The Believer's War Room – Dr. Charles Stanley

the title of this message is the believers war room you said what in the world is that so I want you to turn if you will to the sixth chapter of Matthew the Sermon on the Mount and I want you to look at a couple of verses here because this is what you and I would really consider a war room if we understood what goes on in this room so Jesus is speaking here beginning in verse five when he says when you pray you are not to be like the hypocrites for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men truly I say to you they have their reward in full but now watch this next verse but you when you pray going to you or in a room close your door and pray to your father who is in secret and your father who sees what is done in secret will reward you think about this think about all the kind of trials and heartaches and burdens you face in life what do you do with them many people don't know what to do with them and Jesus has given us in this passage Scripture the solution the answer when I think about in my own life I learned to pray seriously very early and I finally figured out why because I had needs that I knew I could not meet and secondly I felt very inadequate in life in school and everything I did so it forced me to begin to pray early in life when I started that I prayed in my bedroom and then after a while I realized there must be a better place and so I found a place in my church which was a block away to pray and then when I went away to college I thought well I've got to find a place to pray and I had a roommate at that time and so he and I were good friends but after a while I realized I didn't feel free to pray there so I found another friend of mine who lived down the hall in jitta Hall University of Richmond and I said to him one day I need a place I can pray and I need a private place and I asked him something that it was a little bit shocking at first I said would you sell me your room he said sell you my room I said that's what I mean I said I need a private room where I can just pray and be quiet and talk to God so I didn't know what he'd come back with because naturally those rooms had already been paid for but I wanted his room b-seventeen Jeter hall so he came back the next day he said all right I didn't know what he was going to say he said how about $15 I said yes and I said it very quietly because $15 there's a lot of money for me when you didn't have any I said fine so I bought his room so for the next three and a half years I had b-17g a hall a private room and I had a wonderful place to pray and probably after a few weeks maybe somewhere thereabouts probably once a week some student would come to see me and say well could we just talk a few moments and so I spent three and a half years of listening and talking to my fellow college mates and it was a wonderful time when I went away to seminary I didn't have a place to pray in my room it was very noisy and so I finally found the place to pray in the Music Building and so that helped me through those times and then I got married and so we had a very small apartment and so I said to my wife now I gotta have a place to pray and we had a small bedroom a very small kitchen and bathroom and a living room and that was it so I had one of my mother's Africans that I do so I stretched that over in the corner of that living room and that was my place to pray till we finished similary I've always had a place some time it wasn't a different place sometimes right in the middle of a lot of things and I've had places to pray and my studies and so for the church and then touch and always had a place there's something about this passage of Scripture when he says when you pray go into your inner room close your door pray to your father who is in secret and your father who sees what is done in secret will reward you probably the most important lesson I've ever learned was to talk to God and lot of people think they're praying when oftentimes they're not really praying there's sort of expressing maybe something in their life that is going on I don't know of a lesson more important in life than learning to pray so when we called it the believers war room that's really what it is in a way because that's where you fight your battles and there are other words if you turn to that sixth chapter of Ephesians which you know pretty well the scripture says in that tenth verse finally be strong in the Lord in the strength of his might put on the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of a devil for our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers against the powers against the world Force's of this darkness against spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places therefore take up the full armor of God and you know the pieces the helmet of salvation to protect our thinking the breastplate of righteousness to protect their emotions the girdle of truth so that we walk in it feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace and he talks about for example the sword of the Spirit the Word of God and above all taking the shield of faith and that shield was not around Sheila was a shield like a door that covered you totally he says this is the way we begin the day so I'm asked a question do you ever placed afraid's your house you have an enemy and he's the devil Satan Jesus called him jesus said he's a murderer and a liar and deceiver he called him a lot of things he's a schemer and he's a tempter he's a destroyer you and I have an enemy and many people are destroyed by the enemy and do not even realize what's happening to him for all of us who are believers God has given us the key to living a godly life and a life that is pleasing and honorable to him and a life that makes it possible for us to accomplish anything and everything that God has said before us but prayer is the key and so what I'd like to do in this message is give you a little insight into what a real prayer room is like when I say war room I mean a war room because that's where the battles are really fought and so many of you probably would think well what would you do in a prayer room that's what I want to share with you and I pray that you listen carefully because listen you need it all of us need a place where we can talk to a Heavenly Father confidently boldly sharing the animals things of our heart and no one else listening and that he will make a difference so I want you to listen carefully you're going to need it some of you don't even know how to pray or you may just repeat the Lord's Prayer and think that's sufficient that doesn't say what you really need to say then in your heart some want you to listen carefully do not shut it out to say well I don't have a place to pray yes you and I want to show you that you do there is a place in your house your apartment of somewhere that you can set aside to pray may have to be when everybody else is gone but the place that you and your Heavenly Father can develop an intimate relationship listen to what he says when you pray go into your inner room close your door and pray to your father in secret and your father who sees what is done in secret will reward you which is his promise so he speaks of a place now Jesus place changed because his tenor had changed and my life's changed over all these years but I've had a place I've found a place to pray because I discovered very early in life I couldn't handle it without it and he made me inadequate enough and needy enough to depend upon him to trust in him and to make prayer the priority of my life and I fought a lot of battles then through a lot of difficulties hardships have lotsa needs but I can tell you this he's never failed me one time nor will he failed you so Jesus called it a place and I would say as Jesus said when he said close the door a private place if it's possible somewhere in your house someplace that you can set aside is your place to meet God every day and if you happen to be in a situation where you have roommates you could just send you a roommate you know I just need a place or a little time to be alone with the God be alone with God so if you work here or you work that no words can be working out so that I'll have this particular time that you'll know that I'm just being alone talking to God I'm gonna be praying for you but I'm gonna be talking to to God about my life and about my future anybody who would object to that makes a great statement and that is I really need you to pray for me that's really what they're saying and so here's what will happen God will make a place if you want a place to pray God will make a place for you to pray for the simple reason there's nothing he wants any more than to develop an intimate personal relationship with you and if you'll notice how Jesus said it enter your room close your door and pray to your father who is in secret and he will reward you so it's a private place and what I simply want to do is to say to you this is what a prayer room is about and I just want to describe a true genuine prayer room whether it's a place or room itself whatever it takes for you to be alone with Almighty God think about it in this light and that is simply this it's a private place it's a quiet place it's a holy place it's where you and the Father made let me tell you why that's so important when you have a place what I discovered after a while because that's your place to pray when you get there you don't have to get ready after a while your whole system adjust to the fact this is what you do here this is the only thing you do here you don't read books here you don't do it this is what you do you talk to the father you may have your Bible there but primarily you're talking to him so when you when you get there you know what you're gonna do and I remember I was praying one evening and this is why I say it's a holy place because one of the most important things God's ever said to me said to me lying over there on that spot and here's what he said I was talking to him about something in school and so forth he said to me whatever you accomplish in life you'll have to accomplish on your knees you cannot trust in your education or your abilities and talents and skill only on your knees I never forgot it I can never thank God enough for telling me early in life this whatever I do with you I will do as you come to me commune with me kneel before me worship me on amiyo Bay me on your knees watch what I do and I can tell you it's the most important thing God had said to me up until that time because the truth is this whatever he accomplishes in your life that really fits his will and purpose and plan to your life it's as a result of your relationship to him there are a lot of people who look famous and a wealth in this said never but I have no relationship with the father the most important relationship you will ever have is with God the Father and how do you develop that relationship he said when you pray go to your in a room or wherever it is close your door for possible pray to your father who is in secret and your father who is in secret will reward you it doesn't make a difference who you are when you trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior you develop a relationship but then when you begin to put prayer in its proper place that's first in your life God will do things in your life and for you you'll never figure out and you'll never do and never accomplish unless you put that where it belongs it was first in Jesus life that's why the scripture says a great halt before day he was doing what he was up and away in the wilderness praying and so this is where our battles are fought our battles are fought on our knees because what happens when you go through difficult and hardship in your life and conflict with other people and so forth when you in your place of prayer bring that to your heavenly father listen to what happens you know what happens here's what happens you you engage your heavenly father in this warfare you're having with whoever it might be in whatever the situation circumstances it may be even your husband and your wife or your kids your parents when you kneel before him and ask for his guidance in his help and his strength and how many times have I had to come to him when I desperately needed him he was all I had and no other place to go listen carefully they're going to be some times when nobody knows the answer to your plea but Almighty God nobody will be able to comfort strengthen you help you encourage you like Almighty God and when you develop that relationship with him and that place listen if if the place and the quietness and the seclusion and the holiness of that place from not important Jesus will never have put that in the Sermon on the mountain but he said it because he knew it was so important because he practiced it himself that's where you fight temptation that's where you fight trials on your face before Almighty God now I know and I'll say it once in a while you do not have to kneel to be holy before God but I'll put it this way you at least must be in the mode of worship you can sit down if you can sit down but for me I've been dealing since I was a kid and that's just the reason I say kneeling before him honoring him and worshiping him and to me to get on my knees before him was straighten out flat out on my face before God says what my heart says and that is holy God I come to you and need and I'm crying out to you to give me help and strength and whatever I may be praying for and think about this that's why you should get your instructions for every day you not never know what a day means we never know what we're going to face and if you turn to your place of prayer and you start the day with him asking for his guidance for his direction and listening you don't have to wonder if he's listening you don't have to wonder if he'll answer that prayer trust in the Lord with all your heart lean not to your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path and so we could go right through the scriptures with promises of God but to begin the day in that private quiet place with Almighty God that's the way you start the day and a lot of people who suffer a lot of turmoil in their life unnecessarily because they get up and rush off and it's just that them versus the world-wide do it you versus the world when you can walk with a companion of the Lord Jesus Christ living within you through the Holy Spirit to enable you strengthen you guard you protect you God's you enabled you whatever he wants for your life you start the day off with him I hear people say all the time Allah I gotta have a cup of coffee as soon as I get up no you don't you give you just hooked yourself on that you need to get hooked on Jesus I'm not saying you can't have a cup of coffee but that's not the first thing the most important thing in your life if that's what it takes to wake you up to pray then that's okay but that's not the most important thing in your life the most important thing in your life every morning is asking for the Lord's guidance and help and strength surrendering yourself to him Lord whatever you have in mind for me today I'm available let me think your thoughts let me think before I speak God I want whatever you want to accomplish in my life you begin the day with him listen you can't beat that you have God guiding you and leading you and so what happens in the war room is we get ready for the day we asked for directions and guidance Lord make us sensitive to the people around us let us hear what they say what they don't say let us read let us read their facial expressions what are they trying to say to us lord help me to do my best today if somebody gives me instructions let me get them down if I'm given an order and on my job and I don't like it Lord you help me to like it anyway lord I want you to I want you to guide me through this day God will never ignore that request he says go into that inner room close your door and pray to your father and so what does he do we dress for the battle we get instructions for the day and also remember this this is a guidebook tell me one thing in your life that's not in here that you have to face every single circumstance of life there is an answer for it in the book this is a book of instructions this is this is God's battle plan for us you cannot live a godly life with a closed book you can't win the battle if you don't know the battle plan if you're not listening to the general you're making your own decisions you're gonna lose the battle and so he said go into your inner room and close the door and what he was saying is this I want you to my self to begin this day and there's not a person in here who can tell me any reason that you can't do that and if you say well I just get distracted and when I pray get in your closet close the door put some clothes or something under so there's no light tell God you just want to think about him you want him to speak to your heart because you can't think of anything more important than hearing from the Living God and he's willing to speak to you you said well I've never heard y'all speak you probably weren't listening God is willing to speak to anyone who's trusted him as their personal Savior God is willing to listen to any center crying out to salvation if you want him to be a part of you in life yield your life to him surrender yourself to him ask him for the forgiveness of your sin trusting in his death at Calvary to pay your sin debt in full and become a child of God your life with him will begin and so when I think about what's involved and opening the Word of God and asking him to speak to my heart that's where you and I deal with our sins honestly thoroughly by ourselves alone with Almighty God now though you can pray to of it with other people but listen to this God wants an intimate relationship with us he wants us to give him our full attention he wants us to listen carefully of what he says now listen carefully bish when you're praying and in that in a room wherever that place is you don't do all the talking you learn to listen tell me what's on your heart what you're concerned about what you need or how grateful you are for whatever it is and then just be quiet when I hear people say well God's never spoken to me I know why because they didn't give him a chance do you listen to your children when they come to you crying for example are needy about something what do you do if you're a good mom or dad you sit and say sweetheart tell me what's on your mind tell me what's hurting tell me what can I do think about Almighty God your heavenly Father is never too busy to listen to you but you need to give him time to speak and God is willing to speak to you and I told you in the very beginning once the God said to me about always needing him and whatever accomplished in life i accomplish on my knees he made that so absolutely clear to me and I could spend a lot of time this morning say here's what God said to me about this and that he will do the same for you in your life in your circumstances but you got to listen to him you have to get in the position listen to him and I love what he said he said go in your room close the door it's private and listen to your heavenly Father and you may begin your session with him by simply saying Lord I'm just here to listen today this morning or tonight if there's something you want to say to me I'm willing to listen Lord you may be shocked at how clearly God will speak to your heart sometimes he will speak through his word and I remember in one of the biggest battles I've ever been in and I was being quiet and listening to the Lord and I was just flipping through the script chest and God if he had something to say to me and I turn to this passage no weapon formed against you will prosper and I sat through this horrible business meeting reading that verse and reminding God Lord here's what you're saying and I listened to people who tried their best to get rid of me and the interesting thing yeah I read that verse over and over and over and over again saying Lord is what you're saying I'm trusting you and the jin.o for two hours and the attempt to get rid of me not one person said one negative thing about me and I was sitting there thinking I could tell you a lot of things about me that I am perfect but you know what God used that personal scripture to give me the most awesome sense of peace but your hearts gotta be right lord I need you to encourage me a god you have convicted me of something that I had not seen before had not dealt with before and Laura I'm confessing my sins before you whenever you and I come to him with an open heart will it and we should always say to him the Lord if you have something to say to me that I missed I want to hear it if there's anything in my heart that should not be there then the first thing I want to do is I want you to show me what it is so I can confess it and ask you to forgive me so I want to start off clean god I just want to start off clean so I can hear what you have to say you can't listen God is not gonna do much talking to you as long as you were living in sin he speaks to those who willing to hear him let me ask you a question how do you feel maybe when you and your wife our husband had a little bout you want to get it straightened out and he won't listen what does that do to you that I so as a wife or she won't listen or your son won't listen are your parents won't listen there's something about opening our heart to God let me tell you he will speak to you clearly you know what because he loves you God doesn't try to keep secrets and this is why he said go into your inner room close your door that is it's just you and him and you'll find a place if you really want to find the place a place to pray is a place that you know I can talk to him quietly it doesn't mean that you can't pray you can sit right here and pray or go somewhere so riding on the expressway but here's what Jesus said there ought to be a place a place that's your place a private place a holy place it's made holy because that's where you and God do business where you talk and who are you listening where you want God to speak to your heart it's one of the most important lessons you'll ever learn in life and somebody says well I've come a long ways and I haven't done that and you don't know what you've missed the most important relationship you have is with Jesus and he can be more real in your life than any other person because he speaks to the innermost part of your being your heart your life your soul your spirit and Jesus who was holy the very son of God listen the first son of God felt a need to get away then Luke he's at that praying and that disciples come and interrupt him saying well the people are looking for you and when somebody says to me I don't have time to pray I sent they want to think if that's the only reason you don't God knows how to give you a dose of something that puts you in the bed stretched out flat on your back where you got plenty of time to pray and talk to God and some people have met the Lord in that way when he absolutely laid them down and then they began to listen to him and God began to speak to their heart so that's where we deal with sin in their life that's where we that's where we develop an intimate relationship with him now some of you probably thinking well I don't think that's necessary that's the devil's lie don't believe it let me tell you why if it were not necessary it wouldn't be in the Word of God by the person of Jesus Christ he knows and you and I know we need a place a time and one of the best times to start is early in the morning but for some people that may not be the most convenient thing then you make it your time your place and your time where you get alone with God uninterrupted and did you know without even knowing this my kids have told me this and I remember I have a study out different from the house in the backyard and I was passed in Miami and that's where I prayed I asked him to build me a little place away from my house because I didn't have a place so is this a cinderblock building wasn't very large at all and I just had a in fact I had a door for the desk so I didn't want anything in that to distract me had a door as a desk and one chair I paid $15 saw it and and I had a little mat on that concrete floor and they said to me you didn't know I was there but I slipped in there and I was right beside you praying and I heard everything you said and my daughter came to me different times and she would say something similar to that you know what if I never taught my kids another lesson I taught it without even trying that you spend time talking to your father and now that they're in their 50s they know what pray is all about and as a parent you need to demonstrate it you you need you need to show them not just tell them how important for areas and I'm not telling you that for any other reason except to say I discover that later on they didn't even tell me at first of course they did tell me the times we had a we had around the coffee table we all prayed around when we prayed together as a family and they are quick to remind me that at one time everybody had prayed and then they kept waiting for me to pray and waiting for me to pray and I went to sleep Wow all they prayed and they all got up to walk out and at that time they got to the door I started praying they came back around but you know what that's okay that's all right that table was a place we all prayed but then I taught them to find the place for them to pray because it's the most important activity of your life there's nothing more important your life than building an intimate relationship with the Heavenly Father and claiming his promises and in the prayer room that's where you lay your burdens down and what does he say he daily lifts our burdens this place to pray is an awesome place they confess our sins to where he lifts our burdens where we weep over our trials and our heartaches yes it's a place to cry before Almighty God and he understands for we are crying about its we're broken hearts amended in the prayer room it's where sins forgiven but also where we forgive others it's a holy place a mighty place a powerful place it's a place that becomes the most precious spot in your household because that's where you and the Father meet and discuss every area of your life well you bring you needs where you bring your hurts where you bring you tears where you bring your sorrows where your burdens are lifted and where you're strengthened so where is your place you can walk through life and ignore a personal intimate relationship with Christ maybe you're very talented and gifted maybe you're very wealthy and you say well I don't need all that oh yes you do and the more prideful you are the further you're going to fall when God's hand comes upon you to teach you a lesson that you need him desperately do you have a place even as you've listened have you thought a better place are you willing to make a place they can be your place they'll become a holy place a private place where you carry on the most important activity of your life and that's community and fellowshipping with the Lord Jesus Christ most important thing you do you say well I'm so busy I don't have time yes you do do you believe God loves you enough to speak to you maybe you don't believe that but you get in a place and you start praying and you'll find out quickly God will speak to your heart your needs will be met you'll find joy in your heart and so sense of security and comfort God meeting your needs in an awesome way doesn't mean you'll never be needy no he allows us to meet needy sometime because it drives us into a deeper relationship with him if you one of those persons who's never trusted Jesus as your Savior I trusted today you've settled that issue asking him to forgive you of your sins and acknowledging that Jesus went to the cross in order to pay your sin debt in full by shedding his blood in the moment you will they confess that sin repent of it and tell the Lord Jesus Christ you're receiving him as your personal Savior your life with him will begin and my prayer to you is that you'd be wise enough to do what Jesus said go into your inner room close your door pray to your father who is in secret and your father who sees what is done in secret will reward you that is a promise of God and if you're wise you'll make a place father how grateful we are that you made it simple and I pray that the Holy Spirit will sink this message deep in the heart of every person who hears it and some who have never trusted you as their Savior help them to understand the first prayer you listen to from them it's a prayer of confession and repentance and surrender of their life to you as their Lord and Savior and then you all can carry on a conversation you know who's listening to this message is going through great trial heart a difficult to pain suffering a sense of futility not knowing which way to turn or father remind them that they've heard the answer today and now it's a matter of making a choice making the wisest choice they could make of finding a place and begin to build that intimate relationship and to begin listening to you and hearing you speak is my prayer in Jesus name Amen you

Channel: In Touch Ministries

Views: 708,039

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Keywords: Charles F. Stanley, Charles Stanley, In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley, In Touch Ministries, Preaching, Bible teaching, Dr. Stanley, Intouch ministries, intouch

Id: juCDFnel90E

Length: 39min 18sec (2358 seconds)

Published: Fri May 15 2020