Prayer-Points

Billy Graham has said, “Heaven is full of answers to prayers for which no one ever bothered to ask.” So why is it we wait till the last minute to pray? Why put off the one thing that could change everything? Why ignore the obvious? Why wait till all hope is gone? Why do we try everything imaginable and when all is lost...we decide to pray?
It has been said, “There is power in prayer.” But the truth is, “There is power in God.” And I have heard, “Prayer changes things.” But the truth is, “Prayer changes people and in many situations people change things.” Needless to say, nothing is too hard for God and there is no prayer God can’t answer.


The Prayer-Point: Psalm 6:2-10 The point at which you can go no further without praying. Have you been there? The point at which you call out to God in desperation? Maybe your child is sick... Maybe your mom or dad is critical... Maybe you’ve lost your job... Maybe you’ve sinned and been found out... Maybe you’ve been running from God... Maybe you’re like Paul on the Damascus Road and all you can do is cry out for help.
King David was there. Listen and you will hear his anguish...his heartache...his desperation. No bitterness here. No pride. No self confidence. At this point it is all God or nothing. Although we can’t pinpoint a time in David’s life when he cried out to God like this, we can sense his pain...and some of us can relate.
Abraham Lincoln said, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the over-whelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.” Like the old song, “Where could I go but to the Lord...” We had no where else to turn...and we ran to God and cried out to Him.


The Pour-Point: Psalm 51:1-4 The point at which you pour your heart out to God. This is no “end of the service benediction.” This is no “ask the Lord to bless the food" kind of prayer. This is no “I’m in a hurry so bless me quick” kind of prayer. Picture David on the floor. He is broken, un-done, finished, and utterly dependent on the Lord to forgive him. He is pouring his heart out to God.
This repentance reflects his sin with Bathsheba. In modern language he might have cried out, “What a fool I’ve been!” Eugene Peterson puts it like this... “I know how bad I've been; my sins are staring me down.” Ever been there? You’ve had enough! God...please forgive me! Please help me! Please heal my son! Please heal my mother! Lord...help!
If you’ve never been to the “pour-point” of praying, you will get there one day. You’ll be blindsided by sickness, the loss of a job, divorce, and death. You won’t see it coming. And the only hope you’ll have is to pour your heart out to God. “Tell it to Jesus, Tell it to Jesus!


The Pure-Point: Psalm 51:10-12 The point at which God makes your heart pure through prayer. Wow. David has nothing to lose. He so badly wants to get back what he has lost. He is confessing, repenting, almost begging God for the joy of his salvation to be restored. No pretense here. He won’t even look at God. He’s hiding his face. Make me pure! Make me whole! Clean my heart! Change me! Help me! O God make me new!
David was Confronted by Nathan – Convicted by the Spirit – Cleansed by the Lord. Amazing how God uses people to help us see the truth.
Ever been there? Maybe it had nothing to do with a sin like David’s – but you doubted God – You rejected God – You ignored God – You walked away from God – You told God you didn’t need Him... You’re heart had become impure and unbelieving. Your mind had become polluted and unrepentant. It was a long winding road. But like the prodigal you made it home.


The Power-Point: Psalm 66:16-20 The point at which you are empowered through prayer. R. A. Torrey said, “We are too busy to pray, and so we are too busy to have power.” ...The same king who was on his face is now on his feet. He was down – now he’s up. He was broken – now he’s better. He was at the end of the road – now he has a new beginning. He had felt like giving up – now he feels like going on. He was defeated – now he’s delivered!
This was a testimony. David had been through the fire. He had been burnt by the power of sin and would forever bear the scars...but this one thing he knew – God brought him out.
There’s a spring in his step. There’s reassurance in his heart. There’s a renewed passion for God. ...When a person prays like they should – God will renew their spirit – they will mount up with wings as eagles – they will run and not be weary – they will walk and not faint.
There is power in prayer – and that power is in us, when we pray.