How do you grow in your faith? You stay in the Word. You remind yourself of the promises of God. You remind yourself of the goodness of God. You read what God says about himself.
Don't spend time looking at what people have shown you by their poor examples. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours. That's Mark 11:24, and this is Destined for Victory with Pastor Paul Shepard. But time and again in God's Word, the Lord tells us that He answers prayer. It's one of our most powerful weapons, one we don't use often enough.
Today, you'll get an in-depth look at the power of prayer, as well as a few of the reasons why your prayers might sometimes be hindered. We hope you'll stay with us, but just in case your schedule won't allow that today, remember you can visit our website, pastorpaul.net, and listen to any of our recent messages on demand, including today's. That's pastorpaul.net.
Now let's get started with this message. There's power in prayer. If your reality is there are times you ask in faith and you think everything's in order in terms of your asking and your state of faith and it doesn't happen, what do you do? You don't stop and freak out. You stay in the mode of expectation.
The best way to remind yourself of what you ought to be like is to, as often as you can, or memorize the passage in Luke 18. The first story Jesus tells in the Gospel of Luke chapter 18 is a story designed, he says. to help you know that men ought always to pray. and never give up. Then what does he do?
He goes into a story. I'll be Woman who takes her requests. before an unjust Judge. Jesus is clear in the story. This is a crooked judge.
This is a man who really Doesn't always execute justice. Right? Unjust. Not always just. And Jesus says, but the woman.
Pesters him. Please, I need you. I need you to take up my case. My adversary has come against me. I need you to right this wrong that's happening in my life.
And Jesus, read it when you get a moment in Luke 18. Jesus said, And although the judge was unjust, he said to himself, Although I don't fear God, And I don't care about people. This woman getting on my nerves. If I don't give her what she needs, if I don't take her case and put it on the top of my pile and address it now. She is gonna kill me.
He said, So though I don't fear God and don't care about people, I'm going to give this lady what she needs so she can get out of my face. And Jesus then said, So, if that's the case with an unjust judge. How much more? Will God avenge his people? Who calls on him day and night?
That ought to be your position. I'm asking that this is a time when you shift the gear. Because if you grew up around church folk, Let's just be honest. If you go up around certain church folk, I'll put it that way. You will be taught how to pray, and they'll never say it, but they'll teach you how to never expect.
They pray prayers because it's religious. And when they get through praying, they go on to the next thing, and they never do expect God to answer. You are not supposed to be somebody who prays a lot and gets no results.
So you have to up your faith, grow in your faith. How do you grow in your faith? You stay in the Word. You remind yourself of the promises of God. You remind yourself of the goodness of God.
You read what God says about Himself. Don't spend time looking at what people have shown you by their poor examples. And you grow in your faith. You grow in the word. Then the other way you grow in your faith is hang around faith-filled people.
If you spend time with faith-filled people, faith can be contagious. And it'll catch. And when you get around somebody who prays and expects results every time, that'll start teaching you and retraining you. in the area of prayer. I expect God to move every time.
That's where we ought to get. If you're not there, then that's the journey. That you ought to be on, so that you end up surprised when you don't get it right away. You know your faith is where it ought to be when you are shocked that you don't get it right away. And that doesn't discourage you, you just say, let's stay in faith.
Because remember, Jesus said, God will avenge those who come before Him day and night. In other words, I'm not giving up on my request. The only request you should give up on is one you know is not God's will. If you plotting on some dude but he's already married, Get that request up. I think I'd make a much better wife.
Then she makes Lord, in Jesus' name. No, don't do that. God not gonna break them up so you happy. Although his wife might be praying for somebody to come get him out, but anyway. But you have to learn to pray.
The Lord will raise him up. That's the expectation we have. Ask God and believe God and expect God and stay in faith. Remember what Hebrews 6 says. Without faith it is impossible.
To please God. Why? Hebrews 11, 6. Because he that comes to God Must first believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who. Diligently seek him.
So that's what James is showing us here: that the expectation ought to be that they get well every time. And he says, and if he sinned, he will be forgiven. Prayer is a good time to get things straight before the Lord. Remember, the Bible says that. One time Jesus was teaching about prayer in Mark 11, I believe.
I don't have it here in my notes, but just from memory, I believe it's Mark 11, where he tells us about if you speak to that mountain and tell it to be removed, Cast into the midst of the sea, don't doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass. You shall have what you say. And then what does he say? And if. You're holding anybody in unforgiveness.
Yeah, you know. Right where you're asking God to move mountains. You got to say, Lord, I release that person that I've been holding in my heart. In other words, don't ask God to do miracles, and you still got old nasty attitudes, you won't give up. You have some unresolved issues with people.
So it's the same dynamic here. Here he's saying: if you've sinned, that's a good time to get your sins. Addressed in the presence of God, so nothing hinders your prayer. You know why some of you married people aren't getting your prayers more effectively answered? Because you have these feuds that you won't settle.
Don't believe me? Ask Peter. Peter wrote. The inspired word of God, 1 Peter. And he talks about the fact that married people sometimes their prayers are hindered.
because they're not treating each other right. Y'all don't believe me. Let me now see that's not even in my notes. But just looking at your face. You don't say, What, that?
Has anybody gotta stop fighting with them over there? Yes, you do. Wives, y'all sent me to 1 Peter 3. See, now I'm going into overtime. 1 Peter 3:1.
Wives, in the same way, be submissive to your husbands, so that. If any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives. Submission and coercion are two different things, by the way. Coercion is when you try to make somebody do something. We all grown folk.
You can't make me do anything.
So, men, if you want a certain thing to go and you want a certain thing to happen in your life, don't try to do it by a strong army. Because submission means I choose to yield. It's what you're supposed to do. when you're coming onto the freeway. I gotta help you all understand.
This word Translated submission in English translations, it confuses a lot of folk in our day. But it really needs to be yield. That's the better translation, the more accurate thing, is yield.
Now, when you come on, you're on the ramp. coming on. You're supposed to kind of be moving up toward freeway speed. But the folk on the freeway have the right of way. Y'all don't know that.
I'm trying to help you. Cause y'all just come barreling out there and if anybody's out there, oh well.
Well, this is a great place to take a quick break, but stay with us. We'll be right back with the second half of today's Destined for Victory message featuring Pastor Paul Shepard. To take Pastor Paul's ministry wherever you go, be sure to download our free app. Just search for Destined for Victory in your app store, and you'll be able to listen anytime on demand. The app also has convenient links for the resources offered here on the program and others to help you grow in your faith.
Your faithful prayer and financial support is the reason we're able to bring you this ministry. We're so thankful for that and for the eternal impact it's having in the world. To give generously today, please visit pastorpaul.net or call 855-339-5500. God invites us to pray and assures us that He will answer, but there are some things that will hinder our prayers.
Now, let's listen closely to the rest of today's Destined for Victory message: There's Power in Prayer. Yield, same word here, simply means although I could go out there and just take my chances. I'm supposed to look and say, is there anybody else in this lane I'm about to merge into? If so, and if I would cause a collision. By jumping in front of them, I choose to slow down a bit, let them go, and then I tuck in.
It's for order. It's not, they're more special than you. It's just for order. When the Bible talks about things like submission, and it doesn't just say that about wives, it says in one place in Ephesians 5, it says, We as in the body of Christ submit to one another. In the body of Christ, anybody ought to be able to help you understand you need to do some things differently in some areas of your life, and we yield to the wisdom God gives other people.
So, this is not something from the dark ages.
Well, the Bible does. See, that's why I don't believe it's inspired. No, it is inspiring because it teaches us how to have orderly relationships. And so when it says, wives submit to your husbands, it's not saying, husbands, you coerce her. As a pastor, every now and then I've run into men who are trying to get their wives to have more.
uh relations with them I got some minors in the audience. Work with me, people. Work with me. They want um relations and um They want more than they're getting. And sometimes they try to read the Bible to them.
Look, wait, look, look, look at what this says right here. And they go to 1 Corinthians 7. Paul said, render to the husband due benevolence. That's if they got King James, do benevolence. I love that phrase, due benevolence.
When we first got married, I said, baby, it's in time for something due benevolence, ain't it? Yeah. Where am I? Oh, um And I've had to tell husbands over the years as their pastor. That's not foreplay, reading somebody the Bible.
You ain't gonna get what you want to get. Anyway, back to 1 Peter. Verse 3: Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should come from your inner self. Peter was just teaching people how to be a quality person.
The unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is great worth in the sight of God. Let me skip down to verse 7: Husbands in the same way. Be considerate as you live with your wives and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life. Watch this, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
Some of you husbands not getting your prayers through because you're not treating your wife right. I said Peter said it. You're not considerate of her. And listen, don't trip over that as a weaker vessel. All that means is, it's an acknowledgement of the fact that even physically, God created men, all things being equal, with a different type of physique.
So that historically men have been the heavy lifters. Y'all know it's true. I know you're a feminist, but don't trip. Yeah, amen. They've been the heavy lifters and y'all ought to be thanking God.
That they've been the heavy lifters. And that's all it means by the weaker vessel. She's not weaker emotionally, she's not weaker mentally, she's not weaker academically or educationally. Y'all know that. Many women are brilliant, far more brilliant than you've ever hoped to be in some cases.
And you have to respect that. But all things being equal, look at athletics. The record for fastest runner or the highest jumper or whatever, look at men's versus women, all things being equal. The men's records. are more impressive.
It only means it's a physique thing. But don't trip brothers just 'cause it's the weaker vessel don't mean she can't clean your clock I've seen brothers write a check they can't cash. You run up on the wrong sister, she straighten you out. Yeah. All right, I gotta go back to my message.
So If you're going to pray with power and effectiveness, You got to make sure that you're addressing your own issues. or the issues of your relationships.
So that you don't try to come before God and get miracles and answers, and you home cussing and fussing. or you're mistreating your siblings, or you're mistreating people in your life. And then look at what he says as I wrap this up. Verse 16 of James 5. Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
Confess. Confession ought to be part of your life as a child of God. Confess. Your sins to each other and pray. For each other.
Christians have to get okay with the fact that God is not shocked that you commit sin.
So why try to hide what God already knows? Confess. Now, since God knows, here's the thing we got to learn in the body of Christ. Since God knows that y'all aren't perfect yet, none of his children are perfect yet, and he's not surprised when you need to confess, Lord, I've done this wrong, please help me. Then he says, I want you to take the next step and don't just tell me in heaven.
Tell your brothers or sisters who walk with you.
So that they can hold you in accountability. They can love you. They can remind you of the things you ought to be doing. That's where the church. Really fails in too many cases because the church has become a society of Pharisees.
Instead of people who welcome and live by confession and mutual accountability. When somebody is wrong, You know what that is? Welcome to Earth. The challenge is those who are right At least in that area. At that moment, are called to come alongside the one who is wrong and help them get right.
But you have been around church folk. They love, in too many cases, not all, but some, in too many cases, love rejoicing. And gossiping. and disrespecting when somebody is wrong. And so why are we surprised when unchurched folks say, I'm not going to church.
They're the people that need more help than I do. Because they can spot the hypocrisy. They can spot it. But what if we create A place where people don't have to pretend. They can just be where they are.
I had a welcome to the family orientation. My wife and I yesterday just sat around with some of our members, and we're doing that more and more just to give them a chance to talk with us. We get to hear a little bit about them, answer any questions, that sort of thing. And one of the young women afterwards. came to me and said, I've got some challenges and I'm not, you know, religious-wise.
I've kind of been all over the place, and she was quoting me. I was talking about a particular a well-known person at one time And I was making the point that just because they're religiously whack, doesn't mean you can't learn some things from them in terms of business acumen. And this lady said, I heard you say that, and that kind of describes me. I've been whacked. She said, But is it okay for me?
I really want to be here. Is it okay for me? I said, We exist for people like you. I said, and be sure you understand that as you're coming into the church, don't think you'd only whack this up in here. You got whackness all around you.
Any row you get on. Whack, whack, whack. Whack And the only reason some of us are getting better It's cause we're taking the medicine of the word. And the word is getting us better. Oh, don't you?
Don't you think for a moment everybody up in here is where they ought to be. We're all in the need of prayer. All in the need of confession. All in the need of Lord, help me. All in the need of Lord, help me get a handle on this.
I'm tired of this struggle. I want you to bring me to a place. I want some new struggles. I'm tired of the old ones. And I'm determined, I'm going to pastor a church.
that handles sin correctly. That we don't condone it. But we don't condemn Sinners, because if you condemn people who aren't perfect, you better throw yourself up in there too. And then he goes on and says, Elijah was a man just like us. Yet he had a powerful prayer life.
You know Elijah. Old Testament prophet Elijah, read about it beginning in 1 Kings chapter 17. James's point is, he's just like us.
Now he had power with God. I'm talking about so much power when you read his story. You'll see at one point God used him to call down fire from heaven. to consume a sacrifice. that they had made up on the mountain as he was challenging these false prophets.
This man had power. Anybody who can call down fire and got answers? But the next day Jezebel, King Ahab's wife. King Ahab had the throne, Jezebel was in charge. Your title doesn't make you in charge.
I'm the head of the house. Your wife said, Well, I'm the neck that turns the head. Don't run up on me wrong. I'll get you told.
So he says Elijah's a man. One day he's working miracles.
Next day, Jezebel has put out a contract on him. The king's wife. Put out a contract on him. This girl was so bad, she told the people: go tell him. I just put out a contract on it.
That's a bad sister. If you're gonna put a contract out on somebody, you want to sneak up on him. She said, no, no, no, no, no, go tell him. That by this time tomorrow, He gonna be dead. Apparently Elijah believed her.
He just called down fire yesterday, you would think. He said, Go tell Jezebel I said, if she don't want me to burn her up, too, she better get up out of my face. That's what you would think. But how many know we don't work like that? Our anointing comes in waves and then it goes.
And after every high tends to be a low. And she caught him on low day. He believed it. He said, Thank you very much for letting me know. My man took off.
So with all of that.
Sometimes anointed, sometimes scared. He has a powerful prayer life. God used him to shut up the heavens. Because God wanted to judge their sin. Of idolatry when they had gone into the worship of Baal.
Baal was considered in the pagan societies the rain god.
So God said, I tell you what, since y'all now are worshiping the rain God. I'ma shut up the heavens. for three plus years. And there won't be a drop of rain or dew. Till Elijah calls it back into being.
And God did it. To judge their sin. Folks. There is power in prayer. There's power in prayer.
Don't let your mysteries keep you from praying. Yeah, but I listen, my uncle was the most faithful person I know, and he was believing God for healing from that. And he died. I know, we all got mysteries. But the word doesn't authorize me to stop walking in faith because I have unanswered questions.
Uh Miraculous stories like Elijah's are not limited to the Old Testament or to the early years of the church in the book of Acts. God still works miracles to day, and He often does them because His people are praying. If you need prayer today, please visit Pastor Paul.net and use the contact feature to share your request with us. Our ministry team is always happy to lift you up in prayer.
So glad you stopped by for today's Destined for Victory message, There's Power in Prayer. If you joined us late or to hear the full message one more time, stop by Pastor Paul dot net. That's pastorpaul. net.
Well, let me ask you, do you have someone in your life, a friend, a co worker, a family member, who needs to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and you never just quite know the best way to present it? If so, you want to contact us right away to reserve your copy of this month's Destined for Victory resource, you are so loved. This booklet is a short, readable gospel presentation that doesn't feel like a tract. It just might open a door you've been praying to have opened for years. That you are so loved, our thank you gift today for your generous donation to Destin for Victory.
You can give by phone by calling 855-339-5500. That's 855-339-5500. or visit pastorpaul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. You can also mail your gift to Destined for Victory, post office box 1767, Fremont, California, 94538. I am concerned as a 21st century preacher in America.
I am concerned about how quickly we are turning from what we knew to be right. And now we've bought into all kinds of philosophies that are telling us things that are not consistent with the gospel of Jesus Christ. That's tomorrow in our message, Learn to Discern. Until then, though, remember, he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. In Christ, you are destined for victory.
