LET ME SAY THAT PRAYER IS THE
GREATEST CHRISTIAN PRIVILEGE. SECONDLY, PRAYER IS THE GREATEST
CHRISTIAN SERVICE. THIRDLY, ALAS, PRAYER IS THE GREATEST
CHRISTIAN FAILURE. I THINK THAT WE FAIL MORE IN OUR PRAYER LIFE
THAN IN MOST ANY OTHER PLACE. IN TODAY'S FAST-PACED, SELF-FOCUSED
WORLD, IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND QUALITY BIBLICAL TEACHING, MUCH
LESS TEACHING THAT SIMPLIFIES PROFOUND TRUTH SO THAT IT CAN BE
APPLIED TO YOUR OWN LIFE. FOR OVER 50 YEARS, ADRIAN ROGERS
BROUGHT THAT KIND OF PROFOUND TRUTH, SIMPLY STATED, TO EACH OF
HIS MESSAGES. JOIN US NOW FOR THIS STUDY FROM GOD'S WORD. AND
IF YOU ARE ENCOURAGED BY TODAY'S MESSAGE, REMEMBER, YOU CAN
STREAM THIS MESSAGE AGAIN, AND DOWNLOAD OUTLINES, NOTES, A
TRANSCRIPT AND OTHER RESOURCES TO GO ALONG WITH THIS MESSAGE,
ALL AT LWF.ORG. NOW, LET'S JOIN ADRIAN ROGERS. TURN TO ROMANS CHAPTER EIGHT AND
A CLASSIC VERSE ON PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT. ROMANS CHAPTER EIGHT
VERSES 26 AND 27. AND AS YOU'RE TURNING TO THAT, LET ME SAY THAT
PRAYER IS THE GREATEST CHRISTIAN PRIVILEGE. SECONDLY, PRAYER IS
THE GREATEST CHRISTIAN SERVICE. THIRDLY, ALAS, PRAYER IS THE
GREATEST CHRISTIAN FAILURE. I THINK THAT WE FAIL MORE IN OUR
PRAYER LIFE THAN IN MOST ANY OTHER PLACE. IF I WERE TO ASK
YOU, ONE BY ONE, ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH YOUR PRAYER LIFE,
MOST OF US WOULD HANG OUR HEADS AND SAY, NO. NOW THE REASON FOR
THAT IS THAT WE'RE IN A BATTLE WITH THE WORLD, THE FLESH, AND
THE DEVIL THAT DO NOT WANT US TO PRAY. MANY OF US HAVE THE
PROBLEM OF INDIFFERENCE. AH, WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO PRAY. SOME
OF US HAVE THE PROBLEM OF IGNORANCE. HUH, WE DON'T KNOW
HOW TO PRAY OR WHAT TO PRAY FOR. SOME OF US HAVE THE PROBLEM WITH
OUR INABILITY. AH, WE DO NOT HAVE THE ENERGY AND THE STRENGTH
TO PRAY. SOME OF US HAVE PROBLEMS WITH LANGUAGE. WE DON'T
KNOW HOW TO FORM AND ARTICULATE OUR PRAYERS. SOME OF US HAVE
PROBLEMS WITH SATANIC ATTACK. WHEN WE ENDEAVOR TO PRAY, THE
DEVIL COMES IN TO INVADE OUR MINDS AND TO DRAW AWAY OUR
ATTENTION. AND MANY OF US HAVE SOME OF THESE OR ALL OF THESE
THAT, AH, CAUSE US SOMETIME TO FAIL TO PRAY AS WE OUGHT. NOW
GOD KNOWS THIS, AND SO GOD HAS GIVEN SOMEONE TO HELP US IN OUR
PRAYER LIFE. AND THAT SOMEONE IS THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD. LOOK IN
VERSE 26, LIKEWISE THE SPIRIT ALSO HELPETH OUR INFIRMITIES,
THAT'S OUR WEAKNESSES, FOR WE KNOW NOT WHAT WE SHOULD PRAY FOR
AS WE OUGHT: BUT THE SPIRIT HIMSELF MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR
US WITH GROANINGS WHICH CANNOT BE UTTERED. AND HE THAT
SEARCHETH THE HEARTS KNOWETH WHAT IS THE MIND OF THE SPIRIT,
FOR HE, THE SPIRIT, MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR THE SAINTS
ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD. OH, WHAT A GREAT, GREAT TEXT
THAT IS! AND MAY GOD HELP US TO UNDERSTAND IT. NOW THIS IS ONE
OF SEVERAL TEXTS IN THE BIBLE THAT TEACH US THAT WE'RE TO PRAY
IN THE SPIRIT. FOR EXAMPLE, ANOTHER ONE IS EPHESIANS CHAPTER
SIX VERSE 18. THE APOSTLE PAUL ADMONISHES THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS
TO BE PRAYING, ALWAYS WITH ALL PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION IN THE
SPIRIT. NOW HE DOESN'T, HE'S NOT TALKING ABOUT SPIRITED PRAYING.
HE'S NOT TALKING ABOUT PRAYING WITH ENERGY, AS WE SAY, AH,
THAT'S THE SPIRIT. NO, HE'S TALKING ABOUT IN THE SPIRIT.
HE'S TALKING ABOUT IN THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND THEN IN THAT CLASSIC
VERSE IN JUDE VERSE 20, BUT YE, BELOVED, BUILDING UP YOURSELVES
ON YOUR MOST HOLY FAITH, PRAYING IN THE HOLY GHOST. PRAYING IN
THE HOLY GHOST. TO PRAY IN THE FLESH IS TO FAIL. TO PRAY IN THE
SPIRIT IS TO SUCCEED. NOW WHEN I SAY THE FLESH, I DON'T MEAN THE
HIDE, THE HAIR, THE SKIN, THE BONES, THE MUSCLE, THE SINEW,
THE CORPUSCLE, THAT MAKE UP YOUR, AH, UH, THE HOUSE THAT YOU
LIVE IN. THE FLESH IS JUST ANOTHER WORD FOR THE OLD NATURE.
TO PRAY IN THE FLESH IS TO FAIL. TO PRAY IN THE SPIRIT IS TO
SUCCEED. HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY THE EARLY CHURCH WERE, W,
WAS ABLE TO DO WHAT IT DID? THAT EARLY CHURCH ADVANCED ON ITS
KNEES. THEY WERE MIGHTY IN POWER BECAUSE THEY WERE MIGHTY IN
PRAYER. AND THEY WERE MIGHTY IN PRAYER BECAUSE THEY WERE FILLED
WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. NOW IN OUR MESSAGE TODAY, I WANT TO MENTION
TO YOU SEVEN WAYS, AND ALL OF THEM ARE FOUND RIGHT HERE IN THE
EIGHTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOK OF ROMANS, SEVEN WAYS THAT THE HOLY
SPIRIT OF GOD WILL HELP YOU IN YOUR PRAYER LIFE. AND, AH, THEN
WE'LL SEE THE NECESSITY NOT ONLY TO BE SAVED, BUT TO BE FILLED
WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. NOW, NUMBER ONE: THE HOLY SPIRIT
WORKS IN THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR WILL TO PRAY; THE ACTIVATION OF
YOUR WILL IN PRAYER. LOOK NOW IN ROMANS CHAPTER EIGHT VERSES FIVE
THROUGH SEVEN, FOR THEY THAT ARE AFTER THE FLESH, THAT IS, THE
OLD ADAMIC NATURE, FOR THEY THAT ARE AFTER THE FLESH DO MIND THE
THINGS OF THE FLESH; BUT THEY THAT ARE AFTER THE SPIRIT, THE
THINGS OF THE SPIRIT. FOR TO BE CARNALLY MINDED, THAT'S JUST
ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING FLESHLY MINDED. CARNIS IS THE LATIN WORD
FOR FLESH. A CARNIVOROUS ANIMAL IS A FLESH-EATING ANIMAL. AH,
FOR TO BE CARNALLY MINDED IS DEATH; BUT TO BE SPIRITUALLY
MINDED IS LIFE AND PEACE. NOW, DO YOU WONDER SOMETIMES WHY YOU
DON'T WANT TO PRAY? AH, HA, HA, HERE IT IS IN VERSE SEVEN,
BECAUSE THE CARNAL MIND IS ENMITY AGAINST GOD, FOR IT IS
NOT SUBJECT TO THE LAW OF GOD, NEITHER INDEED CAN BE. SO THEN
THEY THAT ARE IN THE FLESH CANNOT PLEASE GOD. THAT'S THE
REASON I SAID, TO PRAY IN THE FLESH IS TO FAIL. TO PRAY IN THE
SPIRIT IS TO SUCCEED. WE MIGHT AS WELL ADMIT IT: MOST OF US DO
NOT PRAY, WHEN WE DO NOT PRAY, BECAUSE WE DO NOT WANT TO PRAY.
WE DO NOT WANT TO PRAY. NOW BE REASONABLE, BE REASONABLE. DON'T
WE DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO? NOW THINK WITH ME. DON'T WE DO WHAT
WE WANT TO DO? WHY IS IT THAT WE DON'T WANT TO PRAY? BECAUSE,
FRIEND, THE FLESH DOESN'T LIKE IT. AND SO WHEN WE DON'T WANT TO
PRAY, WHAT DOES THAT TELL US? IT TELLS US THAT WE'RE, WE'RE
CARNALLY MINDED RATHER THAN SPIRITUALLY MINDED. LOOK AGAIN
IN, IN VERSE SEVEN, BECAUSE THE CARNAL MIND IS ENMITY AGAINST
GOD. THE CARNAL MIND HAS NO MORE DESIRE TO PRAY THAN YOUR DOG HAS
TO WATCH OPERA. [AUDIENCE [LAUGHTER] I'M TELLING YOU,
THERE'S SOMETHING IN US, IN THAT OLD NATURE, THAT NOT ONLY
DOESN'T WANT TO PRAY, IT HAS AN ANTIPATHY TOWARD PRAYER. AND WE
NEED TO STOP TRYING TO COVER IT UP AND ADMIT IT, THAT THE REASON
THAT WE DON'T PRAY WHEN WE DON'T PRAY IS WE DON'T WANT TO PRAY.
AND THE REASON WE DON'T WANT TO PRAY IS WE'RE IN THE FLESH
RATHER THAN THE SPIRIT. NOW YOU GET SPIRIT-FILLED AND YOU'LL
HAVE TO BACKSLIDE TO KEEP FROM PRAYING. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] I'M
TELLING YOU. AH, THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD WILL ACTIVATE YOUR WILL
IN PRAYER. NOW, LET ME SHOW YOU HOW THAT HAPPENS. LOOK IF YOU
WILL IN, IN CHAPTER EIGHT AND VERSE 15, FOR WE HAVE NOT
RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF, OF BONDAGE AGAIN TO FEAR, WE'RE NO
LONGER SLAVES, YOU SEE, BUT YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF
ADOPTION. NOW THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION IS THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT
PUTS US IN THE BODY OF CHRIST. AND WHEN YOU RECEIVE THE SPIRIT
OF ADOPTION, GOD BECOMES YOUR FATHER. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS?
WHEREBY WE CRY, ABBA, FATHER. YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN YOU
ARE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, THAT SPIRIT IN YOU RECOGNIZES
GOD AS YOUR FATHER, AND IT IS THE NATURAL THING FOR THE
SPIRIT-FILLED PERSON TO SAY, FATHER, ABBA FATHER, TO WORSHIP
HIM AND TO PRAISE HIM. LET ME GIVE YOU ANOTHER VERSE THAT SAYS
EXACTLY THE SAME THING IN ANOTHER PLACE IN GALATIANS
CHAPTER FOUR AND VERSE SIX. AND HERE'S WHAT PAUL SAYS, AND
BECAUSE YOU ARE SONS, GOD HAS SENT FORTH THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON
INTO YOUR HEARTS, CRYING, ëABBA, FATHER.' QUESTION: DID JESUS
LOVE TO PRAY? YES. WAS IT NATURAL FOR JESUS TO PRAY? YES.
WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT? THAT'S THE SPIRIT OF GOD'S SON. IF THE
HOLY SPIRIT IS IN YOUR HEART AND IN CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE, THEN
WHAT WILL HAPPEN? YOU WILL HAVE THE NATURE OF JESUS. YOU WILL BE
LIKE JESUS. AND JUST AS IT WAS NORMAL AND NATURAL FOR JESUS TO
PRAY TO GOD THE FATHER AND TO SAY, ABBA, FATHER, IT WILL BE
NORMAL AND NATURAL FOR YOU. YOU WILL WANT TO PRAY. LISTEN TO IT
AGAIN, AND BECAUSE YOU'RE SONS, THAT MEANS BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN
BORN AGAIN, YOU'RE IN GOD'S FAMILY, GOD HAS SENT FORTH THE
SPIRIT OF HIS SON, THAT'S THE SPIRIT OF JESUS, INTO YOUR
HEARTS, CRYING, ëABBA, FATHER.' YOU SEE, WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT OF
GOD IS IN YOU, AND YOU'RE YIELDED TO THE SPIRIT, YOU'RE
NOT WALKING IN THE FLESH, IT IS AS NORMAL AS BREATHING TO PRAY
TO GOD. THIS IS THE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM OF A LACK OF
APPETITE FOR PRAYER. WHAT DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT DO? HIS MINISTRY
IS THE ACTIVATION OF THE WILL IN PRAYER. AND, AND, YOU SEE, WE,
WE'RE NOT JUST TAKING OURSELVES BY THE NAPE OF THE NECK AND
MAKING OURSELVES PRAY AS A DISCIPLINE, THOUGH, INDEED, IF
THAT'S, IF IT TAKES THAT, WE OUGHT TO DO IT. BUT PHILIPPIANS
SAYS, FOR IT IS GOD THAT WORKETH IN YOU BOTH TO WILL AND TO DO OF
HIS GOOD PLEASURE. YOU GET FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT,
YOU'LL WANT TO PRAY. LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN. WHEN YOU GET FILLED
WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, YOU WILL WANT TO PRAY. SO IF, IF, IF YOU
DON'T HAVE A DESIRE TO PRAY, ADMIT IT. THE, HA, THE CARNAL
MIND IS ENMITY WITH GOD. GOT IT? THAT'S THE FIRST MINISTRY OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT, PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT. IT IS THE ACTIVATION OF
OUR WILLS. IT IS GOD THAT WORKETH IN YOU BOTH TO WILL AND
TO DO OF HIS GOOD PLEASURE. GOT IT? GOT IT. NOW LET ME TELL YOU
WHAT ELSE THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL DO: NOT ONLY THE ACTIVATION OF
OUR WILLS, BUT THE ANIMATION OF OUR BODIES, THE ANIMATION OF OUR
BODIES IN PRAYER. AH, DO, WHEN YOU PRAY, DO YOU EVER GET TIRED,
SLEEPY, LAZY, CAN'T CONCENTRATE, YOUR MIND GATHER WOOL? HOW MANY
OF YOU? LET ME SEE YOUR HANDS. AH, COME ON. BUNCH OF, YOU KNOW
IT'S TRUE. IF YOU'VE EVER PRAYED, YOU GET SLEEPY, YOU GET
GROGGY, YOUR MIND GOES OUT THE DOOR AND AROUND THE WORLD, AND
YOU GET TO THINKING ABOUT ALL KINDS OF THINGS. WHY [CLAP] IS
THAT? BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A, A PROBLEM WITH OUR
BODIES, AH, OUR WILLS, WE HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH OUR BODIES. BUT
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD WILL DO? NOT ONLY WILL
HE, AH, ACTIVATE YOUR, AH, WILL, BUT HE WILL ANIMATE YOUR BODY.
NOW I'M NOT SAYING THAT, THAT EVERY TIME YOU'RE TIRED, NOT
THAT, THAT IT, THAT YOU'RE SINNING OR THAT YOU'RE OUT OF,
AH, OUT OF THE WILL OF GOD. THERE IS A LEGITIMATE REST. AND
JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, COME YE APART AND REST A WHILE.
AND I READ WHERE JESUS WAS SO SLEEPY ONE TIME HE WENT TO SLEEP
IN THE MIDST OF A STORM IN THE, IN, IN A SEA. THERE'S NOTHING
WRONG WITH, AH, PHYSICAL TIREDNESS. AS A MATTER OF FACT,
IT'S GOOD TO GET TIRED AND TO GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP. BUT
FOLKS, I'M TELLING YOU THAT SOMETIMES YOU CAN GO TO PRAY AND
GET SO YAWNY AND SLEEPY AND YOUR MIND'LL GET SO FUZZY, AND THEN
S, A FOOTBALL GAME WILL COME ON AND, AND YOU'RE ALL AWAKE. UH,
HUH. WHERE'S THE PROBLEM? THE, YOUR PROBLEM THERE IS NOT, IS
NOT PHYSICAL. AH, YOU, THE, THE DEVIL HAS TEAMED UP WITH YOUR
FLESH TO KEEP YOU FROM PRAYING. DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED
THERE IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE? MATTHEW CHAPTER 26
VERSES 40 AND 41.AND JESUS HAD ASKED HIS DISCIPLES TO WATCH AND
PRAY, AND THE BIBLE SAYS, AND HE COMETH UNTO THE DISCIPLES, AND
FINDETH THEM ASLEEP, AND SAITH UNTO PETER, ëWHAT? COULD YE NOT
WATCH WITH ME ONE HOUR? WATCH AND PRAY, LEST YE ENTER INTO
TEMPTATION.' AND THEN NOTICE WHAT HE SAID, LISTEN TO THIS,
ëTHE SPIRIT IS WILLING, BUT, ' WHAT, ëTHE FLESH IS WEAK.' SO
WHAT DO YOU NEED? YOU NEED HELP. YOU NEED HELP! IT IS THE HOLY
SPIRIT OF GOD THAT IS WILLING TO HELP YOU TO PRAY IN THESE TIMES.
NOW WHAT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD WILL DO IS TO REFRESH YOUR
BODIES. YOU'RE IN ROMANS CHAPTER EIGHT. LOOK IF YOU WILL IN, IN
VERSES 10 AND 11, AND IF CHRIST BE IN YOU, THE BODY IS DEAD
BECAUSE OF SIN. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS YOU'VE BEEN
CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST, AND BECAUSE OF YOUR SIN, THAT SIN
WAS CARRIED TO THE CROSS. BUT THE SPIRIT IS LIFE BECAUSE OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS. NOT ONLY DID JESUS GIVE HIMSELF FOR YOU; HE
GAVE HIMSELF TO YOU. SO WHEN HE GAVE HIMSELF FOR YOU, THE BODY
IS DEAD BECAUSE OF SIN. BUT WHEN HE GAVE HIMSELF TO YOU, THE
SPIRIT IS LIFE BECAUSE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. NOW LOOK IF YOU
WILL IN VERSE 11, BUT IF THE SPIRIT OF HIM THAT RAISED UP
JESUS FROM THE DEAD DWELL IN YOU, HE THAT RAISED UP CHRIST
FROM THE DEAD SHALL ALSO QUICKEN YOUR MORTAL BODIES BY HIS SPIRIT
THAT DWELLETH IN YOU. QUICKEN YOUR MORTAL BODIES. THAT IS,
GIVE YOU VITALITY; GIVE YOU ENERGY, GIVE YOU POWER. I'M NOT
TALKING ABOUT KEEPING YOU FROM YOUR LEGITIMATE REST, BECAUSE HE
ALSO, GIVETH HIS BELOVED SLEEP. I'M TALKING ABOUT ENERGIZING YOU
WHEN YOU NEED THE POWER TO DO THE WILL OF GOD. WHEN THE SPIRIT
IS WILLING AND THE FLESH IS WEAK, WHEN YOU YIELD TO THE HOLY
SPIRIT OF GOD, HE WILL DO THAT. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT JESUS WAS NOT
EXPECTING PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN TO BE ASLEEP IN THE GARDEN OF
GETHSEMANE. AND THE REASON THAT THEY WERE, IS THEY WERE IN THE
FLESH, AND THEY WERE NOT IN THE SPIRIT. I, I KNOW FROM PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE THAT WHEN I YIELD MYSELF IN THESE TIMES WHEN MY
MIND WANDERS AND, AND I GET ALL GROGGY AND, AND DISTRACTED, WHEN
I YIELD MYSELF TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, I GET ENERGIZED. LET ME
GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT FROM THE LIFE OF
JESUS. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT JESUS, AH, WAS ON A JOURNEY TO
GALILEE, AND, HE MUST NEEDS GO THROUGH SAMARIA. IT WAS A
TORTUROUS TREK. THEY DID NOT GO BY AIRPLANE OR BUS OR
AUTOMOBILE. AND JESUS ABOUT THE HALF-WAY POINT IN HIS JOURNEY IS
TIRED. HE COMES TO A PLACE CALLED SYCHAR. HE'S TIRED, HOT,
THIRSTY, HUNGRY, AND HE IS SITTING ON THE CURBING OF THAT
WELL. AND THEN THERE'S THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR MINISTRY. THIS,
THIS SAMARITAN WOMAN CAME AND MET THE LORD JESUS THERE, AND
JESUS MINISTERED TO HER. WHEN THE DISCIPLES CAME BACK, THEY
FOUND JESUS REFRESHED. THEY HAD GONE INTO THE CITY FOR GROCERIES
TO FEED HIM, TO GIVE HIM ENERGY, TO GIVE HIM STRENGTH. AND THEY
CAME BACK AND THEY FOUND HIM FULL OF ENERGY, FULL OF
VITALITY. THEY SAID, WHO GAVE HIM SOMETHING TO EAT? HEH, HEH,
WHO, WHO'S BEEN MINISTERING TO HIM? YOU KNOW WHAT HE SAID? HE
SAID, I HAVE FOOD TO EAT YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT. WHAT
HAPPENED? THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD HAD ENERGIZED THE BODY OF THE
LORD JESUS CHRIST. AND THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD WILL ENERGIZE YOUR
BODY AND REFRESH YOU AND TO HELP YOU, AH, LET, LET'S SEE HOW HE
DOES IT. LOOK IF YOU WILL, NOW, IN VERSE 26 OF THIS SAME, AH, OF
THIS SAME PASSAGE, LIKEWISE THE SPIRIT ALSO HELPETH OUR
INFIRMITIES. THAT LITERALLY MEANS OUR WEAKNESSES. NOW LOOK
UP HERE AND LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. YOU OUGHT TO ACCEPT
AND CONFESS YOUR WEAKNESS. DON'T DENY IT. I'LL TELL YOU, FIRST
REASON YOU OUGHT TO DO IT, CAUSE IT'S A FACT. THE BIBLE DECLARES
IT. OUR WEAKNESS. OUR INFIRMITY. OKAY? IT'S A FACT. GOT IT? ADMIT
IT. NUMBER TWO: IT'S AN ASSET. YOU SAY, NO, MY WEAKNESS IS A
LIABILITY. NO! YOUR WEAKNESS IS AN ASSET. WHAT DID GOD TELL THE
APOSTLE PAUL IN SECOND CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 12 VERSE
NINE? HE SAYS, AND HE SAID UNTO ME, ëMY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR
THEE; FOR MY STRENGTH, MY STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN
WEAKNESS.' YOU SEE, OUR PROBLEM MANY TIMES IS NOT THAT WE'RE TOO
WEAK; OUR PROBLEM IS WE'RE NOT YET WEAK ENOUGH. HA, HA, WE, WE
HAVE NEVER FINALLY SAID, LORD, I CAN'T. I, I, I DON'T HAVE WHAT
IT TAKES. AND WE'RE STILL STRUGGLING. BUT FOLKS, WHEN YOU
COME TO THE END OF YOUR STRENGTH AND THEN YOU APPROPRIATE HIS
STRENGTH, THEN YOU UNDERSTAND HOW HE WILL NOT ONLY, AH,
ACTIVATE YOUR WILL, BUT HE WILL ANIMATE YOUR BODY. YOU SEE, OUR,
GOD'S PLAN IS TO DELIVER US FROM SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND CAST
OURSELVES UPON HIS SUFFICIENCY, SO HE MAKES US PERPETUALLY WEAK
THAT WE MIGHT BE PERPETUALLY STRONG. THIS WORD HELPETH, IT'S
A VERY INTERESTING WORD IN VERSE 26. IT'S, IT HAS A DOUBLE PREFIX
IN THE GREEK LANGUAGE. ON THE ONE HAND, IT, IT MEANS TO TAKE
HOLD OF. THE ONLY OTHER TIME IT, IT WAS USED IS WHEN, HA, WHEN
MARY CAME OUT, MARTHA CAME OUT OF THE KITCHEN AND SAID, CO,
CONCERNING MARY, HER SISTER, JESUS, WOULD YOU TELL HER TO
COME IN THE KITCHEN AND HELP ME? HUH. COME IN HERE AND, AND GET
HER HANDS ON THE, IN, IN, IN THE KITCHEN AND HELP ME WITH THESE
POTS AND PANS? IT MEANS TO TAKE HOLD OF, AND IT ALSO MEANS
INSTEAD OF. THAT'S VERY INTERESTING. THAT'S WHAT THE
HOLY SP, THAT'S THE WAY THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD HELPS US, TOGETHER
WITH AND INSTEAD OF. THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS. TOGETHER WITH; TO TAKE
HOLD OF. TOGETHER WITH, AND INSTEAD OF. NOW THIS IS NOT A
CONTRADICTION. SO WHEN, WHEN TH, WHEN THE, YOU'RE PRAYING IN THE
SPIRIT, WHO IS PRAYING, YOU OR THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD IN YOU?
THE ANSWER IS YES. HUH, HUH, HUH, YES. THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD
IS PRAYING INSTEAD OF YOU, BUT HE IS PRAYING TOGETHER WITH YOU.
YOU CANNOT DO IT WITHOUT HIM. HE WILL NOT DO IT WITHOUT YOU. OH
WHAT A PARTNERSHIP AND WHAT A PRIVILEGE TO PRAY WITH THE HOLY
SPIRIT. YOU SEE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD WANTS TO THINK THROUGH
OUR MINDS. HE WANTS TO SPEAK THROUGH OUR LIPS. HE WANTS TO
WEEP THROUGH OUR EYES. HE WANTS TO GROAN THROUGH OUR SPIRITS. IT
IS THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE HUMAN SPIRIT, TOGETHER WITH AND
INSTEAD OF. NOW, HERE'S A THIRD THING THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD
DOES IN OUR PRAYERS. FIRST OF ALL; THERE IS THE ACTIVATION OF
OUR WILLS. SECONDLY; THERE IS THE ANIMATION OF OUR BODIES.
THIRDLY; THERE IS THE ADAPTATION OF OUR REQUESTS, THE ADAPTATION
OF OUR REQUESTS. YOU KNOW, ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THAT
SOMETIMES WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO PRAY FOR AS WE OUGHT.
LOOK AGAIN IN VERSE 26, LIKEWISE ALSO THE SPIRIT HELPETH OUR
INFIRMITIES, FOR WE KNOW NOT WHAT WE SHOULD PRAY FOR AS WE
OUGHT. AH, YOU KNOW, LOT OF TIMES WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO
ASK FOR. BUT LOOK IF YOU WILL IN CHAPTER EIGHT VERSE 14, BUT AS
MANY AS ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THEY'RE THE SONS OF GOD. WE
DON'T KNOW WHAT TO ASK FOR, BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD KNOWS
WHAT TO ASK FOR. AND SO WHAT HE DOES IS, I, IS HE ADAPTS OUR
PRAYERS. YOU SEE WE ALL HAVE SPECIFIC DUTIES FOR PRAYER. I
KNOW THAT I OUGHTA PRAY FOR MY WIFE. I KNOW I OUGHTA PRAY FOR
THESE MEN ON THE PLATFORM. I, I DO PRAY FOR THEM. I KNOW I OUGHT
TO PRAY FOR, AH, YOU AS A CONGREGATION, AND SO FORTH. I
HAVE CERTAIN RESPONSIBILITIES. BUT THERE ARE MANY THINGS I
DON'T KNOW WHETHER I OUGHT TO PRAY FOR THEM OR NOT. I MEAN, I
CAN'T PRAY FOR EVERYTHING. IF I TRIED TO PRAY FOR EVERYTHING,
I'D END UP NOT PRAYING FOR ANYTHING. MY PRAYER, RATHER THAN
BEING A MIGHTY RIVER WOULD BECOME A STAGNANT SWAMP! IN
ORDER FOR PRAYER TO BE EFFECTIVE, IT MUST BE ELECTIVE!
AND EVEN WHEN WE KNOW WHAT TO PRAY FOR, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO
PRAY IN THE SPECIFIC THING. SUPPOSE YOU HAVE A LOVED ONE
WHO'S SICK. HOW'D YOU GONNA PRAY FOR THAT LOVED ONE? LORD, HEAL
THEM. WELL, YES. BUT WHAT IF GOD WANTS TO TAKE THEM TO HEAVEN? I
MEAN, YOU KNOW WHAT JESUS PRAYED IN JOHN 17? FATHER, I PRAY FOR
THEM WHOM THOU HAST GIVEN ME THAT THEY MAY BE WITH ME WHERE I
AM; THAT THEY MAY BEHOLD MY GLORY. WE'RE PRAYING, LORD, LET
THEM STAY; JESUS IS PRAYING, FATHER, LET THEM COME. DO YOU
EVER THINK ABOUT THAT? YOU GET IN AN AVERAGE BAPTIST PRAYER
MEETING, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE PRAYING FOR THE UNSAVED? MOST
PEOPLE ARE PRAYING FOR THE SICK. AND THEY'RE PRAYING NOT ONLY FOR
THE SICK, THEY'RE PRAYING FOR SICK SAINTS. THEY'RE PRAYING FOR
AUNT BESSIE WHO'S ONE OF THE FINEST CHRISTIANS IN THE CHURCH.
THEY'RE PRAYING FOR, AH, DEACON JONES, SAINT OF GOD, LORD, HEAL
HIM. AND GOD SOMETIMES DIRECTS OUR PRAYERS THAT WAY. BUT HAVE
YOU EVER NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES WE'RE MORE INTERESTED IN KEEPING
THE SAINTS OUT OF HEAVEN THAN THE LOST OUT OF HELL? HAVE YOU
EVER NOTICED HOW, THE WAY WE PRAY SOMETIME? WE'RE NOT
AGONIZING TO GET THE LOST SAVED. HOW DO WE PRAY? SOMETIMES WE
DON'T KNOW HOW TO PRAY. ADMIT IT. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO PRAY
FOR. AND THEN WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO PRAY WHEN WE KNOW WHAT TO
PRAY FOR. WHEN THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS MAKING HAVOC OF THE CHURCH,
BEFORE HE WAS THE APOSTLE PAUL, HE WAS THE PERSECUTOR OF THE
CHURCH. HIS NAME WAS SAUL. AND HE WAS HAVING CHRISTIANS PUT TO
DEATH. HE EVEN HELD THE CLOTHES WHILE THEY STONED ONE OF THE
GREATEST CHRISTIANS EVER LIVED, HIS NAME WAS STEPHEN. I IMAGINE
THAT EARLY CHURCH SAID, THAT MAN IS THE ARCH ENEMY OF THE CHURCH.
GOD, STRIKE HIM DEAD! BUT GOD DIDN'T STRIKE HIM DEAD; GOD
STRUCK HIM ALIVE. HA, GOD MADE HIM THE GREAT APOSTLE PAUL. WE
DON'T KNOW WHAT TO PRAY FOR SOMETIMES AS WE OUGHT. BUT I'M
TELLING YOU THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD IS, IS ACTIVE IN THE, IN
THE ADAPTATION, IN THE ADAPTATION OF OUR REQUESTS. NOW,
I WAS IN MY STUDY WITH SOME DEACONS A WHILE BACK. IT WAS ON
WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WE'RE HAVING A COMMITTEE MEETING. ONE OF THE
DEACONS DISMISSED IN PRAYER, AND HE SAID, BLESS THE PASTOR AS HE
PREACHES TONIGHT. WELL, FOLKS, I WASN'T GONNA PREACH. SOMEONE
ELSE WAS GONNA PREACH THAT NIGHT. BUT HE SAID, LORD, BLESS
THE PASTOR AS HE PREACH TONIGHT. AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE HOLY
SPIRIT OF GOD DID? HE JUST BROUGHT THAT PRAYER RIGHT ON TO
HEAVEN. AND GOD HEARD THE PRAYER. NOW HE WAS ASKING FOR
ADRIAN TO BE BLESSED, BUT IT WAS GREG NEEDED TO BE BLESSED. YOU
THINK THAT CONFUSED GOD? NO. HOLY SPIRIT SAYS, HERE'S WHAT
HE'S ASKING FOR. HERE'S WHAT HE NEEDS. AND IT'S DONE. YOU KNOW,
I, ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL, HOW THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD TAKES OUR
PRAYER ENERGY. AH, THERE'S A TRANSFORMER UP ON THE TELEPHONE
POLE NEAR YOUR HOUSE, OR THAT, THE LIGHT POLE, AND THAT TAKES
THAT INCREDIBLE VOLTAGE THAT COMES TO THAT TRANSFORMER. AND
IN THAT TRANSFORMER IT IS TRANSFORMED AND IT GOES INTO
YOUR TOASTER, AND SO YOU HAD TOAST THIS MORNING. BUT, FRIEND,
IF IT HAD COME FROM THAT BIG, FAT WIRE INTO YOUR TOASTER, YOUR
TOASTER WOULD HAVE BEEN TOASTED, RIGHT? [AUDIENCE LAUGHTER]
RIGHT! BECAUSE IT HAS TO GO THROUGH THAT TRANSFORMER. IT'S
THE SAME ENERGY, BUT IT'S TRANSFORMED. THE HOLY SPIRIT OF
GOD IS THAT TRANSFORMER. HE TAKES OUR PRAYERS, AND GOD SEES
OUR HEART, AND SOMETIMES WE KNOW NOT WHAT WE SHOULD ASK FOR AS WE
OUGHT, BUT THE [CLAP] SPIRIT HIMSELF [CLAP] MAKETH [CLAP]
INTERCESSION [CLAP] FOR US ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD.
ISN'T THAT GREAT? [AUDIENCE: [AMEN] SO, FOLKS, SOMETIMES WE
DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO PRAY FOR. JUST PRAY! GOD KNOWS YOUR
HEART. PRAY WITH A CLEAN HEART. PRAY WITH A RIGHT SPIRIT, AND
THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD IS THE ONE WHO WILL ADAPT YOUR PRAYERS.
I LOVE VERSE 27, AND HE THAT SEARCHETH THE HEARTS, THAT'S
GOD, KNOWETH WHAT IS THE MIND OF THE SPIRIT, OF COURSE HE DOES,
BECAUSE HE, THE SPIRIT, MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR THE SAINTS
ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD. AND THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD
KNOWS, AH, WHAT WE NEED. SO MY PRAYER, I MAY NOT ALWAYS GET
WHAT I ASK FOR, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN MY PRAYER IS NOT ANSWERED.
IF GOD DOESN'T GIVE YOU WHAT YOU ASKED FOR, HE'LL GIVE YOU
SOMETHING BETTER THAN YOU ASKED, WHEN YOU'RE PRAYING IN THE
SPIRIT, PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT. NUMBER, NUMBER FOUR, HERE'S A,
HERE'S ANOTHER THING THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD DOES. AH,
WHEN YOU PRAY IN THE SPIRIT, HE PRESIDES OVER THE ADMINISTRATION
OF OUR ACCESS. NOW, NOT ONLY THE ADAPTATION OF OUR REQUESTS, BUT
THE ADMINISTRATION OF OUR ACCESS. NOW YOU SEE, YOU JUST
DON'T, YOU JUST DON'T SS, BURST INTO THE HOLY PRESENCE OF GOD.
THAT MAY BE A SURPRISE TO YOU. BUT YOU NEED SOMEONE TO BRING
YOU INTO GOD'S PRESENCE, TO GIVE YOU ACCESS TO GOD. LOOK IN
ROMANS EIGHT AND VERSE 14, LOOK AT IT, FOR AS MANY AS ARE LED BY
THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THEY ARE THE SONS OF GOD. FOR YE HAVE NOT
RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE AGAIN TO FEAR; BUT YE HAVE
RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION, WHEREBY YE CRY, ëABBA FATHER.'
NOW WHAT, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT IT'S THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD
THAT GIVES US ACCESS. PUT THIS VERSE DOWN, EPHESIANS TWO AND
VERSE 18, FOR THROUGH HIM WE BOTH HAVE ACCESS BY ONE
SPIRITUNTO THE FATHER. THROUGH WHO? THROUGH JESUS. WE HAVE
ACCESS BY ONE SPIRIT TO THE FATHER. HOW DOES PRAYER WORK? WE
PRAY TO GOD THROUGH JESUS IN THE SPIRIT. TO GOD THROUGH JESUS IN
THE SPIRIT. WE HAVE ACCESS BY ONE SPIRIT. ONE TIME I WAS
INVITED TO GO, WELL, I'VE IN, BEEN INVITED SEVERAL TIMES, TO
GO INTO THE OVAL OFFICE TO MEET WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES. HOW DO YOU THINK YOU GET INTO THE OVAL OFFICE? YOU THINK
YOU GET OUT OF A CAB AND JUST WALK THROUGH THE GATES AND GO IN
THE OVAL OFFICE AND SAY, HI, PREZ! DO YOU THINK YOU DO THAT?
NO, YOU DON'T DO THAT. WHAT YOU DO, AH, YOU GO INTO A PARTICULAR
ROOM, AND THERE'S A PERSON WHO MEETS YOU THERE WHO IS THE
PERSONAL ENVOY OF THE PRESIDENT AND TALKS WITH YOU AND CHATS
WITH YOU UNTIL HE'S READY. AND THEN HE TAKES YOU AND HE BRINGS
YOU IN TO THAT OFFICE. THAT'S WHAT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD DOES
WHEN YOU COME INTO A HIGHER OFFICE THAN THE OVAL OFFICE,
WHEN YOU COME BEFORE THE THRONE OF GRACE. YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE A
FATHER TO PRAY TO. YOU HAVE A SAVIOR TO PRAY THROUGH. YOU HAVE
A SPIRIT TO PRAY IN. HAVE YOU EVER PRAYED AND IT FEELS LIKE
YOU'RE JUST PRAYING AT GOD, HA, Y, RATHER THAN TO GOD? AND GOD'S
A BILLION LIGHT YEARS AWAY? HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THE EXPRESSION,
MY PRAYERS DON'T GET ABOVE THE LIGHT BULB? YOU SEE, THAT'S OUR
PROBLEM. GOD'S UNDERNEATH THE LIGHT BULB. AH, WE, WE THINK,
OOO, WAY OUT YONDER. MAYBE IF I CAN JUST GET MY PRAYERS THROUGH.
FRIEND, WHEN YOU'RE IN THE SPIRIT, GOD IS IN YOU, AND
YOU'RE PRAYING IN THE HOLY GHOST! AND PRAYER IS NOT, AH,
JUST SIMPLY SENDING PRAYER MISSILES TO HEAVEN; IT IS
TALKING WITH A FRIEND. GOD GIVES US THE ROYAL INVITATION TO PRAY,
AND THEN GOD GIVES US A PALACE ATTENDANT, TO BRING US RIGHT IN
TO GOD. NOW, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT ELSE PRAYING IN THE
SPIRIT'LL DO. NUMBER FIVE: NOT ONLY D, DO WE HAVE THE
ADMINISTRATION OF OUR ACCESS, BUT WE HAVE THE ARTICULATION OF,
OF OUR WORDS. ANOTHER PROBLEM IN PRAYER IS THAT, FOLKS, WE GET
TONGUE-TIED, WE RUN OUT OF WORDS. HA, HEH, YOU KNOW WHAT
WORDS ARE? WORDS ARE JUST TRUCKS TO CARRY THOUGHTS. THAT'S WHAT
WORDS ARE. THEY'RE JUST TRUCKS TO CARRY THOUGHTS. SOMETIMES,
FOLKS, THE THOUGHT IS TOO HEAVY FOR ANY TRUCK. SOMETIMES THERE
ARE THINGS THAT ARE SO DEEP, SO BIG, SO HEAVY, SO IMPONDERABLE
THAT WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO PUT IT INTO WORDS. THAT'S WHEN WE NEED
TO BE PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT. LOOK, IF YOU WILL, IN THE LAST
PART OF VERSE 26, BUT THE SPIRIT HIMSELF, AND EVERY TIME YOU SEE
ITSELF IN THE KING JAMES THERE, IT MAY BETTER BE TRANSLATED, THE
SPIRIT HIMSELF, MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR US WITH
GROANINGS WHICH CANNOT BE UTTERED. THAT MEANS SIGHS THAT
ARE TOO DEEP FOR WORDS. DID YOU KNOW THERE IS A FORM OF WORDLESS
PRAYING? WHO IS DOING THE GROANING HERE? WELL, IT'S THE
DIVINE SPIRIT MERGED WITH THE HUMAN SPIRIT. THIS WORD FOR
GROANING IS THE WORD THAT MEANS BIRTH PANGS. IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN
AROUND A WOMAN IN LABOR, YOU'VE HEARD THAT GROAN. YOU KNOW WHAT
THAT GROAN IS? THAT GROAN IS PAIN TRANSFIGURED BY HOPE.
THAT'S WHAT PRAYER IS. PAIN TRANSFIGURED BY HOPE! LOOK IN
VERSE 22 OF THIS SAME CHAPTER. LOOK AT IT, AND WE KNOW THAT THE
WHOLE CREATION GROANETH AND TRAVAILETH IN PAIN TOGETHER
UNTIL NOW. AND NOT ONLY THEY, BUT OURSELVES ALSO, WHICH HAVE
THE FIRST-FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT, EVEN WE OURSELVES GROAN WITHIN
OURSELVES, WAITING FOR THE ADOPTION, TO WIT, THE REDEMPTION
OF OUR BODY. OUR BODIES HAVE NOT YET BEEN REDEEMED. OUR SOULS ARE
REDEEMED. OUR SPIRITS ARE REDEEMED. OUR BODIES ARE NOT YET
REDEEMED! AND, THEREFORE, DEAR FRIEND, WE LIVE IN A WORLD FULL
OF PAIN AND PANG AND MOAN AND GROAN AND SORROW AND SICKNESS
AND SIGHING AND DYING AND CRYING. IT'S ABOUT US. AND SAVED
OR LOST, YOU ARE NOT IMMUNE. DON'T GET THE IDEA THAT IF YOU
GET SAVED, THERE'S NO SORROW, THERE'S NO GROANING. THE WHOLE
CREATION GROANS. VERSE 22, AND WE OURSELVES, WHICH HAVE THE
FIRST-FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT, GROAN. BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF
GOD, WHEN YOU [EXPLOSIVE SOUND] PRAY, HE ENTERS INTO THAT AGONY.
AND AS JESUS WEPT IN GETHSEMANE, IN YOUR DARKEST, DEEPEST HOURS,
THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD MERGES WITH YOUR SPIRIT IN WORDLESS
PRAYER, GROANINGS TOO DEEP TO BE UTTERED. HMM, IF YOU'VE NEVER
BEEN THERE, YOU DON'T ANYTHING ABOUT PRAYER, IF YOU'VE NEVER
BEEN THERE. BUT THE TIME WILL COME WHEN YOU'LL GET THERE. YOU
WON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. YOU WON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY! BUT THE HOLY
SPIRIT OF GOD WILL BLEND WITH YOUR SPIRIT, AND THE DEAR HOLY
SPIRIT OF GOD WILL HELP YOU, NOT ONLY IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF
YOUR ACCESS, BUT THE ARTICULATION OF YOUR DESIRES.
AND GOD KNOWS WHAT HE MEANS, EVEN WHEN YOU CAN'T PUT IT INTO
WORDS. ISN'T THAT NEAT? ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL? NOW I'LL TELL
YOU WHAT ELSE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD DOES WHEN YOU PRAY IN THE
SPIRIT. NOT ONLY THE ARTICULATION OF OUR DESIRES, BUT
THE ENUNCIATION OF OUR CONFIDENCE COMES FROM THE HOLY
SPIRIT. LOOK IF YOU WILL, NOW, YOU'RE IN VERSES 26 AND 27. NOW
NOTICE HOW IT'S FOLLOWED, AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK
TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD, TO THEM WHO ARE THE
CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. NOW NOTICE IN VERSE 28 IT SAYS,
HE MAKES INTERCESSION FOR THE SAINTS ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF
GOD. IN VERSE 28, AH, VERSE 27, HE SAYS THAT. IN VERSE 28 HE
SAYS, WHAT IS THE WILL OF GOD? WELL, GOD IS WORKING ALL THINGS
TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD, WHO ARE CALLED
ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE, ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. AND THEN
THE NEXT VERSE SAYS THAT, HE'S DOING IT TO MAKE US LIKE THE
LORD JESUS. NOW, SOMETIMES YOU PRAY, AND YOU GROAN, AND YOU
WEEP, YOU ASK, AND IT SEEMS LIKE NOTHING IS HAPPENING. HA, YOU
SAY, I PRAYED AND GOD DIDN'T HEAR MY PRAYER. [STOMP] YES, HE
DID! ALL THINGS ARE WORKING TOGETHER FOR GOOD. IT LITERALLY
MEANS THAT GOD IS WORKING ALL THINGS TOGETHER FOR GOOD. GOD'S
PLAN FOR YOU IS NOT TO MAKE YOU HEALTHY AND WEALTHY AND HAPPY.
GOD'S PLAN FOR YOU IS TO MAKE YOU HOLY AND TO MAKE YOU LIKE
THE LORD JESUS, TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, AND GOD
IS HEARING PRAYERS. AND YOU MAY BE ASKING FOR ONE THING, BUT THE
HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD IS GIVING ANOTHER THING TO MAKE YOU MORE
AND MORE AND MORE AND MORE LIKE JESUS. AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL
ABOUT, FOLKS. PRAYER IS NOT MAKING GOD A, SOME SORT OF A
HEAVENLY BELLHOP TO WAIT ON YOU AND GIVE YOU YOUR WHIMS AND YOUR
WANTS. PRAYER IS GOD'S PLAN TO MAKE YOU LIKE JESUS. AND SO, THE
HOLY SPIRIT IS THE ENUNCIATION OF OUR CONFIDENCE. I HAD A
PRAYER BURDEN ONE TIME, THE HEAVIEST PRAYER BURDEN I'VE EVER
HAD. I STAINED HEAVEN. I EVEN CAME TO THE PLACE ONE TIME WHERE
I YELLED AT GOD, NOT OUT OF DISRESPECT, BUT I SS, I CRIED
OUT TO GOD ALMOST WITH A SHOUT, NOT OF DEFIANCE, BUT, OH, GOD,
WHERE ARE YOU? DO YOU KNOW WHAT GOD DID? GOD SAID TO ME, ADRIAN,
I HAVE HEARD YOUR PRAYER. I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT. HE DIDN'T TELL
ME HOW. HE JUST SAID, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. I'LL TAKE CARE
OF IT. THAT'S ROMANS 8:28, AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK
TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD. THERE IS THE
ENUNCIATION OF OUR CONFIDENCE. AND LAST OF ALL, WHEN WE PRAY IN
THE SPIRIT, THERE IS: THE AMPLIFICATION OF OUR VICTORY.
YOU SEE, THE DEVIL DOESN'T WANT YOU TO PRAY. LOOK IF YOU WILL IN
ROMANS EIGHT NOW, VERSES 31 AND 32, WHAT SHALL WE SAY THEE, TO
THESE THINGS? IF GOD BE FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? THE DEVIL
WILL DO ALL THAT HE CAN DO TO KEEP YOU FROM PRAYING. HE
DOESN'T WANT YOU TO PRAY. HE COMES AGAINST YOU. ALL OF THE
ARTILLERY OF HELL IS LEVELED AGAINST YOU WHEN YOU PRAY. WHY?
THE DEVIL MUST SAY TO HIS DEMONS, BOYS, KEEP HIM FROM
PRAYING BECAUSE IF HE FAILS TO PRAY, WE CAN BEAT HIM EVERY
TIME. BUT IF HE PRAYS, HE'LL BEAT US EVERY TIME. HE'S AGAINST
YOU. HE'S AGAINST YOU. YOU HAVE AN ENEMY. HE'S AGAINST YOU. BUT
IF GOD BE FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? THAT'S WHY YOU CAN'T
PLAY IN, PRAY IN THE FLESH, BECAUSE YOU'RE NO MATCH FOR
SATAN. BUT WHEN YOU PRAY IN THE SPIRIT, IF GOD BE FOR YOU, WHO
CAN BE AGAINST YOU? THOSE ARE SEVEN THINGS THE HOLY SPIRIT
DOES WHEN WE PRAY IN THE SPIRIT. NOW LISTEN TO ME. YOU CAN'T PRAY
IN THE SPIRIT, YOU CAN'T EVEN PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS TILL
YOU GET SAVED. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] BUT, YOU KNOW YOU COULD BE SAVED
AND GET IN THE FLESH AND YOUR FLESH WON'T EVEN WANT TO PRAY.
SO IF YOU'RE NOT SAVED, YOU NEED TO GET SAVED. AND IF YOU'RE
SAVED, YOU NEED TO BE SURRENDERED AND FILLED WITH THE
HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD. AMEN? FATHER GOD,
SEAL THIS MESSAGE TO OUR HEARTS IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AMEN. MAY I ASK YOU A PERSOANL
QUESTION? DO YOU KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR PERSONAL LORD AND
SAVIOR? IS HE REAL TO YOU? ARE YOU ABSOLUTLLY CERTAIN IF YOU
DIED TODAY, YOU WOULD GO TO HEAVEN? NOW FRIEND THERE IS NOW
ONE SO GOOD THEY NEED NOT BE SAVED NO ONE SO BAD THEY CANNOT
BE SAVED. AND SALVATION IS NOT A REWARD FOR THE RIGHTOUS, IT IS A
GIFT TO THE GUILTY. IF YOU KNOW YOU ARE SINNER. TELL GOD THAT
YOU ARE. CRY OUR FOR MERCY AND TRUST HIM TO SAVE YOU. AND IF
YOU DO, WOULD YOU WRITE TO US AND LET US KNOW. WE WILL REJOICE
WITH YOU AND WE WILL SEND YOU SOME LITERATURE TO HELP YOU GET
STARTED IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE. WE HOPE THAT TODAY'S MESSAGE HAS
BEEN AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU AS WE'VE STUDIED GOD'S WORD
TOGETHER. FOR MORE RESOURCES FROM ADRIAN ROGERS, INCLUDING
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A GREAT GOD.HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE VALUABLE; YOU'RE
VALUABLE BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU. PROFOUND TRUTH, SIMPLY STATED,
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