R294 Experiencing God Through Prayer

We all believe in the power of prayer, but are we experiencing God in the midst let's study God's word and discover how we can see this is The Encouraging Word featuring the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton well-known author evangelist seminary professor, teacher, pastor for the last 25 years as a matter fact 25 of those years pastoring Dr. Billy Graham will discover more about that unique relationship.

A little later in the broadcast.

But right now let's go straight to James chapter 5 help in God's word about verse 16 is Dr. Don takes in this concept of experiencing God through prayer. It's something we think is just natural, but we have to work at it and especially create disciplines in our life that will help us truly experience God through prayer eligible God's word together with Dr. Don Wilton on today's edition called experiencing God done with manual Bibles this morning to James chapter 5 James chapter 5 is going to be our primary text experiencing God's power through prayer. That's all subject this morning from God's word experiencing God's power through prayer everywhere I go people tell me God has on said my prayer. How can we ever seek to do anything outside of communicating with God will put it like this. He said let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. How do we appropriate the mind of God. Other than that we communicate with him in one of those wonderful means by which we are able to do so is through the power of prayer. I want us to use as our primary text. James chapter 5 verses 16 through 18, and then we are going to have two parallel passages that are going to run side-by-side our Bible study this morning as I preach from God's word. I hope that you have a copy of God's word in front of you. James chapter 5 in verse 16. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. Can you believe that there was a man who lived in the New Testament. The Old Testament, the Bible tells us Elijah was a man just like us. We going to discover why just a moment. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for 3 1/2 years. Again he prayed in the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

I don't lose sight of that passage in James. Let's turn over the acts chapter full. The book of acts in chapter full. One of the most dramatic encounters of bonds in prayer in all of Scripture. Gary next chapter full Peter and John appear before the Sanhedrin, they encounter unbelievable opposition. You see, they were people who could not tolerate answered prayer.

They could not tolerate the manifestation of God in his majestic directly because of the prayer of those who loved him, and in fact drive-through acts chapter full. We encounter the anger of the members of the Sanhedrin, but look at verse 21 of acts chapter full often further threats.

They let them go. They could not decide how to punish them because people are praising God for what happened for the man who was miraculously healed was over 40 years old not only release, Peter and John went back to their own people and good old that the chief priests and elders and said to them when they heard this, they raised their voices together and they prayed to God. What was the result. Look at verse 29 novel, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness, stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus, I'm off today, prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly and as a result.

In verse 32. The believers were of one heart and mind all right and I want you to turn in the Old Testament the first things first things chapter 17 remarkable account about God's servant Elijah.

I don't have time to read all of chapter 17. Sydney would encourage you to do so in the privacy of your own home, but God empowers his servant Elijah to confront the wicked King Ahab listen to what the Bible says in verse one now Elijah the teacher by said Ahab as the Lord God of Israel lives you might serve there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word, then the word of the Lord came to Elijah gave him instructions and so in verse five he did not the Lord had told him to do and he went to terrorist ravine east of the Jordan stated that I what happened. The ravens building bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. Sometime later, the brook dried up, and he went to visit the widow Sarah Pat and Jerry encountered a remarkable tragedy. Her son was dying, and once again Elijah the prophet. In verse 20 he cried out to the Lord, O Lord my God, have you built this tragedy also found this widow I'm staying with my causing her son to die. Then he stretched himself out on the board three times and cried out to the Lord my God, let this boy's life returned to him. And the Lord heard Elijah's cry and the boy returned to life and Elijah picked up the child and carried him down into the room and said please mother, your son is alive. Look what happened in verse 24 then the woman said to Elijah. Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth experiencing God through the power of prayer. We need to study this from two perspectives. Perhaps today. First of all, the making of a useless prayer and second lead.

The benefits of an effective prayer in Psalm one discuss the question today. All of us. Is it possible that this should exist such a thing as a useless prayer that I don't want any of you to raise your hands this morning as I know that we could all do so that I wonder if any of you ever prayed and felt as though your prayers are going nowhere.

It's almost as though God is not listening. It's almost as though when you petition him. You share those things that are in your heart. It kind of bounces off the ceiling and just come straight back. You wonder where God is.

Is it possible that the Bible could teach us that there is such a thing as a useless prayer guide to submit to you today in the light of God's word that there is such a thing, and there are many many reasons for this.

In God's word. Many of the probably as many as 100 going to share three with you this morning. Number one, your prayer will be useless and you will not experience God through prayer. If you pray with the wrong motive turned back to James chapter full, we were back in the book of James turned back to James chapter 4 verse three and listen to what God's Word teaches us in verse three when you are lost. You do not proceed. Why, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. Perhaps God's word is teaching us. My friend that the first mark of a useless prayer is when you and I pray for the wrong motive. Remember Manning state that I served in.

He was a very wealthy man. In fact he was a multimillionaire 51 years of age and he had a heart attack and was taken to hospital in I went in there. I remember playing with him and he said to me, preacher.

He stated God gets me out of this hospital room. I'm going to serve him and God got him out of that hospital room but for the next year.

God never saw anything of this man what he had a second heart attack and I remember going back to the hospital with him and I remember him playing.

I remember him holding my hand saying to me' I have so much I want you to know that it God would get me through this heart attack. I'm going to go back and I'm going to give my life to him and I'm going to go to church and I'm going to be faithful and I'm going to give any told me Saddam even got to start tithing. I nearly had a heart attack to I wanted to get down and play with him as well. You know God got them out of that hospital room, but he never came to church, never Debbie's life to Christ never got right you may find it hard to believe, from a medical point of view he had full consecutive heart attacks but the first heart attack that he had the doctors say that he was dead before he's hid touch the steering wheel. Now that's a dramatic illustration but I'm going to say to you, my friend, if we really going to understand God's Word, the Bible says that if we play with a wrong motive gone not listen to us. Number two. If we pray with sin in our lives. You say will pasta that's a generic term. It encompasses everything including wrong motive. Of course it does. Listen to what the psalmist said in chapter 66 and verse 18.

If I had cherished sin in my heart would not have listened. The presence of sin separates us from God, the prophet put up like this. He said God's eyes are not blinded that he cannot see us. He's tongue is not been cut out that he cannot speak to us. He's on zip not been cut that they cannot reach out to embrace us, he's legs have not been amputated that God cannot run to us.

These heart has not been plucked out that it cannot be for us, but rather it is soon which has separated us from God. Susan has come between you and me, and brought our heavenly father. He cannot and he will not write Allison and you may say to me will in pasta. What good is there for me ever to pray the cenobite righteous man avails much.

One John one in verse nine has the onset. If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Beloved friends at first Baptist. I have no right to stand in the pulpit this morning ever you know why because I'm a sinner. If any of you think because I'm the pastor of the church that I'm not a sinner you're wrong I'm a sinner. I don't deserve to stand in this. The only reason I can stand here is because of one. John 19 that if I confess my sin, he is faithful and just to forgive me for my sin and it claims me from my unrighteousness, my righteousness, my friend is not because of Don Wilton it is because of the Lord Jesus Christ and he said blood. There is hardly every time that I ever step into this pulpit that I don't bow my head and say Lord Jesus, how can I have the audacity to stand and to preach and teach thy word.

Forgive me for my sin and cleans me from my unrighteousness, so that now I can stand here and I can think about the things of God and I can say to you I am a righteous man, not because of anything that I am but because of everything that God has done for me in the Lord Jesus Christ. Would you say amen to that wonderful thing you're listening to Dr. Don Wilton our teacher here on The Encouraging Word. Please don't go away to be right back in just a moment with the rest of today's message experiencing God through prayer, as we study, prayer, and here Dr. Don preach about prayer you need nowhere available to pray with and for you right now our phone numbers 866899 word that's 866899673 and will be our privilege, our joy to pray you through whatever's going on in your life. We also have some wonderful resources that will strengthen your prayer life on our website@twonline.org that's TE WR online.org and one of the disciplines.

Dr. Wilton reminds us of is a unique set of time aside for spending time in God's word every day and we have a tool.

Dr. Wilson sends out an email every single morning that you can sign up for call. The daily Encouraging Word email on our website TE WR online.org and will literally infuse your day with that moment of just reading God's word getting some application. Dr. Wilton guided prayer really has become a catalyst to so many of us in our study of God's word and are experiencing God through prayer and all those details are on our website@tewonline.org that activates great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton playing with the wrong motive playing with sin in your life and playing with an unforgiving spirit is another walk of the useless prayer Mark chapter 11 verses 25 and 26 we read when you play if you hold something against anyone, forgive him, so that your father in heaven may forgive you. Jesus said, Lord, forgive us our sins in the same way as we are given by you.

That was in the Lord's prayer that was Jesus instruction. The Bible says if you and I have an unforgiving spirit.

You may be in this congregation, you might be walking by way of television today and in your heart.

There is unforgiveness. The Bible says my friend, your prayers are rendered useless to do. Others have done for you site pasta. How can I forgive you don't know what he or she did to me. You cannot forgive in your own power. You can only forgive by the grace of God.

The making of the useless prayer what they know the benefits of an effective prayer. The Bible tells us so many benefits of effective praying. We want to experience God, my beloved friends. We need to understand that a certain walk of the spiritual powers of this great church has been the church's prayer life. The intercessory prayer ministry God is on the move. If we are to experience God through prayer we going to become to understand the benefits of effective prayer. Let's look at the let's look at six benefits of effective prayer number one, we will be empowered to speak his word. We will be empowered to speak his word back in next chapter fails we already read.

It was apparently obvious. This 29 in chapter 4. The Bible says, nonload consider their threats and in your servants to speak your word with great power that wonderful and that got go back to first Kings chapter 17 it will boggle your mind first Kings chapter 17 faced against mitigating circumstances, God's prophet Elijah said as the Lord God of Israel, lives, whom I will serve and he made that pronouncement, and he began to speak the word of God with power iconic cannot tell you friends. There are times, contrary to public opinion. When I stand general on Sunday mornings and I don't feel like preaching. If you will beg my pardon. There are times that I come here on Sunday mornings when things have gone on during the week, needs and ministries that bring us great joy. But wearing the soul. Sometimes on Saturday nights when we have emergencies in our community and our pastors are pulled out until the early hours of the morning. There is no sleep when you get up and get to the church at 6:30 AM and you where you and you come through and I stand here and I coming to the congregation of believers, and I say God in the world ever going to be empowered to speak and the God of grace reaches down from heaven and he says if you experience God, and I will empower you to speak my word, my say-so respectfully. So thankfully folks there many times I preach that I get shocked by what I say I know you do not mean there's a sense in which I did I say that spokesman begins between us to speak is reaching when we begin to experience him from any to speak his word boldness wouldn't change that for no money in the womb through anything that anybody could ever give. There is no greater joy speaking the word of God with his power number to regain his provision for our needs. Hearing first Kings chapter 17 the Bible said there was nothing in the land again and get God sent the ravens to feed him the book that was driver gave him water in 34 who seek good thing that amazing those who seek to learn good thing. You see, my friends, the benefits we are empowered to speak his word we game his provision for all of our needs but number three we experience God's miracles in our lives here in first Kings chapter 17 God's miracle was unapologetic. This boy was brought to life through God's servant in next chapter 3 a man lame from his mother's womb. The true prophets of God looked at him and said in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk in the Bible says immediate peace came in his feet and ankle bones and he went walking and leaping and praising God. We experience God's miracle number four. We are victorious against the enemy. We are victorious against the enemy in acts chapter 4 and verse 21. The Bible tells us that they decided to let them go. Elijah was victorious against Ahab, a ruthless king frame.

Let me tell you something the Sanhedrin didn't decide to let Peter and John go God do why because he is God number five we enjoy spiritual unity as result of effective prayer. Did you notice back there in acts chapter full something remarkable happened. The Bible says that they were all unified in the heart and in my old believers in verse 33, came under the experience of God. And when they began to seek God's grace.

Old believers became the recipients all what a wonderful thing when God's people pray all the believers will be in one heart and one mind the benefits of effective prayer when empowered to speak his word we gain provision for rulebound needs we experience God's miracles. We are victorious against the enemy. We enjoy spiritual unity and number six we receive credibility we receive credibility.

I like that don't you first Kings chapter 17 and verse 24 the woman said to Elijah, now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth.

Credibility God gives us credibility.

What a powerful time of teaching from God's word today with Dr. Don Wilton as he's been sharing his heart and teaching us about this concept of experiencing God through prayer. There is an initial prayer that opens the door to see God do remarkable things in her life and that same yes to him as Savior. I pray that you take a moment if Dr. Wilson comes in the studio you've heard of in the pulpit now in the studio as he shares his heart.

Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm so happy to hear that wanting to pray this prayer with me today.

Dear God, I know that you love me very, very, and I know that the Lord Jesus Christ came God on the cross so that I might be forgiven today. I repent of my sins, I confess my sins and I invite you to come in my life. Jesus name if you prayed that prayer. Let me be the first one welcome to the family of this one. I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying how very important this is so we can talk to Nick you waste you could begin this wonderful if you just pray that prayer with Dr. you gave your life to Jesus Christ. We dedicate to Christ what you were so excited and encouraged to tell someone. As a matter fact one. He would love to hear from love to hear your story, and he will commit to pray for you. We all will. If you want to give us a call at the 866-899-WORD number it will get to Dr. Don as well.

866-899-9673. But many are enjoying the opportunity of emailing Dr. Wilson. His email is don@twonline.org justice first name on theon@tewonline.org again would love to know he'd love to know how God is using the ministry of The Encouraging Word in your life to encourage you strengthen challenging his email is Don CON at tewonline.org G. You can also call as well if you like to get through. That's 866-899-9673 866-899-9673 or online at tewonline.org. He that's the place to discover great resources like this might sell opportunities to share the cost are friends first so bring your spirit. They are going on better wake up America encouragement life changing ministry friend of mine support the loneliness solution finding meaning connection in a disconnected world by the loneliness solution is a great resource to encourage people on how to discover continuing friendships with others. I want you to get a copy for yourself and copies to Bonnie as you go about your day to get things will never know how much a word spoken against the right time to change someone's life. Call us today 866-899-WORD to request the loneliness solution for a gift of $15 for your prayers and continued support. The Encouraging Word as we share the gospel to deliver lost souls from the clutches of darkness around the world as we wrap up today's broadcast. I mentioned it earlier. Sign up today if you would for the daily Encouraging Word email from Dr. Don today. Dr. Don was talking about this great verse from Matthew 630 to your heavenly father knows all means it's a concept of understanding that, God is our supporter's are back or there's more great insight if you will just drop our website tewonline.org and checking out their target.

If you sign up today. You can have it sent to you every day. That's how I get email phonic way. I love it. My bride enjoys the hard copy.

Again, it's free and available for the asking.

If you want to call 866-899-WORD again. I know I'm missing this often but I do believe God's word in our lives on a daily basis with discipline is what Dr. Don, the most powerful thing we can do to get it in your heart, get it in your hands.

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