Jeremiah 33:3 - Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. 1. The Invitation. “Call unto me.” The Source Of Prayer Prayer is God's way of Communion The Simplicity Of Prayer… “Call.” This can be done with the mind without the utterance of a single word. The Success Of Prayer and I will answer thee Because it's God's Will done in God's Way 2. The Exhortation … “Call unto me.” It's Personnal - The God of the universe invites you to speak to Him It's Pemanent —at any time It's Purchased - when Jesus died “the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom,” Matthew 27:51. It's Priviliged - Romans 5:1 & 2 says, “Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand.” 3. The Expectation. “... and I will answer thee....” If there were no answer to prayer, it would be an exercise in futility. This is Positive… “I will…” This is Promising… “...answer…” This is Personal… “...thee…” God answers prayer because: He is listening. interested. He is able. He is willing. Phillip Brooks said, “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance, but laying hold on His willingness.” God answered the prayer of:
Moses when his weary arms were held high his army defeated the Amalekites.
Hannah and gave her a son, Samuel.
Elijah with fire from heaven.
Jabez, granting him what he had requested.
Hezekiah, and healed his sickness and extended his life 15 years.
Jerusalem church by senting an angel to deliver Peter from his prison
4. The Exception. the mystery of “unanswered prayers.” (a) If the request is wrong, God says, “No”... answer denied! “No” is an answer to prayer --- it’s just not the answer we want. (b) If the timing is wrong, God says, “Slow” ... answer delayed! “Wait” is an answer to prayer. God’s delays are not God’s denials. God’s timing is perfect. Wait on the Lord. (c) If you are wrong, God says, “Grow” ...answer is different. There are so many times that we are the problem to answered prayer. In 1 Peter 3:7 God tells husbands to dwell with their wives according to knowledge, ”that your prayers be not hindered.”
1. an unsettled relationship, 1 Peter 3:7, 2. unholy motives, James 4:3, Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 3. unconfessed sin, Psalm 66:18, If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: 4. an unforgiving spirit, Mark 11: 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. 5. an unstable faith, James 1:5-8, 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. will all postpone God’s answer to our prayers. If the request is right, the timing is right, and you are right, God says, “Go!” ...answer is delivered! 5. The Exaltation --- “And shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” (a) Gracious things come in answer to prayer Jesus said, "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, THAT WILL I DO, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I WILL DO IT" John 14:13, 14. Again, Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, HE WILL GIVE IT YOU . . . ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full" John 16:23, 24. We ask and God acts. That is the way prayer works. (b) Great things come in answer to prayer. "Great" things mean big things, abundant things, many things, precious things, vast things and things which know no bounds. "Mighty" things indicate things requiring power, strength, force, ability & authority. (c) Guarded things come in answer to prayer. I will "show thee great and might things, which thou knowest not," God promised. Things that are hidden will be revealed when we pray. I know not by what methods rare, But this I know—God answers prayer.
I know that He has given His Word,Which tells me prayer is always heard,
And will be answered, soon or late, And so I pray and calmly wait.
I know not if the blessing sought, Will come in just the way I thought.
But leave my prayers to Him alone, Whose will is wiser than my own,
Assured that He will grant my quest, Or send some answer far more blest. ---
