One more lesson from the great story of the resurrection of Lazarus. Today as we come to that graveside near Jerusalem, Jesus weeps for his friend and tells them to remove the stone. Here is what happens next in John 11:41-44
So they removed the stone.
Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. “I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.”
When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth.
Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” (John 11:41-44)
From this amazing text we can see an important lesson on prayer.
Prayer must be prayed with confidence and boldness.
Jesus prayed for what was about to happen, as though God had already done it. He loudly prayed “I thank you Father” for something that had not yet happened. He wanted all the people around him to hear that God would answer his prayer.
That is the way to pray. Pray asking and then know that God will do what was asked.
Our lack of confidence can make our prayer life weak.
The story is told of a little west Texas farming community that was going through a great drought. Their fields were drying up and their crops were dying. As a last ditch effort the little community decided to get together at 8 PM at the local church and prayer for rain.
At 8 o’clock the church was full.
The last person to enter the building was a little 7-year-old girl. As she walked down the aisle she was carrying an umbrella. As she walked past some of the older folks, someone said, “Isn’t she cute? She thinks it is going to rain.”
In our story today, Jesus knew that God would raise Lazarus from the dead and so he shouted with a loud voice for all to hear.
You and I need to use a loud voice with our prayers. I admit that the answer might sometimes be “No,” or “Not yet” or maybe “Here is something even better.” But the answer is often a simple “Yes.”
Matthew 7:7, “Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you.”
When you pray, pray loudly and bring your umbrella. God answers prayers.
Lonnie Davis