Good to Great in God's Eyes - Pray Great Prayers, Part 2

What kind of faith does it take to ask the improbable expecting the impossible and receive the unthinkable. If you think that's for great saints of another time another era back in the old Bible times you might be wrong. God wants to do great things to ordinary people like you, want you to ask today stay with thanks for joining us for this Friday edition of Living on the Edge with children Living on the Edges of international discipleship featuring the Bible as Victor continues his series. Good to great in God's eyes is in the process of showing us several approaches to assuring ways that God values you missed the previous programs in the series. They're all available on the Chip Ingram Alex drawing Chip for part two of his message. Pray great prayers.

John chapter 16. The third characteristic of great prayers is that they champion God's agenda.

God is greatly delighted when our focus shifts from our own world and our own needs to his world and his agenda for his world and I don't get me wrong in our prayer we pray for daily bread.

We pray for the specifics of life, and he knows our needs even before we ask and he's delighted when we come in common conversation and he's thrilled when we carrying practices present throughout the day and as we say a prayer before we say something here we ask even for down to the smallest of things. It delights the heart of God because he's your father is a good prayers is important prayers, but great prayers champion God's agenda. Prayers that are prayed by people who understand what God's will is for his world and they passionately desire to see his rule and his kingdom become a reality in their sphere of influence. Let me go through my Old Testament example here of Moses if you will. Could you open your Bible to Exodus chapter 32 for just a minute.

This is one that you just don't want to hear someone talk about the setting is God's great grace to people he's delivered them the Red Sea's been parted fire by night night cloud by day he spoken. Moses is up getting the.

The law and what God is already done is the there's been smoke come out of the mountain. They have heard his voice. He has given the 10 Commandments to all of Israel and Moses up now to get them and while Moses is up doing his job.

The golden calf experience occurs, the very first thing he said, not whatever you do, no idols, no other God before me. They all take an earring off, throw it in the pot. Erin is a weak, feeble leader who wants to please people, rather than honor God and is a liar afterwards reminds me a lot of me probably little bit of you and your honest at times, under great pressure with people member what he did, he puts it in and he fashions this calf a picture of strength and he tries a little synergy like all this is sort of a picture of the Lord your God. He was delivered you now come and worship, and they end up in debauchery and then what is confronted member what he said you not just by Moses the blue that I don't have it. I just register the golden pot in the Pop out and God doesn't even think it's funny.

And God says to Moses, basically in Exodus 32 Moses I get a plan B. Step aside and I'm going to eliminate the stiffnecked people once and for all.

Listen to what Moses says in Exodus 32. Picking it up in the verse nine it says I've seen these people. The Lord said to Moses in their stiffnecked people. Now leave me alone so my anger may burn against them that I might destroy them Nellis. This pretty sweet offer, then I will make you a great nation but Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God and he said why should your anger burn against your people whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand. Why should the Egyptians say it was with evil intent that you brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth pierces, plead, turn from your fierce anger relent and do not bring disaster on your people. Now notice his basis of his prayer. Remember, your servants, Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self. I will make your descendents as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendents all the land I promised them and it will be their inheritance forever. Then the Lord relented and did not bring his people. The disaster that he had threatened see great prayers champion God's agenda. If there was ever a time in the world where you could say you know this works you know these people bother me too, Lord, you know, I think this is a good decision me a new great nation. My world me is the focus on the Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, that was a good, but now it's Moses in the Moses team and will have jerseys made in and out. I'll be the new hero and maybe I'll get my own TV show and we can talk about me and my descendents will get what he doesn't go there. He says to God, you made promises you have agenda and did you see where he went.

Don't you understand, of course, God did it's your reputation. What will the Egyptians think what would the world think what about your promises. See, he championed what he knew was God's best. God's will.

God's kingdom. God's agenda.

Great prayers are deeply personal and great prayers are birthed out of brokenness, but then they are people who champion God's agenda. You know, we looked at Nehemiah, he does the same thing in verses 10, 11 of chapter 1. After he has his verses of praying and exalting God and owning his stuff that he steps up and he says they are your people and your great hand that you promised whom you delivered and he said, Lord, you promise that if you if we said that you would scatter us all over the world, but if he would repent we would come clean you it's from all four corners of the earth you would bring us in in your great name you would rebuild the city you would do what you said you would do with these people. If you prayed any prayers were you gotten in in a in a reverent way and said God wait a second there's some promises here this word says something about your agenda. I'm gonna stand before you and hold you reverently to your agenda and I want to champion your cause. It's not about my family, working out all the time is not about my job, working out all the time she is not about my financial security all the time is not about my personal fulfillment. My relationships all the time. Life is about you and so when I pray I'm coming to a father hi know is good. I'm coming out a position of brokenness because you're high and I'm low and that makes me very much appreciate the work of the Lord Jesus and then when I come before you.

I want to champion your agenda.

I want to be someone that when you motivate in the spirit of God prompts me to pray. I want to be someone blazing the trail for what you want done in the world. Instead of trying to get you to do what I want done in my world it so subtle is how often our prayers are dear God, make my life work my way for me so that I can be upwardly mobile, very comfortable, highly spiritual lots of blessing and no suffering. The American version of the Lord's prayer member.

What Solomon tried, he said, Lord, I can handle the job. This is when he is young and broken. He loses perspective later, but in the first Kings three, 7 to 14.

He says what I need is wisdom because the. The weight of guiding and leading such a great nation and thinking of all the promises that you have given to your people and now the stewardship of being a king over these people. Will you please give me understanding and wisdom and knowledge so that I could be the man you want me to be to lead them in a way that would fulfill your agenda and member what God said Solomon I'm so pleased that you didn't ask for wealth in a long life and all this personal stuff for you today. What I'm going to do. I'm to give you wisdom like no man is ever had on the face of the earth and in the bonus round. I'm just gonna throw in wealth, long life and all the things you didn't ask because when you champion my agenda. It brought great delight to my heart.

Do your prayers champion God's agenda. When Jesus was teaching those disciples to pray. He said, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. The fourth characteristic of great prayers are great prayers take God seriously people who pray great prayers actually think that when God says something, he means it. People who pray great prayers think when God makes a promise since he's God, and he can't lie. It is all knowing, it is good has all power and is really sovereign when makes a promise.

People who pray great prayers.

They think God will actually keep his promises. They think I will so much keep his promises that they will make what looks to be ridiculous steps with their time and their energy and their money and their future based on just what God said because they taken seriously. People who pray. Great prayers take God so seriously they take his person seriously and who is in his holiness. They take his program seriously and what is going to do through his church into the fulfillment of time and they also take his promises seriously.

People who pray great prayers.

They have promise centered prayers, not problem centered prayers, and I don't know about you, but it is easy to fall into the problem centered prayer approach and it for you know you got a wayward kid and you find yourself is for you.

Pray about that.

You pray that your financial pressure you pray about that you pray about that you get some struggles in your marriage. Pray about that you pray about that and you after while I'm not sure were praying.

I think it might be just sort of a worrying sessions before the father. Their daughter really upset about this and this is really upset and when you can fix this and you're not fixing it on time and what about this and if this happens, this could happen. So I want you to come to fix this in case this happens and we take care of this and do you understand how discouraging this is and what about that and you know, think of all the time I've given you been faithful to church.

I been given financially and him read my Bible a regular basis and you know we had this deal. It says in the Bible.

If I do everything you know that I'm supposed to do that my light skin workouts can be wonderful to be on my terms and you'll fulfill my agenda and you make me happy to be desperately fulfilled as well.

The book sends in the bookstores to the differences you start focusing on your problems. You look at God through your problems. You look at life through your problems or you can pull back and you can look at life through God's promises is it hard sure I am with you always.

I didn't say that life would be without suffering. In fact, one to rely more carefully what I promise was in the world you have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I've overcome the world affect what I really promised was all those who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted you feel like you're at the edge and you can't break out you don't know what to do. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. That's a promise. If you like you don't have the emotional resources the financial resources to fulfill my agenda, but my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus is that real is a promise you take it seriously or not to bank your life on it got its overwhelming. This happened in this happened and this happened in this habit and how overwhelmed I can't live one more day.

My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Therefore I will rejoice and be most glad in my weakness and difficulty and hurt and adversity. For when I am weak. Your strong see people who pray great prayers are promise centered they take God seriously they take his word seriously and they take his promises seriously. The fifth oh I forgot the teaching here because this is this is a great one. I think this is one that we lose sight of his Jesus teaching. Talk about a promise he says forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us whets a promise is not with the condition. Lord, thank you that you you know what the word forgive means literally the trial of two loose or to release. He says forgive release. Don't give account of don't make it charged to my account of those things that I've done wrong, trespasses just crossing a line, it's knowing what's right to do, but not doing it.

It's then knowing something you ought to do and choosing not to it's it's breaking a barrier that you know this is what God wanted you to do and you do it anyway.

And God will you please release me from that. And Jesus says there's a promise. Of course the prayer is as we release others, you know, you know, one of the fundamental things that is a roadblock for answers to prayer is an unforgiving spirit in your relational world.

You got anybody that you if you heard something his face or name that would come to mind. If something a little negative must not be too drastic, just a little negative you heard about this person would bring a secret little level of joy and delight to you anybody like that someone that if they can't I just lost a lot of money here. You know you would want a real bad car wreck. But like maybe a little car wreck. You'd like an ex-mate that walked out on you maybe like you know a kid that you gave just time and energy to, and men. They have done things and said things made maybe a a boss that ruined your entire career or business partner that robbed anybody have someone in your background that down deep you know you have few anger fantasies over see those people who have great prayers. They take God seriously and they take his word seriously and they take his promises seriously and that means if there's bitterness in my heart. If there's an issue with the person. I've got to deal with the horizontal issues or the vertical issues are never right. If I say I love God and hate my brother what's first John say I'm a liar and the truth is an enemy. Let me give you some examples of people who have done this great prayers take God seriously and they are promise centered, not problem centered and let me give you just three or four examples number one Moses you see the pattern in these people over and over and over and over as you read through Moses life. He keeps going back to what Lord you promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This you've got to fulfill your promises. Nehemiah what's he do exactly the same thing you made these promises, he reaches back into Deuteronomy reaches back in Exodus and said you said if we did bad. You would do this you said if we repent, you would do that promise centered David in Psalm 103 classic passage he takes that that passage that when when the Lord passed by Moses. It goes over and over and over and over that the Lord is slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. He will not hold your sins against you, David in Psalm 103 repeats those words and says, as far as the east is from the West then so God will take our sin from us.

He he banks on it that you know that David's life when he ends his life. The commentary isn't bad guy murder adulterer. What's the commentary next 13 about David's life. He was a man after God's own heart.

Being a person after God's own heart is not historical issue is an issue of the direction of your heart and how you deal with life and how you deal with your failure in those who take God seriously are people who say you know something I'm not going to buy the line. I just can't forgive myself if the God of the universe has accounted my sin is blotted out, and it makes it as far as the east is from the west because the price of his son Jesus paid for it.

I believe that, and I accept it. I am not a second-class Christian, there is not a cloud over my head. I am clean.

I am pure. I'm forgiven, new Creator and God has a great plan and purpose for my life pattern about you with me and that is encouraging. And people who pray great prayers. They're not living with the baggage of the past. They believe that what God has said is true and they know with confidence that when we say forgive us our sins, even as we forgive those who trespass against us. It's true and you think about Paul you, whether it's Philippians 1 or Ephesians 1 Colossians what those are Paul's personalty to he's got this reality and he says what you I'm praying that you might what no God's will. Colossians 1 in order that you might walk in a way that is blameless.

I'm confident of this and you Paul prays in Philippians chapter 1 that I know that he who began a good working is in a perfect until the day of Christ Jesus, and even having filled with all this fruit of righteousness. And he takes this truth and these promises and these realities of what God has done any praise into their life. Pages prays prayers because he takes God and his word very, very seriously.

Second to final great prayers demand great courage.

Why, because of dangerous great prayers take us to places with God and with ourselves that are frightening praying goes far beyond words and talking their prayers that God delights in are ones that call us to exercise every fiber of moral courage that we can muster before a holy God is and what he mean to me how to how to say great prayers demand courage great prayers demand courage because they boldly demand of God, that he live up to his character.

This is the level of praying that I think is rare and one that brings great delight in that you don't go into and less you're in the right place in your relationship with God. But there are prayers that are dangerous and they take great courage because they boldly demand in reference to God live up to his character.

Genesis 18. Remember the picture.

Abraham the angel or the Trinity shows up in, and I don't know how all that work should we reveal to Abraham what we are about to do and you know the story, and they decide, okay, the second person of the Trinity manifestation speaks to Abraham and tells them what is about to do and there's perversion in their sin and working to destroy it and Abraham says very interestingly with the judge of all the earth slay the righteous with the wicked. In other words that's not a character. What will time out what, that can happen. You're just your righteous you would never get anyone a raw deal. You're the God of the universe. You're always fair. What if there were 50 righteous, would you still would you still destroy it to.

Can you imagine really talking with God of the universe like this and what's it based on it, based on his character.

What's Abraham saying live up to your character God I'm an intercessor. God is looking for men and women that have the chest and the boldness to call God's sake, live up your character with the judge of all the earth slay the righteous with the wicked wife there's 50 righteous.

We just know 45 no forgive me Lord, but you know the story, 40, 35 point any prayers like that lately that's dangerous. You can even hear has Abraham you know about the third fourth fifth time. Forgive me Lord, please don't be impatient with me.

May I just asked this one more time.

He realizes that he is right up to the edge of where you would never want to go with a holy God, but he is going on the basis of God's character say a righteous judge, will be righteous, and I'm standing in the gap before you. For those who are righteous and demanding, reverently based on your character that you do what you said you would do that you would act consistent with who you are, the powerful place of prey and it's a dangerous place of praying because not under they boldly demand God live up to his character, but they dare to stand in the gap and become the very answer to the prayer see what, if you start praying and I may not mean the little prayers in the you know God fix this and take care that. But what if you start praying and by the way, the test of rural praying is when you don't seem to result you stick with it. You know that God is in it and he wants you to pray.

So you persevere and you persevere and you persevere. But what if you persevere. If God says you know something the answer to this prayer is you you you been praying for this new ministry at the church you been praying about the conflict in this relationship you been praying about this financial need that these people have. You know what the answer is you go talk to the people you go empty so much out of your bank account and you take care that financial need.

You start the ministry keeps coming to your mind doesn't yeah your concern about arching yeah you start why can't not know you start to and yet when you pray, it takes great courage because it's dangerous, Esther.

You know you situation the whole Jewish nation is can be wiped out. Mordechai, her uncle comes to her and says this is loose translation of the actual Hebrew of course honey, you may think you're safe, but all of us Jewish people were going to die. Could it be that God placed you as the queen for such a time as this and she asked all the people to fast and they fast enough and drink or eat nothing for three days and she risked her life she goes before the king and a member what her words are. If I perish, I perish great prayers demand courage because there's times where you don't just go and say, God, you need to live up your character. You go and you praying you pray and God says guess what, you're the answer to the prayer you're the missionary that I want to go. You're the one who starts the ministry. You're the one is supposed to fund it. And so Esther says okay I'll be the answer to the prayer Nehemiah. What's he ask he praise Lord please grant me success you study chapter 1 and chapter 2 of Nehemiah. What he realized he prayed for about four months started alone. He ends up we find he's praying with a small group and he realizes God says Nehemiah you're the man four months of prayer.

And guess what the answer is it you I want you to go talk to the King. I want you to ask for a sabbatical I want you to go rebuild Jerusalem and he does it at the risk of his life. Final example, there in the greatest example is Jesus is in the garden. He prayed an actual prayer. He's fully God, but is fully man without confusion and in the garden. He says Lord made this cup pass from me translation. You know, I know from the foundations of the earth. We decided this is it. But you know maybe there's a plan B we could reconsider. That's really what is praying. If there if there's any other way. As a as a human.

As a man as it is and and the dependence of the Holy Spirit, saying, knowing it was getting separation from the father, knowing what was going to curse it. If there is any way for this to bypass me. May it be. Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done. He's the answer to the prayer and were glad he is and that is exactly what Jesus taught his disciples to pray for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. This is one of my favorite topics of these on green drip dream great dreams and think great thoughts and pray great prayers, but is this not exponentially upper-level from everything we talked about this is heavy heavy heavy. And that's why EM bounds I think is right.

You know, we can talk we can do Bible studies, we can send out videos we can be active, but what the church and the world needs are people who pray, not people who talk about prayer, not people who can explain prayer, but people who really pray people who pray out of a heart that is deeply personal.

People who pray out a sense of deeply brokenness and not self-sufficiency. People who pray and would take God seriously and his promises seriously in his word seriously people would understand God. We desperately need you people who would stand in the gap. People who would be courageous and say I'm going to pray and I'm gonna seek you. And if I'm the answer to the prayer, although it frightens me to death. I'm gonna remember that your job and that you're a good father and that your will is great and that the safest place in all the world is the center of your will and that's why the six characteristic is really a summary is that great prayers ask the improbable expect the impossible and receive the unthinkable.

Because of Jesus to great prayers always go back to Jesus is in Hebrews 4 we have a great high priest we know about, but literally it talks but he blazes a trail so that we can come only before the throne of God. He says he commands us go boldly before the throne of God before the throne of what define mercy in our time of need. My standing, my basis, my power my effectiveness for the answers of moving God's heart for him to do dynamic supernatural over-the-top things for his glory is solely based on Jesus and what is done and so we can ask the improbable by improbable it's like is it improbable to say the God could do a great work in a relationship and your family.

You think it's been broken for 35 years. It's improbable to say that God could do something in your church and use you to begin to see something happen like never before. We can ask the improbable, but we can expect the impossible, because nothing is impossible for God and then we will see.

This book is filled with God doing the unthinkable.

The exceedingly abundantly beyond what you could ask or think that is because of Jesus. Jesus command. We boldly ask the improbable seek right and you'll find knock and it will be opened. Ask and you receive that that's what he saying, ask, seek, not he commands us because of Jesus promise we can expect the impossible. The promises ask my father for anything until now you have asked ask that you can receive why your joy can be made full.

As you become a part of what the father wants to accomplish in the world, and finally because Jesus power and we are people of great great power exceedingly abundantly beyond what you could ask or think I want to confess that I don't think I pray very great prayers. I'm on a journey, but when I look at this when I look at the people we've looked at when I see what it takes to pray great prayers. I think this is a a direction that you say I want to be on the journey were I pray the way Jesus wanted me to pray and understand it at a level like never before. All the father, holy is your name. I want your kingdom, your agenda come in your will be done. I want to be done with the efficiency and the smoothness on earth as it is in heaven. I want you to provide for me what I need my daily needs, but I'm not gonna just stop there.

I want you to forgive me.

I want you to work in my heart in me. In the same way that I begin to learn to give and forgive and to loose the people that wounded and hurt me and got I want you know what your kingdom and your role in your power and your glory to be paramount and I want you know I wanted so badly in spite of how fallen I am and how broken that I am is it I will courageously pray prayers that if you tap me on the shoulder and say Ingram guess what the answer to this one is you and I will step up to the plate.

My weakness and I will believe that you will give me what I need not tomorrow or next week. What I think it's going to take you give me what I need today when I wake up tomorrow you give me what I need tomorrow when I wake up the next day you give me what I need, so that your life and your word and your agenda in your glory gets fulfilled. That's the journey I'm on auto. I'm not sure you ever graduate. I met some people like Walt Baker who are way way way down the field for me, but I think what we got in this passage is a picture of what great prayers look like and I think what I'd invite you to do with me is to say to God, Lord, I would like to learn to pray great prayers. I like to be a man. I like to be a woman.

The praise great prayers. I like you look at the six things and ask yourself rather than being on about you when I hear about Moses and David and all these things, you can just load all my lands. It's overwhelming is just a regular guy and he started somewhere someday earning what he learned more prayers, but if you're just joining us, you're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram the series.

Good to great in God's eyes, is about practical things a Christian can do to grow and become more mature. It's about learning how to take time for the things God values most of you want to dig into that a little deeper. Let me encourage you to check out the different good to great resources on our website LivingontheEdge.org or just give us a call at 1-888-333-6003, which is just before we get to your application.

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When you are hurting and desperate for God of three great prayers Champion God's agenda. It's God. What do you want to do. I want your will, your will for my family, your will for my business. Your will. In this neighborhood, your will, in our church for the great prayers take God seriously and if he says to do it. You can do what he says 1/5 grade prayers demand great courage and that's because sometimes the answer to the prayer is you all on Nehemiah, Esther. We talked about and then finally great prayers.

Ask the improbable expect the impossible and receive the unthinkable. Because of Jesus. I was reading a quote recently by AW toes or any talked about if you prayed to an omnipotent or all-powerful God then everything that God can do. Prayer can do. It's the hardest thing in my life. Everything I've lined out. I'm way better at telling you that I am doing and so I want to tell you that if you struggle with prayer. Get the MP3 and listen to this or forget the book or go through some other people make prayer a priority and I will tell you what you will experience God with great power just before we close only give you a quick reminder about our year end match. If you're benefiting from the ministry of Living on the Edge, but aren't yet helping assure chips teaching with others. There's never been a better time because between now and December 31. Every gift we receive will be matched dollar for dollar. If today's your day to join the team.

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