Turn with me to Psalm 143. Psalm
143. The Scripture declares in Luke 11.1, it came to pass, that as he was praying in a certain
place, the Lord was praying. Again,
it is our blessed surety. When he ceased, one of his disciples
said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray. Teach us. to supplicate to God. As John also taught his disciples,
Lord, teach us to humbly ask and seek and knock. Teach us to do that. Prayer. Prayer is that which
every believer does. And every believer knows that
prayer, it primarily is a very private matter. Scripture says,
Be thou when thou prayest, or but thou, I'm sorry, when thou
prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door,
Pray to thy Father which is in secret. Thy Father which seeth
in secret shall reward thee openly. It's a very private matter. This is why it's so hard. These
men that stand and read Scripture, lead in prayer. That's a very
hard thing. It's a very difficult thing.
You can't pray without being aware that everybody's listening.
But whenever a believer is alone with the Lord. They can get honest. They get honest. They lose all
that, you know, frothy religious talk. And they just
pray. They just ask. The Lord hears
them. And they ask. to be heard. But while they pray,
we also know it's that which requires God's Spirit. Likewise,
the Spirit also helpeth, continually helps, ever helps our infirmities. Why? Because we don't know what
we should pray for. We don't know how to pray as
we ought. We just, we pray We don't know what to ask for, and
a believer knows that. So the Lord was asked by His
disciples, teach us to pray. And I know so little, I know
little, little, little about prayer. I don't know, I don't
know. All I know is what these scriptures
declare about prayer. I've heard people say, boy, I
tell you, he's such a prayer warrior. Well, I don't know that
much about prayer. But I can tell you this. It's
the very breath of your soul, your heart. You must pray. And the Lord who teaches His
people to pray, He does it in a very wise and powerful way. Now listen to this. Lord, teach
us to pray. Now here's what the Scripture
sets forth. This message is a message that
sets forth on how the Lord teaches His people to pray. Teach us
to pray. How does he do that? Well, I
know this, Psalm 72, 77-2 says this. In the day of my trouble,
I sought the Lord. My sore, S-O-R-E, my sore ran
in the night and ceased not. My soul refused to be comforted
by my trouble. When He says, my sore, that is
the wound to my soul. How does God teach His people
to pray? Well, the first thing I know
is that He wounds them in their soul. He chastens them. He brings them to see something
of themselves. Listen to Psalm 86 7. In the day of my trouble, I will
call upon Thee, for Thou wilt answer me. You want to know something about
prayer? You have the Spirit of God move
upon you to trouble you, to bring you to see something of yourself,
something of your need of Him. And you're going to find out
something about prayer. You're going to find out something about
asking, and seeking, and knocking. The Lord Jesus Christ. Again, I'm just amazed when I
read these scriptures concerning His obedience, and submissiveness,
and faithfulness. It's our surety. Listen to this. that we're taught to pray is
the way He also prayed. We because of sin, Him because
of His awareness of our sin, and feeling and bearing the weight
of it, knowing it, and not a sinner in Himself, but knowing, being
acquainted with sin. bearing the feeling of our infirmities. And this is how He prayed. Hebrews
5, 7, Who in the days of His flesh, when He offered up prayers
and supplication with strong crying and tears unto Him that
was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared He was heard in that he in reverent
anxiety, he who knew no sin, felt the weight of it without
being a sinner. Lord, teach us to pray. You want
to know something about prayer? You want the Lord to teach you?
You want to learn? Well, I'm going to tell you right
now. This is the way He's going to teach you. People say, I want
to be able to pray. I want to pray. Boys, we're in union with Him.
We cry unto the Lord in the day of trouble. That's when you're
going to pray. You won't be just going through.
I've said before, I've listened to my own prayers and they just
seem so repetitious, just the same, same. over and over and
over. But there's times when the Lord
allows in His indescribable love and compassion and allows me
to see something of myself and to go through something and feel
the weight, the burden, the burden, the burden of myself. And then
the Spirit of God helpeth us. Help us. Hebrews 12.5, despise not thou
the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou are rebuked of
him for whom the Lord loveth. He chasteneth and scourgeth every
son whom he receiveth. The Lord teaches us to pray. He will. He shall. The chastening hand of the Lord
draws us to Him. Doesn't it? That's the truth
now. The chastening hand of the Lord teaches us to pray. It don't come natural. David
said, it's good for me that I've been afflicted, that I might
learn thy statutes, your rule, your will. Look at Psalm 143. Now listen
to one that's been taught something about prayer. the David as he
prays. We'll all admit, every believer
here is going to admit, I don't know, I don't know a whole lot
about prayer. But this, you'll read this, we'll
read this together and this is what a believer is going to say,
that's my prayer, right there. I don't know, I don't know a
lot about it, but this is what I pray. 143 verse 1, hear my
prayer, oh Lord. Give ear to my supplications.
In thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. Here's
the regenerate soul pleading with God for deliverance, totally
upon the footing of Christ's righteousness charged to us. Not because of my righteousness,
Lord, He didn't say, hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear
to my supplication. In my righteousness and faithfulness,
answer me. No, Lord, because of Your faithfulness. Because of Your faithfulness
and Your righteousness, I plead Your righteousness and faithfulness,
not mine, all but for the sake of Christ. for His goodness,
for His mercy, for His compassion. Hear my prayer, O Lord. Hear
me. Lord, I'm in trouble. Hear me. Look at verse 2. Enter
not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man
living be justified. A believer pleads this according
to God's satisfied justice. and grace. Lord, You've paid
my debt. Lord, You've put away my guilt.
Lord, You've charged me with Your righteousness and robed
me with Your robe of obedience. Lord, I won't enter into judgment
with Thy servant. Lord, I know You won't. only
because you've satisfied the justice of God against me. A
believer knows he's done that and he still asks for it. He
knows something about himself, so he pleads one that's saved. What does he say? Lord, save
me. One that the Lord's had mercy upon. What does he say? Lord,
have mercy on me. Someone say, well, don't you think He will?
He's already had. A believer says, I'm going to ask. I'm going
to keep asking. How about coming? He that cometh. David said, this is all my hope.
This is all my salvation. He made with me an everlasting
covenant. Ordered in all things, ensure.
That's my only hope for pardon. That's my only hope for acceptance.
in the blessed Lord Jesus Christ. I know by the deeds of the law,
I know no man is justified. Lord, have mercy on me for Your
name's sake. Look at verse 3 and 4. For the
enemy hath persecuted my soul. He smitten my life down to the
ground. He hath made me to dwell in darkness
as those that have been Long dead, therefore is my spirit
overwhelmed within me. My heart within me is desolate. Oh, as he stood, as I said a
moment ago, as I represented him before God, he felt all that
was due us. He knew it. He was acquainted
with it. He was acquainted with grief. Had he not intervened,
we would have suffered the punishment The enemy has persecuted my soul. Every believer knows something
about his enemy. The enemy of himself, sin, Satan's
fiery darts, this world. My enemy has beat me to pieces. I feel the weight of it. It was
David confessing his knowledge of being born in Adam. Sin has
made my life one of sorrow. Never bothered me before, till
the Lord revealed Himself. And now here I am. He says in
verse 5, I remember the days of old. I meditate on all thy
works, I muse on the works of thy hands." David was one that
had seen some deliverance from the Lord. He remembered. He remembered. Whether he was talking about
being delivered by the Lord from the lion, or the bear, or Goliath,
or his enemies, his own son. He said, I remember. Isn't it sweet
to remember in present trouble, The former mercies of God, I
remember. You think back. You've gone through
stuff. I have too. I think back on things.
Someone come in and tell me something. I find out something just broke
my heart. Something that just sinks my
soul. You hear it. Brother Scott said
one time, the worst part of it is when you first hear it. That's
it. But you watch over time how the
Lord delivered, delivered and kept you. And you think, I'm
still here. That's what David says, I think
back, I remember the days of old. Psalm, let me read this,
Psalm 77, verses 3 to 6. Listen to this. I remembered
God and was troubled. I complained and my spirit was
overwhelmed. Thou holdest mine eyes waking. I'm so troubled that I cannot
speak. I've considered the days of old,
the years of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song
in the night. I commune with mine own heart
and my spirit made diligent search. I think about how often the Lord
has delivered me and kept me. And I'm still here. I'm still
here. A miracle of God's grace. I'm
still standing right here in a pulpit. The miracle is that
I'm still standing at all in Him, kept by the power of God. David said concerning the Lord's
mercies, he said, I meditate all Thy works. I muse on the
works of Your hands. He said, Lord, You're Almighty
God. I'm your servant. You're the
deliverer of your people. Lord, deliver me. All that you've done for me,
Lord, for that I remember. And I'm thankful. Verse 6, I
stretch forth mine hands unto thee. My soul thirsteth after
thee as a thirsty land, Selah. Lord, you're my only hope. I have no other options. I have
no other avenues. I have no other safety. From
you flow rivers of living water. Lord, you're the fountain of
life. My soul thirsts after you in
a land that offers no refreshment. You're it. You're it. We who
know so little, nothing of prayer. You say, I can enter into that.
I'm so glad the Lord moved on David. Put pen to those words. Spirit of God moved them. Communion
and fellowship Lord with you. That's the only relief I've got. When you're so broken down and
pushed down that you can't even look up. But your heart can look
to Him. Crying to Him, I stretch my hands
unto you. Lord, in absolute submission,
my soul thirsteth after Thee. Oh, hear me speedily, O Lord. My spirit faileth. Hide not Thy
face from me, lest I be likened to them that go down into the
pit. Here's the cry. of one that's
taught something about prayer. The supplications of a needy
sinner, a needy believer. He carries those supplications
in his heart. And he needs some relief right
now. He doesn't pray, Lord, deliver
me tomorrow. Lord, I need some help right
now. I need some help now. Lord, You that have given me
a hunger and a thirst after Your righteousness, Lord, You promised
that we'd be filled. Lord, fill me. Fill me right
now. Help me right now. Hear me speedily. Let's let me read. This is to
you out of Daniel 9. Daniel 9.20. Here's the promise of deliverance. Daniel 9.20.21. While I was speaking, Daniel
says, and praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people
Israel and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the
holy mountain of my God. Yea, whilst I was speaking in
prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision
at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about
the time of the evening oblation, informed me, talked with me,
and said, O Daniel, I have now come forth to give thee skill
and some understanding. While I was praying, David said, Deliver me speedily. Listen to Isaiah 65. Isaiah chapter
65 verse 24. It shall come to pass that before
they call, I will answer. While they're yet speaking, I
will hear. That just amazes me. I'll tell
you what I know about that. before the Lord ever brings to
my mind what He's going to chase me about. He already knows what
He's going to say to me. He already knows what I'm going
to think. He already knows what I'm going to ask. And He's already
sent the deliverance. And while I'm crying out to Him,
Lord, deliver me speedily. Help me, Lord, speedily. My spirit's failing. He's the
one that's caused my spirit to fail. And he's the one that's
already speedily sent the remedy. Lord, if you don't help me, I'm
going to be like those that go down to the pit. I'm going to
be like those that just have no hope. I don't know what else
to say. I don't know what else to do. I don't have anywhere
else to go. Lord, help me. Cause me, verse 8, to hear thy
lovingkindness in the morning. For in thee do I trust. Cause
me to know the way wherein I should walk. For I lift up my soul unto
thee. Permit me, Lord, to hear from
you. Lord, would it be okay if you'd
just let me hear something? Lord, would it be permissible
to you, cause me to hear your loving kindness. Lord, let it
be in the morning. Let it be early. Let me hear.
Give me the assurance of mercy. Because I'm in dire straits. Lord, I'm needing you for in
thee do I trust. I just don't have, I have no
confidence in myself. I love you, but there's nothing
you can do for me. When my soul is in trouble, there's
not a thing in the world you can do for me. Lord, cause me
to hear thy loving kindness. Remind me of it. Bring it back
to my memory. Cause me to know the way wherein
I should walk. The steps of a good man are ordered
by the Lord. But you know a believer is not
going to say, well, you know, I'm just... Cause me to know the way wherein
I should walk. Or, I don't know what to do.
I don't know where to go. I don't know how this ought to
be handled. Lord, I don't have sense enough.
Guide me by Your Spirit, according to Your Word, Your will, Your
purpose, Your pleasure. Lord, I lift up my soul unto
Thee in prayer. I'm asking, I'm knocking, I'm
seeking. Lord, You said, You said. You said knock, it'd be
open. Lord, You said that. Lord, You
said seek, and You'd find. Lord, I'm seeking. You said ask, it would be given.
Lord, you said that. And Lord, I don't have anything
but your word. That's all I've got. Lord, deliver
me. Deliver me, verse 9, from my
enemies. I flee unto thee to hide me. My enemies. What are my enemies? Well, I'm going to sum it up
right here. Everything that would attempt to draw my heart away
from you is an enemy. That's my enemy. Everything and
everyone that would attempt to draw me away from you is my enemy. Deliver me. I flee unto thee
to hide me. Hide me with Thee. Lord, You're my refuge. You're
my refuge from sin, from Satan. You're my refuge from myself.
Lord, hide me. That's the only comfort that
I've got. That's the only security I've
got. That's the only peace I've got, joy I've got. That's all
I've got. Teach me to do Thy will. For thou art my God, thy spirit
is good. Lead me into the land of uprightness. Teach me to do thy will. Precious passage of scripture.
John 6. John chapter 6. The Lord reveals
something concerning about Him, the Lord, doing the Father's
will, and then something about Him teaching us to do the Father's
will. Now listen to this, precious.
John 6, 38-40. The Lord said, For I came down
from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that
sent me. Now listen to what the Lord said
concerning Him doing the Father's will. And this, verse 39, is the Father's
will which has sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me,
I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last
day. Now that's Him doing the Father's
will. This is the Father's will which has sent Me, that of all
which He's given Me, I should lose nothing. Raise it up at
the last day. Now listen to this concerning
Him teaching us to do His will. Verse 40, And
this is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which
seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting
life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Now, here's statement back in Psalm 143.
Teach me to do thy will. For thou art my God. What is
the will of God for God's people? That they should believe on the
Son. That's the Father's will. This is the Father's will that
has sent me that everyone which he has given me should believe
on the Son. Teach me. How is God going to teach us
to believe Him? He's going to put us in situations
where we're going to have to believe Him. That's the only
way. Whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth. I'm going to tell you, whenever
God Almighty is pleased to draw us to pray, draw us to trust,
draw us to come, draw us to hear, draw us to listen, I'm going
to tell you what He's going to do. He's going to put us in a
situation where we're going to have to do it. Teach me to do
thy will. Teach me to believe on the Son. Teach me to do that. I mean,
that's almost, a believer hears that and says, oh, I don't want
to go through any, you know, I don't want to go through anything.
I told you about Walter, you know, telling Betty Groover.
I wish we could go through this life without having to go through
all these problems. And she said, Walter, it don't
work that way. Teach me to do your will. Teach me, Lord, to
believe you. Teach me to trust you. Well,
there's only one way. He's going to teach us. He's
going to put us in a dire strait. He's going to put us in a situation
where we're going to have to trust Him. Quicken me, O Lord. for Thy name's sake, for Thy
righteousness' sake, bring my soul out of trouble. Lord, You
that have quickened me the first time, quicken me again. Revive me again. You that's given me life, keep
me alive. That's what He's saying. Revive
Your work of grace. Cheer my drooping spirit, quicken
me for thy name's sake, for your honor, that you might be glorified. Lord, prove your faithfulness
to me by keeping me in the midst of these troubles. For thy righteousness'
sake, bring my soul out of trouble, for I know I'm in it. I'm there. Lord, bring me out. Oh, unbelief
so easily besets us. Temptations of Satan are ever
with us and always filled with doubt and fear. Lord, for your
righteousness' sake, bring my soul out of trouble. And last
verse, and of thy mercy, cut off mine enemies and destroy
all them that afflict my soul, for I am thy servant. In Your mercy, to me, Lord, to
Your people, cut off my enemies that are Your enemies. Destroy
them that afflict my soul. Lord, You promised. You promised
me You'd never leave me. You promised me that. You promised
me. And Lord, all I'm doing is I'm
asking what You've promised You'd do. For Your mercy sake, cut off
my enemies. Lord, You did that. First of
all, You did it at Calvary. Lord, You were made sin for Your
people. Lord, by Your grace for me. You
suffered the penalty of sin for me. Lord, You said sin wouldn't
have dominion over me. I wouldn't be held accountable
for my sin. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord won't impute the sin. Lord, You cut off. And Lord,
my enemy of Satan, his head You said had been crushed. And by
faith that You've given me to resist the fiery darts of Satan. Lord, You've promised that You're
seated at the right hand. of the throne of glory until
all of your enemies that are my enemies are going to be put
under your feet. And now we truthfully ask, O
death, where's your sting? Where's the victory of the grave
now for God's people? And here's the reason that God's
people can cry this, because Lord, I'm your servant. I'm your
servant. Lord, You made me. You chose
me in Christ. You redeemed me. The Spirit of
God quickened me. And You made me willing in the
day of Your power. Lord, deliver me. Lord, hear
my prayer. Cause me to hear. Quicken me
afresh. Lord, draw me to Yourself. Teach
me. Lord, help me. For Your namesake. Amen.