PRAYER DOESN’T FIX EVERYTHING, BUT PRAYER CHANGES EVERYTHING

Scripture Text: Acts 4:29-31

So far in my entire Christian life, naitanong ko sa aking sarili kung lahat ba ng aking ipinalangin ay na fix 100%.

Yes, lahat ay nasagot! And we already know that God answers all prayers. It has been taught so many times
there in the pulpit na ang ating panalangin ay sinasagot ng Dios sa tatlong paraan: YES, NO or WAIT.

Alam din natin that “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me”—Psalm 66:18.

Similarly, hindi sinasagot ng Dios ang panalangin ng makasalanan. John 9:31 says, “Now we know that God
heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.”

Sa Exodus 14:15 sinabi ng Dios kay Moses, “… Wherefore (for what reason) criest thou unto me? speak unto
the children of Israel, that they go forward:” Ito ung time na inutusan ng Dios si Moses to bring Israel out of
Egypt and into the promised land. The literal Hebrew meaning of “criest” in this verse is a high-pitched cry
almost like a scream. So tanong ng Dios kay Moses “Bakit ka tumitili?”

If you notice in the preceding verses Moses said to Israel, "And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not,
stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye
have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your
peace." (Exodus 4:13-14).

Yet, immediately after preaching it, Moses retreated in unbelief. He got alone with God and cried aloud.

Iisipin natin na ang Dios ay na-please sa agonizing prayer ni Moses. But such is not the case. Rather and again,
God said, “For what reason are you crying?” (pause)

Bakit na dismaya ang Dios? Because it is a prayer based on unbelief. It was a prayer of unbelief! Remember, a
prayer of unbelief is flesh. While, the prayer of faith is spiritual.

In Joshua chapter 7 naman, makikita din natin ang buong bansa ng Israel wailing (high pitched cry) in prayer.
Nag-patawag si Joshua ng all-day prayer meeting dahil sa kanilang pagkatalo sa laban nila with Ai at sila
ngayon ay hinahabol ng maliit at isignifacant na grupong ito.

If you walked into Israel's camp that day, iisipin mo na parang may great revival na nangyayari. You know,
lahat ay nagpipighati at nagluluksa. Ang mga kalalakihan were on their faces, tearing their clothes and
throwing dust in the air. Women covered their faces with their hands, umiiyak ng katakot-takot. Sia Joshua
and the elders were overcame with sorrow. And everyone is doing this all at the same time.

But in verse 1 it says, "The anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.” Nagalit ang Dios. Bakit
nagalit ang Dios? The meeting was not a repentance meeting. It was not a prayer meeting or a revival
meeting. It was actualy a "blame God" meeting. Oh aren’t we glad that this prayer meeting is not a blame
God meeting? Hindi tayo tatayo at sasabihing “Hindi na ako mag sisimba dahil si kapatid ay hindi gumagamit
ng Christ sa kanyang panalangin.” (pause) We don’t blame God or another brethren. We came here to pray!
Kaya tingnan mo tuloy ang nangyari!
Again, their cry (hinaing) is a cry of unbelief. The Lord God was angry. Kung tutuusin, God was angry because
there was sin in the midst of this congregation. Alam nio na ang istorya… nag nakaw si Achan ng gold, a
quantity of silver, and a "beautiful Babylonian garment" from Jericho, in contrast to Joshua's directive order
that "all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the Lord: they shall come
into the treasury of the Lord" Joshua 7:19. And again, you know the story… he and his children including his
sheep and livestock were put to death.

Kaya ang mga panalangin o hinaing na ito ay ikinagalit lamang ng Dios. We know so much about prayer na
parang we become already experts!

But as I grow in my faith and in my christian walk with God, I realized na hindi lahat ng aking panalangin ay
nai-aayos ang lahat ng bagay. I’m sure na tulad ko, ikaw rin ay nanalangin, hoping for prayer to fix it, tama po
ba?
When we’re sick, we pray for God to heal us.

When we’re poor, we pray for God to provide.

When we’ve been wronged, we pray for God to vindicate us.

All of those prayers are good prayers. Ngunit ang panalangin doesn’t always “fix” all of the situations we
encounter.

In the Book of Acts, chapter 4, we read the story of Peter and John being arrested for preaching about Jesus’
ressurection. Later, nang sila ay hinuli at pinalaya, sinabihan sila not to spread the gospel anymore.

And so ng sila’y bumalik sa kanilang headquarters, the church, in response, begins to pray. But here’s the
spoiler: the persecution issue actually gets worse. Prayer didn’t fix it. The problem remained and it got worse
(lalo lang lumala).

The good thing is that, (slowly) prayer did change the situation because this is what church prayed for:

Acts 4:29-30,“And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all
boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders
may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.”

Ano ang ipi-nalangin ng church sa kabila ng persecution? The church prayed for greater boldness, greater
power and a greater witness.

At sinagot ng Dios ang kanilang panalangin, not by fixing the persecution problem, but by changing them.

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were
all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of
them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the
things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave
the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither
was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them,
and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and
distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. (Acts 4:31-35).

Remember that prayer is not a magic formula that instantly and easily fixes everything.
So instead of saying, my prayer can fix everything… say my prayer can change everything!