Yes, according to our dear Lord … some prayers can never be answered without certain prerequisites being met!

These prayers might be called, appropriately so, “conditional” prayers.

Let me give you a few examples. They should aid us in becoming better prayer warriors for Jesus, better intercessors for others!

Let’s say a person, a Believer in Christ, has sinned. And realizes that he needs forgiveness to continue praying effectively. (“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Psalm 66:18) So, in accordance to 1st John 1:9 (“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive ….”) I pray for said forgiveness. But, I do not sense that true cleansing has occurred!

But I sincerely prayed.

In faith.

Surely such is promised me.

Yes, but conditionally so.

Let me show you now something else Jesus said, about prayer. About certain aspects of God’s answering prayer.

“If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:15, amazing!

In other words, my receiving “forgiveness,” as a Believer anyway, is based on my willingness to forgive others of the wrongs they’ve committed against me!

If I am bitter toward another person, not forgiving him or her … there are consequences!

This is the reason for many an unanswered prayer, too!

It’s the same with prayers for bearing “fruit” or “more fruit” or even “much fruit” for the Kingdom of God! (These terms are quoted from John 15) Yes, God wants to bless us with success for our labors. BUT JESUS ALSO SAID … “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” John 15:4, where fruit bearing is conditional on living in harmony, abiding in Christ!

If I’m not living for Jesus (communing with Him constantly, interacting with Him and loving Him deeply) I will not be blessed with such fruit!

Then again, another reason for unanswered prayer. Some prayers are not only based on God’s Will being done, but also require the cooperation of others.

“Lord, save my lost friend!” God is willing, for sure! (“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”) But, is my friend willing? God will not override that person’s volition!

My Bible example here is Simon Peter. Jesus warned him in advance that he would curse and deny the Lord! And Jesus told Peter He was praying for him! Yet Peter still sinned! Was Jesus’ prayer unanswered? I don’t know! But Peter’s carnal (proud) desires certainly were fulfilled! “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.” Luke 22:31-32

Yet … “Peter followed (Jesus) afar off. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them. But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him. AND HE DENIED HIM, saying, Woman, I KNOW HIM NOT. And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I AM NOT. And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I KNOW NOT WHAT THOU SAYEST. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.” Luke 22:54-60, only twenty-two verses after Jesus’ prayer!

Yes, the answers to some of our prayers depends on the various responses of those for whom we are praying. God honors their freedom to choose!

Then quickly, there’s a third reason in God’s program for unanswered prayer. (Three of who knows how many!) The overall scheme of Bible Prophecy! It’s grand trajectory!

I am praying now that America will continue to “stand” with Israel. Yet it seems our nation is drifting further and further away from supporting our greatest ally on earth! I realize U. S. Presidential Administrations play a part in this. But what if we are nearing the time of the Rapture, the Tribulation? The time when ultimately all nations will forsake that little Israelite Nation? When eventually God will do what He says in Zechariah 14:2. “For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken ….” No matter how hard I pray for specifics … God will NOT upset His general Prophetic Plan to accommodate some aberration I might ask. His Will must be done.

I’m just trying to illustrate some circumstances that help explain why prayers may not be answered. Not to keep you from praying … but to help you realize the vast importance of asking everything according to the all-wise Will of a loving Heavenly Father!

Someone said, “Prayer is not twisting God’s Arm! Prayer is rather shaping my heart to accept and delight in God’s Will, whatever that might be!”

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

I can.

It is possible.

But … should I?

Is it best?

Using the New Testament’s prayer promises … a Believer in Christ almost has “carte blanche” in the area of prayer. Within the confines of God’s Will, of course. Jesus in John 14:14. “If ye shall ask ANY THING in my name, I will do it.”

But, Oh, the Wisdom earnest prayer requires!

Here’s part of Romans 8:26, to explain. “The Holy Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us.” We do not (often) know!

And while many, many areas of prayer are “lawful,” all may not be “expedient!” Quoting or borrowing Paul’s adjectives from 1st Corinthians 6:12.

Now, as promised … to Jesus!

At the very moment our Saviour was being arrested, about the time Peter was unsheathing his sword, Jesus said: “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than TWELVE LEGIONS of angels?” Matthew 26:53, He could have prayed for such a dramatic rescue! And He, no doubt, would have received it.

But Jesus knew that was not “best,” not “expedient” for the salvation of lost souls! Not “best” for the fulfillment of Bible Prophecy either!

Listen to what He said next: “But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” What a Lord we serve!

The request for angels would not have been wrong, not a sin at all. But it was not asked … due to a greater need!

Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer gives another such occasion. He, pleading with His Father voices: “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” John 17:15

Yes, He could pray for our immediate transport to Heaven, at the very moment of salvation, should He so desire. Read the verse again! But … He better thought, “they need to be in the world” (to witness to the lost, to glorify my Father in the presence of darkness) … so I will ask that they “be kept” (protected) from  the evil (one), from the Devil! Still “in” the world … but not “overcome” by the world!

He again refused one possibility in order to embrace a better outcome!

In each of these two foregoing cases, Jesus discerned the Father’s PERFECT WILL, and acquiesced to Such! Listen … God’s Will is not something prohibitive! Not something punitive!

God is Wise, is Wisdom Itself!

He KNOWS what is best … for us, for the world, for all creation!

Here’s the apex of all Prayer, its very highest point … “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE …” Matthew 6:9-10, truly the Lord’s Prayer!

A clear-cut NO from God, based on His always-what’s-best Will … is kinder and wiser and sweeter (eventually) that a YES would have been from anyone else!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Jesus taught as much about prayer indirectly as directly, I think. Today I’d like to show you seveal examples of what I mean. Especially in the category of “unanswered prayer.” Maybe I had better say, “unanswerable prayer!”

Note this. Our Lord always “links” the kind of man (or woman) who is praying … to the surety of the answers he receives of God. In other words, a wicked man will not experience much in the area of successful prayer! (“He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.” Proverbs 28:9)

For a specific example of this, Matthew 6:5. “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.”

If I pray “to be seen” of men, I can forget enjoying any true answers to those prayers! Looks like their “showing-off” becomes their “reward” for such prayer. God is not listening, anyway!

Wow!

Then look again. We go from the religious crowd (albeit empty religion) to the “heathen” crowd, overtly sinful people. “But when ye pray, use not VAIN REPETITIONS, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their MUCH SPEAKING.” Matthew 6:7

“Vain repetitions” mind you, not just any kind of repetition! The unsaved in Jesus’ day, particularly the gentiles, prayed using “incantations.” Magic “formulas,” that would attract the gods! Christ here is warning against such syncretism! It means “mixing” religions! Many words do not always translate into many answers! Once Peter prayed a three word prayer and it brought immediate response from Jesus. “But when Peter saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, LORD, SAVE ME.” Matthew 14:30

Just memorizing and rattling off (a pretty good definition for “vain repetitions”) a set of pre-memorized platitudes will NOT guarantee a hearing in the Courts of Heaven!

Then too, prayers prayed in the wrong spirit … will not be answered! For example, Luke 9:51-56, a prayer that never would have been answered! “And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, WILT THOU THAT WE COMMAND FIRE TO COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, AND CONSUME THEM, Even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, YE KNOW NOT WHAT MANNER OF SPIRIT YE ARE OF. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.”

Lord, may we command (pray) fire down from heaven on this crowd? No, Jesus came to save, not incinerate! People with vengeful spirits do not gets answers to their prayers.

One more picture today. This one is multifaceted, for sure. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.” Jesus Himself said this in Matthew 23:14.

Not only will these individuals not see answers to their prayers … they will be severely judged for their hypocrisy! They mistreat the lowly, widows being mentioned specifically. Remember, by now Jesus’ Mother was likely a widow! Joseph not being mentioned after Jesus’ trip to the Temple when but 12 years of age. Cheat others … destroy your power in prayer!

Praying in “pretence” too. The word (Greek “prophasis”) means “for purposes of putting oneself in the light,” the spotlight! Proud praying!

Forget it, Pharisees! No answers for you, either.

See what I’ve done today, or tried to do?

Jesus, as He taught day after day, constantly preached that certain people will not be heard of God! There is a correlation between how one lives … and how God hears!

Unless … except … a person is a sinner, hungry for salvation! There, no matter the past, this payer will suffice: “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Luke 18:13, wonderful!

More Monday, the Lord willing … about Jesus and prayer.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Yes, I’m calling our Saviour the “Master” of prayer!

He is the only One Who could have ever truthfully said to His Father, “I know that thou hearest me always.” John 11:42, a fact that qualifies Him as the Supreme Prayer Warrior of all time!

And other than an event that occurred in the life of John the Baptist (an event just indirectly mentioned in Scripture) … only Jesus was asked of His followers: “Lord, teach us to pray.” Luke 11:1

So, for the next few mornings we shall look at Jesus, Man of Prayer!

Surely the emphasis in that request (“Lord, teach us to pray”) partly rests on the pronoun! “Lord, teach US to pray!”

Students in the school of payer!

You and me!

But first a caution.

Uniquely, Jesus prays as God the Son! The “only begotten” of the Father. Jesus is God! God incarnate! And we cannot pray like that! Our Lord merely “asks,” while we often must “plead.” He can ask the Father “at will,” while I need the guidance of the Holy Spirit!

For example, John 17:24 records Jesus saying: “Father, I will that ….” In Greek “thelo” the verb means “to desire!” Jesus can “desire” something done and it is done!

Still, there is much we can learn from our Teacher.

He even left us a “model” Prayer, didn’t He?

I can hardly wait to see what “Jewels” the Holy Spirit will show us … learning at the Feet of Jesus!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

The Lord willing, another “Lesson” tomorrow morning.

 

 

Let me show you something about the Book of Nehemiah, really about the man himself.

With 13 chapters, a total of 406 verses … this Portion of Scripture may be the most prayer saturated of all the Word of God! Again, the Book of Nehemiah. Which is largely biographical.

This simply means that Nehemiah is indeed a prayer warrior!

In chapter 1 of Nehemiah, as soon as this godly man hears of Jerusalem’s lowly condition, “And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and PRAYED before the God of heaven.” Nehemiah 1:4

Then, as we say yesterday: “Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? SO I PRAYED TO THE GOD OF HEAVEN. And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it.” Nehemiah 2:4-5, prayer right in the middle of a conversation … with a King nonetheless!

And as his building crews (around Jerusalem, the City’s walls) encountered ridicule and opposition: “HEAR, O OUR GOD; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity.” Nehemiah 4:4, a prayer of imprecation!

Then in chapter 5, after giving us his daily menu (where he regularly fed 150 men) Nehemiah asks: “THINK UPON ME, MY GOD, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.” Nehemiah 5:19, yet another prayer.

With such a praying leader, invariably a praying people develop! And Nehemiah chapter 9 is one long PRAYER of worship, including confession, thanksgiving, praise and petition! They began: “Blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.” Nehemiah 9:5-6, a majestic prayer, continuing until chapter’s end, verse 38!

And the grand finale, the last chapter of the Book? Nehemiah prays there 4 times, if I have counted correctly! This first occasion concerned money, the tithes the people owed to God. “REMEMBER ME, O MY GOD, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.” Nehemiah 13:14, this man prayed about everything!

He even prays as he gives orders! Much as a Preacher might pray as he speaks publically … a very brief and silent sentence prayer, begging for insight or strength, or just offering praise … mid-sentence! “And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. REMEMBER ME, O MY GOD, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.” Nehemiah 13:22

Even when sin entered the camp, Nehemiah prayed! Sandballat was a heathen who fought the rebuilding of Jerusalem, fought it tenaciously. “And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me. REMEMBER THEM, O MY GOD, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.” Nehemiah 13:28-29, turning wrongdoers over to God!

Then last of all, Nehemiah 13:31, the Book’s final statement. “REMEMBER ME, O MY GOD, FOR GOOD.” Short yet powerful!

Prayer as a lifestyle!

Consistent prayer, centering all everything one does!

Nehemiah, practical and persistent!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

And as they used to say … “May his tribe increase!”

We need more Christians to take “everything to God in prayer.”

As did Nehemiah.