Four Paws Raised: Ask Like an Expectant Offspring of God
Dr RJ Sing, 1 hr 20 min, Part 2 of The Power in Asking (2008)
Originally recorded as “The Power in Asking, Part 2”
Sermon outline
As offspring of God carrying His divine nature, believers do not beg for an audience: they ask with intense desire and an expectant posture, receive the moment they say amen, and speak the Word with authority.
Main text
- Matthew 7:7-8
- Acts 17:29
Opening
He opens in prayer for a demonstration of God's power and declares that the church is not poor or sick, then reads Genesis 26:13 about Isaac, who prospered until he became very prosperous, and leads a confession before the offering. He reports to the church on recent building upgrades, all paid in cash with no invoices outstanding, saying 'if we see to God's house, He'll see to our house'. He then says he wants to finish Sunday's message, There's Power in Asking, and notes that he has not forgotten the Solving Life's Problems series, which will move on to finances.
You do and you get: you are a walking temple of God
He recaps Sunday: under Deuteronomy 28 the blessing was conditional, 'you do, I do', but in the New Testament, according to James 1:22, it is 'you do and you get', because God works with you as a co-labourer. You do not need to get God's attention: He lives in you, so as you walk, pray and look, He walks, prays and looks. As a new creation with a renewed mind, the believer thinks God's thoughts, studies the Word and becomes one with it, as Jesus only said and did what He heard and saw the Father do, and the Holy Spirit now teaches and shows us all things.
“You're a walking talking God machine.”
- Deuteronomy 28:1-14
- James 1:22
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
- 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
- Romans 10:17
- 2 Timothy 2:15
- John 15:7
- John 5:19
- John 16:7-13
Supercharged: decreeing, not begging
There is a place where a child of God is supercharged, charged to overflowing, in the realm of the supernatural where there is no begging, only decreeing and commanding. There, depression, disappointment and demons are under you, and you become master of your circumstances: when someone says no, you say yes. Prayer knows no distance, because the Word is quick and powerful, and demons tremble because they see the name and blood of Jesus on you. Sickness, disease and lack must obey.
Illustration: A pastor watched a group of Satanists at a graveside cursing the churches in his area, and he was on their hit list. Years later one of them was born again and told him that every curse they threw at him just bounced back.
“On that plane, there's no begging. It's decreeing and commanding.”
- Isaiah 45:11
- Hebrews 4:12
- Psalm 147:15
- John 8:12
- Matthew 5:13-14
You are the offspring of God
Acts 17:29 says we are the offspring of God: you hail from Him, born of incorruptible seed, fed first on milk and now on meat. Touch a child and see what the mother does, so touch a child of God and see who springs into action. That makes God your rescuer, provider and healer, so there is no place for anxiety: make your requests known to your Source. You come from a royal lineage and carry the divine nature, His ability, mind, power and protection. Meditate on this verse for a month.
Illustration: No one can attack a child without its mother springing into action.
“Touch a child of God. See who springs to action.”
- Acts 17:29
- 1 Peter 1:23
- Philippians 4:6
- 2 Peter 1:4
- Psalm 34:7
Everything begins with the Word
Prosperity, healing, miracles, signs and wonders all have their origin in the Word. People think healing in the church is some kind of magic, but the power works because he dwells in the Word and the anointing dwells in him. It is not what we hope to have but what we have already got.
“Everything in your life must have its origin in the word.”
- Matthew 7:7-8
Ask means call for an answer: keep a posture of expectancy
He gives the Greek word for ask (aiteō) and its variations. First, it means to call for an answer, to seek to obtain from another or be directed by him. Whatever you ask believing you receive, so being a believer means a posture of expectancy; doubting after you pray cancels what you prayed for.
“When you doubt after you pray, you cancel what you prayed for.”
- John 15:7
- Matthew 21:22
Ask means crave: an intense longing
Second, to ask is to crave: to long for with strong desire. Intense longing makes you specific, because God wants to know how much you need, what it is for and by when. Joseph of Arimathea went boldly to Pilate and craved the body of Jesus to give it a proper burial.
“You've got to have an intense desire.”
- Mark 15:43
- James 5:16
Ask means beg: sit up with four paws raised
Third, one meaning of beg is a dog sitting up with its paws raised, waiting expectantly. Doubt, fear and unbelief do not move God, but expectancy does: once you say amen the transaction is complete and you have it before you see it. Peter told the lame man 'Look on us' to change his posture from begging while looking away to expecting. He himself prepares all day and comes to a service looking for the hungry who make a demand on the anointing.
Illustration: He has a young man kneel with hands raised like a dog sitting up for food. A fielder on the cricket field crouches ready for the ball: that is the believer's posture after prayer, not 'I prayed, we'll see'.
“Every time you pray, this is your posture: four paws raised with expectant intent desire for the answer.”
- Acts 3:1-8
- 2 Corinthians 5:7
Jesus healed with words: the anointing plus the Word
A long religious prayer that leaves someone 'not really' better wastes everyone's time, because Jesus healed people with words. Peter simply said 'Rise up'. The Gentile centurion said 'speak the word only', and Jesus marvelled at his faith. The anointing plus the words brings healing, and he demonstrates it by speaking to the sick who come forward.
“The anointing plus the words.”
- Acts 3:6
- Matthew 8:5-13
Putting it into practice
- Stop trying to get God's attention: He already lives in you.
- Meditate on Acts 17:29 for a month until you know you are God's offspring.
- Ask with intense desire and specifics: how much, what for and by when.
- After you say amen, keep a posture of expectancy and refuse to doubt.
- Come to services prepared and hungry, ready to receive.
Closing
He reports that people prayed for on Sunday have been healed, prays for the sick by speaking words of healing, and reads Luke 4:18 to show that the Lord anointed Jesus and Jesus has anointed us. 'We don't preach to impress': people should leave saying 'I am somebody'. He says time has gone and he has only given an introduction, gives an altar call for salvation and rededication, and closes with the song 'With long life You will satisfy me'.
Declarations he led
- Lord Jesus, I thank you for the anointing of prosperity that's on me. I will prosper and carry on prospering until I'm very prosperous, because there's an anointing of prosperity on me.
- I am an offspring of God.
- I'm anointed to do great things for God.
In his words
- “It's not about getting an audience with God. You already have an audience with God.”
- “Touch a child of God. See who springs to action.”
- “You are not going to grow rich apart from the word.”
- “So you have it before you see it. That's faith.”
- “We don't teach to impress, and we don't preach to impress.”
Every scripture in this message
- Matthew 4:4
- Genesis 26:13-16
- Deuteronomy 28:1-14
- James 1:22
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
- 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
- Romans 10:17
- Isaiah 55:8-9
- 2 Timothy 2:15
- John 15:7
- John 5:19
- John 16:7-13
- Isaiah 45:11
- Hebrews 4:12
- Psalm 147:15
- John 8:12
- Matthew 5:13-14
- Matthew 7:7-8
- Acts 17:29
- 1 Peter 1:23
- Philippians 4:6
- 2 Peter 1:4
- Psalm 34:7
- Matthew 21:22
- Mark 15:43
- James 5:16
- Acts 3:1-8
- 2 Corinthians 5:7
- Matthew 8:5-13
- Luke 4:18
- Psalm 91:16