God Answers Prayer (March 11th, 2012 - Page four)
One, David had serious troubles; vv. 1-2
Two, David knew the LORD; vv. 3
Three, David could pray; vv. 4
Four, David wasn’t worried; vv. 5-6
Five, David asked; vv. 7
And six, David knew where blessing could be found; v. 8
Look with me at II Samuel 17:14. II Samuel 17:14 “And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.”
This is exactly what David had requested from the LORD. When Absalom took the throne, he knew he needed advisors. One of those advisors was a man named Ahithophel.
And when the day came to decide how to attack King David, Absalom turned to Ahithophel for advice. But he also requested that David’s friend and counsellor, Hushai, offer his advice.
Hushai’s advice was given, verse eleven. II Samuel 17:11 “Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.
(12) So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.
(13) Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there.”
Then two more or David’s friends took this very information back to King David. David and his loyal Israelis crossed the Jordan and set his army up for the attack from his son and those who were with him.
Then, when the attack came, the Israeli army completely defeated Absalom and his compatriots. No less than 20,000 of Absalom’s soldiers lost their lives that day.
II Samuel 18:6 “So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;
(7) Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.
(8) For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.”
No doubt the question of God’s answering prayer in a time of war will be raised. But just this. If the Bible says that God answered David’s prayer in this manner and he enabled David’s army to defeat his own son’s army in battle that day, then that is exactly what occurred.
Folks, He does answer prayer.
First, believe His eternal love is you-ward.
Second, pray when you are in need.
Third, God has already promised to answer you.
Fourth, God answers prayer.
And there is so much more to say about his matter of prayer.
But let me conclude with this. There are also some conditions under which God will and will not grant the answer to your prayers. There are numerous passages of Scripture on this subject.
Let me close with just this one final word. I Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”
The LORD’s eyes are over the righteous, those who are righteous and those who do what is right. And the LORD’s ears are open to their prayers.
And here’s one from the OT. Isaiah 1:15 “And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
(16) Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; (17) Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.”
Every father wants his children to do what pleases him. And the same goes for your Heavenly Father. He is honored when we choose to please Him in our behavior and attitudes.
And, although we’ve all sinned, the LORD is ready and willing to not only forgive our sins, but then to answer our prayers.
Just like David, you and I have sinned against the LORD. And just like David, we’ve repented and confessed those sins. And as well, just like David, we get ourselves into trouble. Now, should we also be like David and go before Him in prayer? Absolutely.
Two, David knew the LORD; vv. 3
Three, David could pray; vv. 4
Four, David wasn’t worried; vv. 5-6
Five, David asked; vv. 7
And six, David knew where blessing could be found; v. 8
Look with me at II Samuel 17:14. II Samuel 17:14 “And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.”
This is exactly what David had requested from the LORD. When Absalom took the throne, he knew he needed advisors. One of those advisors was a man named Ahithophel.
And when the day came to decide how to attack King David, Absalom turned to Ahithophel for advice. But he also requested that David’s friend and counsellor, Hushai, offer his advice.
Hushai’s advice was given, verse eleven. II Samuel 17:11 “Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.
(12) So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.
(13) Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there.”
Then two more or David’s friends took this very information back to King David. David and his loyal Israelis crossed the Jordan and set his army up for the attack from his son and those who were with him.
Then, when the attack came, the Israeli army completely defeated Absalom and his compatriots. No less than 20,000 of Absalom’s soldiers lost their lives that day.
II Samuel 18:6 “So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;
(7) Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.
(8) For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.”
No doubt the question of God’s answering prayer in a time of war will be raised. But just this. If the Bible says that God answered David’s prayer in this manner and he enabled David’s army to defeat his own son’s army in battle that day, then that is exactly what occurred.
Folks, He does answer prayer.
First, believe His eternal love is you-ward.
Second, pray when you are in need.
Third, God has already promised to answer you.
Fourth, God answers prayer.
And there is so much more to say about his matter of prayer.
But let me conclude with this. There are also some conditions under which God will and will not grant the answer to your prayers. There are numerous passages of Scripture on this subject.
Let me close with just this one final word. I Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”
The LORD’s eyes are over the righteous, those who are righteous and those who do what is right. And the LORD’s ears are open to their prayers.
And here’s one from the OT. Isaiah 1:15 “And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
(16) Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; (17) Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.”
Every father wants his children to do what pleases him. And the same goes for your Heavenly Father. He is honored when we choose to please Him in our behavior and attitudes.
And, although we’ve all sinned, the LORD is ready and willing to not only forgive our sins, but then to answer our prayers.
Just like David, you and I have sinned against the LORD. And just like David, we’ve repented and confessed those sins. And as well, just like David, we get ourselves into trouble. Now, should we also be like David and go before Him in prayer? Absolutely.