Message Title: SELF CONFIDENCE & WRONG MOTIVES IN PRAYER.
Taught by: Seer Abraham Richard
Proof text: St Luke chapter 18 verse 9
Good morning, Church of God. This is the day the LORD has made for us; therefore, let us remind ourselves through this Word of God. Today we shall learn from the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector.
Luke chapter 18 verse 9: Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: “I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!”
When you read this scripture, you can imagine how the Pharisee was praying with self-confidence. In this context, self-confidence is pride. I caution you: be careful of your self-confidence; it could be pride hiding.
When you take pride in what you do out of your own strength that is having confidence in your education, business, marriage and beauty, be careful; it could be pride. You know what the Bible says: God humbles the proud and exalts the humble. Believer, there is no room to boast in this world.
The things we are boasting about are the things that bring us pride, hence sinning against the LORD. Someone who comes to the LORD depending on physical possessions will never see God Almighty’s working, and they will never testify for Him. Why? Because deep down, they believe it is their strength (self-confidence) that has helped them to get what they have.
However, if you are confident in the LORD’S strength, it is totally different from being confident in your own strength and ability. Someone who knows who they are in the LORD will forever be humble because they understand that there is nothing they have out of their own strength.
Everything you have is from the Almighty and He has simply entrusted it to you to manage. Be it finances, children, talents, a good family, fame, or a good career, you are only managing it-it belongs to God Almighty. As you are reading this message, there are two kinds of people reading: one with self-confidence (pride) and another who is humble.
Just like the Pharisee and the tax collector, one is saying, “I deserve God to answer me,” and another is saying that even if I give tithe, I am not worthy to receive healing. I am flesh and blood; I sin. Of these two people, one will be answered by God.
Let us learn an important lesson from the Word of God in Luke chapter 18 verse 9 to14: praying is our responsibility, but answering is from God. After we all pray, the LORD sits down and examines our prayers, as He did with the Pharisee. He even examines the intentions behind why we are making the prayer, then He answers us. I believe some people are asking this question: Why are we praying, but our prayers are not being answered? One of the things we do not know about is this: we should pray and wait for the LORD to cross-examine our prayers.
After prayer, the Angels carry our prayers and put them before the LORD, and He begins to examine why you made that prayer. If you want to be healed but the motive is wrong and His Name is not going to be glorified, He will not answer that prayer.
However, someone else will come and make the same prayer for healing with the right motive, and they get healed. When God examines your prayer and He sees His Glory in it, He will answer it. If Heaven has not yet responded to you, check your motives and intentions.
A prayer with wrong motives is one where God is not glorified. What prayer are you making as you read this message today? You will find that the prayer you are making today is your prayer. When I say “your prayer”, I mean it is only you who will benefit from it when it is answered. You ask God for money to buy big pieces of land. If He does answer that prayer, how will He benefit?
Christians today, you are asking for money, breakthrough, healing, promotion, and marriages to fight battles, not for His Glory, so He cannot answer you. Praying is our responsibility, but answering comes from God. I advise you: be humbled when you are delayed in getting answers from the LORD.
Do not point fingers at Servants of God when your prayers have been delayed. Point them at God Almighty. Check your prayers and let them be guided and geared towards God Almighty’s Glory. The truth is that the LORD wants to answer them, but who is benefiting from the prayers you are going to make?
After we pray, we should wait for the LORD to answer. Waiting-that is when God Almighty sorts our prayers and checks our motives. When He finds that it is for His Glory, then He will answer it.
Take this as a caution: whenever you pray with wrong motives and you get answers, never ever think that God Almighty has answered you. Do not forget that satan can also give you material things. The devil can give you money with conditions and you cannot enjoy it or even be comfortable with it. He who supplies to you controls you (Matthew chapter 4 verse 9).
In summary of the message, let our confidence be rooted in the LORD and not in self-confidence (pride). Whenever you go into prayer, have the attitude of the tax collector, not the Pharisee. Wrong motives coupled with pride will not get you anything from the LORD. If you get it, it is from the devil, not Heaven.
