August 18, 2024
SUNDAY SERMON: PRAISE THE LORD WHEN HE ANSWERS PRAYER
Psalm 28:6 – 7
The very act of praying displays belief that there is a God somewhere who hears us. A measure of faith, though perhaps as small as a mustard seed, is present in even the shortest, simplest prayers. We pray because we believe God is listening.
When we do not receive an immediate response to our prayers, our doubting spirits are prone to wonder if God is indeed listening; and if He is listening, does He care? At those times, God’s silence is deafening, arousing a deep concern within our souls have risen “higher than the ceiling. At other times---in the midst of critical situations---we long to be sure that God has heard us and is coming to our aid. Since we know that sin, lack of faith, and other factors can hinder our prayers, we sometimes seek assurance that we have gotten through to God, that our prayer”
Who has not prayed in times of trouble? Praying in crisis is as natural as breathing.
Praising God for answers is another matter.
1. After the storm, we often forget who rescued us.
(After the pandemic crisis, will we forget who rescued us?)
2. When answers come, we may forget to give thanks.
(When God answers our call, will we forget to give thanks?)
God always has the right answer to our requests.
There was a pastor who had a very spiritual parrot. All the parrots would say was, “Let’s pray. Let’s pray.” The pastor tried to teach him to say other things but to no avail. One day he learned that one of his deacons also owned a parrot. The deacon’s parrot was not so spiritual. It would only say, “Let’s kiss. Let’s kiss.” So, the pastor decided to invite the deacon and his parrot over for a visit. When the deacon arrived, they put the parrots together to see what would happen. The deacon’s parrot said, “Let kiss. Let’s kiss.” The pastor’s parrot said, “Thank you, Lord. My prayers have been answered.”
In this lesson, David raised his voice in grateful praise.
1. He is a good example to us all.
2. When God answers prayer, consider David’s reasons for GRATEFUL PRAISE.
I. GOD HAD HEARD HIS PRAYERS v. 6
David’s demeanor changed dramatically between verses 5 and 6: God had answered his fervent prayers by delivering from his critical situation. By saying that God had heard his supplications, David was proclaiming that God had acted on his behalf. The LORD had responded to his helpless cries by bending down from heaven and mercifully rescuing him. God’s faithfulness transformed David’s prayers from grueling petitions to glorious praises.
II. GOD HAD HONORED HIS FAITH v. 7b
Though frequent and fervent, David’s cries to God were not faithless. He did cry out to God in doubt, but in full faith that God would be true to Himself (His character) and to His covenant with His anointed king David.
III. GOD HAS HELPED HIM v. 7b
Because David trusted in the LORD, God Helped him.
The primarily lesson of this psalm is extremely important for us to understand even when God is silent, we can trust Him. Just because we cannot see Him working does not mean that he is not working. He knows our needs. He hears our prayers. He sees us in our distress. The LORD will, in His time, answer us by performing His perfect will for our lives. He will keep every promise He has ever given us.
When answers to prayers do not come immediately, remember that we live in a spiritual battleground. The forces of Satan work tirelessly to oppose all that God wants to do. At times, they even delay God’s will from being accomplished. For three grueling weeks, Daniel mourned and fasted and prayed, but no answer came. Finally, the LORD’s messenger reached Daniel, and he immediately explained why Daniel’s answer was delayed (Daniel 10:12-13).
The angel shared two truths with Daniel that are vital for us to understand:
Ø God heard Daniel’s prayer the very moment he prayed it, and in His time, he dispatched an angel to explain why Daniel’s answer was delayed.
Ø A demon assigned to Persia fought with the angel, hindering him from delivering the message to Daniel until Michael, the archangel came to his aid.
Scripture reveals two weapons God has armed us with spiritual warfare: the sword of the Spirit (the Bible), and prayer (Eph. 17-18).
Responsive Reading; Psalm 28:1-9
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