1. The Blessing of Prayer

 1. The Blessing of Prayer

 

1 Samuel 9: 14-17

 

14 So they entered the town, and as they passed through the gates, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the place of worship.

15 Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day,

16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.”

17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.”

18 Just then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and asked, “Can you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”

19 “I am the seer!” Samuel replied. “Go up to the place of worship ahead of me. We will eat there together, and in the morning I’ll tell you what you want to know and send you on your way.

 

▣ Prayer is a blessing from God. It's about getting what God wants you to give. Prayer is the grace to come before God's throne, and in the place of prayer, we enjoy God's riches.

Prayer is the key to unlocking God's treasury, and it is the signed guarantee check given by the Heavenly Father to his children.

Prayer is the child's authority to make God's promises mine.

Prayer is 'entering his court with thanksgiving', and it is God's power to work through humans.

Prayer is the channel through which humans receive the power of God.

 

When God acknowledges His children’s weakness and prays earnestly, God sees the heart of his children and works with his power.

Prayer is the power of the knee and the power that moves the Father's throne. Prayer is the blessing that God gives us, the greatest blessing that the world cannot give. Therefore, people of faith have the characteristic that they live their lives by focusing only on prayer.

 

14 They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus. (Acts 1: 14)

 

42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. (Acts 2: 42)

 

4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”

(Acts 6:4)

 

Saul lost his donkey, and after suffering all day, he went to the prophet Samuel. The day before Saul came, God said to Samuel, “If you send Saul out tomorrow, anoint him to be king over Israel.” Before Saul went to Samuel to find the donkey, God had a plan.

 

Saul went to the prophet to find the donkey. But God called Saul to be king. Saints simply pray to solve their problems, but God who answers them accomplishes His will. Saul prayed and received a wonderful blessing that he did not expect. Prayer is a blessing.

 

▣ There are three blessings in prayer.

 

1. Blessed are those who pray.

 

16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.” (1 Samuel 9:16)

 

The day before Saul prayed, God first told Samuel that he would send Saul.

Christians pray because God makes them pray.

Prayer begins with God first. It was not Saul's heart that made him want to meet Samuel, but the heart God gave him. Verse 16 says that he will send Saul tomorrow. Christians pray because of the heart that God has given them.

 

Prayer is a God-given thing. Prayer is always answered because it is a work initiated by God.

 

2. Answering prayers is a blessing.

 

15 Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day, 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.”

(1 Samuel 9:15-16).

 

He is what makes Christians pray because God is already ready to answer.

He leads us to pray because there is an answer to be given first, not when we have to pray for an answer. Saul was sent to Samuel because God had already decided Saul to be king. He decides to make Saul king and calls Saul.

God has already prepared the answers and is asking Christians to pray.

 

7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

(Matthew 7:7)

 

The phrase “Ask, and it will be given to you” does not mean that if you ask, it will be given to you, but rather that you ask because what will be given is already prepared. All prayers have already been answered.

 

3. It is a blessing that God's will is done.

 

17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.” (1 Samuel 9:17).

 

People pray, but answers to prayer are done according to God's will.

Prayer is the doing of God's will. It was God's plan to make Saul king.

Finding the donkey was Saul's wish. Saul went to Samuel with a desperate prayer title of finding a donkey, but God had Saul pray to fulfill his will to make Saul king.

 

Christians pray because God's will came first. Through that prayer, God accomplishes God's will. Prayer is a method initiated by God and is a way to accomplish God's will, so it will always be answered.

Prayer is the absolute blessing of God.