Prayer Meeting 3/10/2023
Prayer Hearing God - Part 2

Tonight’s teaching will again draw from Jonathan Edwards’ sermon, entitled ‘The Most High, A Prayer Hearing God’. Edwards’ sermon is taken from Psalm 65, verse 2.

Let me start with our puritan prayer, as always. This week’s is from the ‘Valley Of Vison’, page 194 of the leatherbound version, p 106 of the paperback – and it’s entitled ‘Desires’.

O thou that hearest prayer, teach me to pray. I confess that in religious exercises the language of my lips and the feelings of my heart have not always agreed, that I have frequently taken carelessly upon my tongue a name never pronounced above without reverence and humility, that I have often desired things which would have injured me, that I have depreciated some of my chief mercies, that I have erred both on the side of my hopes and also of my fears, that I am unfit to choose for myself, for it is not in me to direct my steps. Let thy Spirit help my infirmities, for I know not what to pray for as I ought. Let him produce in me wise desires by which I may ask right things, then I shall know thou hearest me. May I never be importunate for temporal blessings, but always refer them to thy fatherly goodness, for thou knowest what I need before I ask; May I never think I prosper unless my soul prospers, or that I am rich unless rich toward thee, or that I am wise unless wise unto salvation. May I seek first thy kingdom and its righteousness. May I value things in relation to eternity. May my spiritual welfare be my chief solicitude. May I be poor, afflicted, despised and have thy blessing, rather than be successful in enterprise, or have more than my heart can wish, or be admired by my fellow-men, if thereby these things make me forget thee. May I regard the world as dreams, lies, vanities, vexation of spirit, and desire to depart from it. And may I seek my happiness in thy favour, image, presence, service.

Psalm 65:2

O You who hear prayer,
To You all flesh will come.

In Edwards’ introduction to the sermon he says:
 

That it is the character of the most high God, that he is a God who hears prayer. Though he is infinitely above all, and stands in no need of creatures, yet he is graciously pleased to take merciful notice of poor worms of the dust.

Prayer and communion with God manifests not so much in answers, but in that: “I’ve left it in His hands”. The peace that comes is not so much result based, but that God has heard us, and we know He has because we leave differently; we trust.
 

To enter into prayer with God, is entering into conversation at a heavenly level (paraphrasing John Flavel), it’s not comparable to that which we attain from humans. When we earnestly pray we don’t just leave the situation in the hands of God - we leave ourselves in the hands of God.

Prayer quite simply builds our faith. Because faith is rooted in trust. We leave not just the situation in His hands but our hearts. In fact, it’s even more than that, because when a believer enters into the realm of prayer, God enraptures our hearts and covers us with His grace and holiness.

Over the last few days I was dealing with a few things, one was with my mother and the other personal things concerning my business. I’m grateful its led me to a lot of prayer. However, in that seeking and drawing on knowing God is a prayer hearing God, it has truly brought not just peace, but, gratefully, good outcomes.

Of course God already knows our needs, as Edwards says:

God doesn’t gain any knowledge by information.

God knows our needs, He knows our wants. It is however, His desire to commune with us, and His desire to show mercy to us. So when we enter into communion, when we pray in His name and draw close to Him, all He is - His love for us pours into us.

As we seek Him, our hearts are purified by His holiness and His divine mercy and grace. I think we often don’t realise how privileged we are as believers that we have a God who hears us, and whom we can seek.

Edwards points this out when he says:

The greater part of mankind are destitute of this privilege. Whatever their necessities are, whatever their sorrows, they have no prayer hearing God to whom they may go.

You may ask: well what make us differ? Or as Edwards says it:

How are we distinguished from them, in that we have the true God made known to us?

Many pray, but they pray in vain; they pray to the God they know not. Just like Apostle Paul said to the stoics and epicureans at Mars Hill.

Acts 17:22-23

Then Paul stood in the midst of the areopagus and said, “men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to the unknown God. Therefore, the one whom you worship without knowing, him I proclaim to you:

Edwards in his sermon then takes us through arguments and reasons why people would say: ‘well he never heard my prayers, he is not a prayer hearing God, or if he is, he done nothing about it’.

Some people are angry at God, due to Him supposedly not hearing their prayers.

Edwards says:

It is no argument that God is not a prayer hearing God, that he hear not insincere and unbelieving prayers. How can we expect that he has any respect in that which has no sincerity in it. God looketh not words but at heart.

Often I’ve heard people tell how God never listened or wasn’t there. But all too often their prayers were not from a pure heart, or a God-fearing and loving heart, but a worldly heart. Anyone who would feel they are further away from God after prayer is one who knows not God.

Edwards says this:

Sometimes they pray for that with words, that they really desire not in their heart.

He adds:

For all the while they trust themselves and have no confidence in God.

Another reason Edwards mentions as to why some think God is not a prayer-hearing God, is because He never answered when they wanted Him to.

Edwards says:

God does hear, and will answer them, in a time and way to which His own wisdom directs.

Edwards, as he does, then says this, which is so simple yet profound, and a statement that I would love charismatics to hear, and word-of-faith people, and I think a lot of believers, maybe even you here.

He says this:

The business of prayer is not to direct God, who is infinitely wise, and needs not any of our direction: who knows what is best ten thousand times better than we do.

Edwards, as he brings his sermon to a close, challenges the believer who neglects such a privilege, of that of prayer.

He says:

If we enjoy so great a privilege as to have the prayer hearing God revealed to us, how great will be our folly and inexcusableness, if we neglect the privilege to make no use of it.

Really, how many of us struggle so much with repetitive, continued issues, that cause such pain and anguish? Not just to ourselves but to others, and yet we seek not the God almighty whom has opened our eyes and heart to Him.

A God whom we have direct access to, whom we choose to ignore and not seek. Is it a wonder so many never seem to overcome?

It’s understandable for those in the world, who have not that access, but for us who are His, and have been chosen and set apart there is no excuse.

Edwards says of them that neglect the gift of that access:

It is wickedness who live in neglect of that duty, and what can they answer to the judge, when he shall call them to an account for it?

Edwards leaves no stone unturned and leaves no excuses when he talks of those who do make excuses.

He says:

Some may be ready to say, if I do pray, my prayers are not faith prayers, because I am in a natural condition and have no faith.

For example, some may say: ‘well, I’m not in a good place to pray, I’m full of flesh, I’m full of my own sins and issues’. That is no excuse, we ought to pray in obedience. Not because my feelings are not in a good place.

I will close simply this week, again with how Edwards closed, and how I closed the last time on the subject:
 

Finally, seeing we have such a prayer hearing God as we have here, let us be much employed in the duty of prayer, let us pray with all prayer and supplication: let us live prayerful lives, continuing instant in prayer, watching with all perseverance, praying always, without ceasing, earnestly and not fainting.

Amen.