Don't Pray Your Problems Away: 9 Benefits of Problems
Dr RJ Sing, 1 hr
Originally preached as “You Are a Problem Solver”
Sermon outline
God has set believers apart and hears them when they call, and He placed each of them on earth as a problem solver, so problems are not enemies but opportunities and assignments.
Main text
- Psalm 4:3
Opening
After Pastor Zubeda shares about their trip and leads the priestly offering and announcements, he greets the church, saying he missed them and that South Africans are the friendliest people in the world. He prays for the service and describes a gruelling, compressed trip in which he preached in Dubai on a Thursday night, their equivalent of Sunday. He reads all of Psalm 4, then takes verse 3 in the Amplified Bible as his foundation, admitting he struggled to title the message.
God has set you apart, and the Lord listens when you call
God has set apart and given distinction to the godly, which is why favour comes that others cannot explain. He listens and heeds when you call, not because of any merit or good work, but by His grace and loving kindness. You should pray and fast, but not to make Him hear you: He already does.
“God listens to you when you call.”
- Psalm 4:1-8
- Psalm 4:3
You are God's master problem solver
God has given the earth to man and waits for His people to move on His behalf; He will not remove the problem, because you are the problem solver. Pray for intimacy and communion, but ask for wisdom to handle problems instead of praying them away. Every problem is solvable, because God is the manufacturer, you are the product, and His Word is the manual. You are not a mistake, God looks for available rather than perfect people, and your life is a message to those watching you.
Illustration: When Moses cried to God at the Red Sea, God asked why he was crying and told him to stretch out what was in his hand, and the sea split. Aaron solved Moses' problems, Jonathan was assigned to David, a servant girl pointed the great general Naaman to healing, and Ruth was assigned to Naomi. On a flight he watched a woman of another faith go to the back of the plane to pray and asked himself how many Christians were on board: it is time for believers to lead.
“So don't pray your problems away. Just ask the Lord to give you the wisdom to handle them.”
- Exodus 14:15-16
- Exodus 4:2
- Exodus 4:10-16
- Jonah 1:2
- 2 Kings 5:1-14
- Ruth 1:16
- Revelation 4:11
- 2 Timothy 1:7
- Genesis 41:43
Every product contains more answers than we first realise
A car's purpose is to move you and a home's is to give you rest; a cricket bat's hardness and a sandwich's softness are clues to their different purposes. Studying your difference reveals your purpose, so don't be intimidated because you are not like the person next to you. Mechanics, lawyers, ministers and panel beaters all solve problems, and your assignment is always to someone with a problem.
Illustration: In a busy airport restroom he watched the cleaners mopping and thought how filthy the place would be without them: whatever level you function at, you are solving a problem.
“Studying your difference will produce an incredible revelation of wisdom.”
Nine exciting benefits of problems
When David saw Goliath he saw an opportunity, not a problem. Problems are: 1. the gates to your significance; 2. links to others; 3. wonderful and glorious seeds for change; 4. the source of your income; 5. the birth of new relationships; 6. what brings good people together during bad times; 7. so woven into life that removing them would destroy the significance of humanity; 8. the real reason relationships exist; and 9. the occasion for wisdom to pour out of your life.
Illustration: The things lying on your desk that you complain about are the things that bring you your paycheck.
“Problems bring you your income.”
- 1 Samuel 17:25-26
- 2 Kings 6:16
- John 7:38
The problem God created you to solve is called your assignment
Whatever career you are in is your assignment: bankers, school teachers, bakers, doctors, dieticians, tailors, ministers and the praise and worship team all solve problems. Even pressure from the bank or a clothing account's letters can push you towards becoming debt free, and a car that keeps breaking down is a sign to trust God for a better one. Engage life with gusto and see every challenge as an opportunity.
“The problem God created you to solve on the earth is called your assignment.”
- Psalm 4:3
- Malachi 3:10
Putting it into practice
- Stop asking 'why do they come to me?'; they come because you have an assignment.
- Ask God for wisdom to handle problems instead of praying them away.
- Pray in private: 'I want to be God's number one problem solver.'
- Embrace extra work instead of resigning because there are too many problems.
- Engage this week with gusto and see each challenge as an opportunity.
Closing
He reads Psalm 4:3 again, reminding them that the Lord hears when they call and will help them solve every problem. With hands lifted, he prays that God will give them grace to overcome, make His face shine on them and pour favour on every family, especially the young people and children, and closes with the grace.
Declarations he led
- You are a problem solver.
- God listens to you when you call.
- Every problem is solvable.
- I'm a problem solver.
- I want to be God's number one problem solver.
In his words
- “God wouldn't call you a problem solver if there were no problems.”
- “God doesn't look for perfect people. God looks for available people.”
- “Every problem you will ever encounter is solvable.”
- “Your life is a message.”
- “The more problems you solve, the more valuable you become.”
Every scripture in this message
- Psalm 4:1-8
- Psalm 4:3
- Exodus 14:15-16
- Exodus 4:2
- Exodus 4:10-16
- Jonah 1:2
- 2 Kings 5:1-14
- Ruth 1:16
- Revelation 4:11
- 2 Timothy 1:7
- Genesis 41:43
- 1 Samuel 17:25-26
- 2 Kings 6:16
- John 7:38
- Malachi 3:10
- Numbers 6:25
- 2 Corinthians 13:14