Learning To Pray God's Will Part 1

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.

Is it possible to have real confidence when we pray? How can we be sure that what we're asking for is in the will of God? The Bible gives us one request we can make that's a sure thing. Today, we'll learn how to pray for something that's in the center of God's will.

Stay with us. From the Moody Church in Chicago, this is Running to Win with Dr. Erwin Lutzer, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Pastor Lutzer, will today's teaching help us determine whether our praying is in fact in God's will? You know, Dave, so often when we pray, we ask God for specific things and then we have to add at the end, if it be thy will.

And that's fine. But when you get to the prayer of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians chapter 1, you don't have to say if it be thy will. Because he is praying in the Spirit, he prays that we might understand Jesus Christ much better, that we might understand the glories of Christ's triumph. When we pray like Paul prayed, we know we are exactly in the middle of the will of God.

That's why I believe so deeply in praying scripture. And as we consider these things, I want to emphasize that we are in the middle of what we call our matching gift challenge. What that means is Running to Win continues to expand and you can be a part of this expansion. For a gift that you give, it will be doubled up to $90,000 thanks to some partners of this ministry and we want to thank you in advance for your participation. Here's what you can do to be involved.

You can go to rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. Let me thank you in advance for helping us. Later on, I'll be giving you more info as to how Running to Win is expanding our ministry. In the next few moments I'm going to speak to you on the topic of prayer. And I do that because sometimes we desire to pray, but we encounter resistance.

But there's another reason as well. We say to ourselves, why should I pray? Because maybe my prayers won't be answered.

And then we add this problem. We say, what if I pray and it isn't God's will? In fact, you and I have prayed prayers like that, haven't we? We've said, oh Lord, we pray that you might do so and such and such and heal so and so.

And then we tag on at the end, if it be thy will. And it's appropriate to do that, but how can you pray in faith if you're not sure it's the will of God? Well, we're going to answer that today and I'm going to use the scripture to show you that you can pray in such a way that you can pray with great confidence because you know that you are praying right in line with the will of God. So you can pray with power and intensity and assurance because this is God's will.

The example for us is found in the book of Ephesians chapter one verse 15. Ephesians 1 15 where the Apostle Paul kneels to pray for the church in Ephesus and the way in which he prays is a model for the way in which we should pray. And when we have learned to pray this way, we will see results that we did not think were possible because finally we are praying about that which is God's highest priority. Ephesians 1 verse 15, for this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may know him better.

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened just that far for a moment. What Paul is saying is if you really want to pray for somebody, if you want to zero in on that which is most important, you always should pray that they might know God better. That's what the text says, to know him better. And in order to know him better, we need God's help. It's not just that we need God's help in salvation for rescuing us from the pit of sin, though he has done that, we now need God's help to understand and to know him better. You see, the apostle Paul says for this reason, the reason that he's talking about is, if you remember the preceding messages on the first chapter of Ephesians, you know that it is God the Father who has chosen us. It is God the Son who has redeemed us. It is God the Spirit who has sealed us. But what do those truths mean to us?

Possibly very little unless our minds are enlightened and we understand the immensity and the importance of what it is that we're talking about. So Paul says, I pray that you might understand. With your Bibles open, would you underline three words very quickly? First of all, you'll notice there in verse 17 that he may give you the spirit of wisdom. Wisdom. Wisdom means that we look at things from God's viewpoint.

That's what we need. The wise person never sacrifices the permanent on the altar of the immediate. The wise person looks at life through God's lens. James says the wisdom of God is pure. It is reasonable. It is gentle. It is good.

It is right. Paul says rather that what God has to do is to grant to us the spirit of wisdom. And then a second word to underline is so that you may have also the spirit of revelation. Revelation. This does not mean that God is going to give us some new revelations. It does mean that we take the truth that God has granted to us and he reveals its importance and its strength and its truths to us.

We might like to call it illumination. But once again he's saying that this has to be granted to us by God because we are by nature blind creatures who cannot see the importance and the implications of what God is revealing to us. And then there's a third phrase or word that I would like you to underline and that is the word enlightenment. You'll notice he says in verse 18 that the eyes of your heart might be enlightened.

Are you confused by that expression? How can our eyes, how can our inner man, our heart, and by the way the word heart is used in the Bible refers to the entire part of us inside. Our mind, our emotion, and our will. Notice that the Apostle Paul says that that the eyes of the heart might be enlightened. What he's saying is just like we have faculties of the body in the very same way there are faculties of the heart or the inner man. In fact the inner man can see.

David prayed open my eyes that I might behold wondrous things out of thy law. The inner man can hear. Jesus said he who has ears to hear let him hear. You see there are some people who listen to his message and that they never got it. It did not dawn on them.

It did not compute. If you have ears, if you have that inner ear that can listen in the mind of the spirit you can hear. The inner man can taste. David said in Psalm 34 verse 8 oh taste and see that the Lord is good. And so what Paul is praying about is is that we might have that supernatural enlightenment that helps us to understand and to know the wonders of who God is and his grace and his mercy toward us.

Why does Paul have that as a priority? Simply this your greatest need, my greatest need is always to see God. We come to God and we say my greatest need is financial. My greatest need is a ruptured relationship. My boyfriend or my girlfriend broke up with me.

My parents are going to be divorced. We come to God with all of these hard-pressings anxieties and our needs and we forget that that what we really really need is to see God. It was George McDonald who influenced C.S. Lewis who said that sometimes the child may leave home and he returns home because he is hungry but what he doesn't realize is he needs his mother more than he does his dinner. And you know why God gives us those trials in life those difficulties that are thrown our way sometimes unpredictable haphazard unfair it is that we might be driven to know God better and that he might be able to reveal himself to us with greater depth and intensity until we can say with the psalmist you are more satisfying than the harvest and the new wine. There is something beyond the satisfactions of life that is even more wonderful than can be imagined and that is to know God. There are times when many of you thankfully pray for the pastoral staff but you don't know what our schedules are you don't know what pressing needs we have at the moment and you sometimes say well how can I pray for them because I don't understand what they're going through.

We talk about missionaries on the mission field and we say you know I don't know what challenge they are facing at this moment. Could I say important though it is to know all those things you don't have to know the details without praying effectively you pray that the eyes of their heart will be enlightened that they might know God better and the challenges that they are facing that very day are going to become much smaller if they remember and see God. Now Paul goes on to say how do we know God better?

Well we know him better by knowing two things about him first of all something about his purpose and then something about his power. In the middle of verse 18 we read in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you and the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. Wow first of all Paul says you know that God has a purpose toward you it is the hope to which he has called you. Because time is somewhat of the essence today I'm going to be very brief and explaining this except to say that this is the wonder of God's intention toward us.

The thing that someday we are going to be raised above Lucifer and the position of responsibility he had before the fall. The Bible says that we are going to rule over angels that is the hope that motivates us and he says I want you to know something of the grandeur and the beauty and the eternality of what it is that God has planned because God's intentions towards you are kind and this life and its problems are going to become much smaller when you begin to look at eternity on a grand scale. Paul says know something of the hope. Now my dear friend it is not a hope that we generally think so when when we say well you know I hope so. This past week I was visiting my wife in the hospital and a priest and I happened to meet at an elevator and because he I could see that he was a priest I simply said to him are you walking with God and he said he said I hope so and I said to him you know that we can actually know that because of the gospel and because of Jesus Christ.

Now maybe my question caught him off guard maybe it was even an unfair question. I mentioned that only so that you might understand that the word hope that is used in the Bible is is more than simply I hope so it is the assurance the assurance that we have that someday we shall be like Christ. But now I want to show you something in the text that I'm not making up.

Actually everything I've shown you in the text today I've not been making up. But but this really comes now to the limits of our imagination. Now we begin to really fathom God's mystery and God's love toward us. Listen to what the text says that you may know the hope to which he has called you and the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. We are part of God's treasure.

Now I can't understand that. You know in the Old Testament Israel was a part of God's treasure it says the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance. Now we know that we have benefited through faith in Christ. We have been indescribably wealthy because of Jesus Christ. But but what the text is saying what the text is saying is that God considers us a part of his wealth because of his investment. His son died for us gave himself up that we might be redeemed and and God says I'm going to take these unworthy sinners.

Jesus Christ actually overpaid because we weren't worth as much as he paid for us and and God says I'm going to take these unworthy sinners and I'm going to do something so wonderful through them and my grace is going to be lavished upon them in such a wonderful way that they actually are part of my inheritance and I consider them to be a part of my wealth. Wow his inheritance in the saints and so God has an investment in you and the investment is going to pay some dividends. He is going to get glory.

He is going to get honor. We're going to see in the next chapter that we as the church are going to be his showcase forever. He's going to show us off as examples of his great mysterious undeserved grace mercy and love toward people who deserved it not. God says you're my inheritance.

Now notice how far we have come. When you don't know how to pray for someone and you're not sure what God's will is you pray that they will know God better. You pray that they will know something of his purpose. His purpose for us is manifested in two ways.

Number one that we would have the privilege of knowing the hope of our calling and be steadfast in the faith but also that God's inheritance in us might also be known so that we might receive encouragement. Remember it says in Psalm 139 how precious also are thy thoughts unto me oh God and the Hebrew scholars tell us that it should be translated God's thoughts toward us. God's thoughts towards us are precious.

They are more to be numbered than the sand of the sea. Will you remember today that you are number one on God's agenda to take care of in the universe? Will you know that despite the trials and the temptations and the defeats that you are precious to him? Now listen carefully we know something about his purpose but we also know something about his power and you'll notice it says in verse 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe that power is like the working of the strength of his might. I'm actually quoting it from another translation from which I memorized it which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every title that can be given not only in the present age but also in the one to come and God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church which is his body the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Wow the power of God. Paul uses four different Greek words here in this passage for power. What he wants to do is to let us know that God's power is unsurpassed it is it is beyond our ability to comprehend and he uses two illustrations. The first is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The fact that Jesus was dead and he arose and in order to do that God needed to create he had it had to have creative power that's why in the Bible the resurrection of Jesus Christ and creation are always tied together but our salvation is always tied to those two events too because if any man be in Christ he is a new creation when you got saved God spoke the word and created something within you that was not there before and only God who is able to create can save you. My friend today if you want to pray in the will of God open your Bible to Ephesians chapter 1 and pray what the Apostle Paul prayed and isn't it encouraging to know that we have salvation that transforms lives that brings hope to people in despair and enables them to look into eternity and therefore even though the road is very rough they know that it has a blessed ending. I'm so excited to tell you that we are in the middle of what we call the matching gift challenge what that means is some people who are partners in this ministry have said that we are willing to match any gift that is given up to $90,000 during this period of time it is given to the ministry of running to win. I'm going to read two letters and then I will tell you where they are from. One said thank you so much for your great teaching your program is helping transform my everyday life I'm glad to be listening to you every day God bless you. Another one says I have continued listening to your broadcasts and the Lord surely is helping me every day to live for him I'm grateful for your teaching which inspires me. Thank you for continuing to spread the word of God and I believe that God will help and bless his saints. Now where did these letters come from? Well they came from East Africa and the reason that we receive these kinds of letters is because we are in Nigeria we're also in southern Africa and it all is because of people just like you helping get the message of Jesus Christ to so many.

Imagine the message that you have just listened to broadcast in these countries. Would you consider helping us and this is a great time to have your gift doubled. Here's what you do go to rtwoffer.com I'm going to be giving you that info again because this is very critical or you can call us at 1-888-218-9337. Become a part of a growing ministry that is getting the gospel of Jesus Christ to millions.

Hope that you have a pen or pencil because as I mentioned right now you can go to rtwoffer.com or you can call us at 1-888-218-9337. From my heart to yours today thank you so much for helping us. Time now for another chance for you to ask Pastor Lutzer a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Second marriages can bring unexpected challenges.

An anonymous woman wants some help with this situation. My husband and I are a few years into our marriage after each of us had been married almost 20 years prior. Our backgrounds are completely opposite. I was raised in a quiet home with stated expectations. My father often read scripture. However, my husband grew up with a very abusive father and grandmother who had many foster children, possibly for the money. He has a great work ethic.

However, his background allows him to be quiet one moment and yell the next at simple things like cooking. How can my heart find healing? Well my dear friend according to your question you are just a few years into your marriage and each of you was married 20 years. Of course if I were your counselor I'd ask you all kinds of questions as to why it is that you married and were you divorced or did your mates die. All of that enters into this question but here you are now married to a man who at times can be nice but at other times can be abusive. Hate to be the bearer of bad news but a couple of thoughts first of all lower your expectations. I do not believe that he will necessarily change.

We pray toward that end. Certainly God can change him but you know we're talking about a relationship here of a man who is obviously elderly and it's very difficult I think for older people to change so you have to lower your expectations. The other question that you aren't answering is are there children in the home?

Very important to me as to how you would answer that. Evidently not because you were married in your older life. And does the yelling become abusive?

Well I guess to some extent all yelling becomes abusive but it depends on how frequently it happens in the context in which it happens. I guess my advice to you is simply this endure suffering for the cause of the gospel for the cause of your marriage when sinned against don't sin in return and continue to try to understand that your husband because of his background is dealing with personal issues that obviously he has never completely faced. You can help him face those with the help of a counselor with the help of a pastor but the Bible does talk about enduring suffering as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. You married him a few years ago. You're committed to each other. Hang in as I frequently say life is short. Eternity is long.

Be faithful and the good news is at some point all of this will end. Some compassionate counsel from Dr. Erwin Lutzer. Thank you Dr. Lutzer. If you'd like to hear your question answered go to our website at rtwoffer.com and click on Ask Pastor Lutzer or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

That's 1-888-218-9337. You can write to us at Running to Win 1635 North LaSalle Boulevard Chicago Illinois 60614. Pastor Erwin Lutzer has brought part one of Learning to Pray God's Will, the fifth message in a series on Between Heaven and Earth taken from the book of Ephesians. Next time join us for more insights on praying with full confidence. This is Dave McAllister. Running to Win is sponsored by the Moody Church.