The Fire of Delayed Answers

                                       Exodus 3:1-10

Introduction:

-  A variety of reasons why prayers aren’t answered

-  Have a friend who lost his voice during surgery

o   Worship leader, pianist, teacher

o   still waiting for answer

-  there are times when God delays an answer to prayer – we don’t always understand

1.      Moses background

a.      Born, raised, flees to Midian

b.      Encounters burning bush years later

c.      Remove sandals

                                                              i.    Remove anything that comes between you and the holiness of God

                                                            ii.    Holy ground – God can make the dust of the desert holy

                                                          iii.    What did God use to make humanity?  Dust of the earth

                                                           iv.    If God can make the dust of the desert holy, He can make us holy

                                                             v.    Holiness comes from contact with that which is Holy!

                                                           vi.    Does not come from trying to be holy

d.      God has seen, heard, is concerned, & comes down (Ex 3:7-8)

e.      How long were God’s people in slavery?

                                                              i.    Some say 400, 430, or 215 years

2.      Why are there delayed answers?

a.      Ask according to His will – 1 John 5:14

                                                              i.    If you don’t know His will – ask!

b.      Ask in faith – James 1:6

                                                              i.    Don’t doubt who you are in Christ

                                                            ii.    Stop listening to the lies of the enemy

c.      Ask until faith is built in us – Luke 18:6

                                                              i.    God’s heart is to give justice – and quickly!

                                                            ii.    Delayed answer is to build faith in us – we believe His word regardless of circumstances

d.      Ask In submission to Christ before expecting submission – I Peter 3:7, Ephesians 5

                                                              i.    Illustration of pilot and co-pilot, who are captain and first officer

                                                            ii.    Have defined responsibilities; follow rules of FAA

                                                          iii.    They work as a team – argument leads to disaster

                                                           iv.    Eg US Airways landing on Hudson. 

                                                             v.    Tower suggests Teterboro; Captain decides on Hudson River

e.      Ask while breaking strongholds through prayer & fasting – Mark 9:29

                                                              i.    See Isaiah 58 and 2 Corinthians 10

3.      Through the fire

a.      Sometimes instant answers

b.      Sometimes delayed answers

c.      Sometimes through the fire of delayed answers – not around it

d.      What is the goal?

                                                              i.    For God to allow His people to go through the fire of unanswered prayers, and not be consumed

e.      What is God saying to Moses at the burning bush?

                                                              i.    God wants to take Moses through the fire of delivering the Israelites out of Egypt, without being burned or consumed.

f.  What is the fire for Moses?

                                                              i.    Blamed by the people for increased suffering

                                                            ii.    His leadership rejected by Israelite leaders

                                                          iii.    Pharaoh’s double-mindedness and hardness of heart – even to the Red Sea

g.      God brought Daniel through the fire without the smell of smoke

h.      God is looking for workers and leaders:

                                                              i.    Who can trust Him in the fire of delayed answers

                                                            ii.    Who know they are still loved by Him

                                                          iii.    Who know they have not been abandoned

                                                           iv.    Who know the injustice is temporary

                                                             v.    Who value what God says more than what man says

                                                           vi.    Who believe the answer is on its way

                                                         vii.    Who believe it is possible to come through the fire without a hint of bad attitude smoke

4.      What about my friend who lost his voice in surgery?

a.      he is now an author and prayer warrior

b.      believing that the answer to his prayer is on its way

          延遲回應的火焰

經文： 出三:1-10

1. 摩西的背景

   - 遇見燒著的荊棘

   - 神已經看見聽見想到及下來

   - 神的子民作了多久的奴隸

2. 為什麼遲延回應?

- 照祂的旨意祈求

- 憑著信心求

- 祈求到祂改變我們

- 透過禁食及禱告攻破堅固的營壘

3. 瞬間回應及遲延回應

    - 有時候經過火燒 – 但不在其中

- 經過火燒但沒有火燒的味道