Sunday Sermon 10.3.20
The premise is you are praying.
” Is prayer your steering wheel or is it your spare tire?”
Corrie ten Boom
In these days I suppose that there is a good amount of prayer leaving people’s lips and I include you in that group. Our focus today, is to consider Corrie ten Boom’s question, is prayer your steering wheel or is it your spare tire?
Does your prayer steer where you go, the direction you turn, the course you’re on?
Or, do you turn to prayer when you have had a deflating experience, been punctured or are slowly leaking your life’s joy?
As we consider these thoughts, let’s go to a biblical example of steering wheel prayer – Job. The man who had it all, lost it all but wound up with double in the end.
His story is in the 42 chapters of the Bible book that bears his name.
In quick summary, this man lived in the near East, was extremely wealthy, had a large and happy family, was respected in the community and was considered blameless, upright and God-fearing. (he wasn’t an Israelite either.) Job 1
In a heavenly council meeting, God and Satan were discussing Job’s spiritual character, and Satan was given permission by God to mess with Job, ie: take away his flocks, herds, family, home, possessions and health. Job 1-2
What follows is 35 chapters of Job and his “friends” in dialogue back and forth; they accusing him of sinning against God, and he defending his innocence.
At their first sight of Job, they could hardly recognize him, for the disease that had raveged his body. The four of them sat in silence together, no one knowing what to say, or daring to say anything. This went on for 7 days! Talk about awkward silence??!!
Then the speeches begin. Each takes turn throwing out accusations, assertions, theories, defenses, and logic.
Then, in chapter 38 God shows up and “speaks out of the storm.”
For the next 5 chapters (38-42) God speaks to Job, and asks him questions like:
- where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations? 38:4
- have you given orders to the morning or shown the dawn its place? 38:12
- where does darkness reside? 38:19
- do you know the laws of heaven? 38:33
- do you send lightening bolts on their way? 38:35
- do you know when the mountain goats give birth? 39:1
- does the hawk take flight by your wisdom? 39:26
- will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? 40:2
- do you have an arm like God’s? 40:9
- can you pull leviathan with a fishook? 41:1
Job’s humble answer was, ” I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can the thwarted. My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you, therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:2-6
THEN, the Lord spoke again to Job and told him he was angry with his 3 friends because they had not spoken the truth like he, Job had. 42:7
The friends were then told to make an offering and go to Job and have him pray for them. 42:8
We are told that the Lord accepted Job’s prayer and after that prayer, the Lord restored Job’s fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. Double the sheep, camels, pairs of oxen, and donkeys. He had another 10 children and this time his daughters received an inheritance among their brothers.
That was sorta a brief summary.
Was Job’s prayer his steering wheel or his spare tire?
He didn’t pray until the Lord gave him direction to pray for his friends. The Lord actually was steering Job’s prayer.
Although he had plenty of deflating, puncturing and slow leaks happen in his life, his prayer was never something he relied on as a fix it for those flattening experiences.
His prayer was definitely a steering wheel, inspired by God to bring restoration and double portion blessing.
Job’s prayer steered the direction of his life and that of his family and friends. Job’s prayer brought liberty and forgiveness to his friends and abundant blessing to his family.
Job’s prayer, steered by God, brought everything that Job needed.
Among the lessons to learn from Job, here are my big 5:
- God controls everything
- Bad things happen to good people
- Friends get it both right and wrong
- When God speaks He exposes our smallness
- Praying God led prayers brings restoration and double portion
In closing, lets return to the premise. I believe that you are praying.
But what are you praying? Are you praying God led prayers? Are your prayers steered by God? Inspired by God? Motivated by God? Are your prayers steering your life, walk, direction?
For those praying God led prayers comes restoration, double portion blessing, health, and provision.
Will you let Jesus take the wheel? Will you allow him to direct your prayers? Will you let him steer?
If so, you will enter into a new realm of freedom, empowerment, discernment, joy and satisfaction.
What are you praying for?
Go with God.
Under Debra’s Palm 