Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

THE PRAYER OF LISTENING

1. It is noteworthy that the Psalmist envisioned prayer as being more than just talking to the Lord:
   1. He included the prayer of listening on mans part
2. Most suppliants forget:
   1. That listening to what the Lord has to say to us is a major element in successful prayer
   2. Prayer then is a two-way communication; man with God and God with man

1. That in prayer we commune with God:
   1. When we pray we commune; we share with our heavenly Father; it is a participation by both; Examples: The Lord gave instructions to Moses how He would commune with him over the mercy seat - Ex. 25:22; said Samuel to the Lord, "Speak, for thy servant heareth" - I Sam. 3:10
   2. It must be regretted by most of us that when we pray, we do not take time to listen to what our heavenly Father may have to say to us
   3. We forget that communion with God in prayer includes listening by us
   4. True communion is a mutual intercourse, and that means that our prayer is one-sided unless and until we have listened to the Lord also.
2. "I will hear what the Lord will speak":
   1. When we do that, our prayer room will become the counsel chamber of the almighty
   2. Of the Son of God it is written, "His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father" - Is. 9:6
   3. How different might my life have been if listening to the Lord had always been a major part in my supplication before the Lord
   4. Here is food for serious thought; prayer is very incomplete unless and until it includes listening to our heavenly Father

1. We have the word of His promise that He will answer when we make known our petition:
   1. "Call on me, and I will answer thee" - Jer. 33:3
   2. "For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them" - Duet. 4:7
2. It must be said that the listening part of our prayer is not easy:
   1. We are not accustomed to wait and listen to God, if we would realize that the Lord is very anxious to speak words of hope and encouragement to us, we would linger longer
   2. Note, please, the Psalmist's resolve, "I will here" - that is a personal resolve- and it is also a firm resolve
   3. And no one will ever hear what the Lord has to say to them without such a resolve. The devil hates such hearing of God, and he will do all he can to prevent it
   4. It is a most sincere resolve - the hearing means no mere listless listening; Examples: Abraham was accustomed to listening to the Lord, and when he heard the voice of God, "Behold, here I am" - Gen. 22:1-11
3. Perhaps one of the most difficult parts of our listening prayer is:
   1. Our not being fully prepared to carry out what the Lord wants us to do - the rich young ruler was not ready for that - Matt. 19:16-20; Jonah was unwilling to carry out the commission the Lord gave him - Jonah 1:3; Saul disobeyed the instruction the Lord gave him - I Sam. 15:9,23
   2. For when we come to God it must be in full surrender to His holy will; until that happens, our prayers are very incomplete
4. But we must not overlook the Psalmist's expectations of what the Lord would say:
   1. "He will speak peace unto his people"
   2. Said the Lord, through Jeremiah, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you . . . thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end" - Jer. 29:11
5. Peace - the peace of God is:
   1. Is what the world is in need of
   2. Our society needs that peace; the family needs that peace; and each of us needs it