Sunday Sermon
10 REASONS FOR DELAYED OR UNANSWERED PRAYER
Date: May 20, 2007
Speaker: Ptr. Gerry Gregoire
Reference Text: Psalm 9:25-25,31-33; Psalm 66:18-19

IF WE ARE TO BE KNOWN AS A CHURCH OF PRAYER AND LOVE WE HAVE TO BE MADE AWARE OF THE THINGS, ACTIONS AND ATTITUDES THAT WILL COME AGAINST GOD?S DESIRE TO MAKE US THAT TYPE OF CHURCH.

THE ENEMY DOES NOT WANT YOU TO BE KNOWN AS A CHURCH OF PRAYER AND LOVE BECAUSE IF YOU REALLY FLOW IN THAT CALLING, YOU WILL REALLY MESS UP HIS PLAN TO RULE THE EARTH.

HOW DO YOU BECOME KNOWN AS A CHURCH OF PRAYER ? ITS NOT ONLY PEOPLE SEEING YOU PRAY OR HEARING YOU PRAY !! ANYONE CAN DO THOSE THINGS. BUT IT?S THE CHURCH THAT GETS ITS PRAYERS ANSWERED IN A BIG WAY AND QUICKLY. WHEN YOU SEE GOD?S HAND IN THE ANSWERS. THAT IS GETTING RESULTS QUICKLY BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW TO PRAY.

EVERYONE HAS GOT THEIR OWN WAY TO PRAY, BUT, WE DON?T JUST WANT OUR OWN WAY, NO, WE WANT JESUS? WAY THE BIBLE?S WAY.

SO TODAY WE WANT TO LOOK AT TEN (10) THINGS THAT DELAY YOUR ANSWER OR NO ANSWER COMES AT ALL.

THIS WILL REQUIRE A SIGNIFICANT KNOWLEDGE OF GOD?S WORD AND A STRONG DESIRE TO PUT HIS DIRECTIONS TO WORK. GOD WANTS TO ANSWER PRAYER AND TO GIVE US THE DESIRES OF OUR HEART. REMEMBER THAT OUR DESIRE HAS TO BE HIS DESIRE, SOMETHING THAT HE HAS DECREED IN HIS WORD.

YOU MAY SAY, WELL PASTOR I PRAY HIS WILL AND I STILL HAVE A PROBLEM GETTING ANY ANSWER AT ALL. I WILL SHOW YOU WHY TODAY ---- AND HOPEFULLY SHOW YOU HOW TO CHANGE YOUR TACTICS. ITS REALLY PRETTY SIMPLE AND YOU MAY EVEN KNOW PARTS OF WHAT I AM GOING TO SAY BUT YOU HAVE NOT IMPLEMENTED ANYTHING AS OF YET. CHEER UP, THIS IS YOUR DAY !

LETS LOOK AT A COUPLE OF SCRIPTURES FIRST: GO TO JOHN 9:24,25:

John 9:24-25 (Amplified Bible)
24So the second time they summoned the man who had been born blind, and said to him, Now give God the glory (praise). This [a]Fellow we know is only a sinner (a wicked person).
25Then he answered, I do not know whether He is a sinner and wicked or not. But one thing I do know, that whereas I was blind before, now I see.

NOW LOOK AT JOHN 9:31-33

John 9:31-33 (Amplified Bible)
31We know that God does not listen to sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and a worshiper of Him and does His will, He listens to him.
32Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind.
33If this Man were not from God, He would not be able to do anything like this.
NOW LOOK AT PSALM 66:18-19 :

Psalm 66:18-19 (Amplified Bible)
18If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me;(A)
19But certainly God has heard me; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.

LOOKING AT THESE SCRIPTURES WE CAN SEE THE FIRST REASON WHY PRAYERS ARE HINDERED, DELAYED, OR NOT EVEN ANSWERED.

DISOBEDIENCE ---- THAT IS WHEN WE DON?T DO WHAT GOD TELLS US TO DO.
WE CALL THAT SIN. NOW YOUR SAVED BUT YOUR IN SIN. WHAT IS STRANGE ABOUT THIS IS YOU MAY NOT EVEN
KNOW IT. SINS OF PRIDE, ANGER, JEALOUSY, AND THE BIG ONE ---- UNFORGIVENESS

THESE MAY BE A PART OF YOUR LIFE AND YOU DON?T EVEN REALIZE IT. THAT IS WHAT SO DANGEROUS, BECAUSE YOU ARE STILL PRAYING, STILL GOING TO CHURCH STILL READING YOUR BIBLE AND YET YOU ARE HARBORING THESE HIDDEN SINS OF THE HEART. THEY ARE SO HIDDEN THAT YOU CANNOT EVEN SEE THEM UNTIL SOMEONE WAKES YOU UP.

IF YOU HAVE SIN IN YOUR HEART, GOD DOESN?T EVEN HEAR YOUR PRAYER OR PETITION.
IF YOU WANT TO GET YOUR PRAYERS ANSWERED AND BECOME KNOWN AS A CHURCH THAT PRAYS AND GETS RESULTS, GET RID OF THE SIN. MOST OF THESE SINS, PEOPLE DON?T ADMIT BECAUSE OF PRIDE, THEY WANT TO SEE THEMSELVES AS GOOD PEOPLE. ?IF MY PEOPLE WHICH ARE CALLED BY MY NAME WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND PRAY.? 2 Chron 7:14 STEP NUMBER 1 HUMBLE YOURSELF. CHURCH, WE NEED TO DO THIS AND WE NEED TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW, THIS CANNOT WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW BECAUSE IF YOU PUT IT OFF. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE JUST PLAYING CHURCH. WE NEED THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST!!! INGRAINED IN US !!!!

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES YOU WILL SEE AND UNDERSTAND THAT GOD DOES WANT TO BLESS YOU AND ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS, BUT HE CANNOT, BECAUSE HE IS BOUND BY HIS WORDHE DOESN?T HEAR THE PRAYERS OF THE SINNERS.

WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SAY IS THAT CHRISTIANITY IS SOMETHING THAT INVOLVES YOUR ACTIONS TO ACHIEVE WHAT GOD IS TAKING US TO. EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK EITHER IN THE OLD TESTAMENT OR THE NEW. PEOPLE WERE ALWAYS DOING SOMETHING TO ACT IN FAITH AND FULFILL GOD WILL. AND WE NEED TO THE SAME.

IN HEBREWS 11:4 ABEL OFFERED UP A BETTER SACRIFICE, IN 11:5 ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD AND PLEASED HIM, 11:7 NOAH BUILT AN ARK, 11:8 ABRAHAM WENT OUT, 11:11 SARAH CONCEIVED.

PEOPLE WERE ALWAYS DOING SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE FOR GOD AND WE SHOULD BE DOING THE SAME.

HOW SO PASTOR GERRY? PUT ON JESUS, PUT ON THE ARMOR OF LIGHT, PUT OFF THE OLD MAN, PUT ON THE NEW MAN, PUT OFF ANGER, WRATH, MALICE, BLASPHEMY, FILTHY LANGUAGE, PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS , PUT OFF THE FORMER CONDUCT,

IF EVER WE ARE GOING TO BE KNOWN AS THE CHURCH OF PRAYER AND CHURCH OF LOVE, YOU HAVE GOT TO DO A LOT OF PUT, PUTTING. WE MUST PUT OFF ANGER ,LUST, JEALOUSY, UNFORGIVENESS, PRIDE. WE MUST GET OUT OF DISOBEYING GOD AND RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE MISSING THE MARK IN SOME AREAS OF OUR LIVES.
IF YOU HAVE RECOGNIZED ERRORS THAT YOU HAVE MADE AND CAN SEE WHY MAYBE SOME OF YOUR PRAYERS HAVE NOT BEEN ANSWERED, THANK GOD TODAY THAT HE HAS SHOWN US THE ERROR OF OUR WAYS. DON?T TRY TO JUSTIFY YOUR BEHAVIOR. OWN UP TO THE REALITY OF YOUR LIFE. TURN TO GOD AND ASK HIM TO FORGIVE YOU AND THE THINGS YOU MAY HAVE BEEN DOING WITHOUT EVEN RECOGNIZING IT. TURN TO GOD AND ASK HIM TO FORGIVE YOU AS YOU HAVE FORGIVEN OTHERS AND IF YOU HAVEN?T FORGIVEN OTHERS, NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO DO THAT BECAUSE WITHOUT THOSE TYPE OF ACTIONS YOUR PRAYED WILL NEVER BE ANSWERED.

ALTAR CALL AND INVITATION TO THE CHURCH. LET SPIRITUAL GIFTS FLOW AS GOD DESIRES.

TEN REASONS WHY WE EXPERIENCE DELAY

1. DELAY CAUSED BY DISOBEDIENCE

GOD DESIRES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE WHO LOVE AND SERVE HIM,
CHECK OUT PSALM 81:10-12

Psalm 81:10-12 (Amplified Bible)
10I am the Lord your God, Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.
11But My people would not hearken to My voice, and Israel would have none of Me.
12So I gave them up to their own hearts' lust and let them go after their own stubborn will, that they might follow their own counsels.(A)
ALSO :

Psalm 81:16 (Amplified Bible)
16[God] would feed [Israel now] also with the finest of the wheat; and with honey out of the rock would I satisfy you.

2. DELAY CAUSED BY OUR DOUBT

James 1:5-8 (Amplified Bible)
5If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of [a]the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.

6Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind.
7For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord,
8[For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides].

3. DELAY CAUSED MY MANIPULATION

1 Samuel 13:8-10 (Amplified Bible)
8Saul waited seven days, according to the set time Samuel had appointed. But Samuel had not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from Saul.
1. 9So Saul said, Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering [which he was forbidden to do].
10And just as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came! Saul went out to meet and greet him.
NOW GO TO 13 AND 14

1 Samuel 13:13-14 (Amplified Bible)
13And Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly! You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God which He commanded you; for the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever;
14But now your kingdom shall not continue; the Lord has sought out [David] a man after His own [a]heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince and ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.

4. DELAY CAUSED BY WRONG MOTIVATION

James 4:3 (Amplified Bible)
3[Or] you do ask [God for them] and yet fail to receive, because you ask with wrong purpose and evil, selfish motives. Your intention is [when you get what you desire] to spend it in sensual pleasures.

5. DELAY CAUSED BY OUR LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY

Proverbs 19:15
15Slothfulness casts one into a deep sleep, and the idle person shall suffer hunger.

Proverbs 20:4
4The sluggard does not plow when winter sets in; therefore he begs in harvest and has nothing.

6. DELAY CAUSED BY ILLEGITIMATE NEED

PLENTY OF KIDS WERE RAISED WITH THINGS THEY REALLY DON?T NEED, SUCH AS THEIR OWN PERSONAL COLOR TV, A CAR OF THEIR OWN AND DESIGNER CLOTHES. THEY FEEL THEY NEED THESE ITEMS AND THAT MAY BE A PRAYER REQUEST THAT IS NOT A NECESSARY NEED IN THEIR LIVES.. WHAT DO WE REALLY NEED IN THIS LIFE AND BE REAL ABOUT IT?

7. DELAY CAUSED BY REJECTING GOD'S METHODS

AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THAT GOD USES SOMEONE THAT YOU DON?T LIKE TO MEET ONE OF YOUR PRAYER REQUEST. AND YOU SAY HOW CAN I RECEIVE FROM THIS PERSON I DO NOT LIKE? WE LOOK FOR SUPERNATURAL DELIVERY OF GOD?S ANSWER, AND WHEN HE ANSWERS BY NATURAL MEANS WE HAVE PROBLEMS RECEIVING IT. I.E. WOMAN ON ROOF WON?T ACCEPT HELP......
OR SENDS YOU THE WRONG PERSON TO MARRY. DIFFERENT COLOR HAIR OR EYES THAN YOU ASKED FOR OR MAYBE A BIT HEAVIER.

8. DELAY CAUSED BY GOD'S REDIRECTION

HE MAY BE IN THE PROCESS OF REDIRECTING US FOR SOMETHING NEW. I.E. WANTING TO PASTOR A CHURCH IN ANOTHER STATE, BUT GOD SAYS I WANT YOU HERE, I HAVE A TASK FOR YOU HERE.

Romans 8:28 (Amplified Bible)
28We are assured and know that [[a]God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose

9. DELAY CAUSED BY GOD'S DESIRE TO TEACH US

USUALLY RELATED TO OUR INABILITY TO TRUST GOD. THE LORD IS ALWAYS WORKING ON OUR ABILITY TO TRUST AND WORK WITH HIM, KNOWING THAT IF WE DON?T GET SOMETHING RIGHT AWAY, THAT THERE IS ALWAYS A GODLY REASON AND TIMING IN IT THAT WILL WORK FOR OUR GOOD.
SOMETIMES A TEMPORAL OR MATERIAL NEED WILL GO UNMET FOR A SEASON TO GET US TO FOCUS MORE ON SPIRITUAL THINGS AND TO UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE THINGS ARE MORE IMPORTANT.

10. DELAY CAUSED BY GOD?S DESIRE TO BRING US TO REPENTANCE

Luke 15:11-31 (Amplified Bible)
11And He said, There was a certain man who had two sons;
12And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the part of the property that falls [to me]. And he divided the estate between them.(A)
13And not many days after that, the younger son gathered up all that he had and journeyed into a distant country, and there he wasted his fortune in reckless and loose [from restraint] living.
14And when he had spent all he had, a [a]mighty famine came upon that country, and he began to fall behind and be in want.
15So he went and forced (glued) himself upon one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed hogs.
16And he would gladly have fed on and [b]filled his belly with the [c]carob pods that the hogs were eating, but [they could not satisfy his hunger and] nobody gave him anything [better].(B)
17Then when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have enough food, and [even food] to spare, but I am perishing (dying) here of hunger!
18I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.
19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; [just] make me like one of your hired servants.
20So he got up and came to his [own] father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness [for him]; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him [[d]fervently].
21And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son [I no longer deserve to be recognized as a son of yours]!
22But the father said to his bond servants, Bring quickly the best robe (the festive robe of honor) and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet.(C)
23And bring out [e]that [wheat-]fattened calf and kill it; and let us [f]revel and feast and be happy and make merry,
24Because this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to [g]revel and feast and make merry.
25But his older son was in the field; and as he returned and came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
26And having called one of the servant [boys] to him, he began to ask what this meant.
27And he said to him, Your brother has come, and your father has killed [h]that [wheat-]fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and well.
28But [the elder brother] was angry [with deep-seated wrath] and resolved not to go in. Then his father came out and began to plead with him,
29But he answered his father, Look! These many years I have served you, and I have never disobeyed your command. Yet you never gave me [so much as] a [little] kid, that I might [i]revel and feast and be happy and make merry with my friends;
30But when this son of yours arrived, who has devoured your estate with immoral women, you have killed for him [j]that [wheat-] fattened calf!
31And the father said to him, Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

FOR MANY PEOPLE, IT SEEMS, A DELAY IN MEETING THEIR NEEDS IS REQUIRED FOR THEM TO COME TO THEIR SENSES AND FACE UP TO THEIR SIN AND SEEK GOD?S FORGIVENESS. IT IS THE NECESSARY TOOL FOR THEM TO COMET TO THE POINT WHERE THEY ARE WILLING TO DO THINGS GOD?S WAY AND TO FOLLOW GOD?S PATH RATHER THAN THE ONE THEY HAD CHOSEN FOR THEMSELVES

GOD DOES NOT DELAY MEETING OUR NEEDS BECAUSE HE DELIGHTS IN OUR STRUGGLE OR IN OUR SUFFERING. NO! GOD DELAYS BECAUSE HE WILL NOT OVERRIDE OUR HUMAN WILL. HE LONGS FOR US TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION

AND TO COME TO HIM FOR FORGIVENESS, RESTORATION, AND ONGOING FELLOWSHIP AND PROVISION. ONCE WE DO SO, HE RUNS TO US WITH LOVE AND
JOY, HE WRAPS US IN HIS ETERNAL ARMS AND CALLS US HIS BELOVED CHILDREN.

ONCE YOU RECOGNIZE ANY ERRORS YOU HAVE MADE THAT WOULD CAUSE A DELAY ,, DON?T TRY TO JUSTIFY YOUR BEHAVIOR. OWN UP TO THE REALITY OF

YOUR LIFE. TURN TO GOD AND ASK HIM TO FORGIVE YOU.. RECEIVE HIS FORGIVENESS AND THEN ASK HIM TO SHOW YOU HOW TO WALK IN OBEDIENCE TO HIS DESIRES AND PLANS FOR YOUR LIFE. ASK FOR COURAGE AND COMPLETE TRUST TO FOLLOW HIM. THAT HE WOULD OPEN YOU EYES TO SEE AND YOUR EARS TO HEAR.

SO, WHAT IS THE ANSWER OF THIS STUPENDOUS PROBLEM THAT RAISES ITS HEAD IN MOST CHURCHES AND RENDERS THE CHURCH NOT AS POWERFUL AS GOD INTENDED IT TO BE?
ITS FAIRLY SIMPLE, GOD TELLS US TO PUT, PUT, PUT ,PUT.

Romans 13:14 (King James Version)
14But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Galatians 3:27 (King James Version)
27For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Romans 13:12 (King James Version)
12The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Colossians 3:8-9 (King James Version)
8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

Colossians 3:10 (King James Version)
10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Philippians 2:5 (King James Version)
5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: OR PUT ON THE MIND OF CHRIST

Philippians 2:13 (King James Version)
13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. OR PUT ON GOD?S WILL AND HIS ABILITY TO GET RID OF THE SIN.

Ephesians 4:22-23 (King James Version)
22That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;