The Fire of Delayed Answers
Exodus 3:1-10
Introduction:
- A variety of reasons why prayers aren’t answered
- Have a friend who lost his voice during surgery
o Worship leader, pianist, teacher
o still waiting for answer
- there are times when God delays an answer to prayer – we don’t always understand
1. Moses background
a. Born, raised, flees to Midian
b. Encounters burning bush years later
c. Remove sandals
i. Remove anything that comes between you and the holiness of God
ii. Holy ground – God can make the dust of the desert holy
iii. What did God use to make humanity? Dust of the earth
iv. If God can make the dust of the desert holy, He can make us holy
v. Holiness comes from contact with that which is Holy!
vi. Does not come from trying to be holy
d. God has seen, heard, is concerned, & comes down (Ex 3:7-8)
e. How long were God’s people in slavery?
i. Some say 400, 430, or 215 years
2. Why are there delayed answers?
a. Ask according to His will – 1 John 5:14
i. If you don’t know His will – ask!
b. Ask in faith – James 1:6
i. Don’t doubt who you are in Christ
ii. Stop listening to the lies of the enemy
c. Ask until faith is built in us – Luke 18:6
i. God’s heart is to give justice – and quickly!
ii. Delayed answer is to build faith in us – we believe His word regardless of circumstances
d. Ask In submission to Christ before expecting submission – I Peter 3:7, Ephesians 5
i. Illustration of pilot and co-pilot, who are captain and first officer
ii. Have defined responsibilities; follow rules of FAA
iii. They work as a team – argument leads to disaster
iv. Eg US Airways landing on Hudson.
v. Tower suggests Teterboro; Captain decides on Hudson River
e. Ask while breaking strongholds through prayer & fasting – Mark 9:29
i. See Isaiah 58 and 2 Corinthians 10
3. Through the fire
a. Sometimes instant answers
b. Sometimes delayed answers
c. Sometimes through the fire of delayed answers – not around it
d. What is the goal?
i. For God to allow His people to go through the fire of unanswered prayers, and not be consumed
e. What is God saying to Moses at the burning bush?
i. God wants to take Moses through the fire of delivering the Israelites out of Egypt, without being burned or consumed.
f. What is the fire for Moses?
i. Blamed by the people for increased suffering
ii. His leadership rejected by Israelite leaders
iii. Pharaoh’s double-mindedness and hardness of heart – even to the Red Sea
g. God brought Daniel through the fire without the smell of smoke
h. God is looking for workers and leaders:
i. Who can trust Him in the fire of delayed answers
ii. Who know they are still loved by Him
iii. Who know they have not been abandoned
iv. Who know the injustice is temporary
v. Who value what God says more than what man says
vi. Who believe the answer is on its way
vii. Who believe it is possible to come through the fire without a hint of bad attitude smoke
4. What about my friend who lost his voice in surgery?
a. he is now an author and prayer warrior
b. believing that the answer to his prayer is on its way
延遲回應的火焰
經文: 出三:1-10
1. 摩西的背景
- 遇見燒著的荊棘
- 神已經看見聽見想到及下來
- 神的子民作了多久的奴隸
2. 為什麼遲延回應?
- 照祂的旨意祈求
- 憑著信心求
- 祈求到祂改變我們
- 透過禁食及禱告攻破堅固的營壘
3. 瞬間回應及遲延回應
- 有時候經過火燒 – 但不在其中
- 經過火燒但沒有火燒的味道