Devil interrupts your prayer

날짜: 
2002/07/30
설교: 

1 Peter 4:7 Devil interrupts your prayer
The theme of the united revival meeting for Calgary was 'prayer'. Our family, society and nation can be changed through prayer. After listening to the preacher's message, we prayed together for more than 15 minutes. I gave thanks to God as I heard the loud voice of prayer, "Lord, I thank you, for I can hear this loud voice of prayer in our church. I believe something good will happen to our church through this prayer."
I thanked God for the united revival meeting and good sanctuary. And I thanked God for men and women's attendance and praising team in the united revival meeting. God is pleased with worship, especially with united worship. Psalms 133:1 says, "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together !" I am sure God was very pleased with the united service and united prayer.
The preacher said, "When I say 'Let's pray together.', some churches cannot pray more than 2 minutes. But some churches can pray more than 20 minutes. Which church is your church ?"
When I heard this question, I thanked God, "Lord, I thank you for our church members because they can pray more than 20 minutes. I believe something good will happen to us by the prayful members."
Brother and sisters, I am the pastor who emphasize prayer. I can say obviously, "If I did not pray, I would perish, my family and our church would perish. But I prospered and my family and our church prospered because I prayed. If I pray on and on, I and my family and our church will prosper."
Prayer touches God's heart. God works through the men of prayer. God gives his Spirit to the men of prayer. God leads the men of prayer. God blesses the men of prayer. God's works begin from prayer and end in prayer. Without prayer, the works go worse and worse. Bible puts emphasis on prayer.
"Pray continually."(Thess 5:17) "The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self controlled so that you can pray."(1 Peter 4:7) "Devote yourselves to prayer."(Col 4:2) "Why are you sleeping ? Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation."(Luke 22:46) "Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."(luke 21:36) "I urge that request, prayers, intercession be made for everyone."(1 Tim 2:1)
"Is any one of you in trouble ? He should pray."(James 5:13) "Do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."(Phil 4:6) "Pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."(James 5:16) "My house will be a house of prayer."(Luke 19:46)
Brothers and sisters, church is the house of prayer. We have to pray in our house, at our works and everywhere, especially in the church. When we meet the church members, we have to pray together. Therefore many say, "Let's pray when we are together, let's preach when we are apart."
Brothers and sisters, I pray like this, "Lord, let me pray until I die. Let me pray sufficiently." I know "If I do not pray, I perish." Prayer is my greatest fortune, biggest happiness and strongest weapon. Prayer makes me strong, happy and joyful. Without prayer I cannot live even a day in Calgary. Without prayer I cannot construct the kingdom of heaven in Calgary. Without prayer we cannot live as the children of God.
Brothers and sisters, do you want to live as the children of God ? Pray. Do you have sickness ? Pray. Do you have any problems ? Pray. Your problems can be solved by prayer. Something good will happen through prayer. But keep this in your mind. Devil interrupts your prayer with trickery. Sometimes the devil says, "Hey, you are too busy to pray. You have to study. You have to meet the persons for help. You have to collect the information by newspaper or computer."
But don't forget. Studying without prayer, meeting persons without prayer and collecting without prayer make you tired. And it is a waste of time. Prayer must be the first of all. If you have much time, pray in advance. Your prayer is effective for your future. And don't forget to pray even if you are very busy. Your success depends on prayer.
Devil says, "Hey, you don't need to pray because God knows all. Prayer only needs when you are urgent." But Jesus says, "No, you must pray continuously. If you do not pray, something bad will happen to you, and you will be unhappy."
Brothers and sisters, why do you not pray ? Maybe is it because you have heard the voice of the devil ? Or do you say ? "It's because of that person or that problem." If you cannot pray, it is a sign of danger and an omen of disaster, and you are being defeated by the devil. But if you pray fervently, something good will happen to you, misfortune will be turned into blessings.
Let me tell you my story. When I was a youth, my mother felt very tired and her face became swollen. From that time I heard an urgent voice in my heart, "Your mother will die. Pray, pray, pray."
But at that time I did not know how to pray. So I said to my mother, "Mother, I want to go to the church tomorrow early morning. Please wake me up." My mother was very pleased and said, "Sure, I will wake you up. Sleep early."
Around the early morning, my mother appeared and said, "Wonhyo, I've already returned home from the church. So sleep tightly." "Why did you not wake me up ?" I replied and tried to sleep again. But after a while, I heard the voice of my mother, "Wonhyo, it is about time to go to the church. Wake up !" I asked mother, "Mother, just a while ago you said to me 'I've already returned home from the church. So sleep tightly.' Didn't you ?" Then my mother said "No, I didn't !"
Later I could realize that the devil disguised himself as my mother and told me with the voice of my mother. On that day I went to the church and prayed with tears, "God, help my mother out of the danger of death." From that time my mother's swollen face became normal and she did not feel tired.
Brothers and sisters, don't forget. Devil hates prayer. Sometimes the devil might tell you to go to the church. But he never say to you "Pray." He says, "Don't pray for more than 30 minutes. It is fanatic !" If you try to more than an hour, the devil will interrupt your prayer desperately, for if you pray more than an hour, the devil must run away. If you pray more than an hour a day with love and with truth, the devil of curse, the devil of diseases and the devil of unhappiness will run away.
Therefore pray like this, "Lord, give me the spirit of prayer so that I pray fervently everyday." I want all of you to enjoy successful and happy life through prayer and to build up the church through prayer. Amen !