Think on These Things
Scripture: Philippians 4:8Devotional Series: Effectual Fervent Prayer
Teaching: Effectual Fervent Prayer pt. 1 (SUN_AM 2023-03-26) by Pastor Star R Scott
The admonition of seeking the Lord and seeking Him early is found in Luke, Chapter 11, verse 9. It tells us in that classic verse that every one of us is familiar with—but again, as we put it into this study on prayer—and in this classic verse, Luke 11:9, Jesus says, “I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you”; amen? “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts,” James (4:3) says. So, we’re getting ready to come into the presence of God, we’re searching our own hearts, and we’re coming to a place where we’re pulling down every evil thought—you know, we seem to think evil thoughts are—well, we’re not talking about murders and adulteries and drunkenness. Evil thoughts are anything that’s contrary to the mind and heart and will of God. That’s an evil thought. And we need to understand that more. We think it’s neutral; it’s not neutral. Any more than where He says, “You’re either for me or against me” (Matthew 12:30); amen? You love Me or you hate Me.
In the developing of the mind of Christ, we are to “think on these things,” the Scripture says (Philippians 4:8). We have that discipline when we come to God, so we don’t go into the presence of God with an agenda. We don’t waste our time in prayer telling God what we want done, how it should be done, who we think deserves it or not; amen? We come into His presence and say, “Lord” —and we’ll look at it in just a moment over in Hezekiah—and we lay the situation out before God; amen? Like we need to tell God what’s going on. He’s omnipresent; He’s omniscient; amen? But we come to the Lord, and we say, “Lord, look at these circumstances.” We can almost approach prayer with the Glen Thorpe analysis of the book of Psalms—in School of the Prophets, some of you took the course—and Glen’s basic summation was this, the book of Psalms is: “Lord, bless me, and kill my enemies.” But in reality, we see in the book of Psalms: “Lord, teach me your ways”; amen? “See if there be any wicked way in me” (Psalm 139:24).
Whenever we’re in conflict, as it pertains to the body of Christ especially, whenever we’re in conflict, don’t we first start to look at ourselves? Or do we go to prayer and say, “I thank God I’m not like this man” (Luke 18:11)? Isn’t it tragic how much of our praying is, “I thank God that I’m not like these guys over here; straighten them out, Lord”? Now, I know none of you ever face that but I’m just sharing that in case you have a close friend that deals with that so you can love them. We come into the presence of God—if we’re going to pray effectually, then that heart of David in Psalm 51 has to become a part of our being; amen? That heart’s cry of David in his repentance, comes down to this, “Take not thy Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11). Praise God. When we are practicing the presence of God, the Holy Spirit has come as that Comforter to abide within us, to bring to our remembrance all the things that Jesus did and taught. The heart of God, the character of Christ.
In the developing of the mind of Christ, we are to “think on these things,” the Scripture says (Philippians 4:8). We have that discipline when we come to God, so we don’t go into the presence of God with an agenda. We don’t waste our time in prayer telling God what we want done, how it should be done, who we think deserves it or not; amen? We come into His presence and say, “Lord” —and we’ll look at it in just a moment over in Hezekiah—and we lay the situation out before God; amen? Like we need to tell God what’s going on. He’s omnipresent; He’s omniscient; amen? But we come to the Lord, and we say, “Lord, look at these circumstances.” We can almost approach prayer with the Glen Thorpe analysis of the book of Psalms—in School of the Prophets, some of you took the course—and Glen’s basic summation was this, the book of Psalms is: “Lord, bless me, and kill my enemies.” But in reality, we see in the book of Psalms: “Lord, teach me your ways”; amen? “See if there be any wicked way in me” (Psalm 139:24).
Whenever we’re in conflict, as it pertains to the body of Christ especially, whenever we’re in conflict, don’t we first start to look at ourselves? Or do we go to prayer and say, “I thank God I’m not like this man” (Luke 18:11)? Isn’t it tragic how much of our praying is, “I thank God that I’m not like these guys over here; straighten them out, Lord”? Now, I know none of you ever face that but I’m just sharing that in case you have a close friend that deals with that so you can love them. We come into the presence of God—if we’re going to pray effectually, then that heart of David in Psalm 51 has to become a part of our being; amen? That heart’s cry of David in his repentance, comes down to this, “Take not thy Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11). Praise God. When we are practicing the presence of God, the Holy Spirit has come as that Comforter to abide within us, to bring to our remembrance all the things that Jesus did and taught. The heart of God, the character of Christ.