If God is Sovereign, Why Pray?

Wireless Connection Series

Elder Yul CrawfordAtlanta Metro Cathedral

Questions

1. Is prayer really necessary? If so, why? Isn’t God sovereign? Doesn’t it mean He accomplishes what He wants, when He wants? If so, why pray?

2. Can God’s will on earth be frustrated or not accomplished if I don’t pray?

3. Does my prayer really matter all that much? Is God going to do what He wants anyway?

Is God Sovereign or Not? 1. Sovereignty means that God operates independently of us,

always accomplishing His will regardless of our actions. 2. Sovereign God made a sovereign choice to limit Himself in

many ways and in many situations to the actions, decisions, and requests of human beings.

3. God’s plan is to work on earth with and through us- His family and friends- not independently of us.

4. Adam’s authority over the earth was so complete and final that he, not just God, had the ability to give it away to another. – Satan told Jesus: I will give you all this domain and its glory, for it

was handed over to me and I give it to whomever I wish. (Luke 4:6,7)

Adam Gave It Away

1. God holds the heavens himself, but the earth He has assigned to man (Psalm 115:16).

2. God did not give away ownership of the earth, but He did assign the responsibility of governing to humanity.

The Power of God’s Sovereignty 1. So complete and final was God’s decision to do

things on earth through human beings that it cost God the incarnation to regain what Adam gave away.

2. Didn’t He tell us to ask for our daily bread (Matthew 6:11)? And yet, He knows our needs before we ask.

3. Didn’t He tell us to ask that laborers be sent into the harvest (Matthew 9:38)? But, doesn’t the Lord that more than we do?

4. Are not these things God’s will? Why then, am I supposed to ask Him for something He already wants to do if my asking does not release Him to do it?

The Importance of Prayer 1. John Wesley said, “God does nothing on the earth

except in answer to believing prayer.”2. E.M. Bounds: God shapes the world by prayer. The

more praying there is in the world the better the world will be, the mightier the forces against evil. The prayers of God’s saints are the capital stock of heaven by which God carries on His great work upon earth.

3. S.D. Gordon: You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed. Prayer is striking the winning blow; service is gathering up the results.

Elijah

1. In 1 Kings 18:1-After a three year drought, God told Elijah He was going to send rain to Israel. Although it was God’s will and timing to send rain; He needed a human vessel to ask Him. Elijah prayed seven times for the rain to begin before the answer came (I Kings 18: 41-45; James 5:17).

Daniel

1. After reading the scriptures, Daniel learned through reading Jeremiah’s prophecies that it was time for Israel to be restored from captivity. Although it was time and God’s will, Daniel still had to ask God. – So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek

Him by prayer and supplication, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes (Daniel 9:3).

– Your words were heard, and I have come in response to words (Daniel 10:12).

Moses

1. In Numbers 14:11-12, God pronounced destruction upon Israel. After Moses interceded, God said, “I have pardoned them according to your word (Numbers 14:20).” – The Absolute Judge of all the earth pardoned

man on the basis of a word from man.

No Intercessor to Be Found • God wanted to pardon man, but he could

not find a human to ask for forgiveness. – And I searched for a man among them who

should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; their way I have brought upon their heads, declares the Lord God (Ezekiel 22: 30,31).

Your Eternal Prayer Partners 1. Your Enthroned Prayer Partner

– Jesus, our eternal priest, after the order of Melchizedek ever lives to make intercession – Hebrews 7: 23-24

– In the midst of suffering He interceded for us on the Cross: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

– We have a High Priest who is touched by our weaknesses, who was tempted in all things, as we are, yet without sin. He told us to draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, and that we would find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:14-17).

2. Your Indwelling Prayer Coach/Partner– We do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us

because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-28).

3. Your Eternal Prayer Maximizer– “And to Jesus, mediator of a new covenant , and the sprinkled blood, which speaks

better than the blood of Abel.” (Hebrews 12:24) – Paint your house/household every day.

Your Eternal Prayer Partners 1. Abraham’s intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah released

two angels to tell Lot about the judgment. The angels blinded the men who tried to molest them and led Lots family out of the city. They said, “Hurry! Escape for we cannot do anything until you arrive there.” (Genesis 19)

2. Peter’s angelic jailbreak-But (corporate) prayer was being made fervently by the church of God…and an angel suddenly appeared to Peter. While they were praying for Peter, he knocked on the door, they freaked and thought it was angel (Acts 12:1-16).

3. Angels gather the praise and prayers of the saints into a censer and throws it back to earth (Revelation 8: 3-7)

What Prevents/Hinders Us From Praying?

1. Jesus said, “Could you not just join me in prayer for an hour in the morning?” (Mark 14:37) But while the men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat (Matthew 13:25)

a) The Sleep of Jacob – Genesis 28: 16 – Missed visitation from Godb) The Sleep of Samson – attempting the defeat the enemy in their own

strength/ spiritual weak/vulnerable to enemy strategies to pull you into sin/ and she made him sleep upon her knees.. Judges 16

c) The Sleep of Jonah – have the call of God on your life; not submitted to the will of God; harden heart towards God’s Will

d) The Sleep of Eli the Priest- failure to discipline the flesh; feeding the flesh ; can’t feel the presence of God anymore 1 Samuel 3

e) The Sleep of David – failing to show up for duty; declared vacation from his daily discipline of praying seven times a day; one day with the enemy

Most Powerful Prayer 1. Corporate Prayer2. Acts 1:43. Acts 2:1-34. Acts 4:31-355. Jonah 6. Psalm 133 7. Chronicles 20:21-22

Is Your Wireless Connection Down?

1. The signal always reaches your modem.

2. Is your modem plugged in? 3. Are your wires disconnected? 4. Do you need to hit the reset

button? 5. Do you need a new router?