitions.
-
God also wants us to draw close to him in a time of our difficulties.
-
So the difficulties may come with different forms from your job, from your family, you know, the passing of loved ones.
-
A lot of those things.
-
God wants us to put our hope into the right place.
-
Namely, his grace and his mercy.
-
Hebrews 4.16
-
The author encourages us this.
-
Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in times of deep.
-
So we talk about prayer deepening our relationship with God.
-
The second reason why prayer is essential is that we cannot do anything apart from God.
-
We desperately need to depend on him all the time.
-
The reason is Jesus himself expressed his total dependency to God.
-
John 5.19
-
Jesus said,
-
Truthfully, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord.
-
Okay?
-
And Jesus also later applied the same truth to his disciples.
-
So which, I think, Kevin mentioned it.
-
John 15.5
-
Jesus said,
-
Whoever abides in me and I in him, he bear much fruit.
-
For apart from me, you can do nothing.
-
So if Jesus totally depends on his Father to live his earthly life,
-
how much more that we should depend on Jesus to live our own lives.
-
Also, according to the Lord's Prayer,
-
Jesus alluded to a total dependence on God for all our needs.
-
We depend on God for all our needs.
-
Our emotional needs, our physical needs, as well as our spiritual needs.
-
When Jesus asked us to pray,
-
Give us this day our daily bread.
-
It speaks to the fact that we depend on him for every spiritual or physical needs.
-
Right?
-
Every breath we take.
-
Everything we eat.
-
Okay?
-
So when my,
-
I think my son asked me when I pray before a meal,
-
Why do you pray that for,
-
You know, give thanks to the meal?
-
Because you make money,
-
You cost the food on the table,
-
You pay for everything,
-
And shrimp my wife cooked.
-
Right?
-
Nothing God is involved.
-
But actually,
-
In the Lord's Prayer,
-
God is saying the opposite.
-
Give us this day our daily bread.
-
Because everything behind it,
-
Is what is God providing us.
-
The health of us.
-
Right?
-
The resources.
-
Right?
-
The friends.
-
The wife.
-
Or people who share the meal with me.
-
So all God's.
-
So asking God to forgive our debts,
-
Points to our desperate need of his constant forgiveness.
-
Do you know how difficult it is when you have a relationship with a friend,
-
That you hate him,
-
Or hate her.
-
It's very difficult,
-
Right?
-
You keep,
-
So we need to keep that peace,
-
Between the,
-
In the relationship between us and God.
-
And this requires constant forgiveness.
-
Jesus also asked us to pray,
-
Lead us not into temptation,
-
And deliver us from evil.
-
He reminded us,
-
God is the only powerful person,
-
In this universe,
-
That can help us,
-
To fight spiritual attacks.
-
It's not us.
-
It's not anything else.
-
It's God.
-
Okay?
-
So we are totally dependent,
-
On God in,
-
Many, many aspects.
-
Or all aspects of our lives.
-
Now,
-
Dependence on God is not,
-
Just an event,
-
Or something happens,
-
In your family,
-
Then you depend on God.
-
Dependence on God,
-
Is a heart disposition,
-
A heart disposition,
-
That expresses itself,
-
In our continuous prayer.
-
Okay?
-
So when Paul had the idea,
-
With the church of Bethsaida,
-
He mentioned,
-
Pray unceasingly.
-
What does it really mean,
-
By pray unceasingly?
-
Praying unceasingly,
-
Means that,
-
We pray regularly.
-
We have an attitude,
-
Of God's consciousness,
-
And God's surrender,
-
At all times.
-
So,
-
Prayer also,
-
So,
-
A heart disposition,
-
Disposition of,
-
Persistent prayer,
-
Also means that,
-
Prayer should be our first response,
-
To every fearful situation,
-
We are in.
-
Right?
-
To every anxious thought,
-
We develop in ourselves.
-
And to every hatred,
-
We hold,
-
Or we harbor against each other.
-
Right?
-
So this is what,
-
Persist or unceasing prayer,
-
Is about.
-
So we talk about,
-
Prayer deepening our relationship,
-
We talk about,
-
We can't do anything,
-
Apart from God.
-
We need,
-
Full dependence,
-
On God himself.
-
Prayer is also,
-
It's essential also,
-
Because God answered our prayer.
-
You don't know how,
-
So God answered our prayer.
-
Agree?
-
Disagree?
-
Okay.
-
So,
-
And we need to experience,
-
God answering our prayer,
-
In order to actually,
-
Help us to have a spiritual life.
-
Right?
-
Otherwise God is just,
-
A remote person.
-
So,
-
Let's be honest now,
-
Prayer is not,
-
It's often our last resort,
-
Instead of the first resort,
-
As we talk about it.
-
And,
-
We try everything on our own.
-
Right?
-
In the end,
-
We cannot,
-
We solve it.
-
We come to God,
-
And we pray to God.
-
So,
-
In the book of James,
-
We see the same problem,
-
Of the disciple,
-
At that church.
-
Okay?
-
James 4.2,
-
You do not have,
-
Because you do not ask.
-
You never ask.
-
So,
-
What James seems to be saying,
-
God has the answer,
-
Of our prayers ready.
-
It is up to us,
-
To ask it,
-
And pray for it.
-
Okay?
-
Apostle John,
-
Even told us,
-
To expect God,
-
Has already answered,
-
Our prayer,
-
When we pray.
-
So,
-
In 1 John 5.14,
-
John told us,
-
If we ask anything,
-
According to his will,
-
He hear us,
-
And if we know,
-
He hear us,
-
Whatever we ask,
-
We know that,
-
We have what we ask of him.
-
Right?
-
We already have it.
-
Think about it.
-
Expect.
-
Now,
-
You may ask a question,
-
A lot of times we pray,
-
God did not answer our prayer.
-
Is it?
-
True?
-
Yeah.
-
So,
-
Does God always give us,
-
Everything we ask?
-
And the answer is,
-
No.
-
Unfortunately.
-
And,
-
I think it's a blessing.
-
Because sometimes,
-
We ask for stupid things.
-
And God will give you stupid things,
-
You will become stupid.
-
So,
-
I'm glad that,
-
This,
-
This,
-
This,
-
This truth is here.
-
God is sovereign,
-
Of all things.
-
And God is sovereign,
-
For all people.
-
He will do whatever he wants.
-
Right?
-
His will,
-
Does not depend on our prayer.
-
Okay?
-
True?
-
Otherwise,
-
It will be a horrible,
-
You know,
-
The universe,
-
Becoming a very horrible,
-
Universe.
-
God may say no to us,
-
Because we are asking,
-
With a wrong motive.
-
Or a wrong reason.
-
And God is not going to give,
-
Us things that will hurt us.
-
You know,
-
Sometimes we pray for things,
-
That actually hurt ourselves.
-
Okay?
-
If you don't know,
-
Just try to find out.
-
So,
-
You will find something.
-
Sometimes we ask,
-
For the right thing.
-
With the right motive.
-
But God seems to,
-
Still not,
-
Answering our prayer.
-
God seems to be,
-
Very silent.
-
I don't know if you have,
-
That kind of experience.
-
If you have that kind of,
-
Experience.
-
Experience.
-
We are,
-
We are in,
-
No argue.
-
But,
-
You are not alone,
-
If you look at the scripture.
-
There are many saints,
-
In the Bible,
-
Actually,
-
Experience the same thing.
-
They pray,
-
With the right motive,
-
For the right thing.
-
But still,
-
God is not answering.
-
I take a,
-
Good example of,
-
Paul.
-
Paul prayed for,
-
God to remove,
-
The thorn of the flesh,
-
From his body.
-
And God,
-
Say no three times to him.
-
Basically,
-
The reason,
-
Is that God wants to,
-
Make Paul more reliance on him,
-
In his ministry,
-
In spite of his weakness.
-
Second,
-
Very good example,
-
Is when Jesus prayed,
-
The cup to remove from me.
-
God did not answer.
-
So,
-
God's ways is higher,
-
And his plan is higher.
-
And,
-
I am very comfortable with it.
-
But when we pray,
-
We are,
-
We can assure that,
-
God always,
-
Gives the best,
-
For us.
-
He,
-
In,
-
In Romans 8,
-
28,
-
It will,
-
We affirm us,
-
That God calls all things,
-
To work for good,
-
For those who love him.
-
Right?
-
This,
-
We affirm,
-
That God is going to,
-
Have the best interest,
-
For ourselves,
-
When we pray,
-
Pray to him.
-
I hope you find comfort,
-
As I do,
-
That,
-
Knowing that God is,
-
In control of our lives,
-
Not ourselves.
-
Right?
-
If you are not comfortable with it,
-
You can ask,
-
Niels,
-
Niels,
-
Or Kevin,
-
They may be able to provide you,
-
A better answer.
-
But I am very comfortable.
-
Okay,
-
So,
-
Let's get a little bit practical.
-
What does it look like,
-
To be a man of prayer?
-
Or,
-
A woman of prayer?
-
Okay,
-
A good way of looking,
-
At prayer,
-
Is that,
-
It is more of a Christian lifestyle,
-
We adopt.
-
When we pray,
-
As an individual,
-
First of all,
-
We set aside,
-
Quality time,
-
To pray with God.
-
Okay,
-
This is important,
-
Because Jesus asks us,
-
To,
-
You know,
-
Go to a private room,
-
And pray,
-
Or have a devotion time with him.
-
So,
-
Starting the day,
-
With a devotion time with prayer,
-
Really put a lot of things,
-
Into a proper perspective,
-
For the day.
-
Try it,
-
In the morning.
-
I try,
-
You know,
-
I've been,
-
Doing this for a long time.
-
But it is really helpful.
-
Pray unceasingly,
-
During the day.
-
Okay,
-
We mentioned about this.
-
But how does it look like,
-
In real life?
-
I'll give you some examples.
-
When I wake up,
-
We pray for God's mercy,
-
To cover my day.
-
When we go to work,
-
We ask,
-
God's wisdom,
-
To handle,
-
The task at hand.
-
When we take care of our homes,
-
We ask God for patience,
-
With our children.
-
When we engage friends,
-
We ask for graciousness,
-
In our words.
-
To build up one another.
-
And when we go to bed,
-
What we do,
-
What we are doing,
-
We give thanks to God,
-
For everything,
-
That he has provided us.
-
So I,
-
I hope you get the idea.
-
And we should,
-
Another thing,
-
I sometimes notice,
-
I sometimes notice,
-
When we pray,
-
We pray,
-
Without a specific request.
-
Okay,
-
So you simply pray God,
-
To bless you,
-
Without specifying,
-
What you want God,
-
To bless you for.
-
That's a problem.
-
How would you expect,
-
God to answer you?
-
Alright,
-
So,
-
Make sure you put your request,
-
Specific request,
-
In your prayer.
-
So in Philippians 4, 6,
-
Paul told us,
-
Do not be anxious about anything,
-
But in everything,
-
By prayer and supplication,
-
With thanksgiving,
-
Let your specific request,
-
Be known to God.
-
Your specific request.
-
It is through,
-
Persistent,
-
Asking,
-
Of specific requests,
-
God show us,
-
How he operates,
-
And how he provides to us.
-
It is a wonderful experience.
-
I just want to share,
-
A little bit on,
-
The fact that sometimes,
-
We do,
-
We really do not want to pray.
-
Okay,
-
Sometimes,
-
I experience that,
-
I don't know if you want,
-
You guys have that experience.
-
Sometimes,
-
We do not want to pray,
-
And we do not know,
-
What to pray.
-
Especially in the time,
-
When we are,
-
You know,
-
Far away from God.
-
Okay,
-
But be sure that,
-
Even during those times,
-
The Holy Spirit,
-
Is praying for us.
-
Right?
-
Roman 8,
-
26,
-
Paul made this point,
-
Very clear.
-
In the same way,
-
The Spirit,
-
Also help our witness.
-
For we do not know,
-
How to pray as we should,
-
But the Spirit himself,
-
In the seat for us,
-
With groaning,
-
Two deeps of words.
-
So what does it really mean?
-
I have an experience,
-
I want to share with you.
-
I recall,
-
During the COVID outbreak,
-
Okay?
-
Where travel,
-
Travel restriction,
-
Is in place.
-
I was so anxious,
-
About my son,
-
Jeremy,
-
His first trip,
-
Going to Canada,
-
But all by himself,
-
To start his college life.
-
And I want to think,
-
All the things,
-
In my own hands.
-
If I'll be honest,
-
I really did not want,
-
To pray to God,
-
Because I did not want,
-
To surrender,
-
My view to his will.
-
So I am kind of struggling,
-
Suffering,
-
In our anxieties.
-
But at that time,
-
The Holy Spirit,
-
In past,
-
Appoint,
-
My heart,
-
A question from God.
-
So let me just try to read it,
-
So that I won't.
-
So God is,
-
Basically asking me this question,
-
Where were you,
-
When I took care of Jeremy,
-
All along,
-
In his life?
-
When you were,
-
Completely unaware.
-
So it really opened my eyes,
-
To see the comprehensiveness,
-
Of God's love.
-
And I was,
-
Of course,
-
God,
-
Brought me to,
-
On my knees,
-
For repentance,
-
And also,
-
My understanding,
-
Of the,
-
Death and breath of God,
-
Is in a,
-
In a different level.
-
So,
-
Sometimes,
-
Holy Spirit,
-
Will do things like this.
-
I still remember,
-
Fast forward,
-
To a few weeks ago,
-
A similar worry came,
-
I prayed,
-
And was immediately reminded,
-
Of my previous experience.
-
The Spirit recalled,
-
The same question,
-
From God to me.
-
And,
-
In this time,
-
I'm much better,
-
Than last time.
-
The worry,
-
Did not bear,
-
Any food in me.
-
I slept,
-
Like a pig.
-
You see,
-
The Holy Spirit,
-
Is at work,
-
In us all the time.
-
When you are sensitive,
-
To the leading of the Holy Spirit,
-
In your prayers,
-
He will surprise you,
-
With how much,
-
God loves,
-
And cares for you.
-
A man of prayer,
-
A woman of prayer,
-
Also participate,
-
In a corporate prayer.
-
Okay,
-
We talk about,
-
Corporate prayer.
-
We talk about,
-
Watermark,
-
Monthly,
-
Prayer Meeting.
-
And I want to,
-
Make sure that,
-
You understand that,
-
Jesus,
-
In the Lord's prayer,
-
Also,
-
Has in mind,
-
Of a community,
-
Of believers.
-
When he asks us,
-
To pray,
-
Forgive us sins.
-
Give us,
-
A daily bread.
-
Right?
-
Lead us,
-
Not into temptation.
-
Jesus,
-
Always has a,
-
Community of believers,
-
In his mind,
-
When he taught,
-
The believers,
-
How to pray.
-
Okay,
-
So,
-
In other words,
-
Praying together,
-
With brothers and sisters,
-
Is very important.
-
And this is what,
-
Is in Jesus' mind,
-
All the time.
-
We could learn,
-
How to engage,
-
God from each other,
-
Through corporate prayers.
-
We can pray for each other,
-
We can,
-
Confess sins,
-
With each other.
-
You know,
-
When you confess sins,
-
Your prayer,
-
Becomes much more effective.
-
Okay,
-
James 5,
-
16.
-
James told the church,
-
Therefore,
-
Confess your sins,
-
To one another.
-
And pray for one another,
-
So,
-
You may be healed.
-
The effective prayer,
-
Of a righteous man,
-
Can accomplish much.
-
So,
-
I hope that you believe this.
-
I hope that,
-
When we confess sins,
-
With each other,
-
We actually produce,
-
Effective prayer.
-
When we pray together,
-
We also experience,
-
The power of prayer,
-
In unity.
-
So,
-
We see this play out,
-
In Acts 4,
-
When the apostle,
-
Was warned by the authority,
-
Not to preach the gospel.
-
And they came to the room,
-
Praying with the brothers and sisters,
-
And later on,
-
God give them boldness,
-
Including the brothers and sisters,
-
That they invited to pray for.
-
To proclaim,
-
The God gospel,
-
Even in those circumstances.
-
So,
-
There's a power,
-
In corporate prayer,
-
When we pray,
-
In unity.
-
Of course,
-
We also want to encourage you,
-
To form some prayer partners,
-
Because,
-
Monthly prayer meeting,
-
Is not frequent enough,
-
Kevin.
-
And,
-
And,
-
And we need some prayer partners,
-
So that when we need somebody,
-
To pray with,
-
We have somebody.
-
Right,
-
We can pray as often,
-
As we need to.
-
Okay,
-
It's very important.
-
So,
-
I think,
-
I'm all right.
-
So,
-
I just want to leave you,
-
One more thoughts,
-
One more thoughts,
-
On the practicality of prayer.
-
If I'm honest,
-
How often,
-
Do our prayer,
-
Like lip service,
-
I don't know if you feel like,
-
We pray,
-
For example,
-
Oh God,
-
May you bless the church,
-
With care and love.
-
And in our mind,
-
We actually are saying,
-
God,
-
Please let Kevin and News,
-
Or someone else,
-
In Watermark church,
-
To love and care well,
-
For the church.
-
What,
-
My point is,
-
Apart from asking God,
-
Our needs,
-
Prayer is also,
-
Responding to God,
-
With our participation,
-
To address the needs.
-
Okay,
-
So,
-
When we pray,
-
For his kingdom to come,
-
We are also telling God,
-
That we are offering ourselves,
-
As a living sacrifice,
-
To facilitate the coming,
-
Of his kingdom,
-
When we pray,
-
For his will to be done,
-
We are telling God,
-
That we are surrender,
-
Our will to your will,
-
Our desire to your desire,
-
So,
-
If we are praying,
-
Like this,
-
As a church,
-
I'm sure our prayer,
-
Will change us,
-
And change the church,
-
So,
-
I want to stop here,
-
Because,
-
Of time,
-
But I want to leave you with,
-
Maybe late,
-
Next time,
-
I still have a,
-
So,
-
Let's do a five minutes,
-
Reflection,
-
Okay,
-
So,
-
The reflection question,
-
Is in your,
-
Hands out,
-
And I put down some points,
-
Some questions,
-
To help you to,
-
To help you to reflect on,
-
You know,
-
The importance of prayer,
-
And how and why,
-
It is essential,
-
To our spiritual lives,
-
So,
-
Keep that five minutes,
-
And our,
-
News is going to come,
-
And wrap this up,
-
Great,
-
Why don't we get back together,
-
And say,
-
If you have a Bible,
-
Turn or scroll,
-
To Ephesians 3,
-
I just want to,
-
Close us with some,
-
Final encouragement,
-
So,
-
We've,
-
We've,
-
We've seen our mission impossible,
-
Right,
-
We've seen,
-
How difficult this is,
-
Something we can never,
-
Do by ourselves,
-
We need the Holy Spirit's power,
-
And,
-
Well,
-
We will only have,
-
Holy Spirit's power,
-
If we pray,
-
And we will only pray,
-
If we have faith,
-
We,
-
We really need to grow,
-
In these things,
-
But will God answer,
-
Will he do this work in us,
-
Well,
-
I want to look at these,
-
Last two verses,
-
Of Ephesians 3,
-
I think they're great,
-
Verses 20 and 21,
-
They're great,
-
Because they come after,
-
A prayer for the spirit,
-
To change us,
-
Which is,
-
What we are,
-
Talking about,
-
And it comes before,
-
This call to,
-
Live a life,
-
Worthy of our calling,
-
Which seems so impossible,
-
But this is what Paul,
-
Prays,
-
Verses 20 and 21,
-
Ephesians 3,
-
Now to him,
-
Who is able,
-
To do far more,
-
Abundantly,
-
Than all that we ask,
-
Or think,
-
According to the power,
-
At work within us,
-
To him be glory,
-
In the church,
-
And in Christ Jesus,
-
Throughout all generations,
-
Forever and ever,
-
Amen,
-
Now I just want to make,
-
Two very simple,
-
Encouragement from the verses,
-
First of all,
-
God is able,
-
Right,
-
That's very clearly,
-
What it says,
-
Now to him,
-
Who is able,
-
God is able,
-
To do this,
-
He's able to do,
-
What we ask,
-
Not just a little bit able,
-
Right,
-
He can do far more,
-
Abundantly,
-
Than all that we ask,
-
Or think,
-
So as we ask,
-
To him to grow us,
-
As he asks him,
-
To change us,
-
As we ask him,
-
To work through us,
-
He can do far more,
-
Than we ask,
-
Or think,
-
And I know,
-
These are popular verses,
-
Of course,
-
We can apply them,
-
To everything,
-
Right,
-
A few days ago,
-
I was praying these verses,
-
About our venue search,
-
Right,
-
I can think of a great venue,
-
You know,
-
Well,
-
God can do far more,
-
Abundantly than that,
-
God can provide,
-
You know,
-
He's taking his time,
-
But,
-
Right,
-
But actually,
-
That's not what's in Paul's mind,
-
He's not thinking of venues,
-
What is he thinking about?
-
Well,
-
According to the power,
-
At work within us,
-
Paul is thinking of,
-
God's work inside us,
-
God's work by the spirit,
-
In our hearts,
-
Changing us,
-
Making us live a life,
-
Worthy of his calling,
-
Right,
-
That is,
-
What he is thinking of,
-
God is,
-
More than able,
-
To change us,
-
Maybe you're struggling,
-
With love,
-
You're struggling,
-
With patience,
-
And you ask,
-
The Lord,
-
Change me,
-
Well,
-
Can we pray that in faith?
-
Yes,
-
The God who can create,
-
A whole universe,
-
Out of nothing,
-
The God who can raise the dead,
-
That God can change your heart,
-
Even though you can't do it yourself,
-
God is able,
-
He can work in our hearts,
-
He can make us the ambassadors,
-
We need to be,
-
He can work in other people's hearts,
-
To bring them to Christ,
-
God is able,
-
And,
-
Second,
-
Not just God is able,
-
Of course,
-
Able is one thing,
-
But second,
-
God is willing,
-
God wants us to grow,
-
And change,
-
Right?
-
Partially what he,
-
He tells us to,
-
So it must be,
-
It must be possible,
-
But look at what Paul prays,
-
To him be glory,
-
In the church,
-
And in Christ Jesus,
-
Now this is different from growth,
-
But it's related,
-
Right?
-
God's glory is involved,
-
When we pray,
-
God is glorified,
-
When we,
-
You know,
-
When we do good deeds,
-
And people see that,
-
God is glorified,
-
So,
-
In a way,
-
We are asking,
-
Things to do with God's glory,
-
And as we all know,
-
That's very close to God's heart,
-
Right?
-
God does everything,
-
For the praise of his glory,
-
That is ultimate,
-
God will do everything,
-
For his glory,
-
And so if we ask him,
-
To change us,
-
Well we are asking God,
-
To glorify himself,
-
And he will do that,
-
Right?
-
That's very close to his heart,
-
So maybe you're struggling,
-
With some sin,
-
Will God change me?
-
Does God want to,
-
Want that?
-
Well maybe,
-
You're not sure,
-
But actually,
-
Does God want to be glorified,
-
In your life?
-
He wants to,
-
Right?
-
We know that,
-
That's what he wants,
-
And so,
-
We know,
-
We will do this,
-
Right?
-
He wants us to be,
-
This beautiful billboard,
-
Advertising his plan,
-
He wants us to be,
-
Ambassadors,
-
Who beautifully represent him,
-
In all the places,
-
In Hong Kong,
-
Where he sends us,
-
We know that,
-
Right?
-
And God,
-
Of course doesn't,
-
Answer directly,
-
He doesn't make us,
-
All perfect,
-
He wants us to be dependent,
-
But,
-
You know,
-
We are praying,
-
For the Holy Spirit,
-
To change us,
-
Right?
-
To make us holy,
-
Will the Holy Spirit,
-
Make us holy?
-
Of course,
-
Right?
-
So God is able,
-
And God is willing,
-
And so don't give up hope,
-
Right?
-
You can change,
-
We can change,
-
We can grow in this,
-
And we can go,
-
For this mission,
-
God is able,
-
To help us,
-
God is willing,
-
To help us,
-
By the power,
-
Of his Holy Spirit,
-
When we pray,
-
In faith,
-
And then he'll do,
-
Amazing things,
-
In each of our hearts,
-
And in our church,
-
To the praise,
-
Of his glory,
-
Amen,
-
Why don't I,
-
Lead us in prayer,
-
I think that sounds,
-
Very appropriate,
-
Our father,
-
These are such big things,
-
That we're asking,
-
And yet we pray,
-
To a God,
-
Who is even bigger,
-
A God,
-
Who made the universe,
-
And therefore,
-
Has the power,
-
To change us,
-
To make us,
-
The church,
-
You want us to be,
-
A church that fully relies,
-
On the spirit,
-
And by the spirit's power,
-
Lives,
-
And loves,
-
Here in Hong Kong,
-
A church that,
-
Prays,
-
A church that sees you,
-
That has faith in you,
-
And therefore,
-
Shries out to you,
-
Unceasingly,
-
Constantly,
-
Father,
-
We can't do this ourselves,
-
By ourselves,
-
We can do nothing,
-
But,
-
You can,
-
You are able,
-
And you are willing,
-
And so we lay hold,
-
On that in faith,
-
Make us the church,
-
You want us to be,
-
For your,
-
Great glory,
-
Amen,
-
Amen,
-
Amen,
-
Amen,