Jeremy Utley - Praying For God's Desires, Not My Own

Jeremy UtleyFebruary 16, 201714mWatch on YouTube

In this collectionJeremy Utley130 messages

Speaker: Jeremy Utley Title: Praying For God's Desires, Not My Own Date: 02-12-2017 Our Goal as Christians is this: To be an exact reflection of Jesus, the Son of God (Romans 8:29) We do this individually by growing in purity in our personal lives (1 John 3:2-3) We do this corporately by becoming fully functioning members of a local Church (Ephesians 4:11-16)

Summary

The speaker uses the Israelites' complaint in Numbers 11, where they longed for Egyptian meat instead of manna, as a warning against desiring things God has not promised. He emphasizes that while having desires is fine, any desire not rooted in God's Word must be concluded with the prayer, 'Thy will be done.' The core message is to stop insisting on what we want and instead focus on trusting God's will, viewing difficult circumstances as opportunities to practice faith and praise.

Outline

The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.

What are we longing for?The speaker introduces Numbers 11 to examine whether our longings are for what God has promised or for things he has not.

The warning of asking for meatWhen we insist on things God has not promised, we risk tying His reputation to our demands and facing severe consequences.

Yielding unpromised desires to God's willWhile sharing our desires with God is good, any desire without a scriptural promise must end with the prayer for His will to be done.

Getting what you ask for and regretting itGod may give us what we stubbornly insist upon, only for us to realize we hate the result.

Unfulfilled desires as choir practiceUnfulfilled desires should be treated as training to grow in faith, endurance, and praise rather than occasions for complaint.

Insisting on what God has actually promisedWhile we must stop insisting on unpromised things, we should grow in our insistence and expectation for the things God has actually promised.

Misplaced priorities in prayerThe speaker shares a personal example of wanting a house addition, noting how easily we think God's power is on trial for our minor personal wishes.

Turning to the commands in Luke 6The speaker turns to Luke 6 to examine clear commands and promises regarding persecution, joy, and judgment.Luke 6:22

Do not judge and do not condemnBelievers are commanded not to judge or condemn others, even when facing mistreatment, avoiding the blindness of a critical spirit.

Grieving what breaks God's heartWe should grieve not over what we lack that we want, but over our failure to live out what God wants in us, seeking a divine indifference to things that do not matter to His kingdom.

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Jeremy Utley - Praying For God's Desires, Not My Own

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