"One Happy Dude"

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place
Pulpit Series Volume 17 Issue 33 8/11/2007

I am going to show you something incredible, a marvelous glorious mystery…. God desires to over-answer prayer.

We are not just given power to overcome our enemies... but according to Judges 10:9-33 we are given power to subdue the enemy of our soul!

In this account of the Israelites they had asked for one victory in one battle... yet God gave them courage and the direction to completely overthrow the enemy. They subdued them from that time on!

God has so much more for you then victory in one battle... He wants you to subdue your enemy so you’ll have the total victory!

I’ve searched the Word and discovered that God always over answers the prayers of His children!

Not merely a conqueror through Christ.... but according to
Romans 8:37 .. we are more than conquerors through him

Not merely have joy... but according to I Peter 1:8 we can rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

Not a recipient of mere promises... but according to II Peter 1:4 ... we are given exceeding great and precious promises

Not a recipient of a measure of grace ... but according to
I Timothy 1:14 grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love.

Not serving a limited god .. but according to Ephesians 3:20... He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask

We are not just given a life .... but according to John 10:10 life and that more abundantly.
Get personal for a minute, take a look at your life…

You asked God for a clean heart. He gave you a new one! He gave you a heart that hungers after Him, a heart that thirsts after Jesus! He gave you eyes to see and ears to hear ...

You asked for forgiveness. He not only forgave He wiped out the record! And if that wasn’t enough He put a hatred for sin in you, flooding your soul with hope and confidence in Jesus!

Since I’ve come to JESUS I am One Happy Dude!

David said, Psalms 130:7 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption

Even when we are wayward at times, Isaiah 55:7 .. return to the LORD and He will have mercy, He will abundantly pardon.

Matthew 7:11 says, If you being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Luke 23:42 The thief on the cross said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Not only did Jesus agree to do so He said this day shall you be with Me in paradise. Talk about over answering... I’ll remember you all right, cause I’m taken you with me!”

One of my favorites is in Acts 3:2 A certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, and laid daily at the temple gate called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked alms. He simply wanted a little bit of money!

And Peter, fastening his eyes on him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed to them, expecting to receive some-thing from them.
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted [him] up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

This beggar would have settled for some money, instead he got what money could not buy!

Acts 10:22 tells us of Cornelius desired to hear words of God. He wanted to hear the gospel.... What he got was more than a message! Acts 10:44-45 While Peter was speaking these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word..... God couldn’t wait to bless His people!

Ephesians 3:20 God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. Not only is God able to answer prayer, He wants to answer according to His infinite riches in glory!

I Corinthians 2:9-10 Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him.....

In the Old Testament the Lord had spoken to Ahaz saying ask for a sign from Me, his response may sound holy, “I won’t tempt God!” but, it angered God... He knew Ahaz had lost his faith long before this incident.

Basically Ahaz guy didn’t want his faith tested....

How long before you stand on God’s word?
Why are you so afraid to trust God?
When will you learn that God is the great I AM?
When will you believe that God has all that you’ll ever need?

Perhaps the greatest over answer of prayer is, Behold, a virgin shall conceive a son and shall call his name Immanuel. The people had cried out for a deliverer (some man). Well this was no ordinary man - it was none other than Immanuel Himself

Hebrews 11:6 he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

Pray, believing that God delights to answer you in His own way and time, trust Him for your financial situation, trust Him for those unsaved loved ones, trust Him for that healing!

He delights in over answering: James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, Who gives to all men liberally....

I remind you that if you abide in Jesus and His words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done to you!

I Timothy 6:17... trust in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy May we ask of the Lord things that are worthy of His wealth and His ability to give!

II Chronicles 16:9a For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him.

Speak of His willingness to over answer our prayers….When you speak of His generosity toward you, you are telling others what He can do for them.

Jesus said to him, Go home to your friends and tell them how great things the Lord has done for you and how He has had compassion on you… And he departed and began to testify of the great things Jesus had done for him: and all the people did marvel.