Engaging God: The Power and Purpose of Prayer

 

Summary

The sermon delves into the complex relationship between God's sovereignty and human agency, particularly through the lens of prayer and its ability to influence divine action. The speaker begins by challenging the notion that religious rituals and words can control or obligate God, using the story of Moses interceding for Israel as a prime example. Despite God's anger and threat to destroy the nation, Moses' intervention leads to a change in God's course of action. This raises questions about the nature of God's flexibility and the role of human prayer.

The speaker further explores this theme by examining biblical narratives where God's response to human actions appears to shift. In the story of Balaam, an evil king's intent to curse Israel is subverted by God's blessing, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to His chosen people. Similarly, the story of King Hezekiah shows God's willingness to adjust His plans in response to sincere prayer. These examples underscore the idea that while God's ultimate purposes remain constant, His strategies and timing can adapt to human intercession.

The sermon also touches on the anger of God when the Israelites worship a false god, emphasizing that God's anger is not rooted in ego but in the people's failure to honor their covenantal relationship with Him. The speaker reflects on the significance of the Tabernacle as a provision for Israel's repentance and forgiveness, suggesting that God anticipated their shortcomings and made a way for reconciliation.

Personal anecdotes are woven into the sermon, including the speaker's 15-year abstinence from donuts and their invitation for the congregation to share their prayer struggles. This personal touch underscores the speaker's belief in the transformative power of prayer in both individual lives and broader communities.

The sermon concludes with a reflection on the nature of prayer itself. The speaker expresses a belief that prayer is not about changing God's mind in a simplistic sense but is a dynamic interaction that influences the unfolding of God's mission. They encourage listeners to engage in honest conversations with God, emphasizing that prayer is an invitation to participate in God's work in the world.

Key Takeaways:

- The desire to control God through religious practices is a significant temptation, but the biblical narrative reveals that God cannot be manipulated. Instead, stories like Moses' intercession for Israel demonstrate that God values genuine engagement and is willing to enter into a dialogue with humanity, considering their pleas and adjusting His actions accordingly. This dynamic interaction invites believers to approach God with humility and sincerity, recognizing that prayer is not a formula but a relational conversation. [07:58]

- God's purposes are unchanging, but His strategies and timing can be influenced by human intercession. The stories of Balaam, Moses, and Hezekiah illustrate that while God's ultimate goals remain steadfast, He is willing to accommodate human desires and prayers within His sovereign plan. This understanding of God's flexibility encourages believers to pray with the confidence that their prayers are meaningful and can have real-world implications. [24:47]

- The anger of God in response to Israel's idolatry is not a reflection of a bruised ego but a deep concern for the people's well-being and their relationship with Him. The provision of the Tabernacle for atonement and the story of Moses' intercession highlight God's readiness to forgive and restore, even when His people fail. This reveals a God who is not only just but also merciful, providing a way back to Him even before we stray. [16:38]

- Prayer is an invitation to influence and participate in God's work, not a means to impose our will upon Him. The speaker's personal reflections on prayer, including their own struggles, serve as a reminder that prayer is a journey of faith, where honesty and vulnerability before God are valued. This perspective encourages believers to persist in prayer, even when it feels challenging or when the outcomes are not as expected. [30:00]

- The biblical narrative suggests that God's plan can accommodate multiple possibilities, akin to a GPS system rerouting a driver. The story of Abraham's negotiation with God over Sodom and Gomorrah exemplifies this adaptability. This metaphor helps believers understand that while they may not always choose the right path, God is capable of guiding them back to His purposes, taking into account their prayers and actions. [26:58]

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Exodus 32:10-14 - The story of Moses interceding for Israel and God relenting from His anger.
2. Exodus 33:17 - God agreeing to Moses' request because He is pleased with him.
3. 2 Kings 20:1-6 - The story of King Hezekiah's prayer and God's response, extending his life by 15 years.

#### Observation Questions
1. What was God's initial reaction to the Israelites worshiping the golden calf in Exodus 32:10?
2. How did Moses' intercession influence God's decision in Exodus 32:14?
3. In Exodus 33:17, why did God agree to do what Moses asked?
4. What was King Hezekiah's reaction to the prophecy of his death, and how did God respond in 2 Kings 20:1-6?

#### Interpretation Questions
1. What does Moses' intercession in Exodus 32:10-14 reveal about the nature of prayer and its potential impact on God's actions? [03:49]
2. How does the story of King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20:1-6 illustrate the concept of God's flexibility in response to sincere prayer? [24:47]
3. What does the provision of the Tabernacle for atonement in Exodus 34 suggest about God's anticipation of human shortcomings and His readiness to forgive? [16:38]
4. How does the metaphor of a GPS system rerouting a driver help us understand God's adaptability in guiding us back to His purposes? [26:58]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt your prayers were not being heard. How does the story of Moses' intercession encourage you to persist in prayer? [03:49]
2. In what ways can you approach God with humility and sincerity in your prayers, recognizing that prayer is a relational conversation rather than a formula? [05:41]
3. How can you incorporate the understanding that God's strategies and timing can be influenced by human intercession into your daily prayer life? [24:47]
4. Think of a situation where you might have tried to control God through religious practices. How can you shift your focus to genuine engagement with God instead? [05:08]
5. How does the story of King Hezekiah inspire you to pray with confidence, knowing that your prayers can have real-world implications? [24:47]
6. Reflect on the anger of God in response to Israel's idolatry. How can you ensure that your actions honor your covenantal relationship with God? [10:14]
7. How can you engage in honest conversations with God, especially during challenging times, and what steps can you take to make prayer a transformative part of your life? [32:12]

Devotional

Day 1: Genuine Engagement Invites Divine Dialogue
Prayer is not a means to manipulate God but an opportunity for sincere conversation that can influence His actions. Like Moses, who interceded for Israel, believers are called to approach God with humility and authenticity, trusting that He values this genuine engagement and is willing to enter into dialogue with His people. [07:58]

Exodus 32:11-14 - "But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God. 'LORD,' he said, 'why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? ... Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people.' Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened."
Reflection: How does your approach to prayer reflect a genuine conversation with God rather than a transactional request?

Day 2: God's Flexibility in Our Intercession
While God's ultimate purposes are unchanging, He demonstrates a willingness to adapt His strategies and timing in response to human intercession. The biblical accounts of Balaam, Moses, and Hezekiah show that God considers the prayers of His people and can adjust His plans accordingly, encouraging believers to pray with hope and expectation. [24:47]

2 Kings 20:1-5 - "In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, 'This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.' Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 'Remember, LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.' And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: 'Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you.'"
Reflection: Can you recall a time when you felt your prayers influenced a change in your circumstances or in the lives of others?

Day 3: God's Mercy Overcomes Our Failures
God's anger towards Israel's idolatry was born out of a deep concern for their covenant relationship, not a bruised ego. The provision of the Tabernacle for atonement and Moses' successful intercession reveal God's readiness to forgive and restore, even preemptively providing a way back to Him. [16:38]

Exodus 32:7-10 - "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt... Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.' But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God."
Reflection: How does understanding God's readiness to forgive impact your own willingness to seek forgiveness and restoration?

Day 4: Prayer as Participation in God's Work
Prayer is not about imposing our will on God but engaging in a transformative conversation that allows us to participate in His mission. This dynamic interaction with God is a journey of faith, where honesty and vulnerability are valued and can lead to personal and communal transformation. [30:00]

Jeremiah 29:12-13 - "Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Reflection: What are some areas in your life where you can invite God's transformative power through honest and vulnerable prayer?

Day 5: Embracing God's Adaptive Plan
God's plan can accommodate multiple possibilities, much like a GPS system rerouting a driver. Abraham's negotiation over Sodom and Gomorrah shows God's adaptability, assuring believers that God can guide them back to His purposes, considering their prayers and actions. [26:58]

Genesis 18:23-26 - "Then Abraham approached him and said: 'Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? ... If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.'"
Reflection: How can you trust in God's guidance today, knowing that He can work through your choices and prayers to fulfill His purposes?

Quotes

"We always underestimate our capacity to be an influence walking in the ways of God and living out his truth." [27:33] (Download)

"Even if you believe that your prayers matter, that they can even move the heart of God, there are still struggles along the journey, feeling like, 'God, where are you? Why isn't this happening?'" [30:00] (Download)

"There's stories where Moses is praying and it seems as if God responds... but then there's also times where it says that God doesn't change his mind, that he is the same today, forever and always." [07:25] (Download)

"I do believe that the results of our prayers make a difference and if we did not pray I believe the outcome is different." [36:10] (Download)

"We just want to encourage you to continue to have real honest conversations with a loving God who cares about you." [36:42] (Download)

"God is not simply looking for us to sit there and to take orders like a robot but he wants to engage us back and forth." [33:18] (Download)

"How beautiful, how wonderful that we have a god of the universe who would invite me into prayer and that it makes a difference." [33:53] (Download)

"If you don't believe that your prayers matter, you simply won't pray. But if you don't pray, there's things that can be missed out in your own life, in your spiritual life, in the world around you, in the people that you love." [01:56] (Download)

"God doesn't change his purpose for his people; he changed his strategy for how he was going to fulfill that purpose. And I think that often we get bogged down in what are the purposes of God, what are the goals of God." [23:37] (Download)

"God's like yeah I'm willing to be able to take your own thoughts into consideration... He not only seems willing to negotiate but he has good reasons for it." [26:58] (Download)

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?