WHEN GOD SAYS
NO
What To Do
When…
The Reading of The Word
Psalm 43
Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an
ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me! For you are the
God in whom I take refuge; why have you rejected me? Why do I go about mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy? Send out your light and your truth; let
them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! Then I
will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with
the lyre, O God, my God. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in
turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and
my God.
Let’s Pray
Father, This morning it is into the very heart of
your guidance and ways that we will venture into as we learn to surrender to
your sovereign ways in us. Give our hearts the vision of your love and majesty.
Stir within us the desire to love you through submission. Submission of our
plans and goals to the eternal plans and goals of the advancement of your
kingdom. Bring us the desire to pray uphanded with everything we think we
possess. And speak your convicting word to us now, in Jesus Name Amen
Warm up
You may be seated.
If you need a bible please raise your hand and we’ll get one to you. I
have some notes for you to use if you want to follow along.
Introduction
In this short Psalm,verse 1 shows us the situation
of the psalmist life. And then we see the situation of the psalmist heart. He
feels as if God has abandoned him. Yet later in the prayer he stirs his desire
for God and declares that God is his exceeding
joy. This is what we talked about last week in understanding what it
means for God to be our hearts desire that we most glorify him when we are
satisfied in him. We even see the psalmist preaching and encouraging himself,
“why so downcast soul, put your hope in God!” There are time when we need to
encourage ourselves in that be speech or song.
This title of today’s message is When God says no. Some
of the most confusing times in the Christian life is when we pray what is
seemingly the will of God and God answers in the word NO. Why do some people
get miracles and others don’t. Why do some people pray for sick people and they
get well and other people pray for sick
people and they die? Why do some people pray for children and get them and
others who pray for children and don’t get them. Why do some people pray for a
relief of pain and get instant satisfaction
while others pray for relief of pain and have to
live with it for the rest of their lives.
Why is it that I’ve prayed for god to heal me
of my mild form cerebral palsy, yet he
still says for this time “no”
I think it
We Misunderstand Prayer:
Like a genie
bottle rub three times and
God says your wish is my command. But that reverse roles. Makes God our
servant.
First Aid kit. Last Resort “All we can do is pray.
As if it’s totally hopeless now and when we say this its now a dead
issue.
Tug of War:
Have to convince God make our sales pitch and then get the request.
The Bible says God wants to answer our prayers.
“Call to me
and I will answer you…” Jer.
33:3
20 in the New Testament told to ask.
God wants to answer our prayers.
But honestly
It seems as if God isn’t even listening. The gates of heaven are shut and
closed to only your requests.
What’s the problem.
When we read: Ask any thing in prayer, what so ever
you believe in faith you will have, ask anything in my name and I will do it.
Doesn’t that sound like an open check- unlimited
credit line.
So is God just teasing us? Why are those verses their… false
advertising.
The fact is God answers pray, but not in the way we
always want him to.
God has not promised that he would answer your
prayers an old way you want Him to.
3 WAYS GOD ANSWERS PRAYER
Sometimes God says yes! We like this way!
Sometimes God says not yet! Wait, and we don’t know when. A delay is
not a denial!
No
and not yet are not the same thing. God does want to give to us we just have to
wait
Sometimes God says no! This is the most difficult
Bible
examples
Moses-
promise land… God said no
Abraham-
bless Ishmael… God said no
David-
Bathesheba’s baby… God said no
If He can
say no to Moses, Abraham and David- chances are he’s going to say no to us once
in a while.
The problem is:
If God is loving—and he is
If God is all powerful—and he is.
Then why does He say no to my seemingly good
request.
WHY DOES GOD
SOMETIMES SAY “NO”?
1. BECAUSE
HE HAS ___A Bigger Perspective______________
God has a bigger view of our life.
First he sees the future
And no
creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of
him to whom we must give account.
Heb 4:13
One of the problems of our prayers is that we can’t
see the possible result of God answering them.
It may be the worst thing that could happen in our lives.
If we could see life the way God sees it we would
have no troubles. We’d anticipate every corner turn of trouble, problems and events. We’d know how to pray
and when to pray.
The truth is - We’re human, we can’t see the
consequences down the road sometimes.
We’re limited in our perspective, so what we need
when we pray is God’s perspective.
Parents- ever say no to your kids. Why- to protect
them
Ex- Driving a car 12 year old.
You have a bigger perspective.
Now imagine the perspective our heavenly Father has
in our life.
Because he could see the danger ahead of us he says
No.
College students I know that at this point in life,
you are feeling invulnerable, that nothing will stop yo and your sheer will
conquers everything you put your mind to… Your bullet proof.
But God says no your not. You don’t see where the
next bullets from but I do.
He sees the long term effects. We can drive ourselves crazy trying to figure
out why God said no, chances are we won’t know. Be cause he has the bigger
perspective, we have Trust Him in the times it doesn’t make sense.
One reason is
found in Scripture:
(God is )guarding the paths of justice and
watching over the way of his saints. Prov 2:8
Sometimes God says no to protect you from unforeseen
problems.
The Bible is filed with Examples of this.
·
Daniel and Lion
Den. Do you think one of his prayers to God was not to be thrown in? God said
no. Daniel was put in the lions den and the lions mouth was shut. Actually the safest place for Daniel to be
was in the den at the time.
·
Same book three
guys thrown into a fiery furnace. They
prayed not to be but they went through it and in the furnace the ropes they
were bond with fell off. God had a bigger perspective.
·
Paul wanted to
go to Rome to preach. He had his idea. Of evangelizing the most influential
city in that day. But that’s not what happened …There are times that we presume
on God that “well of course he wants us to evangelize” Yet God at times doesn’t
open a door and says yes to everything we think he wants us to do.. ‘Well of
course he wants me to get married. Our
presumption are often full of good intentions… for ourselves instead of
consideration of what glorifies God the most.
Bound with chains as a prisoner of the
Roman Empire, he was put in a cell left to rot. While he was there, he wrote
some letters. While Paul wanted to reach thousands in Rome, God had a bigger
perspective to have him reach billions through those letters that are now a
part of the New Testament Scriptures!
2. BECAUSE
HE HAS___A Better Plan_____________________
For my
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the
Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than
your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isa
55:8-9
God’s plan is very different than our plan. No ones live here has turned out exactly the
way you planned.
Circle the Words WAYS plural.
God has many ways to work in your life. Many alternatives. God is not forced to
answer your pray in simply one.
It’s not just yes or no with God, But “Which of the
thousands of options should I use to answer your prayer.
He has a better plan
Example: Your going into financial difficulty Going into Debt. You pray God help me to get
out of debt.
God can answer that prayer in numerous different
ways.
1.
He could give
you a miracle of money in your mail box
2.
He could raise
your income
3.
Could give you
a higher paying job
4.
Could lower
your expenses
5.
Could make what
you have last longer
6.
Teach you to be
a better money manager
Many ways to get you out of debts. He might give you a combination of ways, from
a miracle to common sense practice.
But the problem is when we pray, we tell God not
only what we want, but when we want it, how we want it, what way we want it
wrapped and in what manner. God says wait a minute. I’ve got a better idea.
We arrogantly think that we know what is best because we think we’re God. we’re
not God! You’re not God?
When we pray we want it in the quickest and easiest
way. Never do we here,” Lord answer my
prayer and take the toughest and longest road possible.”
God is not interested in speed or convenience- He’s
interested in what is best for His glory and what is best for you as he molds
you to reflect that glory to Himself. He’s interested in your character. You take
your character into eternity. God is not
here to give you your every wish and command. You’d be a spoiled brat. If you got everything you
wanted anyway you wanted. You’s be selfish
God says I have a better plan, a better idea.
Turn to Hebrews 11: 39-40
And all these,
though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since
God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be
made perfect. Heb 11:39-40
Examples in my life.
WSU Second year, finances Denied a loan God said no.
Later that year, an opportunity to build a youth
center in Moline Ill. A church interested in a youth outreach Never heard from
after immediate interest- God said no.
I’ve got a bigger plan. CFNI- yes answers in prayer it was an
exercise of faith. 1st semester had just enough money for one
semester. God provided that whole time.
Came back to La Crosse There was a time I didn’t get
a job I wanted. God dsaid no why not God? I didn’t understand it at the time.
But God had a bigger plan.
I stayed on with Service Master, went back to school
to get my bachelors degree. In that time, I realized my heart was for adults
and not just youth like it once was. I also learned my heart was for the
church.
I was transferred up to Winona Watlow, and it was
there, I heard of a small church looking
for a pastor.
God had a bigger plan in my life.
The bigger plan was to minister for a season in a struggling church, to give
them the care and to share the hope in Christ.
{preach} Some of us make plans, and then
ask God to bless it. Stop It. See where
God is working and then join Him. That starts with a heart to pray and
obey. As a churh one of our values is to
be reliant on God through prayer. We
need to be still in prayer time for a long time and hear His voice and see
where he is leading and like mature disciples, follow Him.
To glorify God we have to ask God what do you want to do to show your glory to this
community? We put aside our plans and
ask you to tell us what to do. And we’ll know you bless us.
God has a better idea than we do
3. BECAUSE
HE HAS____a _ greater purpose______________________
The Lord has
made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. Prov 16:4
God has a purpose in everything even unanswered
prayers.
God is not obligated to explain all of his purposes
to you. He doesn’t owe you an explanation because he’s God.
He doesn’t need our approval or needs to check in
with us and see if it’s ok.
You are a part of His purposes, not the other way a
round.
We need to get that straight. We don’t just include God in our lives on a
side note. He is to be our life@.
God wants us to focus on character that honors Him,
while we want to focus on comfort
God wants us to have an eternal perspective, a
kingdom , while we want temporary
pleasures.
What is God’s purpose in your problems?
so that the
tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though
it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at
the revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Peter
1:7
He wants to test your faith.
In delayed answers he says, “Will you still trust
me?”
When he says no he says “Will you still trust me.?”
Ex Parents say to child Because I said so. Parent is
saying you need to trust me now that I know better. I love you but I’m wiser.
As imperfect parents we say that, certainly as our
Perfect Father, We should trust God.
You might be discouraged this morning with a prayer
request that has gone unanswered.
The key to battling discouragement in times like
these is to look past the problem to ask, what is God’s purpose in all of this?
So we do not
lose heart… For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal
weight of glory beyond all comparison, 2 Cor 4:16-18
Did you know
that God allows you to go through the pain in your life for the benefit
of other people? Sometimes God says no
to what your going through so that at a later time in your life, you can be a
blessing to others.
What painful event have you gone through, where God
had taught you to trust in Him on a deeper level. That now your experience can
help others.
A miscarriage, parenting woes, maybe a divorce or
something that happened 38 years ago, that you’ve never shared publicly
before. Maybe it was turbulent time in
your marriage and how you got through.
What pain have you gone through that today, you
might turn that around and say, Lord I want to
help others in that situation.
God had a greater purpose when he allowed the cup of
going to the cross remain Jesus burden.
He had a greater purpose. It was for His wrath to be satisfied our sins to be forgive for
salvation from the consequence of our sins to be a gift so that God would be
most glorified in the universe seeing his Grace and mercy on deserving sinners.
On Friday I explained to a young 21 year old who works in my department that baptism doesn’t save you from hell, what
condemns us to hell is our sin. And he said in his very colorful language “oh well then I’m “done for” and I said we
all are, except for the gift of grace extended to sinners to be forgiven,
justified and born again, all by God’s
glorious work on the cross. Amen?
If you want less stress in your life and have more
peace you are going to have to come to grips with two truths.
1.
Something I’m
never going to understand
You need to
except that
Deut29:29 "The secret things belong to the Lord
our God,
there are something God has kept secret
God doesn’t
owe me an explanation
2.
Something are
never going to change no matter how much you pray.
Let’s be honest.
Something
will not change because God’s got a bigger perspective- trying to protect you
from something.
Better plan-
the stories not over,
Greater
purpose- he’ll give you the power to handle it and it will give him the most
glory
What do you
do… give up praying?
No. Because you don’t know if it’s a delay or a no.
You keep praying daily for it but you include in
your pray- Lord even if you don’t answer this prayer, I’m going to trust you
anyway. I will still love you. Because you have a greater purpose.
You surrender, you submit.
That God has greater perspective, a better plan and
a bigger purpose in your life. Even when he says no.
Ever notice that Children have a tough time with e
word No
Tell a toddler no they throw a temper tantrum.
Do you ever do that with God?
One of the marks of maturity as you grow up is to
realize that no is a legitimate answer.
You’re
ability to accept no will show your spiritual maturity.
WHAT TO DO
WHEN GOD SAYS “NO”
1. TRUST
EVERYTHING GOD DOES IS __Motivated by love________
All the
paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his
covenant and his testimonies. Ps
25:10
Circle all
As a child he acts in loving ways
And we know that for those who love God all things
work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose Rom
8:28
This is a promise to only those who love
Him.
What happens is that Satan comes in with doubts. He
says “See God doesn’t love you it doesn’t pay to serve God. You should quit.
Quit church, Christianity and this whole idea of loving God.”
Satan is a liar truth is that God loves you too much
to give you everything you ask for.
No loving parent would ever give everything that
child asks for… it would ruin them
God knows what is just right for you. When God says
no, he’s doing it out of love.
2. EXPECT
GOD TO GIVE ME THE___ Grace to handle the answer_____________
Grace is the power to handle the pain. To handle the
pain when God says no.
Grace is the power
to do the right thing even when I don’t feel like it.
Even Paul…
“Three times I
pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said, ‘My grace is
sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Cor. 12:7-9 (NIV)
for it is God who works in you, both to will and to
work for his good pleasure. Phil
2:13
When God says no we have to trust he has a bigger
perspective, a better plan and a greater purpose in our lives
Read Fanny Crosby’s poem from Trusting God book
What have you prayed for and God hasn’t given it to
you.
Will you live for God in spite of it… even if you
don’t get it.
Would you
trust Him knowing today’s truths in
Psalm 9:10 Those
who know the Lord will trust the Lord.
If you don’t trust God when he answers no, then you
don’t know him.
The more you know God, the more you’ll trust him.
Almighty God you are a big God you see further, you
plan better you, have great purpose for your kingdom and ultimately for your
glory. My we praise you when you say know, may we praise you with the yes. May
we remember the lesson of Job, That you give and that you take away, regardless
of your no and yes to our requests, may we bless your name”
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