Today we continue the series on “Courage”...

 ...Last time we talked about unlearning our fears and today we will talk about re-thinking our prayers. 2 Samuel 23:20-23 (NLT2) “There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it. Once, armed only with a club, he killed a great Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it.” 

1. An Honest Assessment of Our Prayers. We would probably be amazed to discover how many of our prayers are aimed at simply reducing our problems. We pray God will keep us out of a pit with a lion on a snowy day. We pray that God will help steer clear of Egyptian warriors with spears. Also, if we have to fight against the Moabites, please let the numbers be on our side. What if these problems are just opportunities in disguise? Our prayers are misdirected. At the end of our lives I believe we will thank God for the lions, bears, and giants in our lives. We will even thank God, like Benaiah, for the pits we end up in. Someday we will thank God for the bad things that have happened to us.

2. The law of Unintended Consequences. C.S. Lewis – If God had granted all the silly prayers I’ve made in my life, where would I be now? Lewis went on to say that there will come a day that we will be more grateful for the prayers God did not answer than the ones He did. Why? Many of our prayers are misguided. We pray for comfort instead of character. We pray for an easy way out instead of strength to make it through. We pray for no pain, when the result would be no gain. Batterson – “Maybe prayer is less about changing our circumstances than it is changing our perspective. Most of our problems are not the by-product of our circumstances but of our perspective on our circumstances. Maybe we need to quit praying safe prayers.” 

3. Worship is Our Way of Escape. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NCV) “But when you are tempted, he will also give you a way to escape so that you will be able to stand it.” Think about Paul and Silas (Acts 16) being in stocks in a Philippian dungeon. Circumstances truly can’t get much worse and Paul and Silas’ reaction is remarkable. If it had been you or me the text would have read, “Around midnight Rick was complaining.” Not these guys. Acts 16:25 (NLT2) ^“Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.” Quote – “Don’t let what’s wrong with you keep you from worshiping what’s right with God.” It restores the joy of your salvation.