[0:00] I greet you in the name of Jesus this morning, the one who is alive and hopefully he's alive in our hearts today.
[0:11] And, you know, our whole life depends on how we see him and our relationship with him.
[0:30] This morning I'm going to talk about prayer, maybe some about faith. But prayer and our prayer life comes directly out of our relationship with our living Lord and Savior.
[0:48] If he has his rightful place in our heart, then prayer will be an automatic thing for us.
[1:06] Whenever, whatever situation arises, he will be the first one we go to. You know, and we just heard about Job and my mind went to a few things, to a few statements that Job is famous for.
[1:28] You know, way back in his day, he said, You know, if we have that hope in us, if we have this relationship with our Redeemer, with Jesus Christ, and we have the same testimony that Job did, then I believe our prayer life will also come into place.
[2:13] You know, at the end of the book of Job, God said, now I'll have Job pray for you men, Job's miserable comforters that had come and they had said all kinds of wrong things to him.
[2:37] And so Job had to intercede for them. You know, an intercession is a very vital part of prayer.
[2:47] Another phrase that Job is famous for, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. You know, we go through trials, we go through testings, we go through those times.
[3:03] And Job, here we have Job. You know, none of us have gone through what Job did. And this was still what Job said.
[3:19] You know, he trusted God in the midst of the worst trials. He still trusted God. Well, let's go on into the message.
[3:45] You know, Jesus, he said, ask and it shall be given you.
[3:57] Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you. In Matthew chapter 7. Before we read that, I want to go to, I want to read a few verses out of Jeremiah.
[4:14] We probably all know this verse. Jeremiah 33.3. Call unto me, and I will answer thee. And show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.
[4:27] Call unto me, and I will answer thee. You know, here in this situation, God had come to Jeremiah.
[4:39] Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to him the second time. So he came to reestablish his word. The first word was that in the midst of their terrible situation that they were in, yet God would restore Israel.
[4:59] And in chapter 32, in verse 17, Jeremiah said this, he said, Ah, Lord God, behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power, and stretched out arms, and there is nothing too hard for thee.
[5:22] You know, the situation in Jeremiah's day, it looked hopeless. It looked like it's all over. But God told Jeremiah to go ahead and buy some land and whatever all it was, to go ahead and buy that.
[5:41] But it looked totally impossible. It looked like the enemies are going to own this land. So why would I buy this land now?
[5:54] But God said, Is there anything too hard for me? You know, let me challenge us this morning, that we might know Him, that we might know Jesus, that we might know Him as our all in all, as the one that is our provider, the one that is our protector, the one that is our rock, the one that is our high tower, the one that we run to whenever we're, whatever situation we're in, whatever we face, whatever trouble comes our way, whatever trial, whatever temptation, that we run to Him.
[6:44] And if we, if we have come to the place, that we have learned to trust in Him, then we can come to Him and we can rest in Him and know that He will provide.
[7:07] Now let's read in Matthew chapter 7. We'll start here. We'll start here in verse 7.
[7:21] Verse 7 through 11. Ask and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, he that seeketh findeth, to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
[7:38] Or what man is there of you, whom his son asked bread, will he give him a stone? Or if you ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father, which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask Him?
[7:59] So He admonishes us to ask, to ask. You know, so if we will ask, what are we doing?
[8:13] We're admitting our need. We are coming to God and we're saying, Lord, I have a need. Or Lord, will you take care of this situation?
[8:25] Lord, I need direction how to find my way through this. Or whatever the need might be, let's go to Him and ask Him.
[8:37] You know, ask and it shall be given you. James says that we have not because we ask not.
[8:50] Or we ask amiss because we want it for our own self and our own pride. But let me challenge you that if we are walking with our Savior, you know, we sang that song, I love you, Lord Jesus.
[9:16] I love you today. I love you in spirit and in mind. I give you my body for whatever. If our commitment is that, if our relationship with Jesus is that commitment that we are totally given to Him, then our heart will be right and our heart will be fully surrendered to Him.
[9:42] I believe we can come to Him with all our need and with every need and expect an answer and expect Him to come and to meet our need.
[10:00] Philippians chapter 4. Philippians chapter 4.
[10:10] Let's start in verse 4. Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men.
[10:23] The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Let your requests be made known unto God.
[10:37] And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
[10:49] You know, as we as we learn to trust Him, as we, you know, if we come to that place in our relationship with Him that we have learned that we, you know, whatever our situation is, whatever we are facing, we come to Him and we cast our cares on Him.
[11:16] We cast our burdens upon Him. You know, Peter says, casting all your cares upon Him.
[11:28] Why? For He careth for you. He cares for us. Jesus is the good shepherd. And, you know, we don't have shepherds the way they did back then.
[11:45] But a shepherd was responsible for His flock. And Jesus is responsible for His flock. Jesus is the good shepherd. And He will lead us.
[11:58] He will lead us to green pastures. He will, He will feed us. You know, I wasn't sure if we were going to do this or not, but let's go to Psalm 23 and just take a look at this.
[12:12] This is The Lord is my shepherd.
[12:23] I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul.
[12:35] He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.
[12:50] Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest the table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over.
[13:05] Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. So he starts this psalm, he says, The Lord, He is my shepherd and because Jesus is my shepherd, I will not want.
[13:29] Do we have that confidence in Him that He will provide for us and He will meet our every need? He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
[13:41] He leads me beside the still waters, the green pastures. There's more food than is necessary. There's water. It's all provided.
[13:52] It's all here. I can rest in Him and know that all is well. He restoreth my soul. You know, restoring, that would speak of something having been lost.
[14:08] And we know that the psalmist David, when he was king, you know, he made a terrible mistake. He made a couple.
[14:20] But, you know, God is in the restoring business. He is our shepherd. He says here, Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
[14:35] You know, if we stray, He will come and He will bring us back if we are willing. He is our shepherd and we can rest in Him.
[14:47] Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. You know, whatever we face, whatever we will face in the future.
[15:09] You know, things look very uncertain, but we do not need to fear. But we can walk with our Savior and know we can trust in Him.
[15:23] We can trust in Him. Thou preparest a table before me. Where? Out in the back 40 away from everybody?
[15:39] No. It says, in the presence of mine enemies. You know, sometimes, sometimes, those enemies are right there.
[16:00] And we have an enemy that He's about. He's seeking whom He may devour. But right in the presence of our enemies, He gives us peace and He provides for us.
[16:16] Hallelujah. Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Are we running over because of the Holy Ghost in our life?
[16:29] Because of the anointing of the Spirit of God? You know, you know, are we running over? You know, the Spirit of God, it will come and it will fill us.
[16:47] Are we content with less than running over? My cup runneth over.
[17:00] Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Do we believe?
[17:17] Do we believe that He will do these things? Let's turn and get a couple verses in the Gospel of John.
[17:36] John 12. John 11, verse 40.
[17:59] Now, here we have the account of Lazarus. Jesus raised him from the dead. and Jesus said, verse 40, said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God.
[18:19] If we will believe, if we will believe, then we can see the glory of God. If we do not believe, if we are stuck in unbelief, if we are stuck in unbelief, what will happen?
[18:43] Unbelief. What will happen? Unbelief will lead us into rebellion. It will lead us away. It will lead us. It will keep us defeated.
[18:57] It will lead us into a life of defeat, actually. in chapter 12, in the book of John, verse 23.
[19:15] We'll read a few verses here. And Jesus answered them saying, the hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat, fall in the ground and die, it abideth alone.
[19:35] But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. Jesus here, he was first of all talking about himself. He was talking about himself.
[19:50] He said, the hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified. died. And if he will die, if Jesus will die, then there will be much fruit.
[20:03] And we are some of that fruit today. But if we will bring forth fruit, if we will bring forth fruit in the kingdom of God, then we must die.
[20:16] We must lay down our own agenda. We must lay down our own self. we must lay down our own desires, our own will. You know, many times it's that that is what stands in the way from us having our prayers answered is because we are still on the throne.
[20:43] We are refusing to die to the will of God. have we allowed him to make us that new man?
[20:55] Are we allowing him to have his way? Are we allowing him to work in us that our will is his will?
[21:08] Are we totally surrendered to the will of God? that will make the biggest difference in our heart.
[21:21] You know, many people they will still have these lines. God, you're welcome. I want you in my life. You can do this.
[21:33] You can do that. But don't touch that. Don't ask me to just fill in the blanks. Whatever it is, whatever it is that you're holding back, that will defeat you.
[21:57] It will keep us from being fruitful. The corn of wheat, if it fall in the ground and die, except the corn of wheat, fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone.
[22:15] But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it. He that hateth his life in this world shall keep it under life eternal.
[22:29] If any man serve me, let him follow me. And where I am, there shall also my servant be. if any man serve me, him will my father honor.
[22:44] You know, is there anything, you know, we can't fathom what this is, what Jesus is saying here.
[22:57] That if we will serve him, the father will honor us. that is such an awesome thought.
[23:13] The father would honor us. John chapter 17.
[23:24] chapter 17 and verse 3.
[23:43] This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
[23:54] that is life eternal. Do we know him? Do we know him? Have we given ourselves to him? Have we died to that old man?
[24:08] That he will hear us and answer. You know, Jesus said that if we will ask anything in his name, he will do it.
[24:20] He will hear, he will answer. But what are the qualifications for that?
[24:32] I believe it is to be totally surrendered to him, totally given over to him. him. Let's go to James chapter 5.
[25:00] I want to start here in verse 7.
[25:13] The book of James chapter 5 and verse 7. chapter 5. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he hath received the early and latter rain.
[25:37] Be also patient, establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned.
[25:50] Behold, the judge standeth before the door. Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience.
[26:05] Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy.
[26:19] Now, let's just look at this for a moment. He tells us that we need patience. Patience, and what, you know, he doesn't just say patience, but notice the example that he puts out for us.
[26:41] He says, take my brethren, the prophets, prophets, the prophets of the Old Testament, the prophets that Hebrews tells us about in Hebrews 11, all the things that they went through, the sufferings and laying down their life and all of those battles and all of that.
[27:07] Take these men for your example. Take you know, we live much more than when this was written.
[27:19] We live in an age when patience is hard to get. I mean, it's a tough one, isn't it? Lord, give me patience, but quick, I need it now.
[27:33] You know, patience is something that the Lord works in us in time. You know, patience.
[27:46] Take those prophets for an example. Just look at their lives. Look at the life of Job.
[27:59] We don't know how long that that trial lasted, but it was for some time. And yet Job was faithful.
[28:15] He endured his trial. He endured faithfully, not doubting. him. So in the midst of trial, in the midst of temptations, in the midst of hardship, he says, be also patient and establish your heart.
[28:49] Might your heart be established by this thought that the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. He is coming. Yes, he is, and let us be found faithful in that day.
[29:08] Well, let's continue on. Verse 12, But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath, but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay, lest ye fall into condemnation.
[29:27] Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church. Let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
[29:42] And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up. And if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.
[29:58] The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Now notice here, confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.
[30:12] I believe this is very important, and we saw some of that recently, and praise God for it. But let me tell you, this I believe is the key to victory.
[30:24] It's the key to victory. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed, that ye may be victorious, that ye might defeat the devil, that we stand together with each other in our trials, and in our hardships, and in our temptations, that we stand together, and we face the enemy together, and we defeat him in that way.
[30:54] The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. You know, can we pray in faith, believing?
[31:07] You know, notice, you know, this is not just saying a prayer. The effectual, fervent prayer. It's a, it's, what is it?
[31:25] Maybe it's desperate. Are we desperate when we come to God? Do we come to him, say, well, Lord, you know, well, whatever, but, yeah, you know, if you would want to, you, or do we come to him in faith, believing, knowing that he hears, knowing that we are praying in the will of God, knowing that he hears our prayer, the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
[32:02] Are we that righteous man? Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months, and he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
[32:29] You know, Elijah, he was a man just like us, but he's one of those prophets that James just admonished us to look at and to take him for an example.
[32:44] You know, he prayed that it would not rain, and it didn't rain for three and a half years, and then the word of the Lord came to him again, and said pray, he gave him direction, but it rained, yes it rained, but it was all by the will of God, all by the word of God, hallelujah, but Elijah was a man just like you and me, yes he was, the spirit of God was upon him, do you have the spirit of God upon you today?
[33:27] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[33:38] In James chapter 4, we have that verse that I quoted earlier, verse 3, ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
[33:55] Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God. Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
[34:09] You know, I believe he's talking about spiritual adultery here. Yes, it'll include the physical too, but if we are a friend of the world, if we have the world in a heart and we love it, we are the enemy of God.
[34:30] And we cannot expect our prayers to be heard. The effectual, fervent prayer, a heartfelt continued.
[34:47] You know, don't just say a prayer and then leave it, but continue in prayer. You know, Jesus said, he gave that prayer story about the unjust judge and he said, he gave this to teach that men are always to pray and not to faint.
[35:17] Continue in prayer. Continue in prayer. Don't faint. Don't become weary. weary. Don't become weary, but continue.
[35:30] Continue on. Continue on. 1 Peter.
[35:43] Right there. 1 Peter 5. 1 Peter 5. 1 Peter 5. Start in verse 5.
[35:57] Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Ye all of you, be subject one to another and be clothed with humility. For God resists the proud and giveth grace to the humble.
[36:13] Be clothed with humility. God resists the proud. You know, there is no place in the kingdom of God for that proud flesh.
[36:29] There is no place for it. The man that wants to exalt himself, there's no place in the kingdom of God. The Bible tells us God resists the proud.
[36:46] What is pride? How does it manifest itself? It's when, you know, everything has to be my way. You know, it doesn't matter what you say, but it's got to be my way.
[37:03] It exalts self. I'm better than everybody else. My way is better than yours.
[37:14] I want things my way. I want this because I want it. On and on and on. That self.
[37:27] It says, God resists the proud. And if God is resisting you, there will be no progress. God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.
[37:49] Hallelujah. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.
[38:07] Now let's look at this. God gives grace to the humble. And because God gives grace to the humble, he admonishes us and says that we need to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he might exalt us in due time, whatever exaltation he has for us, that's up to him.
[38:37] Whatever place he has for us, whatever position, whatever work, whatever, whatever he has for us, that's totally up to him.
[38:51] We need to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. And when we have humbled ourselves, we find ourselves in that place of humility, then we can cast all our care upon him.
[39:10] And he cares for us. He's our shepherd. And he cares for us. Hallelujah. Be sober and be vigilant.
[39:24] Because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. We have an enemy.
[39:37] And he's walking about. And let me tell you, one of the first ways that he trips so many people is in pride. Thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought to think.
[39:51] Not soberly, but thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. Pride is one of the first things that the enemy uses to trip people.
[40:08] So we have an enemy. He's seeking whom he may devour, but he tells us to resist him steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
[40:23] but the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.
[40:41] To him be glory and dominion forever. Amen. Look at this. This is the desire of God. God, and this should be our prayer, and this should be our desire, is to be perfect, and to be established, and to be strengthened and settled in the will of God.
[41:04] You know, I'm not sure if I wrote it down, but there's a prayer. Maybe we'll come across it.
[41:15] I don't see it right now. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Anyway, something goes real good with that, but I can't lay my eyes on it right now.
[41:41] 1 Peter 2. 1 Peter 2. 1 Peter 2. 1 Peter 2. 1 Peter 2. 1 Peter 2. 1 Peter 2.
[42:20] Let's start in verse 18. Then he ends this chapter talking about Jesus.
[42:33] Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the frover. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
[42:47] for what glory is it? If ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently. But if when ye do well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
[43:02] It's not what we like, is it? But when we are in the midst of a trial, we take it patiently. It's acceptable with God.
[43:14] For even hereunto were ye called, but when because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps, who did no sin, neither with guile found in his mouth.
[43:29] When he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judges righteously. You know, Jesus committed himself to the Father, you know, and Job committed himself to God, and whatever we go through, we must commit ourselves to God, the one that judges righteously.
[44:00] Verse 24, who his own self, Jesus, bear our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins should live in a righteousness by whose stripes ye were healed, for ye were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls.
[44:24] Have we returned to Jesus? Are we trusting him as our shepherd, as our bishop, as the one that watches for our soul, as the one that will lead us and guide us and use us, the one that will fill us, the one that will baptize us in the Holy Ghost, the one that has made all provisions for us to live a victorious life.
[44:57] Hebrews says, he ever liveth to make intercession for us. 2 Timothy 1, 12, I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
[45:37] You know, have we? What have we committed to him? Have we committed our life to him? Have we committed our all to him? You know, if we don't commit, then he can't keep it.
[45:51] But as we lay down our life and give it to him, he will keep it. What do we mean by keeping it?
[46:02] He will keep it unto his heavenly kingdom. He will keep it. He will keep us in the love of God. He will keep us in every situation, in every trial, in every temptation, whatever situation we find ourselves in.
[46:20] Are we living in submission to the will of God? If we love him, it is easy to submit and to trust our Savior.
[46:36] If we love him, we love him because he first loved us. But have we grown to the point of loving him truly with all our heart?
[46:53] You know, if you love someone, it's not hard to trust them. Do we love Jesus?
[47:08] Do we love him more than life? Do we love him more than anything else? Do we love him more than this world? Do we love him more than the pleasures of this world?
[47:22] Do we love him more than anything the devil can offer us? Do we love him more? Do we love him with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, with all our life.
[47:49] Thessalonians says, pray without ceasing. Timothy says, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. Ephesians says, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit.
[48:09] Perseverance, praying always for all men. Yes. Prayer is a mighty weapon if the church will but use it.
[48:24] Prayer sets things in order. You know, this world is in chaos and many times we face situations that are not good, that are not in the will of God, that are, things are amiss, but prayer will bring peace to a chaotic situation.
[48:52] As we bring the presence of Jesus into a chaotic situation. Yes.
[49:09] Colossians. Colossians. Colossians. Colossians. Colossians. Colossians. Chapter 4 and verse 2.
[49:29] Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving. With all praying also for us that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the mystery of Christ for which I am also in bonds, that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak.
[49:53] The apostle asking for prayer, asking the church to pray for him, to pray for them, continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.
[50:09] And then that verse I was looking for a minute ago, in verse 12, Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you.
[50:19] And this is what this servant of Christ is busy doing. He is always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
[50:36] So here we have this man laboring in prayer for the churches. And his prayer was that these people, they would stand perfect and complete in the will of God.
[50:50] Hallelujah. Let us make that our prayer. Let us make this our prayer, that we will stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
[51:09] Yes. Let's go to Romans 8.
[51:21] verse 26.
[51:37] Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
[51:53] And he that searches the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
[52:06] You know, we know that Jesus, he is our high priest, and he's seated at the right hand of the Father, and he's interceding for us.
[52:19] He ever liveth to make intercession for us. And here it tells us that the Spirit, the Holy Ghost within us, he helps our infirmities, he helps our shortcomings, he helps our weaknesses.
[52:34] You know, many times we don't know. We don't know what we should pray for as we ought. We, you know, there's things that the Spirit of God within us knows that we don't know.
[52:50] We don't have the answer. We don't know the answer. But there is one that does, and it is the Spirit of God within us. And so, we of our own selves, we don't know sometimes how to pray, but the Spirit will help us to pray.
[53:10] It says, we don't know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself, it will make intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered, with groanings that cannot be uttered.
[53:23] And sometimes we pray in the Spirit in a way that we don't know ourselves. You know, the Spirit, can it use you?
[53:40] Can He come to you? Can He fill you? Can He empower you? Can He control you? Can He pray through you?
[53:53] Prayer. The power of prayer will change the course of this world. It will change the course of your life.
[54:06] It will change the course of the church. And it will change the course of the nation. If we will pray effectively, if we will pray like Elijah did, the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
[54:25] You know, do we believe that? Do we believe in the power of prayer? Do we believe that when we get come before the Lord in prayer, that this prayer will change something somewhere?
[54:39] that this prayer will make a change and will affect eternity? Amen. He that searches the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
[55:24] As we partner with God. You know, when we pray, and all of our life, we're not on our own.
[55:36] You know, many people want to live their lives that way. They just want to add Jesus to their lives just for a fire escape so they don't go to hell.
[55:51] But that's not the Christian life. The Christian life is Him living His life through me, filling me with the Holy Ghost, using me as He desires.
[56:03] And if we, if we have allowed Him to have His proper way, to have His proper place in our heart and in our life, now we are a partner with God in this work of reconciling the world unto Him.
[56:29] And so, as we pray, you know, prayer is such an important thing. Prayer is what, it's just like the train that runs through planes all the time.
[56:48] If there weren't a track there, that train couldn't run. And the work of God cannot, cannot go unless we lay the track in prayer.
[56:59] Prayer will lay the track for the Spirit of God to work. He prays through us.
[57:11] He gives us His burden. He comes upon us. He gives us a burden to pray. Are we faithful in praying? Amen. This life that we're talking about is a life totally surrendered to Him.
[57:43] Totally surrendered to our Lord Jesus Christ. a life. Just like chapter 12, verse 1 and 2 say, that we have given ourselves a living sacrifice.
[57:59] And we're not conformed to this world, but we're transformed by the renewing of our mind. And then, verse 28 here, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.
[58:25] Do we love God? Do you really love Him? Do you really love Jesus? Do you love Him more than this world?
[58:36] Do you love Him more than your family? Do you love Him more than anything else? Do you love Him more? Do you trust Him?
[58:48] You know, it's so easy to trust Him if we love Him, if we know Him, if we know who He is, if we have that vital relationship with Him.
[59:00] It's easy to trust Him. verse 31, What shall we say then to these things?
[59:12] If God be for us, who can be against us? If we are totally in the will of God, if we are sold out to Him, if we're totally given to Him and to His cause, totally under His lordship, in the kingdom of God, if God be for us, who can be against us?
[59:43] Verse 35, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword, as it is written, for Thy sake we are killed all the day long, where accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
[60:05] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
[60:34] Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Let me ask you a question.
[60:46] what can separate you from Jesus? What can separate you from the love of God?
[61:00] If there's something in your heart that you allow, it will separate you.
[61:10] in all these things. It doesn't matter what happens. It doesn't matter if they kill this body.
[61:23] It doesn't matter if we belong to Him. It doesn't matter. Hallelujah.