Four Reasons to Keep Praying for an Answer

[Four Reasons to Keep Praying for an Answer](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) Current Teaching Series [Hard Questions](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) [Listen to Today's Broadcast](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) [Four Reasons to Keep Praying for an Answer](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) By Rick Warren — March 30, 2020 [Facebook](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) [Twitter](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) [Pinterest](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) [Email](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) [Devotional image from Rick Warren](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) “Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers.” Ephesians 6:18 (NLT) Why should you be persistent in your prayers, like Ephesians 6:18 says, even when you don’t get an answer? There are four reasons. Persistent prayer focuses your attention.When you pray for something repeatedly, it’s not to remind God. He doesn’t need to be reminded! It’s to remind yourself who the source of your answer and all your needs is. If every prayer you ever prayed were instantly answered, two things would be true. First, prayer would become a weapon of destruction in your life. Second, you’d never think about God because he would become a vending machine. If every time you prayed you instantly got results, all you’d think about is the blessing. God wants you to think about the Blesser. Persistent prayer clarifies your request.A delayed answer gives you time to clarify exactly what you want and to refine your prayers. When you pray persistently to your heavenly Father, it separates deep longings from mere whims. It says, “God, I really care about this.” It’s not that God doesn’t want to answer your prayers. He does. It’s just that he wants you to be certain of what you really want. Persistent prayer tests your faith.James 1:3-4 says, “When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (NLT). The only way you can grow to spiritual maturity is to have your faith tested. One of the ways God’s going to test your faith is by delaying some answers to your prayers. Persistent prayer prepares your heart for the answer.When you make a request of God, God almost always wants to answer in a better way than you’ve prayed. Sometimes God denies your prayer requests because you’re thinking and asking too small. He wants to give you something bigger! But first, he has to prepare you for it. So God uses delays in answering prayer to help you grow, get ready, and prepare for a bigger and better answer. Remember, “God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20 NCV). [PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) Talk About It - What is something you’ve been praying about for a long time? How do you need to refine your request? - If God is testing you right now by delaying an answer to your prayer, how can you show him that you are willing to grow and accept his will and purpose for you? - Think of something that you prayed for over the years that God never supplied. How have you seen that his denial was actually a blessing in your life? [Facebook](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) [Twitter](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) [Pinterest](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) [Email](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) 6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r [Get God's Big Plans for Me Storybook Bible when you give a gift to support Daily Hope](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) One of the greatest ways to fulfill the Great Commission is to share Jesus with the children who God has placed in your life. And we have a great tool to help you do that—Pastor Rick’s God’s Big Plans for Me Storybook Bible. This 223 page,full-color, beautifully illustrated, hardcover children’s version of God’s Word shares key Bible stories along with the 40 foundational principles from the The Purpose Driven Life. The God’s Big Plans for Me Storybook Bible will help the children in your life . . . • Experience Bible stories coming to life with child-friendly language • Connect deeply with Scripture through engaging illustrations • Grow to love Jesus through lessons targeted specifically for them [LEARN MORE](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) 6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r [Complete Audio Series (Purchase)](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) Includes 4 full-length messages from Pastor Rick's series Hard Questions. [LEARN MORE](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) 6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r [Series Summary](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) Message 1: How Can I Know God's Will? Message 2: Why Do I Do What I Don't Want to Do? Message 3: How Long Should I Keep Praying? Message 4: How Can I Stop Worrying [PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) Pastor Rick Warren [Facebook](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r)[Twitter](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) [Instagram](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) [Linkedin](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) Enjoy today's devotional? Listen to Pastor Rick’s daily audio teaching at [PastorRick.com](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) Did someone forward this devotional to you? [Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional.](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) As the founding pastor of Saddleback Church with his wife Kay, Dr. Rick Warren leads a 30,000-member congregation in California with campuses in major cities around the world. As an author, his book [The Purpose Driven Life](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r) is one of the best-selling nonfiction books in publishing history. It has been translated into 74 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in all formats. His book The Purpose Driven Church was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the century. Rick also founded The PEACE Plan to address five global issues—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. You can listen to Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope, his daily 25-minute audio teaching, and sign up for his free daily devotionals at [PastorRick.com](6hbzLCbSN:m:1:2618166767:73F7CBCECE934DF9C25DFEFAED63CF4F:r). © 2020 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe by clicking the link below. This message was intended for: {EMAIL} You were added to the system December 23, 2016. For more information [click here](. [Unsubscribe](