Bother It // Prayer - ology Part. 3 // Dr. Dharius Daniels

Amen. Some of y'all like, how are we going to do that? I'm like, I don't know. The Lord's going to make a way. Let's go to the book, the gospel according to St. Luke chapter number 18, the gospel according to St. Luke. Give it up for change worship, everybody. What a great time we had in the presence of the Lord. Luke chapter 18 verse one says, then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said in a certain town, there was a judge who neither feared God or cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, grant me justice against my adversary. For some time he refused. And finally he said to himself, even though I don't fear God or care what people think yet, because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice so that she won't eventually come and attack me. I'm going to stop the reading of scripture there. I want to tag this title to this text and our time together. Two words based on verse five, bother it. Clap your hands if you're ready for God's word, bother it. I want to start this sermon with a statement that's simple, but it's significant for those of us that are really serious about our spiritual journey. That statement can be captured in the following phrase. Spiritual success requires spiritual stamina. Spiritual success requires spiritual stamina. In other words, there is some development, there's some achievement, there's some accomplishment that cannot be acquired just because we have desire. There is some development, there's some accomplishment, and there's some achievement that is only

acquired when we have durability. In other words, family, I am simply suggesting that the question that many of us must ask and answer is not, do I have the enthusiasm to start a thing? The question we must ask is, do I have the endurance to finish it? The question isn't, do I have the faith to launch it? The question is, do I have the fortitude to last? The question isn't, do I have the passion to step in it? The question is, do I have the patience to stick with it? Consequently then, I'm arguing that every individual who is serious about their spiritual journey, that is serious about their development as a disciple, must understand and embrace the principle of persistence. And this principle simply suggests that there are some things that we only get when we refuse to give up, and there are some things that are only released when we refuse to let go, and there are some things that we will never get a hold of if we don't learn to hold on. This is the essence of what Paul is articulating in Galatians 6, 9, when he says these words. He says, don't be weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, comma, not period. The comma is communicating the condition. In due season, we will reap if we faint not. See, in culture, we have four seasons, summer, fall, winter, spring. In the kingdom, we got five, winter, spring, summer, fall, and due season. And due season describes the season of life where you reap the reward of resilience. So Paul says there is a due season, but he doesn't say when there's a due season, which means you don't know when you do. So you can be closer to due season than you know. So Paul says, don't be weary in well-doing, because there's a fifth season coming, and it can show up in the winter, in the spring, in the summer, and the fall, where the work starts working. This principle, this principle can be applied. and should be appropriated to every area of our life. We need resilience or persistence professionally.

We need persistence relationally. We'll need persistence emotionally. But in Luke chapter number 18, Jesus has a conversation about persistence in the most consequential catalytic area of our life. Not just financially, not just relationally, not just emotionally, not just professionally. He's talking about persistence spiritually, particularly persistence in the practice of prayer. It's right in the text, in Luke 18, the text says Jesus tells his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. See, I don't think we should just look at what Jesus says before we explore when Jesus said it. Cause this isn't the only conversation that Luke records Jesus talking to his disciples about regarding prayer. This is Luke 18, but in Luke 11 verse one, you will see the text says, when Jesus was at a certain place and he finished praying, the disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray. Do you see this? I said, do you see this? Okay, here's what makes this question interesting. These were not non-praying men. These were not non-religious men. They were already followers of Yahweh.

They were already followers of Jehovah. They were already sons of the commandment. They had gone through bar mitzvah. They were sons of the commandment. They were used to praying, hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one, twice a day. They were used to fixed hours of prayer. They were used to praying over every meal. Yet in all of their religious experience, they had never been exposed to anything that they got like what they got exposed to when they saw Jesus praying here in Luke 11. And so the disciples question here reveals a lesson that I think all of us need to learn. They are willing to let him reteach them something they think they already know. Did you hear what I just said? They had already been praying, but they're looking at Jesus's prayer practices and they're seeing that when you pray, something different happen when you do it than when we do it. So I know what I've been doing, but I need you to teach me how to do that. Because when you start doing it, dead people named Lazarus start getting out of the grave. When you start doing it, blind eyes start being open. When you start doing it, sick people start being well. Now I know I've been doing it a way, but I need you to teach me how to do it your way.

Because when I do it your way, I get your results. And it doesn't matter how long I've been doing it my way, watch this, nor does it matter how much I like doing it my way. Here it is, here it is, because many individuals, are y'all okay? I said, are y'all okay? All the other services got quiet at this point right here, but I know I'm at the 1230, y'all got the bishop back. Are y'all ready? Here it is, some people stay spiritually stuck because they will stick with spiritual practices they like and not embrace spiritual practices they need. Y'all told me you were going to help me. Did you hear what I just said? So there are ways people like to receive the word and the way people like to engage in worship and the way people like to engage in prayer. And sometimes the thing that we like is not always the thing that we need. And we are using the practicing of disciplines in a way that's consistent with what we like. And you know what we get? We get what we like, but we don't get what he promised. It's quiet. Are y'all here? I said, are y'all here? He said, they said, teach us how to pray. And you know what he gave them? The Lord's prayer.

He answers their question by saying, pray in this way. manner, not prayed this particular prayer. Our Father, I don't have time, but if we could get that revelation, that changes prayer. It changes prayer when you go from a creature-creator approach to a father-son approach. We have a relationship. Abba, our Father, who art in heaven, transcendent, hallowed be Jireh, Shalom, Nisi, Tesikkanu, Elyon, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, rule, reign, and government of God. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, which means I don't have to wait until I get to heaven to experience some of what heaven provides. Give us this day. He gives them a pattern for prayer. Are you following me? So that is, it is probably one of the most popular pieces on prayer in Scripture. It's profound, and that's Luke 11. And here Jesus comes, seven chapters later, in Luke 18, and He's talking to them about prayer again. You just finished talking to me about prayer. You just gave me one of the most profound pieces of literature on prayer in human history, and here you are, seven chapters later, talking to me about prayer. Here's what I want you to see. In Luke chapter number 11, verse 1, the disciples initiate the conversation in prayer. Is that right? They recognize the deficit. They recognize, I have to take this to the next level. In Luke 18, the disciples don't initiate the conversation. In Luke 18, Jesus does. He notices the deficit. He realizes, okay, chapter 11 prayer practices have taken you as far as they're going to take you. What life is getting ready to throw you into, we need to have another conversation. Are you hearing what I'm saying? It's not that what you're doing is wrong, but it is that what you're doing, watch this, what you're getting ready to experience is going to require an evolution. So now, we need to have another conversation about something that I just talked to you about because I didn't tell you everything there was to tell you when we first started having a conversation about this. So he says, I need to initiate a conversation because your chapter 19 is going to require a spiritual stamina that chapter 11 practices aren't going to give you. So he says, I know you got the practices of prayer because I taught you that. I know you know the priority of prayer. I taught you that. I even gave you a pattern of prayer. I gave you the Lord's prayer, but none of that will be as effective as it could and should be if I don't teach you something else, and that is persistence in prayer. Because if you have the practices and the pattern and the priority and you don't know how to persist, then you will not see the effectiveness as it

relates to the fruit of prayer in your own life and in the circumstances and situations that you are facing. Are we okay? So the text says, he told them a parable to teach them how to pray and not give up. Now I know what service I'm at, but I do know I got a remnant. They might be in the balcony. I'm just looking for my remnant. I think the balcony got the bishop back today. All right, here it is. Here it is. Here it is. Here it is now. Here's the language the old church would use to describe what Jesus is articulating here. He's teaching them, Christian, the importance of praying through. Did you hear what I said? Is this I know you got the practices of prayer and I know you've got the principle of prayer And I know you got the priority of prayer and the pattern of prayer But you've got to marry all of that with persistence in prayer because when you are attempting to practice this you're gonna deal with the degree and a dimension of Resistance. Ah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And so what happens is if you're dealing with resistance and you don't have Persistence you won't engage in prevailing prayer Prevailing prayer is persistent prayer because it prevails over the things that try to stop you from praying Are y'all here He's saying there is a degree I wish y'all would help me here there is a degree of Warfare you are about to experience. He's trying to get them to see See in chapter 11, they're early on. They're only early on in their discipleship journey So they're evolving and they're not quite That they don't have a revelation of the asset that they are because when you are an asset you become a target You See in chapter 11, they're just kind of changing they like I mean They just got they like change in chapter 5 right with the fish and the boats and all that So so there's a season of your spiritual journey where you're just trying to you know, get you together then all of a sudden God starts pulling you into purpose Now you go from an evolving disciple to a kingdom asset Now you become a target to the kingdom of darkness and So Jesus knows that is coming for the disciples. So he says okay the devil about to turn up the heat I'm trying to teach you to match the energy

Did you hear what I just said He is he is he is laying before us an Attitudinal adjustment that many of us need to have if we're going to properly navigate the vicissitudes that come with Attempting to grow as a disciple of Jesus when the enemy is getting aggressive. You can't be passive You match all other kinds of energy. You gotta learn how to match the devil. Oh, it's up then That's how we coming I'm getting ready to draw a circle around you and you and you oh, I need to pray longer It's up. I need to pray harder. It's up. I need to get in a word more. It's up. Okay This is what we are That's what we are You're trying to take my whole mind, that's what we are You're trying to destroy my whole family. That's what we are I built this business and you're trying to destroy it. That's what it's up I'm fasting. I'm praying. I'm a worshipping I'm not in the energy Spiritual passivity is an indication That the devil has a revelation of your assignment that you don't So your warfare don't make sense to you because you don't see you The way he see you But he believe in your assignment more than you. That's why he fighting you and I came today to tell you It's time for you to fight back Lace up your boots Put on your backpack It's time to rise it's time to rise It's time to rise It's time to rise It's time to rise

It's time to rise It's time to rise It's time to rise It's time to rise It's time to rise We won't get back It's time to rise It's time to rise It's Time To Rise Who can't pick up the pulse? Who don't give a damn? It's time to rise It's time to rise It's time to rise It's time to rise It's time to rise It's time to rise I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go Yes, I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go

I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to... I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way... I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to walk I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go I got some way to go Social or legal standing So if there's a legal issue They could not represent themselves Their husband had to But Jesus says, she's a widow

Okay, don't miss it Don't miss the metaphor, okay Cause you may not be a literal widower or widow But don't miss the metaphor Her husband represented Her safety, her support And her security So no matter what your gender is Or marital status is I want you to think about A season or a chapter in your life Where you lose support You lose safety And you lose security You got me? That's what she's dealing with So there is no husband To do for her What needs to be done But she doesn't sit passively And have a pity party She actually disrupts social order She goes around social sensibilities She goes in her room She gets her purse She call a Uber She pull up To the judges quarters By herself Y'all missed it

So something That historically Or normally Could have only been done With assistance Something she does not have experiencing It's her first time navigating this herself But she does not allow Her inexperience To keep her incarcerated it in a season of injustice this woman looks up to heaven and say are you with me then we got it and i don't know who this is for maybe you in a season where you're having to navigate without the support you used to have without the security you used to have without the safety you used to have you need to look up to heaven and say are you with me well we got it i'm nervous but we got it i'm scared but we got it i'm inexperienced but we got it i don't know how it's going to turn out but we got it i'm almost done and the text says she goes to the judge and jesus says this about the judge he doesn't fear god so he has no moral compass so he doesn't really care about her condition and the text says he doesn't care what people think so he feels no social pressure public scrutiny is not going to impact his judicial decision and the text says she goes up and says i need you to get me justice against my adversary and verse four says for some time he refused for some time he refused so this feels like a no your verse four feels like a no all this praying and i know what's this this uber fare this ride don't miss it this investment i've made in a result i invested financially because that's the fee i invested my time because it took me time and there's no way jesus i know you're not going to let me invest all this time and invest all of these resources and not be able to get a result that would be discouraging that would be disheartening that would put some people in a place of despair and that is when some people where some people stop praying you stop you stop not because you heard no you stop because you heard nothing

and you are interpreting nothing as no but she prayed through discouragement through disappointment through it confusion through it she prayed through she prevailed in prayer over the emotions that come with a verse for experience are y'all hearing me but listen listen verse five says that the judge said because this widow keeps bothering me so he uses the word bothering to describe the action of prayer she keeps making these requests of me she keeps bothering me she won't stop every time i pull in the parking lot she's in my face again and every time i leave for lunch break she's in my face again and every time i leave at the end of the day she's in my face again and when i come back to work the next day she's in my face so watch what the text says text says i must see to it that she gets justice watch this not just because i'm annoyed that's not what so that she won't eventually come and attack me, what kind of energy was she bringing that he even thought she was capable? Y'all aren't hearing what I'm saying. What kind of vibe was he getting? He was like, oh, this is not one to play with right here. And somebody shout me that. You didn't say it like you meant it. Yeah, see, the parable is about prayer. The parable is about prayer. So he's not advocating for violence in life. He is speaking to the importance of a degree of spiritual assertiveness when it comes to prayer. The kingdom of heaven suffered violence and the violent. Did you hear what I just said? It is speaking of a warfare mentality that we must possess

when it comes to storming the gates of Hades. Y'all aren't talking to me that are attempting to adversely impact what God wants to do in my life. And here is what I've been thinking through and praying through. I've been praying, Lord, give this contemporary church old school oil. Come on, Lord, give us some ancient oil that our grandmothers and great grandmothers had who would get an attitude over a fever. Did you hear what I said? Who would get an attitude over lack and they would pray with authority and pray with assertiveness and pray like Jacob and say, I will not let you go until you bless me. Lord, give us some old oil. You can't be passive now. You can't be fragile now. You can't be weak now. You out here now. You already told God, yes. You out here now. You better square up now. We can't survive verse four. So I'm almost done. Here it is. Here it is. Here it is. Here it is. Here it is.

The text says, this man said, I got to see to it that she gets justice. I'm going to make whatever arrangements I have to make, to make sure she gets handled justice. I'm going to talk to, y'all missing this. I'm going to talk to whoever I need to talk to. Did you hear what I just said? And God's communication has no communication barriers. There's no language barrier that can stop him. There's no species barrier that can stop him. The Bible says in Jonah that God spoke to a whale and the whale had to spit Jonah out because God speak well. I don't know what has consumed you, but God knows how to get through to it. And when God gets through to it, whatever's consuming you has to let you go. He says, I'm going to see to it. I'm going to call whoever I need to call. I'm going to move whoever I need to move. I'm going to replace whoever I need to replace. I'm going to raise up whoever I need to raise up. I'm going to pull down whoever I need to pull down. I'm going to see to it that she gets justice. Now I'm almost done before y'all walk out on me. I'm almost done, but listen to this. Give me verse eight. Give me verse one again. Give me verse one. Jesus told his disciples. Somebody say disciples.

He didn't say just mentees. He said what? This word here, cause a lot of people, this is, I love church. I love church. But in church, we be doing some stuff. And church is the only place we can use a bunch of words and nobody ever make you tell them what that mean. I mean, I first got saved, they'd be like, you need to get in the spirit. I'm like, okay, somebody tell me. I don't know what that mean, right? Come on now, am I making sense? Okay. Now, so this is one of those words. This word is traditionally interpreted as a student. That's not incorrect, but it's incomplete. It's like, that's not even, this is not a matter of interpretation. That's not what the word means. It's like saying green means orange. That's not what the word means. It means student, learner, apprentice. Apprentice. So, I don't want you to think classroom teacher. I want you to think basketball trainer. I'm not just teaching you concepts. I'm teaching you how to do something. Are y'all here? This isn't just like classroom instruction. He's like, I'm teaching you how to do it. So, you remember the scripture in Matthew where Jesus says, come unto me, all you who

are weary, heavy laden, I'll give you rest, right? Take my yoke upon you and learn of me. And y'all know a yoke was like this apparatus they would put like on animals to like guide and control animals. Does it make sense? Y'all know that's what unequally yoke come from? Is don't have a, don't put a donkey on this side and then an ox on the other side. Right? Okay. So, Jesus, so a yoke for a rabbi represented a set of teachings. So just like that, that apparatus would guide animals, Jesus said, my yoke is a set of teachings. And just like it guides the direction of the animals, my set of teachings is going to guide your life. So he says, come to me, take my set of teachings upon you and learn from me and my teachings will guide you throughout life. Y'all follow me? So he's trying to teach us to do something. I'm trying to teach you that discipling, discipleship isn't just about learning, it's about doing. So I'm not a disciple if I can quote it. That just means I have a good memory. It's can I, can I do it? And so Jesus here is not just teaching them. He's talking to disciples. He's not just teaching them that they should pray and not give up. He's also teaching them how to pray and not give up. It's in the text. Because the woman kept going back and the woman kept going back and the woman kept going back. Now, when we get to heaven, I'm going to ask her what she said. But I can't stop and I'm almost done, but I can't stop just by telling us we should

be persistent because that's teaching, but it is not apprenticeship. Boy, if I, I don't, whoo. And I think the, it's not the education depth, like some of our spiritual challenges are not education deficits. It's application deficits, but some of the application deficits are because those that are educating us are teachers, but not practitioners. So because I don't, I can't teach you how if I don't, I can teach you what and never do it. But to teach you how I have to be a practitioner. I have to become a practicing theologian, not just a person that's theologizing, but a person who is practicing what I'm theologizing and then presenting out of what's been practiced. Okay. So it's one thing for me to say, be persistent. Here's what will happen in normal religious setting. What we always do when we're told to do something in church and not how, not how to do it. We try to use human effort now to get a spiritual result. So if I said, hey, you got to have prayer stamina and know how to pray through a chapter four, verse number four, what we're going to do generally speaking, if I leave you with no further instruction, you're going to go home and you're going to try to pray harder. And you, and you, I mean, you, you, you real enthusiastic about it till about three days. because then we're unintentionally doing what Paul told believers in Galatia not to do. He said, are you trying to perfect in the flesh what was begun in the Spirit? You're trying to use human effort to get a spiritual result. And he's like, you don't just need me to start it, you need me to finish. That I got you dependent on me, not just on my instruction. So you can't even do my instruction without me. So I got to tell you what to do, then you got to realize you can't do it without me, then you got to invite me into the process to help you do what I instructed you to do. So here's what happens, and I know it's not every, this is not a lot of you, but for some of us, this was my story. You hear a message like praying through, you hear people say, man, I was in prayer for

hours. Then you kind of get confused, because you like, I had a good four minutes. I mean, I said everything I needed to say. But then you feel guilty. So in an attempt, and I'm not even going to bother this, but the degree to which Titus 116 says, to the pure all things are pure, for even their conscience has been defiled. So we got to differentiate between the conscience and the spirit, because they're not the same thing. Because you can feel okay about something that's wrong if your conscience isn't under the influence of the spirit. This is why there's stuff that checks you now and didn't check you before. You know more now. So you can have guilt that's not actually anchored in truth. It can be guilt based on what you think is true. So now, because you're in prayer and you said all you got to say, now you're like, okay, but they prayed three hours, so let me now use faith filibusters and church colloquialisms to fill up time, because somehow I feel like the length is the strength. Now, here's what we do. This means we unintentionally slide into what Jesus calls in Matthew 6, vain babbling. Vain babbling isn't just saying vain things. Vain babbling is spiritual and religious rambling. It is when there's a disconnect between what's coming out of my mouth and what I'm connected with in my heart. They draw not on me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me. Is that the book? In vain do they worship me. So this religious Reddit. So now, I just got to make up stuff while I'm there so I don't feel this religious guilt about not being able to pray through. So now, I'm just simply repeating over and over again. When even though this text doesn't tell us how to pray through, the Bible makes it very clear how to pray through, so that I've got stamina with substance. What does this look like practically? Number one, it looks like praying not just...praying through not just with a passion, but with a practice. So, what is the practice? It is the spiritual practice of praying Scripture. Now, we've been taught to read Scripture, but there's a practice of praying Scripture, and it doesn't necessarily mean opening your Bible and just praying verses. Praying Scripture is simply taking the Word of God and turning it into the words

of prayer. So now, I don't have to worry about trying to filibuster because I'm not just saying what I'm saying. I'm talking to you about what you said, and you have said so much to me that it gives me more to talk to you about. And then praying Scripture now decreases and diminishes the anxiousness associated with my prayers because now I'm not wondering if I'm praying what you want. I know I'm praying what you want because you said it in your word. So, the only way, once I've run out of my words, use your words, but once you run out of your words, the only way to have prayer stamina is you've got to pray Scripture or pray in the Spirit. I'm not talking about praying in the Spirit today, but those are the only two. Once you run out of words, once you run out of words, you go into vain babbling if you don't pray Scripture or pray in the Spirit. So, pastor, what does this look like practically? Three quick things. Number one, it means I pray the promises of God. There are certain situations that Scripture has a direct promise. Scripture has a direct promise, excuse me, for certain situations. Very specific. Scripture speaks specifically to it. If you're in a situation and you need wisdom... James 1.5 speaks specifically to this. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask who? Who gives generously to all. He doesn't give stingy, he gives generously without finding fault. For those who feel like you're not worthy to receive wisdom, he gives generously without finding fault. Specific promise. Does that make sense? But then you and I are going to be in some situations where there is no specific promise in scripture that speaks to that situation. There's no scripture that says, this is the breakup scripture. So when there's no specific scripture, what are we praying? Now, we're praying the principles of God.

It is a governing scriptural principle that does not specifically speak to that situation, but logically, without error, without exegetical stretching, logically would apply to that situation. So there is no working in a hostile environment scripture. But David worked in a hostile environment because his boss Saul was throwing spears at him. And Daniel worked in a hostile environment because his peers are the reason he got in the lion's den. Are you all here? And Proverbs 16.7 says, when a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. So that is not a specific promise, but it is a governing principle. And I can take you to Daniel. Did Daniel's ways please the Lord? Because he kept praying. I could take you to David. When Saul threw spears at David, did David throw them back? No, his ways pleased the Lord. I don't even have time to deal with that. But that be at peace doesn't even mean that God makes them peaceable. It means he makes them be at peace. He's not even talking about their affection towards you. He's talking about the ineffectiveness of their ability to impact you. Sometimes they choose to stop, other times he make them. Okay, tario, they done. Promises of God, principles of God. After you ran out of your words, how do you pray through? You pray the promises of God. You pray the principles of God. So if I'm in a situation where I need wisdom, I'm saying, Father, you said in your word.

Lord, I got a decision to make. I'm scared. I don't want to make the wrong decision. I'm too tired to make the wrong decision. I'm too old to make the wrong decision. I'm tired of recovering from bad decisions. So now I'm praying to my understanding, right? I'm using my words. I'm anxious about this. I'm upset about this. I'm afraid about this. And this next series that I'm going to do after Easter, you're going to be more comfortable saying that because some of you trying to be a God and God became a man to show you how to be one anyway. The incarnation is God showing you how to be human, not God, God, Lee, not God made in God's image and likeness. Not God. He doesn't want little gods. He wants little humans. And as a human, I get confused as a human, I get anxious as a human, I get unsure as a human. I wrestle with confidence. That's not my flesh. That's my humanity. He's not going to make me an angel. Even up on the resurrection, I'm getting another body. Human is my destiny anyway, anyway, here's my point. Those are my words. But then when I run out of my words, now I'm going to pray the scripture. You said in your word that you would give me wisdom liberally.

Now you didn't say I would feel wisdom. You say you would give it. So I don't feel any smarter. But I believe as I make this decision, you got it. Pray promises, pray principles, pray. Y'all okay? Number three, you pray the names of God. Y'all look at me. Some of you, you haven't memorized Philippians 4.19 yet, but you've been in name dropping. So even when you can't connect a specific scripture, God's names reveal his nature. So when you find yourself in a season where you... You need provision. Now, even if you're not going to him with an awareness of what he said he would do, you're going to him with an awareness of who he is. Now, Lord, you Jireh. When I find myself in a battle, Lord, you're Nisi. When I find myself needing peace, Lord, you're Shalom. This is the way we actually pray through. Not with passion, but with practices. I'm going to use my words to empty my heart before the Father. As a human, this is what I'm feeling. Father, if it's possible, remove this cup from me. Those are his words. I'm going to lay my heart before the Father. I don't want to do this. I'm going to use my words. And then after I use my words, I'm not going to vain babbling. I'm going to use your words. And I'm going to say back to you what you said to me.

And then after I pray your promises, if there's no specific promise, I'm going to pray your principle. And if I can't connect the principle, if my mind's not working that way, I'm going to pray your name. I'm going to pray your nature. I'm going to pray through my verse four. And I'm going to step into my verse five. Because I'm not going to take you saying nothing as meaning you said no. I submit to your no. But I'm going to pray through that nothing. I'm going to make you tell me no. I got to go. Y'all tired. I'm going to make you tell me no. I'm going to pray until you tell me that's not it. Okay, Jesus. But until you tell me no, I'm going to bother it. We're done. I want to pray for you. Nobody move in really quick. I want to pray for you. I'm going to have my team upload a prayer liturgy I wrote. Because part of what I believe the Holy Spirit wants to deliver some of you from is intimidation. When it comes to some of these practices. And in church, sometimes we make it difficult to admit I'm a little intimidated by that.

Some of you are more developed in this journey and you don't realize your own development is intimidation for people. And it doesn't mean they're insecure. Sometimes it just means they're uneducated. That it's okay for them to not be where you are. Because they've been in it a year. You've been in it 10. Which is why we have to talk more about progressive sanctification. Because some of you, you're in your 20. And you're trying to pull somebody in 20 days to a place it took you 20 years to get to. All the processing and humbling and circumstantial sanctification that God had to do, they don't get to skip that process just because you give them some notes. You had to be crushed and broken and they will have to be crushed and broken. You had to learn how to wait and they're gonna have to learn how to wait. God had to humble you and God's gonna have to humble them. And there is no note. So as your pastor, I'm telling you, you're gonna be okay. You're gonna get this right. And I know you feel like you're behind schedule. You on time. Yeah. If you'd have got this word six years ago, you wouldn't have been ready for it.

God knew the season you would be open and receptive to this word. And if you put it into practice, you're gonna see the redemption of time. God's gonna make it up to you. So in this church, never feel the pressure to pretend like you're already at a place we can actually get you to if you be honest about where you are. You don't have to pretend you're there here. We know how to get you there. And listen to your pastor now. This next season of your life, chapter 11 prayer practices will not sustain you. You gotta go to chapter 18. You gotta learn how to pray through. What happens with you spiritually affects you emotionally, but what happens with you emotionally affects you spiritually. You're not even gonna feel like praying sometime. And you got to pray through your guilt, see I ain't even got time to bother that. You got to pray through your guilt when you made a mistake. Because the devil won't, see the Bible says you should run boldly to it. Because the grace, because the throne is a grace throne. But the devil will have you running from. You got to pray through guilt and pray through shame and pray through disappointment. Oh man, I didn't have time. Could you not watch with me one hour? And the same, I don't have time, but the same one that was falling asleep is the same one that was praying all night on a roof in Acts 10. But you got to go through your season where you're falling asleep because you'll never

get good at it. If you don't accept, I'm not good at it. The same Peter that could not pray with Jesus for one hour is on a roof in Acts 10 praying all night. I pray that over you. You might be in a season where you're inconsistent. You might be in a season where you're not persistent. But I pray that God gets you to Acts 10 and all of a sudden you don't have to fight to pray. You don't have to fight to stop praying. It's the name. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May he cause his face of favor to shine up on you. May he be gracious to you. May he protect you. May he provide for you and may he grant you peace. This is my prayer in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. We get ready. Listen to me. Some of you know right now God is breaking more than what I pray for. And if he's done, you leave. But if he is not finished, you let him finish. There is nothing special about this altar. But listen to me. But sometimes it's not that God needs us to get to the altar to do something. Sometimes we need to get to the altar for God to do something. And I sense God's spirit at work untangling you from some stuff. And I don't want you to cut God's work prematurely if he's not done.

Now don't stay with church guilt. If you feel like he's done, he's done. But if you know he's not, don't you rush. You let God finish his work. We're not raising our voice, but it's breaking off of you. In Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Amen.