Introduction
With the crowning of King Saul, Samuel ceases being the judge or ruler of Israel. His speech earlier on in chapter 12 is his retirement speech.
"Samuel's speech was something of a retirement speech. Though he remained alive for perhaps another thirty years, he no longer led Israel as judge and military commander. Instead, he led Israel by speaking the Word of God to the king." Peter Leithart
Although he plans to step away from public life, he doesn't plan on stopping praying for Israel, 23. He is committed to his brothers and sisters and there is no way he will stop bringing them before the throne of God. He will continue interceding for the people he loves.
This morning I would like for us to learn from Samuel the importance and power of intercessory prayer. Intercessory prayer is prayer for other people. It is bringing other people and their needs before the throne of God.
I. It Is Sinful not to Pray for Those Who Are Part of Your Covenant Community.
A. Notice that Samuel wouldn't even think about not praying for the people of Israel, 23.
"There is a wonderful revelation of love to the people here. They are dear to him as his children are dear to a Christian parent, and he feels for them as warmly as he feels for himself." William Blaikie
B. Though we have a duty to pray for all people, we are specially called to pray for one another.
1. We are to pray for all people.
1 Tim. 2:1-4 – Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, andgiving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this isgood and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2. But specially for those who are united with us in faith in Jesus Christ.
Rom. 1:9-10 – For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you.
Col. 1:9 – For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding….
C. So we are called to pray for one another.
"Every Christian ought to think much of intercessory prayer, and practise it greatly. It is doubly blessed: blessed to him who prays and blessed to those for whom he prays." William Blaikie
Jam. 5:13-18 – Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess yourtrespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
II. It Is Good for Us to Pray for One Another.
A. When we pray through Jesus, we are in the very presence of God who wants to answer our prayers.
Heb. 4:14-16 – Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are,yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
B. When we pray through Jesus, we are humbling ourselves before God, acknowledging that we need him.
Jam. 4:10 – Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
C. When we pray through Jesus, we are coming before our heavenly Father who is better than any human father.
Mt. 7:7-11 – Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Rom. 8:32 – He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
D. Prayer, intercessory prayer, is good for us.
"Nothing is better fitted to enlarge and warm the heart than intercessory prayer. To present to God in succession, one after another, our family and our friends, remembering all their wants and sorrows, trials, and temptations; to bear before Him the interests of this struggling Church and that in various part of the world, this interesting mission and that noble cause; to make mention of those who are waging battles of temperance, of purity, of freedom, of Christianity itself, in the midst of difficulty… and opposition; to gather together all the sick and sorrowing, all the fatherless and widows, al the bereaved and dying, of one's acquaintance, and ask God to bless them… O brethren this is goof for one's self." William Blaikie
III. Prayer Works!
A. God ordain the prayer of his people as the means by which he will bring his will to pass.
B. Therefore, prayer works
Jam 5:16b – The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
1. The example of Elijah
Jam. 5:17-18 – Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
a. He was a man just like we are.
b. Through prayer, he, better, God accomplished great things.
2. The direction then that James gives us.
Jam. 5:16a – Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another….
{TRANSITION: In order for us to seek a more fervent and faithful prayer life, we will need to take hold of ourselves and of God for prayer.}
IV. Take hold of yourself for prayer
A. We must exercise self-control in praying, which is not a legalistic mandate but a fruit of the Spirit prompted by the cross of Jesus.
Gal. 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
B. Consider seven principles of how to take hold of yourself in prayer.
1. Remember the value of prayer
a. There is a value in unanswered prayer as well as answered prayer.
1) William Carey (1761-1834) labored as a missionary in India for 8 years before baptizing the first convert to Christ.
2) Yet in those years he learned to live for the glory of God alone.
"I feel that it is good to commit my soul, my body, and my all, into the hands of God. Then the world appears little, the promise great, and God an all-sufficient portion."
3) God's delay became sustenance for Carey's soul.
"A praying man can never be very miserable, whatever his condition be. For he has the ear of God; the Spirit within to indite, a Friend in heaven to present, and God Himself to receive his desire. It is a mercy to pray, even though I never receive the mercy prayed for." William Bridge
b. But unanswered prayer is sweet, how much sweeter is answered prayer!
2. Maintain the priority of prayer
Jn. 15:5 – I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
"You can do more than pray, after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed." John Bunyan
3. Speak with sincerity in prayer
Ps. 62:8 – Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God isa refuge for us.
"God looks not at the elegancy of your prayers, to see how neat they are; nor yet at the geometry to see how long they are; nor yet at the arithmetic of your prayers, to see how many they are; nor yet at the music of your prayers, nor yet at the sweetness of your voice, nor yet at the logic of your prayers; but at the sincerity of your prayers, how hearty they are. There is no prayer acknowledged, approved, accepted, recorded, or rewarded by God, but that wherein the heart is sincerely and wholly. As God loves a broken and contrite heart, so he loathes a divided heart." Thomas Brooks
4. Cultivate a continual spirit of prayer
1 Thess. 5:17 – …pray without ceasing…
5. Work toward organization in prayer – the Lord's Prayer
a. Lists or whatever helps you organize and remember.
b. The church directory
6. Read the Bible for prayer
a. The Scriptures revive our prayer life.
b. We need to listen to God as he speaks to us in his Word.
c. When you read your Bible, do so with the intent of responding to God's Word with prayer.
Jn. 15:7 – If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
7. Keep biblical balance in prayer
a. The Bible presents various kinds of prayer: praise, confession, petition, intercession, etc.
b. Use them all!
V. Take hold of God in prayer
A. Plead God's promises in prayer.
1. In his sovereignty, God has bound himself by the promises he has made to us.
"One good way to get comfort is to plead the promise of God in prayer…. Show him his handwriting; God is tender of his word." Thomas Manton
2. So pray what God has promised to do for you in the Bible.
B. Look to the glorious Trinity in prayer.
1. All three persons are at work in our prayers.
Eph. 2:18 – For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
2. So, in prayer, pursue a deeper and more experiential knowledge of the riches of grace in Christ's person and work, the glory of electing and adopting love of the Father, and the comfort of fellowship with God by the indwelling Spirit.
3. In this way, you will pray not just to receive God's benefits but to receive God himself.
C. Believe that God answers prayers.
1. I think we often do not believe that God answers prayers.
a. Perhaps we haven't seen evidence of that.
b. Perhaps we are afraid of believing that we did get answers.
2. Yet, God's Word says that true faith believes that God is and that he is the rewarder of those who seek him.
"A man once set up a tavern next door to a church. The wild parties, late-night hours, sinful indulgence, and morning refuse from the bard so distressed the church that people prayed God would intervene. He did. A tornado took out the tavern and left the church untouched. The tavern owner took the church to court, claiming his loss was due to the congregation's prayers. Church members claimed innocence, saying that they had no responsibility in the tavern's destruction. The judge marveled that an unbeliever seemed to believe in the power of prayer more than the church folk did!" Joel Beeke
Conclusion
May we not fall under the verdict of Isaiah 64:7, "And there is no one who calls on Your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of You…." Instead we must move ourselves to take hold of the living God! We must intercede for all people, but specially for those that God has called to serve together in the Church. Samuel would not and did not neglect praying for his brothers and sister. Neither must we for the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous person avails much.
http://olympiabp.blogspot.com/2015/05/dont-cease-praying-1-sam-1223.html
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