IT IS TIME THAT THE SAINTS OF
OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST WAKE UP AND BE CALLED TO SERIOUS
PRAYER. I WANT TO HELP YOU TO LEARN HOW TO PRAY, NOT JUST
ORDINARY PRAYER BUT PRAYER THAT CAN TOUCH THE HEART OF GOD.
[MUSIC] FOR OVER FIFTY YEARS PASTOR, TEACHER AND AUTHOR
ADRIAN ROGERS ISSUED A FERVENT CALL FOR REPENTANCE AND PRAYER
THROUGHOUT OUR NATION. AND HE URGED THE PRAYER TO START WITH
THE CHURCH. WE'RE CONTINUING OUR EMPHASIS FOR 40 DAYS OF PRAYER
FOR AMERICA AND WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL HAVE YOUR BIBLES READY AND
BE CHALLENGED BY TODAY'S TIMELESS MESSAGE FROM ADRIAN
ROGERS. AND AS ALWAYS, YOU CAN LISTEN TO THIS MESSAGE AGAIN AND
DOWNLOAD OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE WITH THIS MESSAGE AT
LWF.ORG. WHILE YOU'RE THERE, PLEASE DOWNLOAD OUR FREE PRAYER
GUIDE THAT WILL GIVE YOU SPECIFIC WAYS THAT YOU CAN PRAY
DURING THIS TIME. NOW, LET'S JOIN ADRIAN ROGERS WITH TODAY'S
MESSAGE. TAKE YOUR BIBLES AND FIND THE
BOOK OF DANIEL CHAPTER NINE. AND AS YOU'RE TURNING, MAY I TELL
YOU THAT OUR NATION IS IN CRISIS. PRAYER IS OUR GREATEST
RESOURCE. GOD IS OUR SURE DEFENSE AND OUR HOPE. THE
PROPHET DANIEL IS OUR GUIDE TODAY BECAUSE DANIEL PRAYED IN A
TIME OF NATIONAL CALAMITY, AND GOD HEARD HIS PRAYER. AND WE'RE
GOING TO BE THINKING, STUDYING THE PROPHET DANIEL UNDER THE
SUBJECT, A PRAYER FOR AMERICA. NOTICE THE FIRST TWO VERSES, IN
THE FIRST YEAR OF DARIUS, THE SON OF AHASURERUS OF THE SEED OF
THE MEDES, WHICH WAS MADE KING OVER THE REALM OF THE CHALDEANS,
IN THE FIRST YEAR OF HIS REIGN, I DANIEL, UNDERSTOOD BY BOOKS
THE NUMBER OF YEARS WHEREIN THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO
JEREMIAH THE PROPHET, THAT HE WOULD ACCOMPLISH SEVENTY YEARS
IN THE DESOLATIONS OF JERUSALEM. NOW HERE'S THE KEY VERSE, AND I
SET MY FACE UNTO THE LORD GOD, TO SEEK BY PRAYER AND
SUPPLICATIONS WITH FASTING AND SACKCLOTH AND ASHES. AND I
PRAYED UNTO THE LORD MY GOD AND MADE MY CONFESSION AND I SAID, O
LORD, THE GREAT AND DREADFUL GOD, KEEPING COVENANT AND MERCY
TO THEM THAT LOVE HIM, AND TO THEM THAT KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS;
WE HAVE SINNED AND HAVE COMMITTED INIQUITY AND HAVE DONE
WICKEDLY AND HAVE REBELLED EVEN BY DEPARTING FROM THY PRECEPTS
AND FROM THY JUDGMENTS. NEITHER HAVE WE HEARKENED UNTO THY
SERVANTS THE PROPHETS, WHICH SPAKE IN THY NAME TO OUR KINGS,
OUR PRINCES, AND OUR FATHERS AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND. OH,
LORD, RIGHTEOUSNESS BELONGETH UNTO THEE, BUT UNTO US,
CONFUSION OF FACES, AS AT THIS DAY, TO THE MEN OF JUDAH AND TO
THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM AND UNTO ALL ISRAEL THAT ARE NEAR
AND THAT ARE FAR OFF, THROUGH ALL THE COUNTRIES WHITHER THOU
HAST DRIVEN THEM BECAUSE OF THEIR TRESPASS THAT THEY HAVE
TRESPASSED AGAINST THEE. O LORD, TO US BELONGETH CONFUSION OF
FACE, TO OUR KINGS AND TO OUR PRINCES AND TO OUR FATHERS
BECAUSE WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST THEE.' NOW, WE'LL GET INTO THIS
LATER, BUT LET ME JUST SET IT UP BY TELLING YOU THAT DANIEL HAD
BEEN READING THE PROPHET JEREMIAH AND THE PROPHET
JEREMIAH HAD TOLD HOW GOD WAS GOING TO BRING AGAINST HIS
ANCIENT PEOPLE THE BABYLONIANS. UH, BABYLON TODAY IS KNOWN AS
IRAQ, AND THEY WOULD GO THROUGH AN ORDEAL, BUT GOD WOULD HAVE A
PLAN FOR THEM AND THAT GOD WOULD BRING THEM BACK AGAIN INTO THE
LAND AND GOD WOULD RESTORE THEM. RIGHT AWAY WE LEARN THAT GOD
DOES BRING JUDGMENT UPON SIN. RIGHT AWAY WE LEARN THAT, UH,
GOD HAS A PLAN AND HIS PLAN SOMETIMES TAKES A LONG TIME TO
WORK OUT. AS SOMEBODY SAID, THE MILLS OF GOD GRIND SLOWLY BUT
THEY GRIND EXCEEDINGLY FINE. AND GOD MAY SEEM TO LET EVIL
SUCCEED, BUT IT IS ONLY TEMPORARY. NOW, LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN, LISTEN TO ME, THE HOUR IS DESPERATE. IT IS TIME
THAT THE SAINTS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST WAKE UP AND
BE CALLED TO SERIOUS PRAYER BECAUSE ONLY BELIEVING,
REPENTING PRAYER CAN HOLD BACK THE FLOODTIDES OF JUDGMENT AND
SIN AND RELEASE THE CLEANSING POWER OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
UPON OUR PERSONAL LIVES AND OUR NATION. NOW, I WANT TO HELP YOU
TODAY TO PRAY. AND, UH, I AM CALLING OUR CHURCH TO PRAYER IN
A VERY SPECIAL WAY, NOT ORDINARY PRAYER, BUT EXTRAORDINARY
PRAYER. AND EVERYTHING THAT I'M SAYING TO YOU, I'M SAYING TO
MYSELF. AND I'VE LABORED OVER THIS MESSAGE, I'VE PRAYED OVER
IT, I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO ME, AND I'M NOT SAYING
ANYTHING TO YOU THAT I WILL NOT SAY TO MYSELF. I'M NOT ASKING OF
YOU ANYTHING THAT I'M NOT WILLING TO DO, BUT I WANT TO
HELP YOU TO LEARN HOW TO PRAY, NOT JUST ORDINARY PRAYER BUT
PRAYER THAT CAN TOUCH THE HEART OF GOD. NOW I WANT TO GIVE YOU
SOME PRINCIPLES. PRINCIPLE NUMBER ONE IS THIS; WE ARE TO
PRAY; NOW LISTEN, WE ARE TO PRAY WITH SERIOUS CONCENTRATION. NOW
I'VE CHOSEN MY WORDS CAREFULLY, SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO WRITE THEM
DOWN. WE ARE TO PRAY WITH SERIOUS CONCENTRATION. LOOK IF
YOU WILL IN VERSE THREE. DANIEL SAID, AND I SET MY FACE, NOW
LISTEN TO THAT; DON'T LET THAT SS, SLIP BY, I SET MY FACE UNTO
THE LORD GOD TO SEEK BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATIONS WITH FASTING
AND SACKCLOTH AND ASHES. HAVE YOU EVER SET YOUR FACE IN
PRAYER? HAVE YOU EVER DESPERATELY SOUGHT THE LORD?
MANY OF US COULD NOT EVEN REMEMBER WHAT WE PRAYED FOR THIS
MORNING OR LAST NIGHT. WE RATTLE OFF OUR LITTLE PRAYERS, NOW I
LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP. BUT HAVE YOU REALLY SET YOUR FACE TO
PRAYER? YOU SEE, IN PRAYER IT'S NOT THE ARITHMETIC OF YOUR
PRAYERS; HOW MANY PRAYERS YOU PRAY. IT'S NOT THE RHETORIC OF
YOUR PRAYER; HOW ELOQUENT OR BEAUTIFUL IT MAY BE. IT'S NOT
THE GEOMETRY OF YOUR PRAYER; HOW LONG YOUR PRAYER MAY BE. IT IS
NOT THE EMOTION OF YOUR PRAYER; HOW SWEET AND JUICY YOUR PRAYER
IS. IT'S NOT THE LOGIC OF YOUR PRAYER, HOW ARGUMENTATIVE YOUR
PRAYER; IT IS THE FAITH AND FERVENCY OF YOUR PRAYER, PRAYER
THAT GETS TO GOD. WE'RE PLAYING CHURCH. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] FRIEND,
WE, UH, WITNESS WITHOUT TEARS. WE PRAY WITHOUT FASTING. IS IT
ANY WONDER THAT WE SOW WITHOUT REAPING AND WE HAVE SO LITTLE
POWER IN OUR LIVES? PRAYER AND FASTING IS THE ORDER OF THE DAY.
LOOK AGAIN IF YOU WILL IN THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE, VERSE
THREE, I SET MY FACE UNTO THE LORD GOD TO SEEK BY PRAYER AND
SUPPLICATIONS WITH FASTING. NOW IF YOU DON'T MIND WRITING IN
YOUR BIBLE, JUST UNDERSCORE THAT PHRASE, WITH FASTING. NOW THAT'S
OLD TESTAMENT, YOU SAY, BUT JESUS EXPECTS US IN NEW
TESTAMENT TIMES TO PRAY. PUT IN YOUR MARGIN MATTHEW CHAPTER SIX
AND VERSE FIVE, WHEN THOU PRAYEST, THOU SHALT NOT BE AS
THE HYPOCRITES ARE, FOR THEY LOVE TO PRAY STANDING IN THE
SYNAGOGUES AND IN THE CORNERS OF THE STREETS THAT THEY MAY BE
SEEN OF MEN. VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, THEY HAVE THEIR REWARD. IN
THE TIME OF JESUS THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS WOULD PUT ON THEIR LONG
FLOWING ROBES AND STAND OUT ON THE STREET CORNERS AND PRAY SO
PEOPLE COULD SEE THEM PRAY AND SAY, MY, ISN'T HE A HOLY MAN?
AND JESUS SAID, DON'T BE LIKE THAT. BUT HE SAID, WHEN YOU
PRAY, ENTER INTO YOUR CLOSET AND PRAY. AND THEN IN MATTHEW
CHAPTER SIX VERSE 16, MOREOVER, WHEN YE FAST, BE NOT AS THE
HYPOCRITES OF A SAD COUNTENANCE, FOR THEY DISFIGURE THEIR FACES
THAT THEY MAY APPEAR UNTO MEN TO FAST. VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU,
THEY HAVE THEIR REWARD. JESUS IN THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE
ASSUMED THAT WE WOULD FAST, JUST AS HE ASSUMED THAT WE WOULD
PRAY. BUT WE WOULD FAST AND PRAY; NOT TO BE SEEN OF MEN. WE
WOULD FAST AND PRAY WITH THE RIGHT MOTIVATION. NOW THE LITTLE
CHURCH, UH, THE, THE MODERIN CHURCH KNOWS VERY LITTLE ABOUT
FASTING. ONE MAN SAID, WE HAVE GONE FROM THE UPPER ROOM WITH
ITS FIRE TO THE SUPPER ROOM WITH ITS SMOKE. NOW I'M NOT AGAINST
FELLOWSHIP. I'M NOT AGAINST CHURCH SUPPERS. JESUS HAD SOME
OF HIS SWEETEST TIMES OF FELLOWSHIP AROUND THE TABLE. BUT
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT FASTING? WHAT IS FASTING? LET ME TELL YOU
WHAT FASTING IS. FASTING IS GOING WITHOUT FOOD AND OR WATER
AND OTHER PLEASURES FOR A SPIRITUAL PURPOSE. NOW FASTING
IS NOT MERELY CUTTING DOWN ON FOOD OR GOING, EH, WITHOUT FOOD
FOR, TO LOSE WEIGHT OR FOR HEALTH PURPOSES. NOW IT WOULDN'T
HURT US TO DO THAT. SOMEBODY SAID, WE LIVE OFF OF HALF OF
WHAT WE EAT; THE DOCTOR LIVES OFF THE OTHER HALF. NOW IT
WOULDN'T HURT US AT ALL, AH, TO DO WITHOUT SOME FOOD FOR
PHYSICAL REASONS, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT FASTING IS. FASTING IS NOT
MERELY GOING HUNGRY. THE BIBLE ALWAYS LINKS FASTING WITH
SPIRITUAL PURPOSES. FOR EXAMPLE: WATCHING AND FASTING, PRAYER AND
FASTING, WORSHIPPING AND FASTING. AH, WHY DO YOU FAST?
THE WHY IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE WHAT. YOU KNOW, IT'S POSSIBLE,
AS JESUS TAUGHT, TO FAST FOR THE WRONG MOTIVATIONS. AH, HERE'S
SOME THINGS TO AVOID. AVOID, EH, EXHIBITIONISM. JESUS SAID THERE
WERE, SOME WHO FASTED TO BE SEEN OF MEN. NOW DON'T BE ASHAMED OF
THE FACT THAT YOU FAST, BUT DON'T, EH, FAST FOR
EXHIBITIONISM, TO TELL EVERYBODY HOW WONDERFUL YOU ARE THAT YOU
FAST. AVOID EXHIBITIONISM. NUMBER TWO; AVOID LEGALISM.
DON'T GET THE IDEA THAT YOU CAN BUY A BLESSING FROM GOD. DON'T
GET THE IDEA IF YOU FAST THAT SOMEHOW GOD IS OBLIGATED TO YOU
AND YOU BECOME A LEGALIST AND SORT OF A, HAVE A SLOT-MACHINE
RELIGION. AH, NUMBER THREE; AVOID RITUALISM. DON'T FAST AS A
RITUAL. SOME PEOPLE FAST RITUALISTICALLY. UH, JESUS TOLD
ABOUT A TAX COLLECTOR IN THE BIBLE WHO BOASTED TO THE LORD
THAT HE FASTED TWICE A WEEK. BUT JESUS INDICATED THIS MAN HAS NOT
THE FOGGIEST NOTION ABOUT WHAT REAL SPIRITUAL RELIGION IS.
AVOID ASCETICISM. NOW THE DEVIL WOULD LIKE TO MAKE YOU SOME SORT
OF A, A RELIGIOUS RECLUSE OR, OR SOME SORT OF A PERSON WHO
CONSTANTLY GOES AWAY OFF IN A CAVES AND MOUNTAINS TO FAST.
THAT'S NOT BIBLICAL, UH, NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY, TO MAKE
YOU SOME SORT OF A HOLY HERMIT SOMEWHERE IN A MONASTERY. AVOID
EGOTISM. DON'T GET ALL SWELLED UP WITH PRIDE BECAUSE YOU FAST.
AGAIN, THAT PUBLICAN SAID, LORD, HUH, WHAT A GREAT GUY I AM. I
FAST TWICE A WEEK. FASTING MUST BE DONE UNTO THE LORD. HERE'S A
VERSE, WRITE IT DOWN IN YOUR MARGIN. YOU CAN LOOK THESE UP
LATER; I'M GOING TO READ THEM TO YOU. ZECHARIAH CHAPTER SEVEN AND
VERSE FIVE, SPEAK UNTO ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND AND TO THE
PRIESTS, SAYING, WHEN YE FASTED AND MOURNED IN THE FIFTH AND
SEVENTH MONTH, EVEN THOSE SEVENTY YEARS, DID YE AT ALL
FAST UNTO ME, EVEN UNTO ME?' GOD SAID, NOW LOOK, PRIESTS AND
PEOPLE, YOU FASTED, BUT DID YOU FAST UNTO ME? WERE YOU REALLY
SEEKING ME? GET YOUR MOTIVE RIGHT. YOUR FAST MUST BE UNTO
THE LORD. WHAT WILL FASTING DO? I WANT TO MENTION SIX THINGS
THAT FASTING WILL DO AND I WANT YOU TO JOT THEM DOWN. WE'RE
STILL UNDER THE FIRST POINT OF THE MESSAGE, BUT I WANT YOU, WE,
WE, WE'RE TO SEEK THE LORD WITH SPIRITUAL CONCENTRATION; WE'RE
TO SET OURSELVES S, TO PRAYER WITH FASTING. HERE'S SOME THINGS
THAT FASTING WILL DO. NUMBER ONE; FASTING WILL STRENGTHEN
YOUR PRAYER. PUT DOWN THESE VERSES, JOEL TWO VERSE 12,
THEREFORE ALSO NOW SAITH THE LORD, TURN YE EVEN TO ME WITH
ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH FASTING AND WITH WEEPING AND WITH
MOURNING.' NOW, TURN TO GOD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART. YOU SEE,
FASTING SHOWS THAT WE HAVE PUT OUR HEART INTO IT. JEREMIAH 29
VERSE 13, AND YE SHALL SEEK ME AND FIND ME WHEN YE SHALL SEARCH
FOR ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT FASTING
THAT STRENGTHENS OUR PRAYER. HEAVEN SEEMS TO BEND ITS EAR
DOWN WHEN WE PRAY WITH FASTING. WHEN WE FAST, WE'RE GIVING
HEAVEN NOTICE THAT WE MEAN BUSINESS. FASTING BRINGS FAITH
INTO FOCUS. IT'S LIKE HAVING A, A, A SPIRITUAL STRING TIED
AROUND YOUR FINGER AND EVERY HUNGER PAIN REMINDS YOU THAT
YOU'RE TO SEEK THE FACE OF GOD. SECONDLY; FASTING SUBDUES SELF.
MANY OF US WOULD BE AMAZED AT HOW, MO, HOW SELFISH WE ARE, AND
HOW FILLED WITH SELF WE ARE, AND WHAT A SLAVE TO THE REFRIGERATOR
WE ARE. WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY NO TO OURSELVES, AND THE BIBLE
LINKS PRIDE WITH FULLNESS OF BREAD. EZEKIEL CHAPTER 16 VERSE
49, BEHOLD, THIS WAS THE INIQUITY OF THY SISTER SODOM,
PRIDE, FULLNESS OF BREAD AND ABUNDANCE OF IDLENESS. PRIDE,
FULLNESS OF BREAD, AND ABUNDANCE OF IDLENESS. DO WE KNOW HOW TO
SAY NO TO SELF? DO WE S, KNOW HOW TO SAY NO TO OUR BODIES, TO
OUR APPETITE? DO WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT DISCIPLINE?
THIRDLY; FASTING WILL STAY THE JUDGMENT OF GOD; FASTING STAYS
JUDGMENT. SOMETIMES THE WRATH OF GOD AND THE ANGER OF GOD AND THE
RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT OF GOD IS COMING AGAINST A NATION, BUT IF
THAT NATION WILL FAST AND PRAY, GOD WILL WITHHOLD HIS JUDGMENT.
JUDGMENT WILL BE STAYED. HERE ARE THE SCRIPTURES; JONAH
CHAPTER THREE VERSE FIVE, SO THE PEOPLE OF NINEVEH BELIEVED GOD
AND PROCLAIMED A FAST AND PUT SACKCLOTH FROM THE GREATEST OF
THEM EVEN TO THE LEAST OF THEM. NOW YOU KNOW THE STORY. GOD HAD
SAID TO JONAH, I AM GOING TO DESTROY NINEVEH. THE NINEVITES
WERE LIVING IN SUCH A WAY IT WAS A STENCH IN THE NOSTRILS OF GOD.
THEY WERE RIPE FOR JUDGMENT. JONAH, AFTER HAVING THAT
ESCAPADE IN THE BELLY OF THE WHALE, WENT AND PREACHED UNTO
NINEVEH, AND THE ENTIRE CITY-STATE OF NINA RE, NINEVEH
REPENTED WITH FASTING, AND THE BIBLE SAYS IN JONAH CHAPTER
THREE AND VERSE 10, AND GOD SAW THEIR WORKS THAT THEY TURNED
FROM THEIR EVIL WAY AND GOD REPENTED OF THE EVIL THAT HE
SAID HE WOULD DO UNTO THEM AND HE DID IT NOT. WHY? BECAUSE THEY
FASTED AND THEY PRAYED. NINEVEH WAS THE CAPITAL CITY OF THE
ANCIENT, AH, EMPIRE OF ASSYRIA, BUT GOD WANTED TO FORGIVE. LET
ME TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT THE GREAT HEART OF OUR GOD. GOD IS A
GOD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, JUDGMENT, AND JUSTICE, BUT GOD HAD RATHER
SHOW MERCY THAN TO SEND JUDGMENT. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] PUT
THIS VERSE DOWN, JEREMIAH 18 VERSES SEVEN AND EIGHT. GOD
SAYS, AT WHAT INSTANT I SHALL SPEAK CONCERNING A NATION AND
CONCERNING A KINGDOM TO PLUCK UP AND PULL DOWN AND DESTROY IT. IF
THAT NATION, AGAINST WHOM I HAVE PRONOUNCED, TURN FROM THEIR
EVIL, I WILL REPENT OF THE EVIL THAT I THOUGHT TO DO UNTO THEM.
NOW HE'S NOT JUST TALKING, ABOUT, UH, THE NATION ISRAEL,
HE'S TALKING ABOUT NATIONS IN GENERAL. GOD SAYS, WHEN I GET
READY TO JUDGE A NATION, IF THAT NATION WILL REPENT, THEN I WILL
TURN FROM THE JUDGMENT THAT I HAD DETERMINED TO SEND UPON THAT
NATION. AMERICA IS RIPE FOR JUDGMENT. WE ARE IN THE ELEVENTH
HOUR, THE CLOCK IS ABOUT TO STRIKE MIDNIGHT, AND WE NEED TO
SAY, OH GOD, HOLD BACK YOUR HAND OF JUDGMENT UPON AMERICA. NEXT,
NOT ONLY DOES IT STAY THE JUDGMENT OF GOD, BUT IT STOPS
ENEMIES, IT STOPS THE ENEMIES OF GOD. THERE'S A KING IN THE BIBLE
WHOSE NAME WAS JEHOSHAPHAT. JEHOSHAPHAT HAD SOME UNGODLY
ENEMIES THAT CAME AGAINST HIM, AND HE WAS FILLED WITH FEAR.
SECOND CHRONICLES CHAPTER 20 VERSES THREE AND FOUR, AND
JEHOSHAPHAT FEARED AND SET HIMSELF TO SEEK THE LORD AND
PROCLAIM A FAST THROUGHOUT ALL JUDAH AND JUDAH GATHERED
THEMSELVES TOGETHER TO ASK HELP OF THE LORD, EVEN OUT ALL OF
THOSE CITIES OF JUDAH THEY CAME TO SEEK THE LORD. DID IT DO ANY
GOOD? SECOND CHRONICLES CHAPTER 20 VERSE 29, AND THE FEAR OF GOD
WAS ON ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THOSE COUNTRIES, TALKING OF THOSE
COUNTRIES THAT CAME AGAINST JEHOSHAPHAT, WHEN THEY HAD HEARD
THAT THE LORD FOUGHT AGAINST THE ENEMIES OF ISRAEL. WE'RE IN A
COSMIC BATTLE. WE'RE NOT IN A BATTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD.
WE'RE IN A BATTLE AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS. BUT
PRAYER IS A MISSILE, AN INTER-CONTINENTAL MISSILE, UH,
THAT TRAVELS AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT. THERE IS NO, ANTI, UH,
MISSILE, THAT CAN SHOOT IT DOWN AND IT CAN GO ANYWHERE. UH, WE
CAN PRAY WITH FASTING AND SEND THAT MISSILE AGAINST THE ENEMIES
OF, AH, RIGHTEOUSNESS. NEXT; FASTING SEEKS GUIDANCE. DO YOU
WANT TO KNOW THE WILL OF GOD? NOT JUST FOR AMERICA, FOR YOUR
MARRIAGE, FOR YOUR BUSINESS. BEFORE I CAME TO BELLEVUE
BAPTIST CHURCH, JOYCE AND I, WANTING TO KNOW THE WILL OF GOD,
WERE FASTING AND PRAYING, FASTING AND PRAYING. UH, ACTS
CHAPTER 13 AND VERSE TWO, THE EARLY CHURCH, AS THEY MINISTERED
TO THE LORD AND FASTED, THE HOLY GHOST SAID, SEPARATE ME BARNABAS
AND SAUL FOR THE WORK WHEREUNTO I HAVE CALLED THEM.' THE GREAT
MISSIONARY MOVEMENT OF THE EARLY CHURCH BEGAN WITH FASTING AND
PRAYER. HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY THE EARLY CHURCH GREW AS
RAPIDLY AS IT DID? ONE OF THE REASONS IS THEY WERE SERIOUS IN
PRAYER. THEY BELIEVED THAT GOD COULD DO WHAT THEY COULD NOT DO,
AND WHEN THEY FASTED AND PRAYED, IRON GATES BEGAN TO YIELD AND
THE GOSPEL WENT ACROSS THAT ROMAN EMPIRE. NEXT; FASTING
SHATTERS STRONGHOLDS. PEOPLE HAVE STRONGHOLDS IN THEIR LIVES
OF FEAR AND BITTERNESS AND RESENTMENT AND HABITS. FASTING
CAN DEMOLISH THE STRONGHOLD THAT THE ENEMY HAS PUT INTO OUR
LIVES. LISTEN TO ISAIAH CHAPTER 58 AND VERSE SIX, IS NOT THIS
THE FAST THAT I HAVE CHOSEN? TO LOOSE THE BANDS OF WICKEDNESS,
TO UNDO THE HEAVY BURDENS AND TO LET THE OPPRESSED GO FREE? AND
THAT YE BREAK EVERY YOKE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE EVERY YOKE THAT
THE DEVIL'S PUT UPON YOU BROKEN? WELL, FASTING AND PRAYER. HOW
SHOULD WE FAST? EXAMINE YOUR MOTIVATION, ASK GOD ABOUT IT.
NOT BECAUSE ADRIAN ASKS YOU TO DO IT, NOT OUT OF LEGALISM.
PRAYERFULLY CHOOSE YOUR OWN FAST. IT'S AN INTERESTING THING,
AS YOU STUDY THE BIBLE ABOUT FASTING; THE BIBLE GIVES NO
RULES, NO RULES. IT DOESN'T SAY WHEN TO START, WHEN TO STOP,
WHAT TO DO, AND WHAT NOT TO DO. SO PRAYER, ABOUT IT. AVOID
EXTREMISM. A ONE DAY FAST IS A GOOD START. DON'T SAY, WELL I'M
GONNA FAST FOR FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS. WHY DON'T YOU JUST
TRY ONE DAY? ONE DAY. AND, AND, UH, CHOOSE YOUR FAST UPON A DAY
WHEN YOU CAN GIVE YOURSELF TO SEEKING THE LORD. REMEMBER THE
FASTING IS MORE THAN GOING HUNGRY, IT IS TO BE LINKED WITH
PRAYER AND WORSHIP AND SPIRITUAL EXERCISE. UH, A NORMAL FAST IS
DOING WITHOUT FOOD BUT NORMALLY TAKING SOME WATER; FOR A SHORT
TIME YOU MAY FAST WITHOUT FOOD OR WATER. I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU
THAT WHEN YOU BREAK YOUR FAST, UH, BREAK IT BY EATING LIGHTLY,
DON'T JUST GO OUT AND GORGE, UH, GORGE, PERHAPS A SALAD OR
SOMETHING TO BREAK YOUR FAST. AND, UH, I CAN'T FIND THIS IN,
IN THE BIBLE, BUT I'll GIVE YOU. A LITTLE COMMON SENSE. UH, IF
YOU'RE ON MEDICATION, IF YOU'RE PREGNANT, IF YOU HAVE PARTICULAR
PROBLEMS, TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT THIS AND GET HIS ADVICE
AND PERMISSION. AND THEN WHEN YOU FAST, AVOID BRAGGING ABOUT
FASTING. THEN YOU BECOME LIKE A HYPOCRITE IF YOU DO THAT. NOW
WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THIS, FRIEND, LISTEN TO ME, ALL OF
THIS IS UNDER THE HEADING WE ARE TO PRAY, LISTEN, WITH SERIOUS
CONCENTRATION. DANIEL SAID, I SET MY FACE. NOW NUMBER TWO, NOT
ONLY ARE WE TO PRAY WITH SERIOUS CONCENTRATION, BUT NUMBER TWO,
WE ARE TO PRAY WITH STEADFAST CONFIDENCE. NOW, IF YOU DON'T
PRAY WITH CONFIDENCE, FORGET IT. UH, WHAT WE NEED TO LEARN TO DO
IN SERIOUS TIMES IS TO GLANCE AT OUR PROBLEM, TO GAZE AT OUR GOD.
GLANCE AT YOUR PROBLEM, GAZE AT YOUR GOD. AS YOU LISTEN TO THE
PRAYER OF DANIEL THE PROPHET, IT IS SATURATED WITH CONFIDENCE IN
ALMIGHTY GOD. I'M GONNA RACE THROUGH A FEW OF THESE VERSES,
UH, JUST SCROLL DOWN WITH ME. LOOK IN VERSE FOUR, AND I PRAYED
UNTO THE LORD MY GOD AND MADE MY CONFESSION AND SAID, O LORD, THE
GREAT AND DREADFUL GOD, KEEPING COVENANT AND MERCY TO THEM THAT
LOVE HIM AND TO THEM THAT KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.' WHAT A MIGHTY
GOD WE SERVE. LOOK IN DANIEL CHAPTER NINE VERSE SEVEN, O
LORD, RIGHTEOUSNESS BELONGETH UNTO THEE, BUT UNTO US CONFUSION
OF FACES. LOOK IN DANIEL CHAPTER NINE AND VERSE NINE, TO THE LORD
OUR GOD BELONG MERCIES AND FORGIVENESS, THOUGH WE HAVE
REBELLED AGAINST HIM. OH, HE'S A GOD OF MERCY AND FORGIVENESS.
ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL? ISN'T IT GREAT THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT
CONFIDENCE THAT GOD DOES NOT HOLD A GRUDGE? NOTICE IN DANIEL
CHAPTER NINE AND VERSE 14, THEREFORE HATH THE LORD WATCHED
UPON EVIL AND BROUGHT IT UPON US, FOR THE LORD OUR GOD IS
RIGHTEOUS IN ALL HIS WORKS WHICH HE DOETH, FOR WE OBEYED NOT HIS
VOICE. IN ALL OF THIS, DANIEL IS TALKING ABOUT GOD: GOD'S
GREATNESS, GOD'S AWE, GOD'S POWER, GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS,
GOD'S MERCY. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE WHO OUR GREAT GOD IS IN A
TIME OF CRISIS AND NOT WANT TO PRAY. AREN'T YOU GLAD THAT WE
HAVE A GOD THAT WE CAN PRAY TO? FRIEND, WE HAVE A GREAT, GREAT
GOD, SAY AMEN. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] WE DO. NOW, DO YOU KNOW WHAT
DANIEL'S PRAYER WAS, ON THE BASIS OF HIS PRAYER TO THIS
GREAT GOD? ON THE BASIS OF THE SHED BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. YOU
SAY, WELL I DON'T SEE THAT IN THERE. WELL GO DOWN TO CHAPTER
NINE AND VERSE 20 AND 21. LOOK AT IT IF YOU WILL. DANIEL SAYS,
AND WHILE I WAS SPEAKING AND PRAYING AND CONFESSING MY SIN
AND THE SIN OF MY PEOPLE ISRAEL, AND PRESENTING MY SUPPLICATION
BEFORE THE LORD MY GOD, BEFORE THE HOLY MOUNTAIN OF MY GOD,
YEA, WHILE I WAS SPEAKING IN PRAYER, EVEN THE MAN GABRIEL,
WHOM I HAD SEEN IN THE VISION AT THE BEGINNING BEING CAUSED TO
FLY SWIFTLY, NOW WATCH THIS, TOUCHED ME ABOUT THE TIME OF THE
EVENING OBLATION. PASTOR, WHAT IS THE EVENING OBLATION? WELL,
THE EVENING OBLATION IS THE TIME WHEN THE SACRIFICES WERE MADE IN
THE TEMPLE. NOW I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT THE TEMPLE HAD BEEN
DESTROYED FOR ALMOST SEVENTY YEARS WHEN DANIEL MADE THIS
PRAYER, BUT HE, HE HAD IT IN HIS MEMORY. HE REMEMBERED THAT THE
PRIESTS WOULD GO THERE WITH SHED BLOOD UPON THE ALTAR, THE
EVENING OBLATION. WHEN WAS THE EVENING OBLATION? IT WAS BETWEEN
THREE AND FOUR P.M. IN THE AFTERNOON. IT'S WHAT THE BIBLE
CALLS THE NINTH HOUR. WELL, OH, WHAT IS ALL OF THIS ABOUT? IT IS
A PROPHECY OF JESUS CHRIST UPON THE CROSS, WHEN JESUS CHRIST
DIED UPON THE CROSS. MATTHEW 27 VERSE 46, AND ABOUT THE NINTH
HOUR JESUS CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE, SAYING, ELI, ELI, LAMA
SABACHTHANI, ' THAT IS TO SAY, MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU
FORSAKEN ME?' DANIEL WAS LOOKING BACK TO A BLOODY SACRIFICE. AS
WE PRAY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT TIME, WE LOOK BACK TO EVEN A
GREATER SACRIFICE, THE SHED BLOOD OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR
JESUS CHRIST AND WE PRAY WITH CONFIDENCE. I DON'T HAVE TO COME
TO GOD WITH MY HANDS FILLED WITH THE BRASS OF MY EMOTIONS OR THE
PEWTER OF MY WORTH, BUT WITH THE GOLD OF HIS GLORY AND THE
INCENSE OF HIS MIGHTY NAME. OH, THE CONFIDENCE THAT WE HAVE WHEN
WE PRAY. WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE HAVE. THIRDLY; WE ARE TO PRAY
WITH SINCERE CONFESSION, SINCERE CONFESSION. LOOK IN CHAPTER
NINE. I'M GONNA READ AN EXTENDED VERSE. AND I THINK THIS REALLY
NEEDS TO BE READ, SO I'M GONNA READ VERSES FOUR THROUGH 14.
DON'T CHECK ME OUT, BUT I WANT YOU TO LISTEN TO THE CONFESSION
THAT HE MADE. AND I PRAYED UNTO THE LORD MY GOD AND MADE MY
CONFESSION AND SAID, O LORD, THE GREAT AND DREADFUL GOD, KEEPING
THE COVENANT AND MERCY TO THEM THAT LOVE HIM AND TO THEM THAT
KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, WE HAVE SINNED.' NOW LISTEN, AND HAVE
COMMITTED INIQUITY AND HAVE DONE WICKEDLY AND HAVE REBELLED EVEN
BY DEPARTING FROM THY PRECEPTS AND THY JUDGMENTS. NEITHER HAVE
WE HEARKENED UNTO THE, THY SERVANTS THE PROPHETS WHICH
SPAKE IN THY NAME TO OUR KINGS, OUR PRINCES AND OUR FATHERS AND
ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND. O LORD, RIGHTEOUSNESS BELONGETH
UNTO THEE, BUT UNTO US CONFUSION OF FACES AS IT IS THIS DAY. THE
MEN OF JUDAH AND THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM AND ALL ISRAEL THAT
ARE NEAR AND THAT ARE FAR OFF THROUGHOUT ALL THE COUNTRIES
WITHER THOU HAST DRIVEN THEM BECAUSE OF THEIR TRESPASS THAT
THEY'VE TRESPASSED AGAINST THEE. O LORD, TO US BELONGETH
CONFUSION OF FACE, TO OUR KINGS AND OUR PRINCES AND TO OUR
FATHERS BECAUSE WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST THEE. TO THE LORD OUR
GOD BELONG MERCIES AND FORGIVENESS THOUGH WE HAVE
REBELLED AGAINST HIM, NEITHER HAVE WE HEARKENED UNTO THE VOICE
OF THE LORD OUR GOD TO WALK IN HIS WAYS WHICH HE SET BEFORE US
BY HIS SERVANTS, THE PROPHETS. YEA, ALL ISRAEL HATH
TRANSGRESSED THY LAW, EVEN BY DEPARTING, THAT THEY MIGHT NOT
OBEY THY VOICE. THEREFORE THE CURSE IS POURED UPON US AND THE
OATH THAT IS WRITTEN IN THE LAW OF MOSES, THE SERVANT OF GOD
BECAUSE WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST HIM AND HE HATH CONFIRMED HIS
WORDS WHICH HE SPAKE AGAINST US AND AGAINST OUR JUDGES THAT
JUDGED US, BY BRINGING UPON US A GREAT EVIL. FOR UNTO THE WHOLE
HEAVEN HATH NOT BEEN DONE AS HATH BEEN DONE UNTO JERUSALEM.
AS IT IS WRITTEN IN THE LAW OF MOSES, ALL THIS EVIL IS COME
UPON US, YET MADE WE NOT OUR PRAYER BEFORE THE LORD OUR GOD
THAT WE MIGHT TURN FROM OUR INIQUITIES AND UNDERSTAND THY
TRUTH. THEREFORE HATH THE LORD WATCHED UPON THE EVIL AND
BROUGHT IT UPON US FOR THE LORD OUR GOD IS RIGHTEOUS IN ALL HIS
WORKS WHICH HE DOETH. FOR WE OBEYED NOT HIS VOICE.' NOW
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PEOPLE IN AMERICA NEED TO READ THE PASSAGE
I JUST READ. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] WE GET ALL BENT OUT OF SHAPE IF
SOMEBODY SAYS THAT GOD IS JUDGING US BECAUSE OF OUR SIN.
FRIEND, THERE, UH, THERE'RE SEVERAL KINDS OF JUDGMENT. ONE
JUDGMENT IS JUST A GENERAL JUDGMENT WHERE GOD BACKS OFF AND
LETS EVIL THAT WE SEEM TO EMBRACE COME UPON US. OH YES,
THERE'S COMING ANOTHER DAY OF JUDGMENT WITH FAR MORE, UH,
PRECISION. BUT HERE'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO SEE ABOUT THE PRAYER
OF DANIEL. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PRAYER, UH, THAT WAS SINCERE
CONFESSION. DANIEL CONFESSED BOTH PERSONAL AND NATIONAL SINS.
NOW, AS YOU STUDY THE LIFE OF DANIEL, YOU CANNOT FIND ANY SIN
MENTIONED THAT DANIEL EVER COMMITTED. TWO MEN IN THE BIBLE,
I CANNOT FIND ANY SIN. I KNOW THEY SINNED, FOR THE BIBLE SAYS,
ALL HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD. BUT YOU
WON'T FIND ANY SIN LISTED THAT I CAN FIND AGAINST JOSEPH NOR
AGAINST DANIEL. DANIEL WAS A GODLY MAN AND YET HE CONFESSED
HIS SIN. NOW, MANY OF YOU, MANY OF US MAY SIT IN OUR CHURCH AND
THINK, WELL, I WONDER IF THOSE OLD SINNERS IN AMERICA ARE GONNA
GET RIGHT WITH GOD? AND WE, WE LOOK AROUND AT THE ABORTIONISTS
AND THE LIQUOR DEALER, AND WE LOOK AROUND AT THE SEXUAL
PERVERT, AND WE SAY, I WONDER IF THEY'RE GONNA GET RIGHT WITH
GOD? YOU KNOW WHAT A CHURCH STEEPLE IS? A CHURCH STEEPLE IS
SOMETHING SUPPOSED TO POINT US TO GOD. HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED
THAT THE CLOSER THE STEEPLE GETS TO THE TOP, THE SMALLER IT GETS?
THE CLOSER WE GET TO GOD, THE LEAST, UH, THE MORE WE REALIZE
HOW INSIGNIFICANT AND HOW SINFUL WE ARE. THIS IS NOT A TIME FOR
FINGER-POINTING IN AMERICA. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] THIS IS A TIME
FOR REPENTANCE OF PERSONAL SIN. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN
THE PEW. THE BIBLE SAYS, THE TIME HAS COME THAT JUDGMENT
BEGIN AT THE HOUSE OF GOD. PERSONAL CONFESSION; BUT
SECONDLY, ALSO NATIONAL CONFESSION. DANIEL CONFESSED THE
SIN OF HIS PEOPLE ISRAEL AND HE REALIZED THAT ISRAEL WAS IN
DIFFICULTY BECAUSE OF NATIONAL SIN. GOD HAD BROUGHT THE
BABYLONIANS AGAINST THEM. DOES THAT MEAN THAT GOD WAS ON THE
SIDE OF THE BABYLONIANS? OF COURSE NOT. GOD SAID THAT, THE
BABYLONIANS WERE THE ROD OF HIS ANGER. WHEN I WAS A KID, MY DAD
SOMETIME WOULD GET A ROD, NOT A STICK, BUT A ROD, A LIMBER LIMB
OFF THE TREE. DID ANY OF YOU EVER HAVE A DAD DID THAT? LET ME
SEE YOUR HAND. YEAH. UH, WE USED TO CALL IT PEACH TREE TEA, AN,
AND GET ONE OF THOSE LIMBS. WELL, WHEN HE WAS FINISHED WITH
THAT LIMB, WHAT DID HE WANT TO DO WITH IT? HE JUST TOOK IT AND
BROKE IT. GOD SAID, THE BABYLONIAN IS THE ROD OF MY
ANGER, NOT THAT I'M ON HIS SIDE. WHEN I'VE FINISHED, I'll BREAK
THE ROD, BUT GOD BROUGHT. JUDGMENT AGAINST HIS ANCIENT
PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THEIR SIN. IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT A HOLY GOD,
UH, DOESN'T LOVE HIS PEOPLE. MY DAD USED TO SAY, I DO THIS
BECAUSE I LOVE YOU. NOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE NATIONAL SINS OF
AMERICA THAT WE NEED TO CONFESS? WELL, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR PRIDE IN
MATERIALISM. OUR NEGLECT OF THE POOR AND THE NEEDY. OUR RACISM.
OUR SEXUAL IMMORALITY. THE MERCILESS KILLING OF THE UNBORN.
GODLESS HUMANISM THAT, UH, BLUSHES TO MENTION THE NAME OF
GOD IN PUBLIC SQUARE. NOW I CAN CONFESS MY PERSONAL SIN AND BE
SURE THAT GOD WILL FORGIVE ME. FIRST JOHN 1:9 SAYS, IF WE
CONFESS OUR SIN HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SIN
AND TO CLEANSE US FR, FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. I CANNOT GET
FORGIVENESS FOR NATIONAL SIN, BUT I CAN PRAY THAT OTHERS WILL
DO THE SAME THING WHEN I CONFESS NATIONAL SIN. WHEN JESUS CHRIST
WAS ON THE CROSS, WHEN THEY WERE NAILING HIM UP, HE DIDN'T SAY, I
FORGIVE YOU, BUT HE PRAYED FOR THEIR FORGIVENESS. FATHER,
FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO. WE ARE TO PRAY
WITH CONFESSION. PERSONAL SIN AND NATIONAL SIN. NUMBER FOUR;
WE ARE TO PRAY WITH SPIRITUAL CONCERN, WE ARE TO PRAY WITH
SPIRITUAL CONCERN. SO MANY OF US PRAY, BUT OUR PRAYER IS A
SELFISH PRAYER. MOST OF US JUST DON'T LIKE THE DIFFICULTY, WE
DON'T LIKE THE INCONVENIENCE. WE DON'T LIKE THE WAY THAT WE HAVE
BEEN SLOWED DOWN OR PERHAPS OUR BANK ACCOUNTS HAVE GONE DOWN OR
BECAUSE WE HAVE LONG LINES AT THE AIRPORT OR BECAUSE WE'RE
AFRAID FOR OUR LIVES AND WE SAY, NOW LORD, THAT'S NOT THE WAY
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE IN AMERICA. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE IT EASY,
AND SO FORTH. BUT WHAT IS OUR CONCERN? WHAT WAS DANIEL'S
CONCERN? LOOK IN DANIEL CHAPTER NINE VERSES 17 THROUGH 19, NOW
THEREFORE OUR GOD, HEAR THE PRAYER OF THY SERVANT AND HIS
SUPPLICATIONS AND CAUSE THY FACE TO SHINE UPON THY SANCTUARY THAT
IS DESOLATE FOR THE LORD'S SAKE. WOULD YOU UNDERSCORE THAT? FOR
THE LORD'S SAKE. OH, MY GOD, INCLINE THINE EAR AND HEAR, OPEN
THINE EYES AND BEHOLD OUR DESOLATIONS AND THE CITY WHICH
IS CALLED BY THY NAME, FOR WE DO NOT PRESENT OUR SUPPLICATIONS
BEFORE THEE FOR OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT FOR THY GREAT
MERCIES. OH, LORD, HEAR, OH, LORD, FORGIVE, OH, LORD, HEARKEN
AND DO. DEFER NOT FOR THINE OWN SAKE, OH, MY GOD, FOR THY CITY
AND THY PEOPLE CALLED BY THY NAME. IT'S OBVIOUS THAT DANIEL
IS NOT MERELY TRYING TO GET OUT OF DIFFICULTY. IT IS OBVIOUS
THAT HE'S JUST NOT TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING HEALED SO HE CAN GO
BACK OR HIS, THE PEOPLE CAN GO BACK TO THEIR OWN CARELESS AND
SELFULSH, SELFISH LIVES. WHY DO YOU WANT A REVIVAL? DO YOU WANT
IT FOR YOUR SAKE? DO YOU WANT IT FOR YOUR FAMILY'S SAKE? DO YOU
WANT IT FOR YOUR DENOMINATION'S SAKE? DO YOU WANT IT FOR YOUR
CHURCH'S SAKE? DO YOU WANT IT FOR YOUR NATION'S SAKE OR DO YOU
WANT IT FOR GOD'S SAKE? I MEAN, IS OUR PRAYER, IS OUR PRAYER AS
JESUS TAUGHT US TO PRAY, OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN,
HALLOWED BE THY NAME, THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE
ON EARTH. IT'S NOT THAT GOD IS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT OUR PERSONAL
NEEDS. WE CAN PRAY FOR OUR BREAD, OUR DAILY BREAD. WE CAN
PRAY ABOUT OUR TRESPASSES. BUT FIRST OF ALL, FOR THE GLORY OF
GOD. WHEN YOU GET YOUR PRAYERS TO BE A SPIRITUAL CONCERN, FOR
THE GLORY OF GOD, AND VERY FRANKLY, MOST OF US ARE NOT
PRAYING FOR THE GLORY OF GOD. BUT WHEN WE BEGIN TO PRAY FOR
THE GLORY OF GOD, GOD MOVES IN. GOD HAS SAID IN HIS BIBLE, HE
WILL NOT SHARE HIS GLORY WITH ANOTHER. NOW I WANT TO TELL YOU
SOMETHING, FRIEND. IT IS PRAYER TIME IN AMERICA. IT IS TIME FOR
ADRIAN AND FOR DEACONS AND FOR TEACHERS AND FOR BAPTISTS AND
FOR METHODISTS AND FOR PRESBYTERIANS AND EPISCOPALIANS
AND PEOPLE WHO KNOW OUR GOD, WHOMEVER THEY MAY BE, TO SEEK
THE FACE OF GOD IN PRAYER. DO YOU AGREE? [AUDIENCE: AMEN] I
BELIEVE THAT WITH ALL OF MY HEART. AND I BELIEVE WE NEED TO
SET OURSELVES IN PRAYER. BECAUSE I'M TELLING YOU, I'M TELLING
YOU, THESE ARE DESPERATE DAYS IN WHICH WE LIVE. DON'T GET THE
IDEA BECAUSE WE SIT HERE IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED UPHOLSTERED
AUDITORIUM THAT EVERYTHING IS JUST FINE. IT IS NOT, IT IS NOT.
WE NEED TO SET OURSELVES TO PRAY, WE'RE TO SEEK THE FACE OF
GOD. NOW I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT GOING AROUND WITH A, A LONG
FACE. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT TAKING THE JOY OUT OF LIFE
BECAUSE JOY IS A PART OF OUR STRENGTH. JESUS SAID, WHEN YOU
FAST, WASH YOUR FACE, ANOINT YOUR, UH, WASH, WASH YOUR FACE
AND ANOINT IT, BUT IT IS PRAYER TIME IN AMERICA. NOW, THE
APOSTLE JAMES SAYS THE EFFECTUAL RIGHTEOUS, UH, THE EFFECTUAL
PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN AVAILETH MUCH. ARE YOU A
RIGHTEOUS PERSON? FOR YOU TO PRAY WITHOUT A HEART GIVEN TO
GOD IS A RELIGIOUS FARCE. THE FIRST THING YOU NEED TO DO IS TO
GET ON PRAYING GROUND, TO BE SAVED BY GOD'S POWER DIVINE. ARE
YOU SAVED? I DIDN'T ASK IF YOU'RE A BAPTIST OR METHODIST OR
PRESBYTERIAN, EPISCOPALIAN, CATHOLIC, JEWISH, MUSLIM. ARE
YOU SAVED? HAS THAT BURDEN OF SIN BEEN LIFTED? DOES GOD'S HOLY
SPIRIT LIVE IN YOU? HAVE YOU BEEN BORN AGAIN? HAVE YOU? IF
NOT, YOU CAN BE SAVED TODAY. I MEAN TODAY, I MEAN NOW AND I
MEAN INSTANTANEOUSLY AND I MEAN ETERNALLY BECAUSE JESUS PAID FOR
YOUR SIN WITH HIS BLOOD ON THE CROSS. AND THE BIBLE SAYS
CLEARLY, PLAINLY, SUBLIMELY, BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
AND YOU WILL BE SAVED. EVERY SIN FORGIVEN, CHRIST IN YOUR HEART,
HEAVEN YOUR HOME IF YOU'LL BELIEVE ON JESUS. OH, YOU SAY,
WELL I BELIEVE IN JESUS, I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT. NO, NO,
NO. BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST; TRUST HIM. THE WORD
BELIEVE DOESN'T MEAN INTELLECTUAL BELIEF, IT MEANS
COMMITMENT AND TRUST. TURN YOUR LIFE OVER TO JESUS CHRIST. THE
[CLAP] MOMENT YOU DO IT, YOU BECOME A NEW PERSON. OH, YOU
WON'T BE FULL-GROWN, YOU'RE NOT GONNA SPROUT WINGS AND GET A
HALO. HA, THERE'LL BE OLD HABITS THAT WANT TO CLING ON, THERE'LL
BE AN OLD VOCABULARY THAT HAS TO GO, THERE WILL BE MANY THINGS
YOU'LL HAVE TO LEARN; BUT FRIEND, THERE WILL BE A CHANGE.
[AUDIENCE: AMEN] GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH ME YET, AND I'M SO
GLAD, BUT WHEN I ASKED HIM TO COME INTO MY HEART, HE CHANGED
ME MANY YEARS AGO. HE'S STILL WORKING ON ME. BUT I'M HEAVEN
BORN AND HEAVEN BOUND. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] YOU NEED JESUS,
YOU NEED TO BE SAVED. LET'S PRAY TOGETHER. IF YOU'RE NOT SURE
THAT YOU'RE SAVED, WOULD YOU SAY, LORD JESUS, COME INTO MY
HEART RIGHT NOW. I INVITE YOU IN, I TRUST YOU. THANK YOU FOR
DYING FOR ME. NOW HELP ME TO LIVE FOR YOU. IN YOUR NAME I
PRAY, AMEN. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT PRAYING
FOR AMERICA, BUT YOU CANNOT PRAY FOR AMERICA, OR FOR ANYTHING,
UNTIL YOU'RE ON PRAYING GROUND. AND YOU'RE NOT REALLY ON PRAYING
GROUND UNTIL YOU PRAY THAT FIRST PRAYER, WHICH IS, LORD JESUS,
COME INTO MY HEART. FORGIVE MY SIN. CLEANSE ME AND SAVE ME.
WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU BECOME A CHILD OF GOD AND THEN FOR THE
FIRST TIME YOU CAN TRULY SINCERELY PRAY IN THE NAME OF
JESUS. BECAUSE JESUS IS YOUR LORD, YOUR SAVIOR AND THE ONE
WHO BRINGS YOUR PRAYERS TO THE FATHER. SO PRAY AND SAY, LORD
JESUS, COME INTO MY HEART. TAKE CONTROL OF MY LIFE. FORGIVE MY
SIN. SAVE ME LORD JESUS. I YIELD MY HEART, MY LIFE TO YOU. PRAY
IT AND MEAN IT. AND I PROMISE YOU ON THE AUTHORITY OF THE WORD
OF GOD, HE WILL SAVE YOU INSTANTANEOUSLY, HE'LL BE WITH
YOU CONTINUALLY, HE WILL KEEP YOU ETERNALLY. NOW IF YOU PRAY
THAT PRAYER, PLEASE WRITE TO US AND LET US KNOW SO WE CAN
REJOICE. AND WE'LL SEND YOU SOME LITERATURE TO HELP YOU GET
STARTED IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE. WE HOPE THAT TODAY'S MESSAGE HAS
CHALLENGED YOU TO CONTINUE TO PRAY DURING OUR 40 DAYS OF
PRAYER HERE AT LOVE WORTH FINDING. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
LISTEN TO THIS MESSAGE AGAIN, SHARE THIS MESSAGE WITH A
FRIEND, OR DOWNLOAD PASTOR ROGERS OUTLINE, NOTES OR A
COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT OF THIS MESSAGE, PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT LWF.ORG. AT LWF.ORG, YOU CAN ALSO LISTEN TO OTHER
MESSAGES IN THIS SERIES OR DOWNLOAD A FREE COPY OF OUR
PRAYER GUIDE FOR AMERICA TO HELP GUIDE YOU DURING THIS CRITICAL
TIME. YOU CAN ALSO SIGN UP TO RECEIVE OUR DAILY HEARTBEAT
EMAIL FROM LOVE WORTH FINDING. EACH HEARTBEAT CONTAINS A DAILY
DEVOTIONAL FROM ADRIAN ROGERS, A 90-SECOND TREASURE FROM THE
WORD, AS WELL AS OUR DAILY PROGRAM DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO
YOUR COMPUTER OR YOUR MOBILE DEVICE EACH DAY. THANKS FOR
WATCHING TODAY'S PROGRAM AND CONTINUE TO JOIN US DURING OUR
40 DAYS OF PRAYER HERE AT LOVE WORTH FINDING. WE'LL SEE YOU
NEXT TIME. [MUSIC] DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS WRONG IN AMERICA? WE'RE
NOT SEEKING THE FACE OF GOD, WE'RE SEEKING THE HAND OF GOD.
REVIVAL IS WHEN GOD HAS NOT TURNED HIS BACK ON US. WHEN GOD
CAN SMILE UPON US. WHEN GOD CAN FIND FAVOR IN US. AND THEY SAY,
OH GOD! DO SOMETHING! BELOVED, CAN'T YOU SEE THAT GOD IS DOING
SOMETHING. GOD IS JUDGING THIS NATION. AND WE NEED TO SEEK, NOT
THE HAND OF GOD, BUT THE FACE OF GOD. THE POLITICAL, CULTURAL AND
SPIRITUAL CLIMATE IS INTENSIFYING. WE NEED SOLID,
BIBLICAL ANSWERS TO OUR DIFFICULT QUESTIONS. THAT'S WHY
WE'RE HONORED TO SHARE A NEW BOOK, THE BATTLE FOR THE SOUL OF
AMERICA. IT CONTAINS FOUR POPULAR MESSAGES FROM ADRIAN
ROGERS, AND YOU CAN USE THIS BOOK AS YOUR RESOURCE FOR
BIBLICAL RESPONSES IN THE CRUCIAL DAYS AHEAD. THE BOOKS
AVAILABLE FOR A GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT. CALL US, AT
1-800-647-9400 OR GIVE ON-LINE AT LWF.ORG. I TELL YOU WE CAN
CHANGE THIS NATION. THERE'RE ENOUGH CHRISTIANS IN AMERICA, IF
THEY WILL WAKE UP AND DO RIGHT!
