Four-Part Bible Study Series

God, Why?

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III

Bible Study synopsis November 18, 2020

Isaiah 65:24 NKJV “It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear. – This brings about the question, “Does God really mean this?”

I.        INTRODUCTION

A.     Do you ever struggle with God’s silence? 

1. Matthew 7:7  7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
   1. Isaiah 65:24 NKJV “It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear.

II.        WHERE IS THE ANSWER TO MY PRAYER?

·        God is there and yes God heard your prayer. Just because you didn’t get what you asked for, doesn’t mean God didn’t answer your prayer.

·        Sometimes it means God answered your prayer and His answer was “no” or maybe we simply wasn’t paying attention when He answered.

A.    SOMETIMES THE ANSWER IS NO

1. Ever ask your parents for something and they said “no”? Just like your parents, God is not obligated to answer your prayer the way that you want Him to answer it.
2. We always want something, because we think it is better, when it really isn’t better for us. We have to remember that sometimes the grass is greener on the other side, only because of all the manure in it.
3. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NKJV And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. – God did not remove Paul’s thorn. He could have removed it, but He didn’t.
4. If God doesn’t remove your thorn then He gives you the grace to be able to handle it.
5. Matthew 26:40-43 NKJV Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 43 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. – Jesus asked his own Father to take his hardship away and He didn’t do it. God is not going to disrupt his plan, just because you want Him to.

B.     ARE WE LISTENING?

1. Listening is about being present, not just being quiet” — Krista Trippett.
2. Sometimes we need to stop and listen. When we pray, we should not only be dumping our problems onto God, we should also be listening for what he has to say to us. Our pray should be a two-way conversation, not just one-way. Ever been on a call with a person that wouldn’t let you get a word in edgewise?
3. Can God get a word in when you pray? Listening is not about being quiet only, it is about being present. We have to declare, “Lord I want to hear what you are saying to me”
4. When you are present, you give your undivided attention to God.
5. It is about meditation. You would be amazed at what would happen if you get the clutter out of your life and just listen.
   1. 1 Kings 19:11-13 NKJV Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” –

C.     WE MUST EXERCISE PATIENCE

1. God may not always come the way you want him to come.
   1. Lamentations 3:25-26 NKJV The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. 26 It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the LORD.
   1. Job 14:14 NKJV If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes. – God is the same today, yesterday, and forever. When we pray, we want same day delivery. You don’t even get same day delivery when you order online.
2. During the time we are waiting, God is teaching us to trust Him and He is teaching us about process.
3. They that wait on the Lord shall have renewed strength… While you are waiting, you are supposed to be serving. When we are waiting on God, we have to learn something. Do we really trust God enough to wait? Think about it, even the best food is the food that is cooked slow. We have to wait on it.

III.        AM I PRAYING THE RIGHT WAY?

A.     RIGHT WAY

1. Matthew 6:5 NKJV “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. – Some people pray to please people. If you have to please the people and have their applause, then you already have your reward.
2. We have to know that God is the source of our needs.
   1. Isaiah 44:3 NKJV For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring; – You got to spend some closet time with God. When he blesses you openly, it is a direct result of your prayer time.

B.     RIGHT HEART

1. Your heart has to be open to receive.

C.     GOD’S TIME, GOD’S WILL

1. One reason we feel our prayers are not answered, is because we want God to come when we want Him to come. Philippians 4:6 NKJV Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
2. Stop letting Satan discourage you. Luke 18:1 NKJV Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
   1. 2 Peter 3:8 NKJV But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. – God doesn’t see time like we see time. When we pray and we don’t hear anything right away, it doesn’t mean God isn’t answering. When we pray, it has to be in line and we have to be in the right place.

IV. SEVEN THINGS TO REMEMBER WHILE PRAYING

1. GOD IS SOVERIEGN – God can do whatever, whenever, and however He wants to do it.
2. FAITH GETS GOD’S ATTENTION – Hebrews 11:6 NKJV But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. –
3. NO ACTION DOESN’T MEAN THAT GOD IS NOT ACTIVE – Just because it doesn’t move at the pace we think it should, doesn’t mean God isn’t moving.
4. PERSEVERE IN PRAYER – Acts 12:12-16 NKJV So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. 13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. 15 But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” 16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.
   1. Matthew 7:7 NKJV “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

5. ALWAYS KNOW THAT GOD HEARD YOU – Isaiah 59:1 NKJV Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.
6. WHEN PRAYING, IT’S NOT HOW LONG, BUT HOW STRONG – God is not impressed with repetitive praise. He wants your prayer strong.
7. PRAY WITH PRAISE – Philippians 4:6-8 NKJV Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—Meditate on these things.
   1. Acts 16:25 NKJV But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. – We speak well of God when we pray.
   1. The way we know God is hearing us, is we have to trust God. Are you waiting on something and wonder if God heard you? The answer may not come the way you think it is going to come. A delay is not a denial.
   1. There’s some stuff that you prayed for and have not gotten it yet. Know that 2020 is not going to end before you get what you asked for in your life.