Lechem Panim #87 "Sowing Prayer" (1 John 5:13-15) Pastor Cameron Ury

Greetings! Welcome to the show today.

George Muller: Living by Faith— Many of you have probably at least heard of legendary prayer warrior George Mueller. An amazing man of faith whose life was a testimony to how God could move through someone who relied in faith and complete dependence on Him. There was a time when [Things looked bleak for the children of George Muller's orphanage at Ashley Downs in England. It was time for breakfast, and there was no food. A small girl whose father was a close friend of Muller was visiting in the home. Muller took her hand and said, ''Come and see what our Father will do.'' In the dining room, long tables were set with empty plates and empty mugs. Not only was there no food in the kitchen, but there was no money in the home's account. Muller prayed, ''Dear Father, we thank Thee for what Thou art going to give us to eat.'' Immediately, they heard a knock at the door. When they opened it, there stood the local baker. ''Mr. Muller,'' he said, ''I couldn't sleep last night. Somehow I felt you had no bread for breakfast, so I got up at 2 o'clock and baked fresh bread. Here it is.'' Muller thanked him and gave praise to God. Soon, a second knock was heard. It was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. He said he would like to give the children the milk so he could empty the cart and repair it.]

It is amazing how our prayers (however flimsy they might feel to us) have the power to move the hand of God in amazing ways. If only we would pray…

In the closing chapter of 1 John we have been talking about the confidence that can be produced through faith in the life of the believer and how that confidence can re-shape the way that we come before God in prayer.

1 John 5:13-15 (NIV)— 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

we presently have what we asked of him-- Now one interesting thing about that last phrase is that it doesn’t say we know that we will have what we asked of him. Rather, it says we know that we have (already) what we asked of him. It is a belief and trust that is so sure (because of how sure we are of God’s revealed will to us, both through prayer but also through His Word) that we consider it already accomplished. We don’t need to see it to believe it; it is enough for us to know that it is the will of God, that we have prayed for it, and whether in our time or not God will accomplish it. 

George Mueller’s Persistence in Prayer-- Now [When George Mueller was a young convert he began praying daily for five friends to come to know Christ as Savior. Two friends became Christians within two years of his own conversion. But it seemed as if his prayers for the remaining three friends would never be answered. But they were. One of those men was converted about ten years after Mueller’s conversion. The fourth apparently was converted shortly before Mueller’s death, in response to what was probably Mueller’s last sermon. And the fifth man was converted within a year of Mueller’s funeral. George Mueller had been praying for him for more than sixty years!] THAT is intercession at it’s deepest. But it is because Mueller was faithful to intercede for them; faithful to carry them in prayer all those years that they eventually came to Christ. And there ought to be similar people for whom you and I are doing the same. Because He really does move this way.

Tanya’s Aunts— My wife Tanya’s family had a similar thing happen in their family. Her mom and her sisters grew up in a strong Christian home all their young life. Their dad (Tanya’s grandfather) was even imprisoned for his faith. But, despite his and his wife’s prayers for their daughters to become Christians, after all the girls grew up, none of them were Christians except for one. And Tanya’s grandparents died without seeing all their daughters accept Jesus, though they had prayed for it. And now, many years after they have died, all the daughters (including Tanya’s mom) became Christians. God really does answer prayer. And ultimately this is why John is talking about confidence in prayer. Because he we wants to encourage us to believe enough; to have confidence enough to pray. Prayer is powerful. We know that it works. God has given us the promise to answer when we pray in accordance with His will. Now (after seeking His will) we just have to be faithful enough to pray; to believe in prayer enough to pray. You know one of our favorite passages on prayer; the one we probably think on the most whenever we are talking about faith and prayer?

Matthew 17:20b (ESV)-- …For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

A Mountain-Top Experience-- Now do you know the context of that verse? If we look at the previous section, what has just happened? Jesus has just been transfigured before His disciples Peter, James, and John. Jesus has revealed His divine glory. And Peter, James, and John are amazed. They have seen the glory of Jesus. And I am sure that you and I have had similar mountain-top experiences with Jesus; where we have seen and experienced Jesus’ presence in a special way. And I love mountain-top experiences. But at some point we have to come down from the mountain. We enter back into the drudgery of everyday life that is wrought with all kinds of trials and tribulations. Here the disciples descend the mountain and are instantly met with brokenness and need in the lives of other people, particularly a young boy who is not only sick, but is possessed by a demon. Talk about spiritual contrast. They go from a Spirit-filled experience on the mountain where they have seen Jesus glorified (it says his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them.) Not even Oxi-Clean could get it brighter. Jesus was glowing! Elijah and Moses appeared and began speaking with Jesus. Then they hear the voice of God audibly speak, saying “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” , after which they are left alone and they begin to descend the mountain. And immediately upon descending the mountain, they encounter the demonic. And the question rises, are they going to carry the glory of Christ they have just witnessed into the frey of everyday life.

You know some of the disciples had tried to cast the demon out and failed. Do you know why? They ask Jesus afterwards and this is what He says…

Matthew 17:20 (ESV)-- 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith {(and Mark’s account (in which Jesus also rebukes their lack of faith, also adds: “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”) They weren’t praying! Prayer is intimately intertwined with faith, which is why Jesus continues:}. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

NOTHING!!!!!!!! Imagine that!!!

Impala Faith-- You know, when I was a kid, I loved to watch nature shows. Sometimes I still do. I love learning about all kinds of animals. And one animal that is truly amazing is the impala, the African antelope. [The African impala can jump to a height of over 10 feet and cover a distance of greater than 30 feet. Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo with a 3-foot wall. The animals will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will fall. Faith is the ability to trust what we cannot see, and with faith we are freed from the flimsy enclosures of life that only fear allows to entrap us.] This is what living a life a confidence looks like in the life of the Christian. Nothing, not even Satan himself can hold back the accomplishment of God’s will through those who are living by faith in Jesus as the Son of God and are seeking His will and lifting up prayers daily to Him.

Flower Bed-- Just recently my son asked me what a flower bed is. To an 8-year-old, the phrase flower-bed must sound really funny. But I explained to him that a flower bed is a section of dirt in which flowers are planted. But we know that the reason there is a flower is because there was first a seed that was planted there. And the only difference between soil that has plants and the same soil that doesn’t (if it was treated the same) is the fact that no seed was sown. And that is something we must all remember. The reason Jesus talks in this context about faith and prayer in connection with seeds is because the only difference between a life that is fruitful and a life that is fruitless is faith and prayer. You want your flower bed to be full, then you need to plant. Now it may take time, just like a plant takes time to grow. But if you plant your prayers and endure in faith (keeping on praying) then you will reap a harvest.

And as our passage today says, you and I can have faith and confidence when we pray; a faith and confidence flowing from our knowledge that God does both hear and answer those prayers offered by those who seek to pray in His will. If we can pray in faith; in accordance with the will of God; and do so persistently (even in the dark times when we feel like our prayers are not being heard; like their not reaching past the ceiling), God promises us here in His word that He HAS both heard and already answered our prayer; and as we abide in prayer, He is able to use us to move mountains in unspeakable ways for His name’s sake and for the sake of His kingdom.

Philippians 4:6 (NIV)— 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

​Let us do so. Amen.