September 18, 2016

Promises with a Purposes

Pastor: Jeff Bedwell Series: The Great Eight Scripture: Romans 8:26–29

The Great Eight
Promises with a Purpose
Romans 8:26-29

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Two of the most challenging areas for many followers of Jesus are prayer and God’s will, these verses speak to these two areas.

Two Promises

1. We do not Pray Alone (26-27)

“weakness” – We do not know What to pray for

“groanings” - The Holy Spirit comes alongside us to help bear a Heavy Load

Contrast: We do not know but the Spirit knows!

Encouragement from These Verses:

  • We are supposed to Pray

“pray without ceasing,” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

  • Don’t expect prayer to be Easy
  • Prayer Changes Things

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7–8)

“You do not have, because you do not ask.” (James 4:2)

Mostly prayer Changes Me

  • We can pray with Confidence in God’s enabling, empowering Spirit

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26)

“Lord, I want what you want more than I want what I want”

2. God is a work even when we can’t fully Understand It (28)

“We know” – This we can be Certain Of

“All things” – Not just Some Things

“God works” – Not just luck, fate or chance

“For the good” – Not always for our Desires or our immediate gain

“Of those who love God, for those called according to His purpose” – This isn’t a promise for the Whole World

Two Purposes

  1. The Accomplishment of God’s will
  2. Conformity to Christ’s character

Living It Out

Pray as if it all depends on God; Work & Obey as if it all depends on me

“And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.” (Nehemiah 4:9)

God wants us to pray and live with a God-Centered Confidence

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,” (Ephesians 3:20)

“For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” (Colossians 1:29)

“for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Genesis 50:20)

Making It Personal

In light of these promises of God:

The Promise I Need To Believe and Meditate On:

The Area of My Life Where I Most Need to Pray Trusting in the Help of God’s Holy Spirit:

The Step of Obedience/Risk That God is Calling Me to Take Trusting That God Is at Work in the Midst of it All:

other sermons in this series

Sep 25

2016

Inseparable & Unconquerable

Pastor: Jeff Bedwell Scripture: Romans 8:31– :39 Series: The Great Eight

Sep 11

2016

Perspective Matters

Pastor: Jeff Bedwell Scripture: Romans 8:18–25 Series: The Great Eight

Aug 28

2016

I Belong to Him

Pastor: Jeff Bedwell Scripture: Romans 8:14–17 Series: The Great Eight