TIMES WHEN WE NEED NOT PRAY
EXODUS 14:1-16
April 30, 2003
Parkersburg Baptist Church
PAUL TELLS US TO PRAY ABOUT ALL--"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Phil 4:6 KJV)
PAUL TELLS US TO PRAY ALWAYS--"Pray without ceasing." (1 Th 5:17 KJV)
Jesus SAID MEN AUGHT ALWAYS TO PRAY AND NOT FAINT--"And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;" (Luke 18:1 KJV)
BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE NEED NOT PRAY—
I. WHEN GOD HAS ALREADY GIVEN EXPLICIT DIRECTION--"And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:" (Ex. 14:15 KJV)
1. BAPTISM--Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (ACTS 2:38)
We don’t have to pray about being baptized. We follow the example set by Jesus Christ no questions asked.
2. CHURCH ATTENDANCE--"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Heb 10:25 KJV)
WE SHOULD NOT PRAY ABOUT COMING TO CHURCH. AS CHRISTIANS WE NEED TO BE IN GODS HOUSE, GOD HAS GIVEN AN EXPLICIT DIRECTION IN HIS WORD. NOT TO COME IS TO SIN AGAINST GOD.
3. GIVING--"Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." (Prov 3:9-10 KJV)
WE SHOULD NOT PRAY ABOUT GIVING TO GOD, UNLESS IT IS TO FIND DIRECTION FOR AN OFFERING. INSTRUCTIONS’ CONCERNING OUR TITHE IS IN THE SCRIPTURES.
WHEN GOD GIVES US INSTRUCTION, HE DOESN’T WANT US TO QUESTION HIM. I BELIEVE IT IS OK TO ASK HIM HOW TO DO IT, BUT WE SHOULD NEVER QUESTION IF WE SHOULD DO IT.
NOT ONLY SHOULD WE NOT PRAY WHEN GOD GIVES SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION, BUT WE SHOULD NOT PRAY
II. WHEN WE HAVE AN UNFORGIVING HEART.
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: (15) But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Mat 6:14-15 KJV)
1. FORGIVING BRINGS GOD’S FORGIVENESS—READ V. 14
2. REFUSAL TO FORGIVE BRINGS GOD’S REFUSAL TO FORGIVE US—READ V. 15
THE THIRD TIME WHEN WE NEED NOT PRAY IS:
III. WHEN WE HAVE A REBELLIOUS SPIRIT
"He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." (Prov 28:9 KJV)
WHEN WE GO AGAINST THE TEACHINGS OF THE SCRIPTURE WILLFULLY AND KNOWINGLY, THEN OUR PRAYERS WILL NOT BE ANSWERED.
ANOTHER TIME THAT WE NEED NOT PRAY IS WHEN:
IV. WE ARE GUILTY OF THE BLOOD OF OTHERS
"And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood." (Isa 1:15 KJV)
WHEN WE HAVE TREATED OTHERS UNFAIRLY OR HAVE BEEN HURTFUL TO OTHERS, GOD WILL NOT HEAR OUR PRAYERS. WHAT ACTIONS HAVE WE DONE AGAINST SOMEONE THAT MAY BE CAUSING OUR PRAYERS TO GO UNHEARD AND UNANSWERED?
ANOTHER TIME THAT WE NEED NOT PRAY IS WHEN:
V. WE REFUSE TO LISTEN TO GOD’S CALL
"Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD. But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.
And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not; Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.
And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim. Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee." (Jer 7:11-16 KJV)
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WHERE GOD WANTS US TO BE IN ORDER FOR OUR PRAYERS TO BE HEARD. ARE WE ABOUT GOD’S BUSINESS? ARE WE DOING WHAT HE HAS CALLED US TO DO?
ANOTHER TIME THAT WE NEED NOT PRAY IS WHEN:
VI. WE HAVE UNCONFESSED SIN IN OUR LIVES
"We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned. Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied. Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through." (Lam 3:42-44 KJV)
HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE WITH GOD? THROUGH PRAYER. IF WE ARE TO COMMUNICATE, THEN WE HAVE TO BE RIGHT. WE HAVE TO BE CONFESSED UP. WE HAVE TO HAVE REAL REPENTENCE IN OUR LIVES.
KING DAVID’S GREATEST ASSET IN MY OPINION, WAS HIS ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE HIS SIN AND TRULY REPENT OF IT. HOW ELSE COULD IT HAVE BEEN SAID OF HIM HE WAS A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART?
HE HAD TO BE RIGHT WITH GOD. HE RECOGNIZED HIS SIN AND DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
THERE ARE TIMES TO PRAY AND TIMES NOT TO PRAY. ALL OF THE EXAMPLES THAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT TONIGHT OF WHEN NOT TO PRAY, SHOW US THAT WE CANNOT HAVE SIN IN OUR LIVES NOR REFUSAL ON OUR PART TO FORGIVE OTHERS.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE RIGHT WITH GOD SO THAT WE CAN:
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Phil 4:6 KJV)
"Pray without ceasing." (1 Th 5:17 KJV)
