Thinking About How God Answers Prayer
Psalms 119:145-152
February 27, 2022
Tonight we come back to the 119th Psalm
And again it is a text that we have studied before.
If you’ve been listening to those sermons from the first time through
Then you know that the last time we studied this stanza we called it “Handling Oppression” and we talked about the importance of prayer.
I certainly think the truths we learned then are as important as ever.
For what you see clearly in our stanza is that the stakes have been raised.
(150) “Those who follow after wickedness draw near;”
• It’s one thing to be hated.
• But when the one who hates you is knocking on your door that’s a whole new situation.
The oppression our Psalmist is facing is getting more real by the moment.
This of course has caused him to turn to God in prayer.
And I would quickly remind you of what we learned last time
About his prayer in this situation.
We talked about: THE INTENSITY OF HIS PRAYER
(145) “I cried with all my heart”
We talked about: THE REQUEST OF HIS PRAYER
(146) “I cried to You; save me”
We talked about: THE PRIORITY OF HIS PRAYER
(147) “I rise before the dawn and cry for help; I wait for Your words”
We talked about: THE ENDURANCE OF HIS PRAYER
(148) “My eyes anticipate the night watches, That I may meditate on Your word.”
We talked about: THE HUMILITY OF HIS PRAYER
(149) “Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness”
All of those realities form for us a tremendous example for our prayer life
And they are also realities that we see throughout Scripture
From those who are devoted to God.
Jeremiah reminded us about the INTENSITY of prayer:
Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”
Jesus taught us about the REQUESTS of prayer:
Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
Paul taught us about the PRIORITY of prayer:
Philippians 4:6 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
That oppressed widow in Luke 18 taught us about the ENDURANCE of prayer as she refused to stop appealing to the judge for legal protection.
Luke 18:6-8 “And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
The Pharisee and the tax collector taught us the HUMILITY of prayer.
Luke 18:14 “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
So the things we see in our Psalmist are certainly attitudes
Consistent with what the Bible teaches about a healthy prayer life.
When you are afflicted.
When life is difficulty.
When your oppressors draw near.
Most certainly you should run to God in prayer.
It’s just as the hymn writer recorded:
What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer! Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged—Take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful, Who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy-laden, Cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge—Take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In His arms He’ll take and shield thee, Thou wilt find a solace there.
You see that clearly in the Psalm here.
But what we talked about even more than that LAST TIME was
Why the Psalmist was so quick to turn to God in prayer.
And the answer was because of His confidence in God.
(Faithful prayer is the result of faith in God)
You see the things in this stanza that he knew about God.
GOD WON’T LEAVE
(151) “You are near, O LORD”
GOD CAN’T LIE
(151) “And all Your commandments are truth.”
GOD NEVER LOSES
(152) “Of old I have known Your testimonies That You have founded them forever.”
• You don’t pray to God if you don’t believe He is near.
• You don’t pray to God if you don’t believe His answer is correct.
• You don’t pray to God if you don’t believe His testimonies last forever.
And so the encouragement the last time we studied this stanza was
TO BELIEVE GOD MORE.
• Believe that God is trustworthy
• Believe that God will never leave you
• Believe that God will never lie to you
• Believe that God will never fail you
And as you believe that
You will also find it easier to take your burdens to God in prayer.
That was our encouragement last time and honestly, that’s still a good encouragement.
BUT TONIGHT, the second time through,
We get the opportunity to examine a different aspect of this stanza.
We clearly here have a Psalmist who is devoted to prayer.
• He is praying and he is not stopping.
• He wants God to answer.
• He waits for God to answer.
• He has put all his hope in the fact that God will answer.
But there is another aspect of this stanza that I think is also important to consider, and it is this:
HOW DO YOU EXPECT GOD TO ANSWER?
And by that I DON’T MEAN “what” do you expect God to answer.
• This isn’t to say whether or not you expect Him to say “yes” or “no”
What I mean is that when you cry out to God in prayer, and He answers you, how do you expect to know what that answer is?
Do you expect Him to email it to you?
Are you looking for a text message?
And this is a relevant question because so many in our world are willing to make a request to God and then I guess they just expect the answer to randomly pop in their mind.
Or perhaps they ask God and then go to looking for some sort of affirmative sign to indicate that God is doing or not doing what they ask.
Now I certainly DO NOT wish to insinuate that God never changes our circumstances or moves in ways around us that we can see.
I’m not trying to limit how God is forced to answer.
But I do want you to recognize this one thing from our Psalmist here.
• Our Psalmist was committed to pray to God for the solution to His dilemma,
• But the Psalmist was equally convinced that when God answered,
• That answer would come from only one place: The Scripture.
That’s what I want you to see tonight.
THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN PRAYER AND THE SCRIPTURE.
It is a foolish notion to pray to God and then to neglect the word.
If you have asked God for an answer,
Where else do you really expect to find it?
Having looked previously at the aspects of prayer in this stanza
Tonight let’s look at the role the Bible plays
In the answering of your prayers.
There are actually 5 truths about the Bible I want to point out to you tonight,
In really no particular order to show you
Why the Bible is where you should be looking for the answer to your requests.
So let’s talk about the Bible
#1 IT’S ORIGIN
Psalms 119:152
The Psalmist says: (152) “Of old I have known from Your testimonies That You have founded them forever.”
Clearly the Psalmist is referencing God’s word,
Which he hear calls “Your testimonies”
But the phrase I really want you to pay attention to is the fact that
“You have founded them”
There is an origin for the Bible and that origin is God.
There is an origin for the word of God and that origin is obviously God.
We might say it this way.
The Bible is “God’s Word”
That is why every time we read it, we make the statement that,
“This is now the word of God”
2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;”
If you read the NIV of course the familiar phrase is “God-breathed”
When you talk, what is happening is that
• Your diaphragm is forcing air through your vocal chords to make sound,
• Which is shaped by your tongue and mouth and lips;
• Through which you form words.
But what we are actually hearing, when you talk, is your breath.
Well, when you read the Scripture,
What you are actually hearing, is the very words of God.
2 Peter 1:20-21 “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”
1 Thessalonians 2:13 “For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.”
When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He responded by saying:
Matthew 4:4 “But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”
That alone is a very important truth for us.
When you ask someone a question,
Typically it is because you desire a response.
And yes there are times when you can get the answer through observing your circumstances, but still the reason for a question is to get a response.
I can ask Zek, “Where did you park the truck?”
• And it is true that I may eventually find that answer through observation,
• But the purpose of the question was so that Zek would tell me.
Now that’s certainly an oversimplification of all the purposes of prayer,
But the basic reality remains.
If you ask God something, or you make a request to Him, where are you going to look for His answer?
Well how about you look where God is speaking.
The simple point here is to remind you that the Bible is God’s word.
If you are asking for an answer
Then it is obvious where you should be looking for it.
God is the origin of the Bible.
The Bible is God speaking.
Something else about the Bible.
#2 IT’S DURABILITY
Psalms 119:152
Still that same verse, but notice now a different aspect of what the Psalmist says.
“You have founded them FOREVER.”
What does that mean?
Not only is the Bible the place where God has spoken to us,
But it is a place where He will always speak to us.
The Bible has no expiration date.
• The Bible is “living and active”
• It is both where God spoke and where God speaks.
Listen again to that statement of Jesus.
Matthew 4:4 “But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”
NOT “every word that proceeded”
Rather “every word that proceeds”
Think about the famous verse of Psalms 119
Psalms 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”
The Psalmist speaks of something current.
Again to the statement of Peter:
2 Peter 1:19-21 “So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”
Peter not only talks about the origin of God’s word,
But also as that which you should continue to pay attention to.
God is still speaking there.
God is still guiding there.
This is NOT some ancient book
Where we are simply trying to learn from history.
When you read a history book
• You take the stories,
• You put them in context,
• You evaluate the consequences
• Then you try to learn from their mistakes and successes.
But that is not all the Bible brings to the table.
Certainly we do place narrative in context and evaluate the circumstances of the day,
But the Bible brings far more to the table
Than just a moral lesson from history.
What the Bible says it says to you today.
It is just as relevant now as it ever was.
So if you are praying to God and you are making requests to Him,
It only stands to reason that the answer to that request
Would come from the place where God is still speaking.
From that place where He will speak “forever”
It’s origin, it’s durability
#3 IT’S CONTENT
Psalms 119:52
Again look at another aspect of verse 152.
The Psalmist says that what you find here are “YOUR testimonies”
• The Bible comes from God.
• It will come from God forever.
• AND IT IS WHAT GOD HAS TO SAY.
• THE NEWSPAPER is not the testimony of God.
• THIS SERMON is not the testimony of God.
• Some would-be PROPHET’S DREAM today is not the testimony of God.
• Your DEVOTIONAL BOOK is not the testimony of God.
Now those things may be testimonies about God.
Those things may be true and even potentially helpful.
But there is a drastic difference
Between man’s testimony and God’s testimony.
Jeremiah 23:28-29 “The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth. What does straw have in common with grain?” declares the LORD. “Is not My word like fire?” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?”
Isaiah reminded:
Isaiah 55:8-11 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”
There is a difference between man’s testimony and God’s testimony.
The Bible is God’s testimony.
The Bible is what God has to say.
So again, if you are in prayer and you want to hear God’s answer,
You really can’t go anywhere but to the Bible.
That is where God has spoken.
That is where God is speaking.
That is where God will speak.
Now that’s sort of INTRODUCTORY, but look now at our Psalmist.
It is clear that our Psalmist is convinced of that very fact.
(147-148) “I rise before dawn and cry for help; I wait for Your words. My eyes anticipate the night watches, That I may meditate on Your word.”
Do you see the connection?
It starts obviously with his priority to pray.
“I rise before dawn and cry for help”
• So let’s establish again that this man is committed to pray.
• And let’s also make the point that hearing from God is obviously a big deal
to Him.
He says, “I wait for Your words”
We are not dealing with a nonchalant seeker here.
This is NOT a man who is apathetic as to whether he gets an answer or not.
Any man who will consistently rise like this and pray like this
Is obviously serious about getting an answer from God.
But notice WHERE HE THINKS that answer is going to come from.
“My eyes anticipate the night watches, That I may meditate on Your word.”
He is eagerly waiting for a time when the hectic schedule calms down
And he’ll have a second to simply ponder.
And his objective is to “meditate on Your word”
It should be blatantly obvious where he expects he’ll find God’s answer.
When God speaks to him he is convinced where it will come from.
And notice, he’s not necessarily expecting to easily see it.
• He’s not praying and then expecting to just randomly throw open his bible and stick his finger on the page, read the verse, and get his answer.
No, he’s going to read and he’s going to MEDITATE.
• There will be a lot of reading.
• There will be a lot of pondering.
• There will be a lot of hermeneutics here.
Why go to such trouble?
Why put yourself through such extensive effort?
BECAUSE HE IS CONVINCED THAT HIS ANSWER FROM GOD
IS CONTAINED HERE.
I would even say it like this.
If on your earthly pilgrimage
You want to know where you are going to commune with God,
There is no better place to start than His word.
It is a foolish and overly mystical person
Who assumes they can pray and just walk outside
And find their sign or random answer through looking at THE CLOUDS.
Creation is the revelation of God, but it is the GENERAL REVELATION.
Romans 1 tells us we can learn about God from creation.
Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”
Psalms 19:1-3 “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard.”
What our Psalmist wants is the SPECIAL REVELATION of God
And that is fond 1 place: The Bible.
Psalms 19:7-11 “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward.”
So when you want to hear God’s answer to your prayer,
Follow the example of the Psalmist and seek the word of God.
And when you seek it, seek it diligently.
Seek it through study and meditation.
God speaks there, even if it takes effort to discern it.
That is the content of the Bible
The Origin, The Durability, The Content
#4 IT’S POWER
Psalms 119:149
“Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your ordinances.”
When we studied this stanza in regard to prayer
We talked about the “lovingkindness” part.
We talked about the HUMILITY OF PRAYER
And how the Psalmist pleaded for mercy.
But let’s look at the rest of the verse.
At first these statements almost appear to be unrelated.
• We see the statement “according to lovingkindness”
• And we see the statement “according to Your ordinances”
And we wonder what those have in common.
Well, look at the request.
The Psalmist says “Revive me”
• That is literally a request to give him life.
And here is how the terms align.
• “lovingkindness” = God’s motive for granting revival.
• “ordinances” = God’s means of granting revival.
And that is where we circle back to the power of God’s word.
See the Psalmist wants more than answers.
Certainly he would like an explanation,
But you don’t see that as his primary request.
(146) “save me”
(147) “I cry for help”
(149) “Revive me”
He doesn’t just want an explanation, he wants God to intervene.
And this is also why he goes to God’s word.
• God’s word is power.
• God’s word brings life.
One only has to GO BACK TO CREATION to verify this.
• Where did light come from?
• Where did land come from?
• Where did fish and birds and animals come from?
• WHERE DID LIFE COME FROM?
“Then God said…”
“Then God said…”
“Then God said…”
In 1 John, John actually calls Jesus “The Word of Life”
Jesus said:
John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”
Listen to God reveal to Ezekiel the source of the new life that is coming:
Ezekiel 37:4-10 “Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.’ “Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. ‘I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.’” So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life.”’” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.”
The power for life and revival comes from God’s word.
That is why we are committed here to expositional preaching of the whole counsel of the word of God.
• We’re not into emotional displays…
• We’re not into gimmicky tricks…
• We’re not into mood music and mood lighting…
But it’s not just because we don’t like it.
It’s because we don’t believe there is any power to give life in those things.
• We believe it is the word of God that raises the dead.
• We believe it is the word of God that brings revival.
• We believe it is the word of God that has the power.
That’s true in a worship service, but it is also true in your prayer life.
If you are praying for a powerful intervention of God in your life.
Not just for explanation but for revival power.
Why would you pray and then neglect the word?
Our Psalmist didn’t.
• He knew who to ask for revival – God.
• He knew why God would give it – “Your lovingkindness”
• And He hew the medium God would use to give it – “Your ordinances”
It is the power of the word.
It is important for you and I to remember that even as we pray.
It’s origin, It’s durability, It’s content, It’s power
#5 IT’S DIRECTION
Psalms 119:145-146
Here we get a glimpse into the understanding of the Psalmist.
• He is not ignorant of the will of God.
• He knows exactly what God’s will is for his life.
AND INCIDENTALLY, YOU SHOULD TOO.
You say, what is God’s will for my life?
1 Thessalonians 4:3a “For this is the will of God, your sanctification…”
Romans 8:29 “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;”
Hebrews 12:14 “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.”
Clearly you understand this.
God is sovereign.
• And WHILE God has certainly granted us the privilege of prayer.
• And THOUGH He does answer our prayers.
That is NOT TO ASSUME that the circumstances we find ourselves in
Were outside of His control.
God placed you in that circumstance for a reason
And if God brings you out of that circumstance
That will also be for a reason.
And you say, “What reason?”
And the answer is always SANCTIFICATION.
God is always working to conform you into the image of Christ.
• Remember humanity was created in the image of God.
• Humanity fell through sin.
• Christ came as the chief example of what humanity is supposed to be.
• Christ is redeeming us back to what we were intended to be.
This is the overarching purpose of it all.
So (like the Psalmist) you have a request to God to save you from some circumstance you are in.
If God grants that salvation…If God grants that help
For what purpose do you suppose He will grant it?
To further your sanctification.
So, if that’s the goal,
as you pray it only makes sense that you also appeal to that
Which will not only answer you and give you power
But that which will also guide you in the right direction.
Notice our Psalmist.
(145-146) “I cried with all my heart; answer me, O LORD! I will observe Your statutes. I cried to You; save me And I shall keep Your testimonies.”
Do you see his understanding?
He knows where this is headed.
It is a foolish man who would cry to God for deliverance
And at the same time assume that
God is going to deliver you simply to allow you to be more wicked.
That is an evil mindset.
In fact, look at verse 150, “Those who follow after wickedness draw near; They are far from Your law.”
It is a wicked man who has no interest in what God has to say.
But the Psalmist, a man deep in prayer,
Understands that part of seeking an answer from God
Contains a commitment to God’s word.
I hope that makes sense to you.
And tonight we simply make that point.
That in your prayer life, when you seek an answer from God,
That should include a corresponding commitment to God’s word.
• That is where God will speak.
• That is where the power is.
• That is where God’s direction for your life is laid out.
So certainly commit yourself to prayer as the Psalmist does
And at the same time commit yourself to the answer
Which is found only in the word of God.
