Nov. 16, 2025

Background:

• Biblical prayers express a wide range of things
• God called Jonah to go to Nineveh to take the Word to them, but Jonah would not go because he didn't like them...and tried to run in the opposite direction (Jonah 2:1-4)
• But we cannot hide from God
• When we try to get away from God, we always go down
• We continue to go down when we separate ourselves from God
• Jonah cried out to the Lord from the belly of the big fish
• No matter where we are, God will hear us
• Jonah acknowledged his disobedience and God's power

Key Sermon Points:

1. Biblical prayer is marked by humility

• Moses has died and God tells Joshua that He will be with him like He was was Moses
• God will be with Joshua as long as he remains in the Lord, meditates and stays in God's Word
• God used Joshua to tear down the walls of Jericho
• We must depend upon God and not the blessings themselves
• Joshua fell on his face after a defeat and began to pray
• Obedience to prayer begins with humility
• Joshua fell to his face and prayed
• We must believe that His way is better than our way
• We say that, but we don't always show that we believe that when we depend upon ourselves instead of checking in with God
• When our life is falling apart, we should always turn to God for direction
• It's never too late to turn to God and repent
• True humility challenges our pride
• Sometimes we are so prideful that God cannot use us
• Plenty of times God tears our pride to get our attention
• There are some things in life that God will ask us to do that don't make sense, but He is trying to strip us of our pride
• God was breaking Joshua's pride at this time and Israel's pride because they did not seek his face

2. Biblical prayers are marked by honesty

• Sometimes we are too comfortable where we are and God has to move us to get our blessing
• We have to trust God to get our blessing...even when we don't see it
• We need to be honest before God...when we are confused or fearful
• Joshua didn't hide anything from God
• God wants us to express our true feelings in our prayers
• We can't cover up things in our prayers because it will not help us, but make things worst
• Being honest with God builds a genuine relationship with God

3. Biblical prayers are facing the truth about oneself and others

• Joshua should have went to God first before making a decision
• God never told him to go
• We have to look into the mirror even when we don't like what we see in ourselves
• This process requires a willingness to deal with self deception
• Too many times we blame others instead of looking into the mirror

4. Biblical prayers are being obedient to commands

• Biblical obedience is obeying God's command and is based on a relationship with Him (not just following a set of rules)
• It is demonstrated through a person's actions
• Joshua must be obedient; otherwise, God would not be with him
• True obedience is more than outward action, but must be accompanied by a right heart and attitude
• Joshua started the process in obeying God
• It was a lengthy process that demonstrated the seriousness of the sin that affected everyone
• God knows every individual in an intimate way
• God gave the individual time to repent
• The sin had to be taken outside of the city and all that they had needed to be burned up...and the whole family that participated in the sin was also punished as well
• When we pray like the Bible says, God will change our lives!