The certificate of successful prayer. Charles Spurgeon sermon. Text: "And I say: Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it be opened. "
Luke 11: 9-10 Seek help from a supernatural being in time of trouble is an instinct of human nature. Do not say that human nature does not really offer a prayer renewed spiritual, or may exercise saving faith in the living God. But, however, as a child who cries in the dark with anxious longing for help from one place or another, can hardly know where, despite a deep soul cries almost invariably to some supernatural being to demand relief. No people are more willing to pray in times of distress than those who have ridiculed the prayer in times of prosperity, and probably no real sentences and in accordance with the feelings of the time that the atheist has offered low pressure fear of death.
In one of his papal in the Tattler, Addison describes a man who, on board a ship, he boasted loudly of their atheism. A1 occur a sudden gale, fell to his knees and confessed to the chaplain who had been an atheist. The rough sailors who had never heard the word thought it was some strange fish, and extremely surprised when they saw a man, and knew of his own mouth "than ever, until that day had believed there was a God." One of the old crew foreman told the work would be a good throw overboard, but felt it was a cruel suggestion, because the poor creature was already in a state so miserable that his atheism had evaporated, and in the midst of a mortal terror he cried to God to have mercy on him.
similar incidents have occurred not once, not twice. In fact, skepticism retreats boast so often that we always expect the same thing happened again. Remove all artificial restrictions of mind, and applies to all men who, like Jonah's traveling companions, each claims to being God in tribulation. Like birds in their nests, and deer to shrubs, men in their trouble flying in search of relief to be higher in the hour of need.
Instinctively, he turned to God in Paradise, and now, although to a lamentable is a dethroned monarch, remain in your memory traces of what was, and memory as to where to find their strength. Therefore, no matter where you meet a man, if you're in trouble, ask for supernatural aid. I believe in the veracity of this instinct, and that man now because there is something in prayer. Like when God gives his creatures the gift of thirst, because there is water to quench. And when hunger is created because there is food for the hungry. So when he inclines men to pray is because prayer is a blessing for attached to it.
find a reason to expect that prayer is effective in fact that is an institution of God. In the word of God repeatedly gives us the command to pray. God's institutions are not stupid. "I can I believe that the infinitely wise God has ordained me an exercise that is inefficient and that there is more than child's play? "I ordered to pray, and yet the sentence has no result that if the wind whistle, or sing him to a bush? If no response to prayer, prayer is a monstrous absurdity and God is the author of it. And this is blasphemy if someone dares to say so. No man who is not a fool will continue to pray once it has been proven that prayer does not make any effect before God, and never received a response. Prayer is a task of idiots and lunatics, and not for healthy people, if it were true that its effects end up in the same man who prays.
This morning I shall not argue the matter, rather, I will consider my text, which for me at least, and for you who are followers of Christ is the end of all controversy. Our Savior knew very well that many difficulties arise in connection with prayer, and could give pause to his disciples, so that all opposition countered by a statement incontrovertible. Read the words: "And I say: I, your God: I say, ask and you shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened." The text
Lord facing all the difficulties, first, giving the weight of his authority, "I say," second, presenting us a promise, "Ask and you shall receive," etc., and then reminding an indisputable fact, "everyone who asks receives." We have here three fatal wounds to the doubts that Christians may have about prayer.
I. First, OUR SAVIOR GIVES ITS OWN WEIGHT OF AUTHORITY: "And I tell you."
The first mark of a follower of Christ that believes in his Lord. In no way can we follow the Lord if we raise questions about points that he has positively established. Although doctrine is surrounded by ten thousand difficulties, the ipse dixit of the Lord Jesus delete them all, with respect to true Christians. The statement of our Master is the whole argument that we need,''I say "is our logic. Reason! You see majestic in Jesus, because He has made unto wisdom. He can not err, can not lie and if He says, "I say," everything comes to a close debate.
But, brothers, there are some reasons that should lead us to rely more confidently on the word of our Lord Jesus, but the explanation we have considered is a special force. It has been objected that it is possible that prayer can be answered, because the laws of nature are immutable, and everything must run its course, and it will be that men pray or not. We see no need to show that the laws of nature are disrupted. God can work miracles, and may obrarlos still as he did once, but is not part of the Christian faith that God has to work miracles to answer the prayers of his servants. When a man has to fulfill a promise to disrupt all their affairs, and as it has to stop all the machinery, it shows that it is just a man, and his wisdom and power are limited, but the true God, and without going back to your machine, or a single tooth without removing the wheel meets the wishes of his people when presented before Him The Lord is so powerful that it can achieve results equivalent to miracles without the need to suspend it slightest degree any of its laws. In the past, so to speak, stopped the machinery of the universe in response to prayer but now, with an equally divine glory, the order of events so you can answer the prayers of believers, and no one yet suspend natural law.
But this is far from our only major consolation, it lies in the fact that we hear the voice of one who is competent to talk about the matter, and He says: "I say, ask and you shall receive." Whether the laws of nature are irreversible or not, "Ask and you shall receive, seek and ye shall find." But who is saying it? Is what has made all things, without which nothing has been done was done. Can not speak to this point? Oh, thou eternal Word who was in the beginning with God, counting clouds and securing the foundations of the earth, you know what the laws of nature and their unwavering constitution, and if you say "Ask and you shall receive," then certainly it will, whatever they are laws of nature. Moreover, our Lord is adored by us as the sustainer of all things, and seeing that all laws of nature are operative only for its power, and are supported in their action on their power, they must be aware of the mechanism all the forces of the universe, and if he says: "Ask and you shall receive," He does not speak out of ignorance rather know what he says. We may be sure that there is no power that can prevent compliance with the Word of God. From the Creator and Sustainer of all things, the phrase "I say," puts an end to any dispute for ever.
But it has filed another objection that is very old and has the appearance of great strength. It is presented by the skeptics, but by supporting part of the truth, and it is this: that prayer can not produce concrete results, because the decrees of God have set all things and these decrees are immutable. Now we have no desire to deny the claim that God's decrees have established all the events. We fully believe that God in his presence has predestined everything that happens in the sky 0 down on earth, and that advance knowledge the position of a rush on the bank of the river is as fixed as the position of the king on the throne and "the chaff from the master of the blower is directed and stars in their orbits." Predestination includes big and small, and all things Alcanaz. The question is, "then why pray?" With the same logic, we could not ask them to breathe, eat, we move or do anything? We have an answer that satisfies us, our prayers are in predestination and that God has ordained the prayers of his people as well as everything else, and when we pray, we are producing links in the chain of events sorted. Fate decreed that pray, I pray, the destiny decrees that I answer to, and get the answer.
But we have a better answer than that. The Lord Jesus is coming forward, and tells us this morning: "Dear son, do not worry about the decree of God, nothing in them that is inconsistent with the fact that your prayers are answered.` I tell you, ask and you be given. " "Now, who is saying this? Vamos! is the one who has been with the Father from the beginning "This was in the beginning with God" and he knows what are the purposes of God and how God's heart, he has said elsewhere, "the Father himself loves you . Now, since he knows the decree of the Father and the Father's heart, We can say with absolute certainty of an eyewitness that there is nothing in the timeless advice that conflicts with this truth and who asks receives, and he who seeks finds. He has read the decrees from beginning to end. Have not taken it and has broken the seals, declaring the ordinances of heaven? He will say that there is nothing that is against your knee bent and your eyes wet with tears, and the fact that the father opens the windows of the heavens to rain down upon you the blessings you are looking for. Moreover, he is God: the purposes of heaven are their purposes, and he who ordered the purpose here provides assurance that there is nothing in it to prevent the effectiveness of prayer. "I say." Oh you who believe in Him, your doubts are scattered to the winds, because you know that He hears prayer.
But sometimes arises in our mind a third difficulty, which is associated with our own judgments about ourselves and our assessment of God. We feel that God is very great, and tremble in the presence of his majesty, we feel that we are very small, and, moreover, are contemptible, and it seems an incredible thing that a trifle guilty have power to move the arm that moves the universe. I wonder if that is not guilty fear which often prevents us pray. But Jesus answered sweetly. He says: "I tell you: Ask and ye shall receive." And I ask again, who is the one that says "I tell you?" Is one who knows both the greatness of God as man's weakness. He is God and from his lofty majesty, imagine hearing him say, "I say, 'Ask and you shall receive." "But he is also human like us and says:" Do not be afraid of your insignificance, because I, the bone of your bone and flesh of your flesh I assure you that God hears the prayer of man. "
And yet, if the terror scare us from sin and our sorrow depresses us, I will remember that when you say, "I say," Jesus gives us the authority, not only of himself but of his experience. Jesus was given to prayer. No one has ever prayed as he did. He spent nights in prayer, and days in fervent intercession. It is he who says, "I say, 'Ask and you shall receive." "I see cool down in the heather of the hill, from which he had spent the night kneeling in prayer, saying:" My disciples, ask and you shall receive, for I have prayed and I've been given. "heard what was feared, and therefore, says," I say, knock and it shall be opened. " And I imagine hearing him speak and from the cross, his face glowing with the first ray of light after he had suffered our sins in His body on the tree, and had suffered our pain until the last torment. He had claimed: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" and now, having received an answer, crying triumphantly, "It is," and this is done, we are commanded: "Ask and you shall receive." Jesus has proven the power of prayer.
Also, remember that if Jesus our Lord, he could speak positively here, there are even more reasons to believe in him now, he has pierced the veil, sat down at the right hand of God the Father, and the voice that comes now not comes the poor man wearing a seamless garment, but the priest enthroned on their backs carrying a belt on his waist, it is he who now says, from the right hand of God: "I tell you, ask and will give you, "Do not believe in his name? Yes think. So how on earth could drop a sincere prayer offered in this name when you submit your request in the name of Jesus, a part of its authority reinforces your prayers . If your prayer is rejected, Christ is dishonored. You can not believe that this can happen. Since you trusted him, believed that the prayer offered by him must succeed and it will.
We can not remain longer in this point, but we trust the Holy Spirit impressed upon him the hearts of us all.
II. Now remember that our Lord gave us a PROMISE Note that the promise is given to several varieties of prayer: "I tell you: Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened." The text clearly states that all forms of true prayer will be heard, provided they are presented through Jesus Christ, and are for promised blessings. Some are prayers asking men vocalized, we must never cease to offer the prayer expressed by the language, because the promise is that he who asks will be heard. But, others without neglecting the active sentence, because humble and diligent use of the means they seek the blessings they need. Their hearts speak to God through their longings, their efforts, their emotions and their jobs. Do not stop searching, because certainly find it. There are others who, in her heat combine the most passionate, acting and speaking, because they call is an intense form of demand and intense form of search. So prayer request that grows from the vocalization is, his statement to the search, let us beg, and call it molesting. For each of these stages of prayer is a clear promise. Who asks what will be most requested. But whoever seeks beyond that, find, enjoy, holds in her hands, know that you have obtained. And the caller will go even further, because understood, and will open the precious things. Not only have the blessing and enjoy, but will understand, "read with all the saints what the heights and depths."
However, I want notéis following, which includes everything: whatever the form of prayer will succeed. If only you ask will receive, if you seek, find, if you call it, it will be open, but in each case will be done according to your faith. The terms of the promise that lies before our eyes we have collectively, as we say in law, he who calls and searches and calls, receive, which seeks to find and was called will be open. It is when we combine the three things that we are blessed, but certainly if the combine will receive a combined response, but if you exercise only one of three forms of prayer, however we have what our soul needs.
These three methods of prayer exercise a variety of our grace. The parents comment about this passage that faith calls seeking hope and love called, and it bears repeating that comment. Faith believes that God calls for you; having asked, hoping expected, and therefore seeks the blessing, love brings you closer still, and will not receive a denial of God, but rather want to enter your home, have dinner with him, and therefore calls on his door until it opens. But back to our original point. No matter what grace is exercised, a blessing for each one. If faith calls you receive, if hope seeks finds, and if love calls, will be open.
These three ways of praying we agree in different states of distress. Here I am, poor beggar at the door of mercy ask and receive. But I lost, so I can not find Him whom I once asked so successfully, then I can look with certainty that I shall find. And if I'm in the last stage, not just poor and confused, but also to feel unclean and separated from God, as leper who is cast out of the camp, then I can call and I open the door.
Each of these different descriptions of the sentences is exceedingly simple. If someone said: "I can not ask," our response would be: "do not understand the word." Surely anyone can ask. A young child may ask. Long before babies can speak, you can ask. You do not need words to ask what you need, and no one among us who are unable to ask. It is not necessary that the prayers are beautiful. I believe that God hates the beautiful prayers. When we pray, the more simple our prayer better, the simpler language, expressing the most humble what we mean is the best. The second word is
seek, and certainly no problems with search. May be difficult to find, but there are none in the search. When the woman in the parable of the lost money, she lit a candle and searched. I do not think has ever been in college, or who is qualified as a medical doctor, or had been before the Board as a woman of superior sense, but she could find. Anyone who wants to, can find, whether man, woman or child, and to encourage them, there is no promise in any particular philosophical way as to seek, but simply states "he who seeks finds." Then there Call: well, that's something that is relatively more difficult. We did when we were children, which at times was too much for the convenience of residents. And at home, if the knocker was too high for our size, always found ways and means to call. A stone gave us the same service, or the heel of the boot. Whatever was used to knock on the door. In no way was beyond our capacity. So Jesus puts it this way to say: "You do not need education, training, talent and ingenuity to pray. Ask, seek, knock, that's all, and there is a promise to each of these forms of prayer. "
will believe " the promise? It is Christ who gives it. He never left his lips a lie. Oh, do not doubt him If you've prayed, keep praying, and if you've never prayed, God help you to get started today.
III. Our third point is that Jesus testifies to the fact that prayer is heard Having made a promise, then adds, in effect: "You can be absolutely sure that this promise will be fulfilled, not only because I said so, but because it is and has always been so. " When a man says that tomorrow the sun will rise tomorrow, I believe, because it always has been. Our Lord tells us, as indisputable fact, that through all the ages true order has been followed by receiving. Remember who said this fact known. If I said a fact, you could answer: "Yes, in terms of what you've observed, it is true," but the observation of Christ knows no limits. There has never been a true sentence that never knew him. The prayers acceptable to the high you get by way of the wounds of Christ. Hence the Lord Jesus can speak from personal knowledge, and his statement is that prayer has been successful: "Everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds."
At this point we must assume, of course, limitations to commence ordinary common sense, and are established by the Scriptures. Not that everyone who ask a frivolous or evil to God is going to get what you ordered. God does not answer every request foolish, idle and inconsiderate of the unregenerate heart. No way. Common sense puts a limit. Besides the Scriptures put your limit. "You do not have because you do not ask, or ask amiss." There is a bad call that never get what you ask. But considering these things, the declaration of our Lord has another limitation: "Everyone who asks receives."
Remember that often, even when the wicked and evil have asked God, received. Too often in the day of distress have cried out to God, and he has answered. "How dare you say that?," Says one. Do not tell me what the Scripture says Ahab's prayer was answered and the Lord said, "Have not you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, do not bring the evil in his days in the days of your child bring the evil upon his house. "So the Lord heard the prayer of Jocaz, the son of Jehu, who made evil before the Lord (2 Kings 13:1 4). The Israelites, too, when their sins were handed over to their enemies, cried out to God for deliverance, and received his reply, however, the Lord Himself testifies for only flatter them with their mouths.
Does it make you hesitate? Do not listen to it to the young ravens when they cry? "You think you will not hear the man who is made in His image? Do you doubt? Remember to Nineveh. The prayers offered at Nineveh, were they spiritual prayers? Have you ever heard of a Church of God in Nineveh? I do not, and I think the people of Nineveh were not seen by the grace of conversion, but rather were convinced by the preaching of Jonah they were in danger before the great Jehovah, and proclaimed a fast and humbled, and God heard his prayer, and for a while Nineveh was spared. Many times, in time yen disease pain time, God has responded to the prayers of the ungrateful and wicked. Do you think that nothing works but the good? Have you stayed at the foot of Sinai and have learned to judge according to the law of the merits? What were you when you started to pray? Were you a good and fair? Is not God has commanded you to do good to bad? Do you believe that you send to do something he would not do? Has not it sends rain on the just and unjust, and it? Is not giving daily blessings to those who curse? and do good to those who used it disparagingly? This is one of the glories of God's grace. And when there is nothing good in man, if his heart rises a cry, the Lord deigns frequently to send relief in their distress. Now if God has heard the prayers even of men who have not sought in the most high, and given them temporary release in response to their cries, do not you hear more so when you humble in his presence, and wants to be reconciled to Him? Certainly this is an argument.
But to jump right into the point about the true and spiritual prayers, everyone who asks receives, without any limitation. There has been no single case of a man who was really looking for spiritual blessings of God, who has not received. The tax collector stood isolated, and so broken-hearted that he dared not raise his eyes to heaven. However, God looked down at him. Manasseh lay in the dark dungeon. It had been a cruel persecutor of the saints, there was nothing in it that could serve as a recommendation in the eyes of God. But God heard him from his prison and granted freedom to his soul. Jonah for his own sin came into the belly of the whale. The best was a servant of God petulant. However, from the womb of hell cried and God heard him. Everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and the caller will open. "Anyone who. If you need evidence could be found, show him in the tabernacle. I would ask anyone who has found Christ, to testify that God heard their prayers. I do not think that among the damned in hell anyone would dare to say, "I sought the Lord and he refused."
not be found on the final day of the accountability of a single soul who can say, "I knocked on the door of mercy, but God refused to open it." There will be a single soul who can stand up to the great white throne and can claim: "Oh Christ, I would have been saved for you, but you do not want me to save. I put myself in your hands, but I turned it down. Sorry I asked you to have mercy on me, but I got it. " Everyone who asks receives. It has been well until today, and will be until Jesus comes. If in doubt, try it, and if you've tried, try again. Are you dressed in rags? No matter, everyone who asks receives. Is unclean by sin? Does not matter, Everyone who seeks, finds. Do you feel like you're completely removed from God? Does not matter, "knock and it shall, for all e1 who asks receives." "There is no alternative there?" No doubt there is, but this does not alter the truth that has no limits whatsoever, "whoever." How rich is this text! "" Anyone can get.
When our Lord spoke these words, he could have recourse to their own life as evidence. In any case, we can refer to it now and show that none of Christ without being asked. The Syro-Phoenician woman was initially rejected when the Lord called her little dog, but when she had the courage to say: "Yet the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the table," she discovered that everyone who asks receives. That woman came to the Lord from behind, pressed by the crowd and touched the hem of his robe, was not asking, I was looking for and found.
In response to all this seems unfortunate to hear the complaint from someone who says: "I've been crying out to God for a long time asking salvation I have asked, I have searched and have called but I have not come yet. "Well, dear friend, if you ask me, who has the truth, God or you, I know what course to take, and I would advise you believe in the Lord before believing in yourself. God will hear prayer, but you know that there is something before prayer? What is it? The gospel is not everyone who prays will be saved. No, that's not the gospel. I think it's safe, but that's not the gospel I have been ordered preached. "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature that" Who? what? "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Now you you've been asking God save you, do you expect that he will save without believe and be baptized? Surely you have not had the insolence to ask God to reverse its own word. Could not say, "Do what I ordered, my son believes in you, whoever believes in, someone says" I trust him fully. "Alma, do not ask for more salvation And you're safe! If you trust in Jesus with all your heart, your sins are forgiven and you are saved. And the next time you approach the Lord, go to him with praise attached to your prayer, and sings to bless his name.
"But how I can know I'm saved? someone says. God says: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Have you believed? Remember Me been baptized? Yes? Then you are safe. How do I know? I know based on the best evidence from around the world. God says you are. Need further evidence than this? "I feel it." Feel it! Are your own feelings better than the testimony of God? Will you try asking God a liar more than signs and evidences its absolutely sure word of testimony? I have no evidence other than your absolutely sure word of testimony. I have no evidence to this day I dare to trust for my salvation than this, that rest in Christ alone with all my heart, soul and strength. "I have no other refuge," and if you have that evidence, is all the evidence you need to look this day. After you come to other testimonies of grace in your heart, and you will form clusters and adorn the doctrine you profess, but now, your first concern must be to believe in Jesus.
"I have asked faith," says one. Well, what do you mean? Believing in Jesus Christ is God's gift, but it must be an act of yours. Do you think God will think for you, or believe that the Holy Spirit instead of us? What should you believe the Holy Spirit? You must believe for yourself or you lose. He can not lie. Do not believe in Him? The twist to be believed, I trusted him and be saved, and thy prayer will be answered.
I can hear one that says Cone in which I have been saved, but I'm waiting for the salvation of others in response to my prayers "Dear friend, I will." He who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and the caller, will open. "" But I have sought the conversion of that person for years with much prayer. "You shall have, or someday you'll know why it has not been, and you'll be happy with it.
Keep praying with hope . There are many who have had the answer to their prayers for others after death. I think they have remembered another occasion the father who for many years prayed for their sons and daughters, however, not only did not convert but were exceedingly mundane. Came time to die. He gathered his children around his bed, waiting to give testimony as to Christ at the last minute that could be blessed by their conversion. But unfortunately for him, he had great trouble in his soul, because he had doubts of his own interest in Christ. He was one of the sons of God who come to the deathbed in darkness. But the worst of their fears was that their dear children to realize their anguish and stay with prejudices against religion. The good man was buried and his sons were at the funeral, and God answered the prayer of the man that day, because as they left the tomb, they told each other, "Brother, our father had a very unfortunate death." "Yes, brother, I was very amazed by it, because I never saw a better man than our father." Ah, "said the first brother," if a holy man as our father found it hard to die for us is one thing terrible when the time comes, because we have faith. "The same thought had beaten them all, and led to the cross, so that the good man's prayer was heard in a mysterious way. Heaven and earth shall pass away but while living God, prayer must be heard. As God is faithful to his word, the prayers are not in vain. The Lord give you grace to exercise it on them continually. Amen.
