Message Notes

YAG RETREAT
Session #4
Thursday, 31 May 2007
UNANSWERED PRAYER
A. “Unanswered Prayer”

1. Moses

a) His sin in striking the Rock          Numbers 20

b) God’s punishment: Moses will not enter Canaan          Numbers 20:12

c) God refused to hear further pleas from Moses          Deuteronomy 3:26-27

i) Moses pleads with God to enter into Canaan

ii) God forbids Moses to raise up this matter further

2. Hannah 1 Samuel 1-2

a) Problem of childlessness

b) Unanswered prayers for years

c) Problem of “Unanswered Prayer” resolved

3. King Saul

And when Saul inquired of the LORD, The LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or Thummin, Or by the prophets

1 Samuel 28:6

a) Rejection of the Lord’s word by Saul          1 Samuel 15

b) Refusal of the Lord to be inquired by Saul          1 Samuel 28:6

4. The apostle Paul

a) His thorn in the flesh          2 Corinthians 12

b) Prayer to have the thorn removed

c) Prayer request refused

d) Paul would have to learn how to draw upon the grace of God

B. REASONS WHY GOD REFUSES TO ANSWER PRAYER AT TIMES

The case of King Saul          (1 Samuel 8-31)
(Combination of reasons)

a) Saul’s Rejection of the Lord’s word

b) Repeated Disobedience

c) Willful Wickedness

d) Unappreciative of God’s blessings on him

e) Self-willed

f) Unrepentant