Serving with Sensitivity

LUKE 19:1-10

THEME: follow Christ’s example of sensitivity to detect/recognize those in need of your service.

                                                                                        

INTRODUCTION:
Would you like to involve yourself in meaningful ministry, but you don't know where to start? Do you know what a ministry moment looks like? Awareness involves vigilant alertness; the ability to draw conclusions from what we observe and experience.  Awareness focuses attention on others to perceive intuitively their spiritual and emotional state. Christ’s ministry provides us with the perfect illustration for becoming aware of ministry opportunities through a sensitive heart. 

Many people are simply too uncomfortable with admitting their needs for assistance; therefore, we must develop the ability to sense the crisis around us and spring into action. God will certainly lead us to such occasions if we follow Christ’s example daily.  It is vitally important that every believer explore this standard practice.   

We have a prime example of serving with sensitivity in the way Jesus dealt with Zacchaeus, a tax collector in Jericho. At the time Jesus met Zacchaeus, He was on His way to Jerusalem for the last time. Our Lord was probably less than two weeks away from His death on the cross, which Jesus knew would happen during the upcoming Passover feast. Jericho is one of the well-known cities that Jesus passed through as He left the Galilee area and made His way south to Jerusalem.

Luke 19:1–10, gives us the focal point for this study. Jesus and Zacchaeus illustrate how sensitivity can lead to ministry opportunity.  If we are not aware of a chance to serve, then we cannot respond to it. Sometimes, we are faced with so many problems, troubles, and hurts that we wonder if our singular efforts really make a difference. Other times we can become hardened, calloused, unimpressionable, uncaring, and unfeeling toward the cares of others because we don’t want to get involved. We know involvement will cost us time, energy, resources, security, control, and possibly require sacrifice. Still, I beg you, let us take a closer look at Jesus Christ the sensitive and aware servant that we may become such ourselves.

LESSON:  

I.  The Desperate Need of Zacchaeus

Luke 19:1-2, And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. [2] And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.  

    1.  Zacchaeus Was a Lonely, Wealthy, Curious, and Desperate Man.

Luke tells us that he was short in stature, which tells us why he climbed up into a sycamore tree.

      A.  But Jesus Did Not Single out Zacchaeus Because He Was Short, or in a Tree.  

             1)  He Looked Beyond the Appearance to See the Real Needs Inside the Heart.

                  a)  In your own experiences, you have discovered that someone was not on the inside who you thought they were on the basis of what you had observed on the outside. 

                  b)  Jesus did not judge the book by its cover; He was seeking to rewrite his life story! We must learn to look beyond the way things appear outwardly to discern the true needs. Many Christians will do their very best to give an outward show that everything is ok, when they know deep inside it is not. We as Servants of Christ must learn to be aware of the needs of those around us.

             2) He Does Not Make Shallow Pre-judgments Based on Outward Appearances.

You, like me, may have been misjudged in your life as being something that you are not on the basis of your appearance or outward demeanor.  Beloved, I can assure you this is not how the Lord Jesus works; He looks beyond the externals and into the very soul, all the while realizing the real needs there. There is no one more aware of whom you really are like the Lord Jesus and no one more capable of satisfying the needs in your life.

      B.  No, Jesus Responded to Zacchaeus Because He Saw in Him a Need, a Desire, a Longing.

    2.  Zacchaeus Was the Chief Tax Collector in Jericho.  Luke 19:2, And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

      A.  In this Position, He Worked for Rome.

Zacchaeus, therefore, was considered by his fellow Jews to be part of the evil oppression that had been placed upon the Jewish people by the Roman occupation forces. Tax collectors working for Rome often collected more than the tax due, and they often became very wealthy in the process of cheating others. Tax collectors were much despised and were considered to be great sinners.

      B.  When the Crowds Saw Zacchaeus Attempting to Get Close Enough to See Jesus, it Was No Wonder That the Crowd “Closed Ranks” and Did Not Let Him Through.

Often we allow the failures, reputation, or general perceptions of a person to discourage us from opening up to them or reaching out to them with the Gospel of Christ.  Sometimes we fail to forge evangelistic friendships because of a failure to see what our care and God’s grace could achieve in that person’s life.  Sometimes we close our ranks of church membership/fellowship to those who are a little bit different than ourselves. It is a fact that unless you do something positive to reach out to someone visiting your church, they will perceive your congregation as closed, and uninviting.  

    3.  Zacchaeus Could Not Get To Jesus, But Jesus Was Sensitive to His Needs!  Luke 19:3

       A. Zacchaeus thought he was seeking Jesus (Luke 19:3), but Jesus was seeking him! (Luke 19:10)

       B. By nature, the lost sinner does not really seek the Savior (Rom 3:11).

       C. When our first parents sinned, they hid from God, but God came and sought them (Gen 3:1-10). When Jesus was ministering on earth, He sought out the lost; and today the Holy Spirit, through the churches, is searching for lost sinners. We can rejoice that a seeking Savior will always find a sinner who is looking for a new beginning.

II. The Sensitivity of The Lord Jesus

Though the Lord did not ask Zacchaeus about his concerns, He was never the less fully aware of Zacchaeus’ Need.  Luke 19:5, And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him….

   1.  The Lord Jesus is Aware of the Needs of Every Man.

John 2:24-25, But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, [25] And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

       A.  The Lord Jesus Knows All Men!

John said about Jesus that He “knew all men, and  needed not that any should testify of man: for He knew what was in man” (John 2:24–25). We find evidence of this a number of times in the Gospels when we read that Jesus knew the hearts of men or that He knew what people were thinking and attempting to do.  (Luke 6:8; 9:47; 11:17; 16:15; 20:23; Jn. 1:42, 48)

       B.  The Lord Jesus Understands All Our Needs!

Psalm 139:1-5, O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. [2] Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. [3] Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. [4] For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. [5] Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

             1)  The Lord Jesus Not Only Knows about Our Needs but He Actually Understands Them.  Sometimes it is difficult for us to perceive the Lord this way.  But yet it is true.  Do you have a feeling when you come to God that He understands your concerns, or do you think of Him as either not knowing or not caring about your desires, temptations, issues, or emotions?

            2)  Jesus Came to Show Us That God Does Care about All Aspects of Our Humanity.

He is God's example that God understands how we feel and how difficult life can be, but He also knows that we can overcome temptations and live a pure and righteous life. Of course this is not in our strength, but by the grace of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Word of God.

           3)  If You Struggle with the Concept That God Is an Understanding Servant, I encourage you to look up many of the references in a concordance that relate to compassion, mercy, or merciful. The Lord does understand, and He cares. As David wrote in Psalm 103:8, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.”

Your need may be spiritual, physical, social, for someone to talk to, or for someone who will truly listen to you. Perhaps your needs are financial—things are hard presently and it is difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe you have lost your way...currently roaming aimlessly in a fog...Jesus can help you with that. It may be family struggles and you need real answers now!  Beloved, please hear me clearly, Jesus knows about it and is ever able to satisfy your need. 

  

   2.  Jesus Knew Zacchaeus Even Though They Had Never Met.

Luke 19:5…and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down….

        — He did not see him as a short man, a rich man, or a tax collector.

        — He saw him as a man desperate for grace and the good news that God might forgive his sins, reconcile him fully to Himself, and restore him to his people. 

        — The Lord Jesus even addressed him by his first name without having been introduced to him. 

        — Jesus knew him individually and his needs specifically!

You know, Luke 19:10, says, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” The name Zacchaeus means “righteous one,” but this supervisor of tax collectors was not living up to his name. Certainly the Jewish religious community in Jericho would not have considered him righteous, for he not only collected taxes from his own people but also worked for the unclean Gentiles! And publicans were notorious for collecting more taxes than required, the more money they collected, the more income they enjoyed (Luke 3:12-13). Though Zacchaeus was a renegade in the eyes of the Jews, he was a precious lost sinner in the eyes of Jesus. Perhaps you too have never met the Lord Jesus in a saving capacity.  Today could be the day.

III. The Sensitive Servant of God

     1.  If You See People as Jesus Sees Them, You Can Minister to Them as Jesus Did. Before you can reach out to help someone, you must first see that person as having a need. 

Many times people have engaged me to talk, but they talked about everything under the sun except what was really on their heart. Maybe they were afraid to confide in another, or it could be they were intimidated by me. It is also possible they simply did not trust me enough to share their deepest hurts.  As a result, I was not always aware of a real need in those lives at the time.  There were even a few cases where the person was suicidal, and I did not detect their troubles and needs earlier.

 I do realize that we cannot read people’s minds and that folk should have the courage to say what’s on their hearts, but many times they don’t and thus we establish the need to be more sensitive and thereby become aware of the needs in the lives of those we serve.

     2.  Many People Are So Totally Turned Inward That They Do Not See Others or Hear Their Inner Moaning and Weeping.  

          A.  We Cannot Afford to Be Caught Up With Ourselves.

The true servant of Christ cannot be so consumed with themselves that they overlook those God has placed in our lives to serve.

          B.  We must Get Our Eyes off of “Self” and onto Others. 

The Lord Jesus knew that He was about to die maybe in just two weeks, yet he was not over concerned with himself.  Jesus does not leave us an example of being self-centered, but others-focused!

Her New Snowsuit….
A Milwaukee teacher took her first grade class to a dairy where a guide showed the children through the entire plant, explaining the whole process.  When the tour was over, the guide asked if anyone had any questions. One little girl raised her hand. “Did you notice,” She asked, “that I have on my new snow suit?”—Milwaukee Journal

That young lady’s attention was so centered on herself that she missed the entire tour through the dairy plant even though she was with the class.  Likewise, we often miss the opportunities to serve others because we are concentrating too much on number one.

     3.  The Fact Is, Every Person I Know Is in Need in Some Area of His or Her Life.

We all have problems, concerns, worries, struggles, temptations, and sorrows that nobody knows about and that we often try to keep hidden.

          A.  Learn Four Valuable Lessons on Spiritual Sensitivity.

               1.  Trouble Prepares Us to Help Others, 2 Corinthians 1:3–4.

               2.  Sensitivity Is Produced by Godly Sorrow, 2 Corinthians 7:10–13.

               3.  Enlightened Sensitivity must come from God, Ephesians 1:18–21.

                  4.  Degrees of Sensitivity Exist among God’s People, Hebrews 5:11-14.                                    

By keeping these thoughts in perspective we can understand why others may be slow to respond to ministry opportunities, and why God allows us to be ministered unto. Secondly, we are encouraged to depend on God to sharpen our ability to detect the requirements of others for ministry.

             B.  Look to the Model of Jesus to Develop Awareness. 

One of the greatest stories in the Bible about awareness is found in Luke 8:42–48.  In spite of the great mass of people pressing in to get closer to Jesus, he still sensed the woman’s touch and faith!

 4.  A Good Servant of the Lord Must Grow in His Sensitivity to the Needs of Others.

     A.  Decide to Remain Alert for the Needs of Others as a Servant.

             1.  Know When Others are in Need.

You and I are called to become so sensitive to the needs of others that we know when someone is in need of spiritual, emotional, or physical healing and when they are reaching out to Jesus, even though they may not initially acknowledge their need.

             2.  Serve With Confidentiality.

We are to serve those in need with confidence and with confidentiality. Our sensitive service to them can cause them to touch Jesus with renewed faith and bring them to a place of complete healing.

                                    

        B.  Plan to Respond With Sensitivity and Insight. What kind of sensitivity should we develop?

              1.  We Should Develop Sensitivity to Respond with Compassion to Others’ Misfortunes.

Job 2:11,  Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

Upon learning of Job’s troubles, three of his friends came to sympathize with him and comfort him. Later we learn that their words of comfort were not helpful—but at least they came. While God rebuked them for what they said (Job 42:7), he did not rebuke them for what they did—making the effort to come to someone who was in need. Unfortunately, they did a poor job of comforting Job because of their pride and insensitivity to Job's needs. When someone is in need, go to that person, but be sensitive about how you comfort him or her. (The Handbook of Bible Application)

              2.  We Should Develop Sensitivity to Focuses on the Other Person's Challenges.

Jonah 4:10-11, Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: [11] And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

Jonah was angry at the withering of the vine, but not over what could have happened to Nineveh. Most of us have cried at the death of a pet or when an object with sentimental value is broken, but have we wept over the fact that a friend does not know God? How easy it is to be more sensitive to our own interests than to the spiritual needs of people around us. May God help us to value people, unsaved individuals, as He does. (The Handbook of Bible Application)

              3.  We Should Develop Sensitivity to Ensure our Responses Fit the Needs.

1 Thes. 5:14, Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

Beloved, do not malinger around with the idle--those who float through life; warn them. Also do not yell at the timid and weak; encourage and help them--seek to strengthen them. At times it is difficult to distinguish between idleness and timidity. Two people may be doing nothing—one out of laziness and the other out of shyness or fear of doing something wrong. One key to ministry is sensitivity: sensing the condition of each person and offering the appropriate remedy for each situation. We cannot effectively help until we know the problem. We cannot apply the medicine until we know where the wounds are. (The Handbook of Bible Application)

“I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul” (Ps. 142:4).  

“THIS MAN CARED!”

It is to be feared that some Christians are idle because they have no concern for the needs of folk around them.

Over half a century ago there was a young surgeon beginning his practice in the city of London. He soon became interested in a rescue mission down in the slums, and went there after evening office hours. One night after the meeting was over, he discovered a ragged little boy lying asleep on one of the benches near the fire. The doctor gently woke him and told him it was time to go home. But the lad replied he had no home. Therefore the doctor took the lad to his own home and after they had eaten he asked: "Are there any other boys in London like yourself?"

"Lots of them," said the boy.

"Will you show me some?" asked the doctor.

"Let's go," said the child.

Soon after midnight they started treading their way through the streets and alleys and byways till they came to a wretched coal shed. "There's some of 'em in there," said the lad. The doctor entered and lit a match. Not a lad was to be seen. He thought he had been misled, but his boy-guide was not at all surprised. "Cops have been after 'em. They are up on the roof."

So they climbed up the rickety shed to the top. There lay thirteen little homeless boys, cuddled close together on the tin roof in a vain attempt to keep warm. There in the darkness looking down at those sleeping orphans, the young doctor saw the vision of one of the greatest lives of service ever lived in this generation.

That young man was Dr. Bernardo, the founder of those homes for "nobody's children" which at one time stretched like a line of lighthouses across the British Empire. It is said that some ten thousand British fighting men in World War I came from these homes.

Surely this is a demonstration that there is service for all who have nurtured a concern for the souls of those perishing around them.(Source Unknown)

                                                                

We need not wonder what we can do for the Lord. Simply ask him to give you a heart becoming of a true servant of Christ. Then began addressing humanity at our deepest need—salvation through Christ. Also ask God to make you aware of the areas of specific ministry and service where your gifts and abilities can be used to the max for the glory of Christ and the souls of men! A sensitive heart will certainly make for an aware servant.

CONCLUSION: Where are you in your service?

Once again, the example Christ gave us involved sensitivity that leads to awareness. Where are you in your service? What is God calling you to do?

You must be aware of the needs of others before you will ever make any effort to meet those needs. Living in a constant state of outreach to others at all times—on the job, at home, in the community, at church, and wherever God leads is our calling. 

So, The Lord Said "NO" Huh?

  1 JN. 5:14-15; 1PET. 3:7; PROV. 28:9; JS. 1:6-7; MATT. 5:23-25

SUBJECT: HINDRANCES TO PRAYER

                                                           

God Truly Does Desire to Say “Yes” to You and me When we Pray to Him. We must Recognize the “No” and “Wait” Answers from the Lord as Opportunities to Grow in our Prayer Relationship with Him.  

When our prayers aren't answered in the way we want—generally speaking, when we receive a wait or a no answer—we sometimes become discouraged, perhaps even resentful. What we fail to recognize is that “wait” and “no” answers are tremendous teaching tools. Any serious student will admit that he or she has learned a lot from mistakes made on an exam. Our failures in life are very often our greatest teachers. So, to, with God's wait and no answers. They can reveal to us what actions we should take or how we should grow in our relationship with the Lord. (Stanley)

In this article we will focus on God's no answers to see what they might tell us. Again, I am assuming that you are in right relationship with God. The person who has not accepted Jesus Christ as Savior or who is in willful rebellion against God is not a person who can expect positive answers from God. God's answer is likely to be a repeated “no” until the person repents believing the gospel of Jesus Christ and surrenders his or her life fully to Christ.

Being a believer, however, and even desiring to live in right relationship with God does not always ensure that we will have all of our prayers answered with a "yes". There are certain practical and specific reasons why God does not always say “yes” to Christians.

CONSIDER GOD'S “NO” ANSWERS TO OUR PRAYERS.

When we hear about someone receiving an answer of “no” from God, our first impulse may be to assume that there is some deep dark hidden sin in that person's life. Likewise, when we are the ones receiving the “no” answer, we may assume that sin is the cause, and we may try to argue that point with God or justify our position and request. Another possibility, however, is that we may be living in ignorance, not necessarily high-handed rebellion, but still sinful. In such instances God may use a “no” answer to sharpen our focus and obedience to Him while correcting our mistakes.(Stanly)

Sin is willful disobedience against what we know God desires. Sin, especially on the part of a believer in Jesus Christ, is a matter of saying, “I know what God requires of me, but I prefer to do what I think is best.” It is a deliberate act of rebellion and defiance to God clear and specific guidelines. When we do this, we break our fellowship with the Lord. We are out of step and harmony with Him and His plan. As a result the Holy Spirit moves to convict us of our sin, usually with increasing intensity to help us confess and forsake our sin.

Ignorance, in contrast, is not knowing God's requirements; or an inadvertent act that violates God's standards of morality. These are not willful acts or feelings of disobedience. We do not know we are making an incorrect choice or engaging in unrighteous behavior because we have not been taught that our actions are wrong in God's eyes. We desire a relationship with God and will be quick to amend our ways once we realize our failures...but at present, we do not know that we are erring. God's “no” answer is a means of bringing us to the point where we recognize our error so we can correct our behavior. Once we correct our behavior, God's answer to our same prayer request may very well be “yes.”

There are at least six areas of error that evoke a "no" answer from God. So, God sometimes says,

A.  NO, BECAUSE OUR RELATIONSHIPS ARE NOT RIGHT BEFORE HIM.

Matthew 5:23-25, Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; [24] Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. [25] Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

One reason God gives us an answer of no is that our relationships with other people are not right.  Conflict with others will always hinder our prayer life and worship.

    1.  Examine Your Relationships With Others.

Matthew 6:14-15, For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: [15] But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Our heavenly Father always forgives, is merciful, and desires the best for us.

         A.  Are You Unforgiving?

He will not answer our prayers as long as we remain unforgiving, unmerciful, or self-centered and demanding of those He has given us as marriage partners, family members, and friends.

         B.  Are You Mean Spirited?

We cannot be caustic, sarcastic, cynical, mean-spirited, resentful, or selfish to other people and then come to the Father and expect Him to answer all of our petitions. He has clearly said that we must forgive if we are to be forgiven.

         C. Are You a Giver?

We must be givers before we expect to receive. (See Luke 6:37–38.)

Luke 6:37-38, Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: [38] Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Matthew 18:19-20, Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. [20] For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

    2.  Examine Your Relationship With Your Spouse.

1 Peter 3:7, Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

         A.  In 1 Peter 3:1–7, we find a balanced approach to the relationship that God desires for a husband and wife to have. Peter says that if this relationship is not in right balance, our prayers are hindered.

         B.  Your relationship must be right with your spouse for God to answer your prayers, because in marriage, two people are made one and are regarded as one flesh by God.

         C.  God will not answer your prayer unless He is fully assured that His answer is going to be a blessing that you are going to share fully with your spouse. Your request to God must be one that honors and considers your spouse and is generous toward your spouse.(MacDonald)

         D.  Feelings of resentment, growing from selfish conduct in the home, make effective prayer impossible. Effective prayer must be "without wrath" (1 Tim 2:8).

1 Tim. 2:8, I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

Ephes. 4:30-32,

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. [31] Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: [32] And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. 

B.  NO, BECAUSE OUR MOTIVES ARE SELFISH.

James 4:3, Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

A second reason why God gives us answers of no is that our request is totally self-serving. The epistle of James informs us that these believers asked and did not receive, because they asked amiss, that they might spend it all on their personal satisfaction and pleasures.

   1.  All of Our Actions as Christians Are Either Aimed at Self or God.

Our motive is either to exalt ourselves or to bring glory to God. In serving others, we bring glory to God, so we might say our actions are motivated either by a desire to serve self or others.

Proverbs 16:18, Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 21:17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.  

   2.  God Gives Us a “No” Answer So That We Can Confront Our Own Motives.

       A.  Why are we asking God for a certain thing or situation?

       B.  Is it so that we will look better, feel better, or get more praise from other people?

       C.  Or is it so we might help others better and be better able to fulfill the destiny that God has laid before us?

Isaiah 47:8, Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:

Isaiah 47:11, Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put if off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know.

   3.  God Will Not Answer Our Prayers Unless He Is Certain That We Will Be Good Stewards. 

        A.  That is with the things He gives to us and that we will be generous to others once we receive them of His generous hands.

        B.  Problems in prayer are often clues that wrong motives are at work.

        C.  James mentions the most common problems in prayer: not asking, asking for the wrong things, asking for the wrong reasons.

                — Do you talk to God at all?

                — When you do, what do you talk about?

                — Do you ask only to satisfy your desires?

                — Do you seek God's approval for what you already plan to do?

        D.  Your prayers will become powerful when you allow God to change your desires so that they perfectly correspond to His will for you. 1 John 3:21-22, Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. [22] And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

   4.  God Gives to the Generous Believer, but Not to the Selfish.

Proverbs 21:13, Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

        A.  Very specifically, God expects us to be generous to those who are in need. Many of God's blessings in the Bible are reserved for those who take care of the poor, the widows, and the orphans.

        B.  We must use what God gives us to bring about justice and equity for those who are lacking the basic essentials of life. No, we cannot meet every need, but what about the ones you can meet?

C. NO, BECAUSE WE HAVE WAVERING FAITH.

James 1:6-7, But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. [7] For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

Another reason why God says no to our prayers is because we are wishy-washy in our faith. God has little regard for faith that wavers—a faith that says, “Maybe God will, maybe He won't.” Such faith is unstable and unreliable.

    1.  Is Your Relationship With God Based on Emotions?

         A.  God sometimes gives us an answer of no so we will reevaluate our opinion of Him and also come to grips with our own emotions.

         B.  Many people are driven by their emotions. One day they claim to feel God's presence and they have joy and peace.

         C.  The next day, when they are a little down or discouraged, they say they don't feel God's presence; therefore, God must not care about them. They become resentful and bitter toward God.

                                   

    2.  Is Your Relationship With God Based on Scripture?

          A.  God, however, has not changed. Their emotional temperament is being tossed about like wind-driven waves.

          B.  Our relationship with God must be based squarely on what the Bible says God desires for us and has given to us through Jesus Christ.

          C.  We are not to base our relationship with God on how we feel on any given day. Feelings come and go and change like the weather.

          D.  God's Word remains the same all the time. Our prayers must be grounded in the Word, not in ourselves.  Hebrews 13:8-9, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. [9] Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. 

                                                                                   

D.  NO, BECAUSE OF OUR FAILURES TO TITHE OUR INCOME.

Malachi 3:10, Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

   1.  One of the Most Common Yet Unrecognized Errors That Can Bring about a “No” Answer from God Is Our Failure to Tithe. God does not tolerate stinginess—whether toward Him or toward other people.

   2.  If God Does Not Seem to Be Answering Your Request for Things, Money, or Material Goods, Check Your Giving. It may be God is seeking to teach you a new set of priorities in your handling of money. He may be attempting to give you a new understanding of stewardship.

   3.  God Will Not Violate the Cycle of Giving That He Established for Humankind: Giving, Receiving, Giving, Receiving. His law is one that requires reciprocation.

Leviticus 27:30, And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's: it is holy unto the Lord.

E.  NO, BECAUSE OF OUR INDIFFERENCE TO HIS WORD.

Proverbs 28:9, He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

Sometimes God gives us an answer of no so that we will get serious about reading His Word and applying it to our lives. You cannot live with a closed Bible and expect to have an open line to Heaven.

    1.  The Bible Is God's Manual for Right Living.

        A.  It contains His promises related to prayer and the meeting of our needs.

        B.  It holds God's commandments for how to receive and use God's blessings and defeat the enemy of our souls.

        C.  We cannot turn a deaf ear to God's Word and then approach God with our requests.

ILLUSTRATION:  That would be like a college student telling his professors, “I don't need to attend classes or study any courses. Just give me a degree and I'll be on my way.” Can you imagine the response that student would receive? (Stanley)

    2.  The Bible Has Both Information and Inspiration That We Need for our Daily Walk with God.

Psalm 32:8, I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

A.     David urged us to follow his example of honesty before God! Rather than being like a beast of burden that has to be harnessed into submission, we can choose to be led by the gentle touch of God's hand (Ps 32:6-11).  Thus he affords us information and through David’s example, inspiration. Especially the truth, that the Lord will tell us which way we are to take in order to reach a certain destination! God promises He will watch us, or will keep an eye on us; He will not let us go wrong.

B.     I also remember John was also a prophet seeking a response to the Word. The prophets often held out hope for the present—hope that God's judgment could be delayed if people would repent and turn to God in faith and obedience. That does not mean that the prophets offered an easy way out of all difficulties, as if somehow all problems would vanish if people would just profess their faith in God. Instead, like Winston Churchill standing amidst the bombed ruins of London, the prophets offered “blood, sweat, and tears” for those who would follow God. It would not be easy to serve God and fight against the evil of this present dark and sinful world, and yet the prophets knew that God would be victorious in the end and His people would share in that victory.

C.     So John was a prophet, calling his generation—and ours—to repentance and faith and action. He knew that we could never build the kingdom of God on earth, no matter how hard we might try. Only God can do that—and someday He will, when Christ comes again. But John also knew that God's judgment on this world could be delayed if we would repent and turn to Christ.

D.     To some, John's message of the future may have sounded gloomy and depressing. John knew, however, that the worst thing he could do would be to assure people that everything was alright and that there was no need to be concerned about the evil in the world or God's judgment. But John's message is ultimately a message of the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ.

   3.  Read and Study the Word for Daily Inspiration for Zealous Christian Living.

Avail yourself of it. You'll gain important insights into how to pray so that you get yes answers from God.

Psalm 119:105, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Once again see Isa. 1:11-20; Zech. 7:11-14; 2Tim. 4:3-4).

F.  NO, BECAUSE OF UNCONFESSED SINS IN OUR LIVES.

Isaiah 59:1-3, Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: [2] But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. [3] For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

  1.  Acknowledging Sin is Not Enough.

God sometimes gives answers of no in response to our unconfessed sins. Just recognizing our errors and sins is not enough.

  2. Confession of Sin is Required.

Proverbs 28:13, He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

     A.  We must Confess Them to God and Receive His Forgiveness.

It is not sufficient that we recognize that our relationships are wrong, we have failed to tithe, we have wavering faith, we are selfish, or we are indifferent to God's Word.

     B.  We must Actually Confess These Errors to God and Then Repent of Them, Which Means to Make a Willful Decision to Change. Every believer must humble themselves before God in a spirit of repentance trusting God to restore and revive us in Christ Jesus!

Proverbs 15:8, The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

Proverbs 15:29, The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

     C.  God Cannot Give Us “Yes” Answers If We Only Recognize Our Errors, but Do Not Obey Him and Change Our Ways by the Power of His Spirit.  God constantly reminds of this requirement!

1 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.

James 5:16, Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 

   3.  Confession or Cover-up is the Question?

A.     Honest Confession of Sin Is Always Better than Any Attempt to Conceal an Unpleasant Truth (see Job 31:33; Ps 32:3-5; 1 John 1:9). 

                                                             i.      The individual who covers his sins by denying or extenuating them, (1 Sam 15:20-21) “shall not prosper.”

                                                           ii.      QUOTE:   “To hide a sin with a lie is like a crust of leprosy drawn over an ulcer” (Jeremy Taylor).

B.     Many People Try to Cover Their Sinful Failures by Laying the Blame on Others (Gen 3:12-13; Ezek 18:2).

                                                             i.      They effectively deny themselves the “prosperity” the Lord desires for them. 

                                                           ii.      Some even cry out in anger, “I am not the only one, or the first one who did it, and I shall not be the last.” 

C.     This Is Altogether Different from What We Find in the Account of Acts 19:17-20. 

               1.  The blessings come only after the confession and forsaking of sin!  Acts 19:17-20, And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. [18] And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. [19] Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. [20] So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

               2.  Ephesus seemed to be a center for black magic and other dark occultic practices. Evidently, the people would create magical formulas to give them wealth, happiness, and success in marriage. Obviously, superstition and sorcery were commonplace. Many of the Ephesian converts had been involved in these dark arts.

               3.  But notice the sincerity of their confessions.  Because of the powerfully demonstrated superiority of the name of Jesus over evil spirits (Acts 19:11-17) many of the new believers in Ephesus did some spiritual spring cleaning. 

·Specifically, they renounced their fascination with all occult practices and their secret spells. Then, taking the left-overs of their pagan pasts, they burned them at a public bonfire.

·Yes, making a clean break with sin is costly -- the magic books alone were worth several million dollars (literally, fifty thousand drachmas). A drachma was a silver coin equal to a worker's pay for one day. 

·But the end result was the Word of God grew and prevailed! (MacDonald)

     D.  The Person Who “Confesseth and Forsaketh” Sin and Refuses to Be like a Dog Returning to His Vomit, (2 Peter 2:22) Shall Have the Sweet Mercy of the Lord.

               1.  In all actuality the sincerity of the confession is proven by our forsaking our sins (Job 34:31-32). Then mercy is sure to be ours (Ps 32:5; 1 John 1:8-10).

               2.  Consider the heart of God and the love in his appeal to return to him and faithfulness.

Jeremiah 3:11-15, And the Lord said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.  [12] Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. [13] Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord. [14] Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: [15] And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

  

God's foremost desire is not to give us answers of "wait" or "no", but to say “yes” to us. Deuteronomy 28 is an important chapter for us to read and study. It tells us that God desires to bless us:

Deut. 28:1-2, And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: [2] And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

God's desire is for blessing, but if we, His people, turn to follow other gods and do not obey His Word, then we will find ourselves in a position in which the “heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.” (v. 23). In other words, the heavens will be closed to our prayers, and nothing we attempt to do on earth will prosper. When we know what to do, we are responsible for doing it. Then, and only then, can God trust us with His 'yes' answers and His greatest blessings.

Deut. 28:23, And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.

What we fail to recognize is that “wait” and “no” answers are tremendous teaching tools. Therefore, learn as much as possible from your mistakes!  Always bear in mind that our failures in life are very often our greatest teachers.(Stanley) So, too, with God's “wait” and “no” answers. They can reveal to us what actions we should take or how we should grow in our relationship with the Lord. Use this article to examine your own life. Allow yourself time to be completely transparent and open with the Spirit of God. Confess all known sin so that your fellowship with the Lord is restored and strong. Continue praying in faith knowing the Lord does indeed hear you and will answer positively in His precious time and according to His will for us. Beloved, do not allow yourself to become discouraged in your prayers. Examine the heart and make things right with the Lord. Then...keep talking to Him!