PRAYER THAT CONTROLS OUR DESIRES


A. "LORD, ALL MY DESIRE IS BEFORE THEE: AND MY GROANING IS NOT HID FROM THEE" - PSALMS 38:9
  1. These words of prayer by David:
    1. Indicate how fully David believed in the efficacy of prayer
    2. How deeply the prayer life was rooted in his soul - it controlled all his desires
  2. They ought to be a great incentive to us:
    1. To emulate his prayer life
    2. To make sure that when we pray that all our desire, our affections center in the God of salvation
B. "LORD, ALL MY DESIRE IS BEFORE THEE: AND MY GROANING IS NOT HID FROM THEE"
  1. My desire - what is it and what does it include?
    1. An inward longing, coveting - 2 Sam. 23:5 Examples: the captives of Judah in the land of their enemies longed for their homeland - Ps. 126; Paul's deep desire to become more like his Lord and Saviour - Phil. 3:1-14
    2. An expressed wish or petition - Ps. 10:17; I Kings 2:20; Examples: Solomon's expressed wish of the Lord was that he may have a wise and understanding heart to rule Israel - I Kings 3:9-14; Simeon's longing was that he would see the salvation of the God of Israel before he died - Luke 2:27-30
  2. My desire - what is it? - my personal desire is fourfold:
    1. To walk with God as Enoch walked in days of old - Gen. 5:22-24
    2. To be an overcomer over all the evil tendencies in my life - this desire is deep rooted in me because I am aware that unless and until I get the mastery over these inclinations, they will master me - Rom. 6:16
    3. For I realize that God's precious promises are to those only who are overcomers - Rev. 21:7
    4. My longing is to be a fellow heir of God's gracious promises
    5. Last, but not least, I like to become more like the Lord Jesus, who loved me and gave himself for me - Phil. 3:9-14; Gal. 2:20
C. LET US NOTE FURTHER THESE GLORIOUS AND SOUL-SAVING TRUTHS OF OUR OPENING TEXT
  1. When all our desires are embodied in our prayer:
    1. It includes our whole life - body, soul, and spirit - that is I believe the meaning of the first commandment, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" - Matt. 22:37; Deut. 6:4-6
    2. When our prayers are that inclusive - they cannot, they will not be formal lip-service, as the case of some are - Is. 29:13; Matt. 6:5,7,8
    3. They are bound to be effective; they will be heard from the throne of grace says the Lord, "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart" - Jer. 29:13; Hos. 10:12-13
  2. The words of the Psalmist represents a state of hallowed privilege:
    1. That in prayer we may make known to a prayer-answering God all our desires - unworthy as we are; Examples: The publican in prayer - Luke 18:13; the thief on the cross in prayer - Luke 23:42-44; the centurion - Matt. 8:5-10
    2. That there is hope of our desire to be satisfied for our God never fails those who look to him for the blessings they desire of him
    3. Here, too, is a large rest for our soul; how quiet a man may be and ought to be, who can speak to God thus
    4. Here, too, is comfortable thought for seasons of weakness and of discouragement, for instance, when difficulties in life seem to darken our hopes, we are permitted to bring all our desires before the Lord


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