The Perception Through Prayer | Kidz-Quest Pastor Nolan Carpenter
by Nolan Carpenter
First Apostolic Church of Maryville (Maryville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Mark 11:22-24, Hebrews 11:1, Genesis 21:14-19, 2 Kings 6:12, 2 Kings 6:15-18, 2 Kings 6:23, Psalm 119:18, Luke 9:28-31, Joshua 6:2, Joshua 6:20

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/nolan-carpenter--the-perception-through-prayer
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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if you would remain standing with me for just a few moments we'll turn the scriptures for our Bible straight this evening it feels good in the house of the Lord that tonight and uh thank God for all of you that came to church this evening and I know we have broke out all across the house today and and we look forward to seeing what God does and all the breakouts tonight I want to give you a little greeting from Pastor Carpenter and sister Carpenter they are as Pastor Hammond said with the trendsetters this evening and I talked to him a pastor on the phone earlier and I said how's your trip he said these trendsetters are wearing me out it's exactly what he said and I said what do you mean he said these people it's like they drink energy drinks and just go go go so and they're having a great time I did see a picture on Facebook of all the trendsetters kissing their spouses and that was a little weird kept scrolling but I'm glad they're having a good time all right and they're an awesome man they're such an awesome group and the elite here at First Apostolic church I honor them glad they're having a good time I do want to say Echo everyone in this house that it is good to see Pastor Erickson back home safe and sound thank God I thank God for his hand of protection I'll tell you this week me and my wife were having a conversation uh with somebody who came to the house to do a little bit of a small thing of work for us and he got down to the the uh the time he was going to tell you it was a grand finale how much it was going to be for him to do the work and just way too much money all right and again this is nobody nobody in the church nothing like that he prefaced what I'm about to say and the guy would not stop talking okay a guy would not stop and just kept on going but if we do this if we cut out this and I I know and I've Got The Look of my mother on my face it ain't happening all right and then my phone rings and uh Pastor Hammond says Nolan have have you have you seen the text from Sister Erickson there's been earthquake earthquake in Taiwan and I of course I'm like grabbing the I'm grabbing the counter and I I said sir I'm so sorry my brother's been looks like he's been in an earthquake in Taiwan I gotta go and we're running over we're running over and I literally left the dude in my house while me and Flannery ran to check on my sister I was like I hope this guy's trustworthy and thank God I hope as far as I know he was trustworthy and so I get to the we're walking in and they found out everything's okay and I was like what a lame excuse to end a conversation you know that dude's going yeah his brother-in-law wasn't an earthquake in Taiwan you know did anybody have those conversations you're like I wish something would happen right now and you make up this sorry excuse my brother was in an earthquake in Taiwan I guess that'll do every time so but I'm glad to see he's okay and here tonight you turn your Bibles with me to Mark chapter 11. verse 22 read two different passages just short passages of scripture in your hearing that I'll have you be seated tonight Mark 11 22 and Hebrews 11 verse number one we'll start with Mark 11 22. and Jesus answering saith unto them have faith in God for verily I say unto you that whosoever shall say unto this mountain be thou removed and be and be thou cast into the sea and shall not doubt in his heart don't doubt at all but believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass he shall have whatsoever he saith man that sounds good therefore I say unto you whatsoever what things so ever ye desire When you pray if you believe that you receive them ye shall have them and these are the words of Jesus this is this is a pretty sure promise here tonight Hebrews 11 1 now Faith is the substance of things hoped for but it's the evidence of things not seen it's the evidence of things not seen these are pretty cool passages of scripture that Jesus said if you pray that's what our series have been on for the past couple Wednesday nights if you pray and you really believe that whatever you say it's going to happen but then there's some evidence with faith that sometimes we pray we have faith but we still don't see anything so I want to try to draw the connection and connect Faith with prayer but most importantly if I can leave tonight knowing that prayer changes our perception and I feel like the word of God has spoken I want to preach just a few moments in your hearing the perception of prayer the perception of prayer if you put your Bibles down you lift Your Hands to Heaven you most importantly would you lift your voice unto Heaven you asked God to come in this house tonight there's a strong presence of the Lord in this place and I hope to add to it through his word tonight Lord we love you God we praise you today God I thank you for what you've already done in this house God I thank you God for the words that have already been spoken I thank you for the songs God that ushered your presence into this house Lord I feel you right now in this room God I'm so thankful for a group of Believers that have gathered here on this Wednesday night hungry for more of you God hungry for more of your spirit God hungry for your word in their lives Lord I pray that your word would speak for itself tonight not adding anything to or taking anything away but God we do everything in your name and someone would say in Jesus name now before you're seated if you would clap your hands all across this house Lord we love you and we praise you tonight in Jesus name you may be seated in the house of the Lord our opening verse this evening tells us to have faith in God have so much faith that whatever comes out of your mouth and if you don't doubt at all you have faith in what you are saying if there is no doubt found in your mind or in your life it will come to pass whatever you say that's the type of Faith Jesus says to pray with if you believe when you pray and don't doubt at all then you can receive and have what you are praying for then Hebrews tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for the substance of things hoped for and it's the evidence of the things that I cannot see there is a powerful connection between faith and prayer especially praying when things do not seem to change there's a powerful connection there that you still believe that what you're saying is going to come to pass even though you have the evidence of nothing changing at all there's a powerful connection When you pray I don't know about you maybe in prayer we are able to have the faith to move mountains and you in prayer some of you and I know this church prays and I know I just want to add a little what Pastor has has been preaching so eloquently the past few Wednesday nights maybe you're the type of prayer Warrior that you pray and the first time you speak to that mountain you say be thou removed and and that mountain immediately moves into the sea and but maybe other times kind of like myself we pray in your prayers the mountain got a little taller and that seed dried up it was few many many years ago I was living in with my parents and they had a kind of an apartment complex whatever over the garage and I got this book I come home from a conference Pastor Ericson I got this book about praying through the Tabernacle man this is cool let's try this out so page one start get directs you all the way to yeah nothing seemed to have happened and uh so you know just keep on going through all the steps and you know you get to the altar we had to spend a lot of time there we needed to spend a lot of time at the altar and then we got to the moment all right that everybody's away it's the main event it's the holies of holies I was ready to kick through that Veil you know my faith is really building at this moment I'm lifting my voice I'm praying and in my closet right over the garage and and I was praying in secret you know like the scripture says and and I got to the holies of holies and brother Mike I if I'm lying I'm dying tonight I felt something so strong not only the feeling that you have when you pray and you really get to that moment you start to break through I I felt that but I I felt the force shaking good Lord God this is working I'm in the holies of holies I'm busting down I'm just I'm walking back and forth now I'm not kidding if I'm sister Richmond if I'm lying I'm dying tonight the floor is is shaking my clothes are the hangers are rattled God's in this place that I'm going through and then everything just stops this is the holies of holies why stop then I hear null and you're here it's like well put two and two together I got into the holies of holies the same time the garage door started to open okay I guess there was and that was the end of my prayer time there okay so um I don't know about you but maybe sometimes you pray and nothing seems to ever happen like in that moment maybe it's a a vibrating garage door or maybe that's just just me but tonight I want to tell us something that prayer can change our perception if you walk away with one sentence in your mind when you get down to pray tomorrow I hope you realize that if you pray maybe the Mountain's going to move in that one prayer maybe that mountain will be cast in that sea for that final time that you've been praying this over and over again but what if God changes your perception what if God changes your perception that that mountain is really not important in your life that thing that you've been praying for over and over again maybe it's just a perception change that we need so there is tremendous power and prayer and God changing our perception Genesis 21 and 14 says in Abraham rose up early in the morning and took bread and a bottle of water and gave it unto Hagar putting it on her shoulder in the child which is Ishmael and sent her away and she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba Hagar is is sent out not knowing where she is going she knows she has a she knows she's somewhat of a mistake obviously we know the story of Hagar and Ishmael knows that she is a mistake and she sent out because of of Sarah and Abraham and the new baby coming she sent out and the thing about prayer is and I love it that anybody can pray anybody can pray you can be a Abraham or you can be a Hagar there's something powerful when somebody just simply starts to pray and so this story goes like this she Abraham gives her enough water and enough bread for a little while and and she takes this little bit of bread she eats and feeds the baby and a little bit of water and verse 15 says and when the water was spent in the bottle she cast the child under one of the shrubs and she went and set her down over against him a good way off as it were a a bow shot which for she said let me not see the death of my child now she is such in in agony there she sees the end of her her baby's life that this baby doesn't have enough nourishment to to last in the desert and she didn't want to watch it suffer so she put it underneath the shade and and walked away from it but here is the power of prayer and she sat over against him and lifted up her voice and wept doesn't matter who it is if it's Abraham God will answer your prayers or maybe it's a mistake Hagar God will answer your prayer prayer is no respecter of persons God just wants somebody to pray and God heard the voice of the lad and the angel of God Called to Hagar out of heaven and said to her what aelet thee Hagar fear not for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is arise lift up the lad and hold him in thine hand for I will make him a great nation a sinful prayer her Agony was turned to knowing that the baby was going to die but it was turned from that to just perception he's going to be all right that's the power of prayer sometimes we just come to Agony with God and at the end of that prayer if God can just simply change our perception that maybe all the encouragement that we need for that day she lifted up her voice in agony saying God this baby is going to die and I'm filling in the lines a little bit with this scripture God this baby's going to die Lord I was just there I was just doing what I'm told and God just simply changed your perception he's still called to be a great nation even though it's not the type of nation that's going to come from the other child but from from Isaac but it's going to still going to be a great nation but here's the perception change again verse 19 and God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water and she went and filled the bottle with water and gave the lad drink now you can believe what you want to about this scripture but I believe that that well was there the whole time but she was so focused on her Agony she was so focused on what was being wrong how she was mistreated why do I have to go to the Wilderness I now I've got this baby I'm going to put him under neither the shade of this bush and I'm just going to cry here in my misery but let someone start to pray and prayer opens up your eyes to realize what's been in front of you the whole entire time that's the power of prayer God may not move mountains he may not cast them into the sea for you but God and they do the most important thing to you and it proved to you what has been there the entire time that's the power of prayer prayer gives us the proper perspective Hagar could not see something important because it's difficult to see something when you have feelings of hopelessness or unhappiness in other words when people are overwhelmed by despair of hard times they may have a difficult time recognizing and impr and appreciating what is in front of them the entire time God I don't think God magically put a well of water there magically put and he could have obviously we know that God if God could tell someone to speak to Iraq and and he hits the Rock and water comes from it surely God could put a well wherever he wants to put a whale but sometimes in prayer God will just open your eyes to see what has been in front of you the entire time that's the perception of prayer she's lost in the wilderness without water she places her child underneath it a bush she distances herself from not to hear the screams of her child who would want to hear the screams of their baby God calms her just with hey it's going to be all right it's going to be fine matter of fact if you open up your eyes you'll see there's been something there the whole time there might be things that we pray about we come to God in so much Agony we come to God with so much hurting we come to God saying God if you don't move if you don't change this certain situation God I'm not going to be able to make it but then God may speak to you and say hey it's going to be all right you're going to get through it and I think that's a if you if that's what God speaks to you in that prayer God has changed your perception to make it another day you come to God and say God I'm not going to make it Lord if you don't move in this certain area God I I will distance myself from this because God I just can't do it I can't bear to hear the Cry of my children I can't bear to hear the screams of this situation that's going on and then God speaks to you and say you're still called it's going to be all right just keep going just keep going matter of fact open your eyes if you come to church there's a there's a river of living water flowing in the church that you'll get fed every single time The Thirst that you have in your life if you show if you just it's gonna be okay and so there's a perception change prayer when God opened her eyes she saw a well of water she went filled the bottle with water gave the light a drink off about their day no miracle just a better vision no Miracle just showing you what's been there the entire time but they're so focused on Agony so focused on being mistreated I'm sure we miss the well of water that could save us no Miracle just a better Vision but in panic and pain Hagar never saw what was right in front of her prayer gives us the ability to recognize that relief is just right in front of us but it all comes through prayer prayer changes our perception whatever we might be facing tonight you might have walked away from it because you don't want to face the suffering that it's bringing but when you start to pray God will open your eyes you'll start to recognize That's The Power of prayer you'll start to recognize something you already had the entire time so let's not get so blinded and I know what we're going through is real I know the situations that's fighting us as individuals in each of the families in this church is is very real and we all face different things but let it not blind us to what's been in front of our faces the entire time a God that has never left us a God that has never forsaken us it's been in front of our faces the entire time but prayer has to open up our perception to see what God wants us to see there was another story where the perception of prayer and I as I read this today I I it's almost like I was laughing while I'm reading the word of God because it's it's just so funny how how simple it was there was a a Syrian King that got tired of the Israelite Army and the Israelite King knowing the actions that he would take or the plans that he would make ever before he would do them or put them into action a matter of fact the Syrian King was bothered so much by this he accused everybody in his house of being a traitor he said there's a traitor in here somewhere and if you're Syrian King you're mad and enraged you're you're accusing everybody everybody's fearful for their lives I I haven't told these secrets have you know I've not told any secrets at all and and this Syrian King is enraged he's saying how in the world does the Israelites know what I'm going to do way before I ever do it which one of you are traitors and uh one of the servants said King can I can I speak and he said all right speak be fearful for your life but speak and and uh said king um there's a man of God over in Israel and his uh his name is Elisha and uh and you can read it for yourself this is this is uh Second Kings 6 and 12. my Lord O King but Elisha the prophet that's in Israel telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bed chamber no traitor there's a man of God that it's got a microphone in your babe chamber that God's speaking to him on what you're going to do he said go and spy where he is that I may send and fetch him and it was told him saying behold he is in Dothan and so the king of Syria gathers the armies and sends a a band of men and not only a band of men but he sends Horsemen and he sends chariots and in that day that was the most powerful tools of of it's the most powerful weapons uh in in Warfare that you could have of was was Horsemen and and chariots those could really do some damage in a battle in this man of God is so strong this feeble man of God is so strong I'm going to send the best I got to go capture him and so uh he sent therefore feather horses and chariots at a great host just go after that one man of God doesn't really have much and they came by night he's really scary guy we've got to we got to catch him when he doesn't expect it and we're going to Compass the city roundabout we're going to feel the entire circle of the city so this man of God this strong man of God can escape this was a time where Israel was sort of backslid and really didn't see very backslude rather and didn't see eye to eye with the man of God at all there was no protection for Elisha there was nothing that that that would defend him against this great Army this would and should scare anyone when you don't have an army at your disposal and matter of fact it it did Scare Elisha's Camp a little bit because in verse number 15 the servant of the man of God was risen early and gone forth and behold he looks and a host can pass the city both with horses and chariots his servant ran back to the house and said unto him now last my master how shall we do he you can hear the franting in his voice and he answered and said fear not for they that be with us are more than they that be with them Elisha I know at bible college they didn't really probably teach you math but um one two Elisha how in the world can you say we've got more with us Elisha you need his glasses but man of God look over there the mountains full of Chariots and Horsemen over there well actually a matter of fact let's go to the back of the property over there you see all those it's just me and you but here's the power here's the power of prayer verse 17 and Elisha prayed and said Lord I pray thee open his eyes that he may see and the Lord opened the eyes of the young man and he saw and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots but they weren't just any normal horses and chariots they were horses and Chariots of Fire round about Elisha when Elisha prayed the servant's perspective and perception of the situation changed he didn't see themselves of being outnumbered but just a simple prayer changed his perception that everything is going to be all right hey if we just follow God and what he wants us to do everything I know we look like we're outnumbered but Through The Eyes of faith I just feel I just feel like we're going to be all right his mind was changed by a simple prayer can I preach to someone tonight and you feel like you're surrounded and you feel like there's no hope of you making out of this situation I just want to tell you the simple key to victory pray and when you begin to pray it could be a simple prayer but it could be an effect of prayer as well when you begin to pray you will open your eyes through faith and realize that God has been there the entire time that you'll realize that if God before you who in the world can be against you and I love and I love and I love this servant doesn't say I I see Chariots of Fire that they're coming they're on the way but I can this is just how my mind works and it really fits in my message tonight so I hope it's right okay but it sounds like those Chariots of Fire and those Horsemen have been there the entire time but he just couldn't see it but let Elisha begin to pray one simple prayer God open the young man's eyes he's a little discouraged he needs a little perception changed and that guy's so scared he opens his eyes he said everything's going to be all right everything's going to be all right so I want to encourage someone tonight you may feel like you're going through absolute hell in your life but just pray and you watch just pray and just pray and pray and if your perception is not right the answer is pray and when that perception begins to change you get a little bit of faith in your prayer that I'm going to make it out and when that perception gets a change and you see how big your God is and you see how strong your God is that you're not outnumbered but the God has never left you has never forsaken you I know you feel down and discouraged but let prayer begin and your perception is going to change and you'll make it out all right so the Bible says this store I love this story I was literally laughing today as I was reading it and I was like are you crazy like no I'm just reading my Bible this is so weird the Bible says that the armies come down and uh Elisha well what does it say it says Elisha starting to pray verse 7 verse 18. he prayed unto the Lord he put that verse on the screen when he came down when they came down Elisha's prayed unto the Lord and said Smite this people I pray thee with blindness and he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha so he comes in he says boys who are you looking for we're looking for the man of God from Israel and these guys are feeling around these Mighty Men they're the strongest they're the baddest they're the biggest but a simple prayer changed the enemy's perspective as well a simple prayer changed the servant's perspective and a simple prayer changed his enemy's perspective as well he said boys you're in the wrong City you're in the wrong town matter of fact you're going the wrong way you want me you want to follow me I'll show you yeah show me where the man of God is he said all right I'll show you so you imagine this just a was he a strong Warrior no he was a man of God who knew how to pray he wasn't this Mighty conqueror I I picture Elijah and this is just me this feeble old man but this feeble old man that knew how to pray was leading the best the syrians had this feeble old man that knew how to get a hold of God was leading all the Chariots all the horsemen he's just walking you know now you mad you picture that in your mind you've got a blind Army a blinded Army following the man of God they're saying hey are we looking for Elisha and Elisha says yeah we're looking for Elijah come on he's over here he's over here so he leads them down to Samaria where the King was of Israel and he leads him and says all right God give them their sight back that Mighty Army opens up their eyes and realize they're captured they realize they're captured their perspective goes back and uh the king of Israel says well actually what do I do with these guys do I kill them do I make him Servants of Israel what do I do with this this Mighty Army well here's what you do I want you to go get some food and water feed these boys send them home why does it sound like War how about victory I I want I want Victory and the Bible says in verse 23 and he prepared great provision for them the king listened to Elisha and when they had eaten and drunk he sent him away and they went to their master and I love this so the bands of Syria the armies from Syria came no more into the land of Israel this victory was not won by fighting it was not one with swords not with slings not with stones or bows and arrows but a great Victory Was Won through prayer a great victory was one when prayer went forth a perception was changed and matter of fact we can go like this we had this we I I'm sure they wanted evil for the man of God they wanted to kill him I'm sure if if if he knew the plans that their King had before he would even put them into action I'm sure they wanted his life but Elisha knew if I began to pray it changes our perception and if I can pray it'll change those in those enemies perceptions as well so the Bible says that they serve them they served them they fed them and they didn't come back to Israel anymore they didn't come back that was the greatest Victory the most simple Victory all by praying and serving their enemies and when they say these folks are nice I'm not met the Bible says that the Syrian band the armies from Syria came no more into the land of Israel because prayer changes our perception the prayer can also change our enemies perception as well the Bible says they served them they didn't come they didn't come back anymore Psalms 119. and 18 says open thou mine eyes that I might I may behold wondrous things out of thy law tonight if we view the law of God as a drudgery or someone used coming to church as I have to do this or else all we need is a little perception change if you view praise and worship as man I got to do this we need to pray it's that's all it takes for our perception to change if we don't like coming to that God's house or maybe we think this law this the laws in the Bible or what we live by in scripture that's a drudgery it holds us down all you got to do is pray you don't like worshiping pray if you don't like the word of God pray it's as simple as that because perception is everything perception is everything and just a simple prayer God shows you what has been in front of your face the entire time if you're Hagar and you think your life is over your son's life is over just pray you feel like you're outnumbered and that the enemy is going to take you you're nervous pray and you'll see who's really on your side If my people which will call which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray I promise you everything's going to be all right God will heal your land if we begin to pray God will heal your family it's all in your perception you're going to know it may God may not literally pick up the mountain and move it in that one prayer but if I can pray I I I'm not believe I can walk up this mountain if I begin to pray my perception change of everything that I'm going through and maybe I get a little bit of carnal and I say God what are you trying to say in this book it's so it might be leading me in a different direction if I begin to pray I realize how wonderful this book is because when I begin to pray I open up my eyes and realize God you would never lead me in the wrong direction God if I begin to pray my perception changes all we need tonight now I don't know if the mountain is going to move but I can tell you you can see who really is on that mountain if you begin to pray you begin to pray let's go to the New Testament we'll see prayer changes perception Jesus Took Peter James and John up a mountain to pray and while they were there praying something happened to Jesus that no one else has ever seen Luke 9 and 28 and it came to pass about the eight days after these Saints he took Peter James and John up a mountain to pray and as he prayed the fashion of his countenance was altered and his raiment was white and glistering and behold there were two uh there were there were talk with him two men which were Moses and Elias Elijah who appeared in glory and spake of his deceased which he should accomplish at Jerusalem but Peter they didn't pray long I can feel what their pain but Peter and and they that were with him were heavy asleep they started to pray but they kind of fell off and when they were awake Saw His glory and the two men that stood with him Peter James and John prayed for a little bit and but it wasn't enough it was they didn't pray really much they just began to pray and they fell asleep and as they woke up they saw Jesus Christ in a way that no one else has seen him before when they begin to pray and and a Little Help from Jesus's prayer I'm sure their perception of who Jesus was completely changed their perception of who Jesus was completely changed and I want to tell you maybe if your perception will change about who Jesus is you'll realize that he can heal your body if your perception will change about Jesus just a little bit as you pray you'll be you'll believe that God can deliver you from whatever you're facing but it's all about the perception and and Peter James and John after praying saw Jesus in this brand new light but that's that's only half the story here because they saw let's build some Tabernacles here for Moses and Elijah and Jesus if you want we'll build one for you too these are these are guys of old these are these are Old Testament figures and so can I tell someone tonight in this story when they begin to pray their perception of the past changed not only did they see Jesus in a brand new light but something that happened years ago changed in their mind as well they saw Moses and they saw Elijah in a brand new way something they'd never seen before and now me encourage you with this how does that apply to our lives well there might be something that happened to us a long time ago there might be some situations that went down in the families a long time ago but let someone begin to pray and God can change perceptions of things that happen many many years ago where's the power was it a good was it a good doctor that gave you some good medicine absolutely not was it a good psychiatrist that talked to you to make you forget absolutely not but let somebody begin to pray and their perception of what happened years ago begins to change you'll begin to see that thing that happened in your life in a completely different light through the perception of Prayer perception of Prayer we'll hurry to a close here but in Joshua 6 and 2 the Lord said this is when Joshua was looking at the big Wallace of Jericho and he says to Joshua see I have given unto thine hand Jericho and the King thereof and the Mighty Men of Valor I want you to open up your eyes and look boys look the king's yours the walls of Jericho are yours all those mighty men that are scary though those guys are yours not what I see I see big walls I see those men that are drawn back with those arrows on top of the walls I see we're just a bunch of Israelites with them a man of God in a trumpet that's all I see we got and uh but you want me to see that those Jericho walls are ours with faith God can change our perspective when God said to Joshua see I have a given Jericho into thine hand they saw everything but what God wanted them to see but when we pray and have faith it will produce a daily walk a perception change comes through prayer that not only happens in one day but most importantly it happens daily it may not you may get on your knees tomorrow and say Mountain be thou removed nothing happens it may not happen in a day but I can tell you it will happen through daily prayer it'll happen through a daily perception change it'll happen through a daily walk around those walls and after you walk daily not in one day but walk daily you're going to see what God wants you to see you're going to see those walls come crashing down so the people in verse 20 shouted with the priest when they blew the trumpets and it came to pass when the people heard the sound of the trumpet and the people shouted with a great shout and that the wall fell down flat so the people went up to the city every man straight before him and they took the city seeing what God wanted them to see happened with a daily walk of faith it didn't happen in one magical prayer even though God says see I've given Jericho into thine hands it took him a daily walk then their perception became reality their perception became reality when they had a daily walk with God your prayers may not affect something in a day but it will affect something if your prayers happen daily a daily perceptions change will change your world a daily perception change will change the situation that you're facing if you can just see through the eyes of prayer what God wants you to see everything will be all right and so if if I haven't got you yet all right and this worked on your kids a few weeks ago so I figured it might work with you am I going to kill a goldfish I had some people upset with me on Facebook all right this is something I got here thank you to you know we may we may put our prayers say God I need you to change this situation I got nothing and I need something that's all I got but let me not give up come back to pray the next day God I need you to really change this situation Lord I God I know faith is the substance of things it's the substance of things hope Force the evidence of things not seeing God I opened up with prayer yesterday I didn't have any evidence of anything seen but God I'm still hoping for something Lord and I know preacher preached last night God doesn't happen day it doesn't happen in one day but it it will happen through daily prayer and my perception will begin to change in Jesus name okay let's try again Lord in your name God I come to you humbly before you I ask that you would reveal to my eyes what you want me to see Jesus name in the name of Jesus Christ I pray you would do something right now God like you raised the goldfish that Sunday night and I still am thankful for and I still owe this church a lap around this church because I forgot in the moment but God I pray right now that you would change and you would open my eyes to see what you want me to see oh sat there the whole time I hope not I would run the trick I hope y'all see what I so obviously you know this and I've really got your kids with that they were oohing on like I bought these at Global grounds before I started preaching tonight so there's nothing like magical Donuts or anything but obviously I think we all know that that was there the whole entire time okay I think you probably know how I did this trick even though over and over again it looked like there was nothing it was really there the entire time okay it was there the entire time even though I couldn't see it it was there the entire time so let me put it to you as simple as I can in Kids Quest Style that what if I stopped praying when I didn't see nothing what if what if I stopped praying when the evidence was just nothing that's where faith comes in because the moment I pray and nothing begins to happen if I stop right there I will not see the men of Chariots and and Horsemen of Fire on the Mountain if I stop right there God will not open my eyes to see what has been in front of me the entire time that's where Faith steps in because the moment that I think something's going to change and I open that lid and it's still emptiness if I stop right there and get discouraged I'm going to miss the moment where that mountain really does move and I'm going to miss the moment where God really does provide in my life so I'm not going to be discouraged when nothing seems to change but through prayer my perception can change through prayer even though I didn't see it for a while through prayer there's going to be a day I don't know when but through prayer in a daily perception change my situation is going to produce something even though it's empty even though it's nice Disturbed urging I'm not going to lose hope because if I lose hope there's not going to be the day where something shows up in my life but I've got to have that daily I've got to have that doubt I feel the Lord in this place I know I've got a bucket of donuts in my hands but I feel I feel the Lord in this house right now that do not give up when something doesn't seem to change don't lose hope when you keep praying and your baby doesn't come back home don't lose hope when the evidence is something you cannot see that's where faith and that's where prayer comes in because the moment you pray God's going to open up your eyes and he's going to prove to you that he's been there the entire time God's going to open up your eyes and you're going to see God in a brand new life that you're going to realize that he's a Healer you're going to realize that he's a provider you're going to realize that God has been there the entire time but maybe you're a person that's been bound by your past and you've tried to pray and you've tried to pray God please deliver me from things that I did years ago but through prayer God's going to change your perception about your past God's going to change your perception about your past so I want to encourage someone tonight if you be if you be so kind to stand with me all across this house it's pretty good if I gave up if I gave up when I saw nothing if I stop praying when I saw nothing that's what faith is it's the substance of things hoped for it's something I hope for it's something God I hope you're going to heal me it's something I but God when I get that bad report it's the evidence I got to know it's the evidence of things I don't see I've got to know it's the evidence of things I don't see even though God I don't see that mountain moving right now in this one prayer I know through prayer that my perception can change and a daily it won't happen in a daily prayer but it'll happen that prayer when it happens daily it might not happen in one prayer just once a day but it'll happen when prayer Goes Forth daily in that moment I see nothing I see nothing there is going to be a moment there is going to be a moment I'm gonna take the lid off and things are going to change because prayer changes our perception prayer changes our perception I know you open your eyes sometimes mom and dad and you just see emptiness in your children I know you open your eyes after prayer and you see the same boy that's smart alec to you and you see the same girl that won't pay you any attention but mom and dad keep praying keep praying and keep believing that God's going to change something and I promise you you're going to get a call from school one day that God that your daughter your son says there's a there was a message in Chapel that Pastor Hammond preached in my life has changed but what if you gave up when you saw nothing what if you gave up when the when the evidence of your faith was nothing in front of your face you will not get the finished product he won't get the finished product so I want to tell you today that your life may not change in one prayer but God opened our eyes to see what you want us to see God there may be answers in our life that have been front of our face the whole time but we're so focused on our Agony and our pain of of being forgotten and being mistreated that we don't realize God the provision has been in front of our face the entire time oh dear God open our eyes to see open our eyes to see if every head would be about with me every eye would be closing if you would lift your voice all across this place I've finished just a few minutes early tonight for us to pray moms and dads the answer that you need it's in front of your face I promise you if Through The Eyes of Faith you'd open up your eyes servant that you feel like you're outnumbered and you feel like God why in the world would you leave us out here God if you'd open up your eyes you would see the horsemen and the Chariots of Fire on the Mountain because if God before you who in the world can be against you if you'd open your eyes through the perception change of prayer Everything Everything Will Change mom if you've got a discouraging doctor's report Dad if you've got to discourage doctor's report if you just open your eyes to the realm of Faith tonight through prayer if you'd open up your eyes to the perception of prayer you're going to see that God will never leave you nor ever forsake you whose report are you going to believe I'm going to believe the report of the Lord because my perception is right my perception is right of God's word and it only happens through prayer so I'm going to ask this church right now would you lift your voice with me and can we pray could we lift your voice with me and let's pray and your perception will begin to change if you need something in this room right now if you begin to lift your voice a Navy you see tonight as a drudgery and you don't see the wonderful works of God in the law if you begin to pray God will open up your eyes and you'll see how old taste and see that the Lord is good taste and see that God is good and that his law is good and that it's just like good marriage it's good for my bones it's good for me God the perceptions change I feel the Lord in this house right now if you need something in your life I want you to walk down to this altar right now and but you wouldn't come with your head now God you'd come praying you'd come praying to the eyes of Faith your eyes might be open your family you're the answer to your family is found through prayer because God will change your perception through prayer God will open up your eyes through prayer don't give up when you don't see anything don't give up when you don't see anything at all don't give up when you open that lid and nothing else seems to change don't give up when your family has another blow up the God of prayer stop fretting and go to prayer fretting doesn't change anything worrying doesn't change anything you'll be a miserable life if you just start to worry and start to fret of what could have been if you would shut your thoughts off and go to pray or things will change if you're going to prayer in God you're talking to the god that can open your eyes and you'll see the Chariots of Fire on the Mountain you can open up your eyes and you can see the well of water that has been in front of your face the entire time it's a perception change it's a perception change God changed my perspective tonight God changed my perception tonight God I know I'm going through it right now but God I'm going to pray I'm not going to post it on Facebook I'm not going to gossip about battle with my friends I can't do anything for me but God I'm going to pray I'm gonna pray and God you're going to open up my eyes you're going to open up my eyes to see what you want me to see God you're going to open up my eyes to see that you you've never left me anytime I'm going to pray I'm going to pray and God baby in this prayer things don't change but God through a daily walk with you through a daily walk around the walls of Jericho I'm going to see what you want me to see I know I see right now and I open my eyes and I see the walls it's big as long as they've ever been but through a daily prayer walk with you and Through The Eyes of faith I'm going to see those Jericho walls come crashing down I'm going to open my eyes and my perception is going to become reality through prayer through prayer there's a spirit of Prayer in this house right now come on your life could change right now through prayer come on your life can change through prayer I know it might not move the mountain right now and that's what Jesus said that's what Jesus said if you believe but it's going to come through a daily walk of prayer it's going to come to a daily walk of prayer you're going to be you're going to be God may not move the mountain but he's going to speak to you that everything's going to be all right he's going to speak to you that everything's going to be just son through prayer through prayer through prayer God changed our perception through prayer God you may not just do a miracle in our midst right now God you may not put me in the swimming pool god of the well Lord you may not put it to me that it's it's refreshing to my soul but God you may allow me to open my eyes and just up the distance God there's been a water of well the entire time God don't let me be so focused on my Agony and my pain and what could be and what if this happens and what if that happens because I'm missing a well of water on the other side God I don't want to be focused on the desert I don't want to be so focused on the Wilderness God that I miss the well of water and the spring of water that's in front of me the entire time foreign for someone tonight but you're so focused on what could have been and what if this happens and fretting about this and worrying about that and what if that doesn't come back good and all those things that God is telling me to tell you tonight you're missing The Well of water that's right in front of your face oh God don't let me be a Hagar Lord God that I'm so focused on what could go wrong and what is going wrong in my life and I miss the well of water the entire time God it's in front of our faces tonight but Through The Eyes of Prayer God our perception changes to the eyes of prayer for the Lord moving right now Through The Eyes of Prayer dad can I tell you how your family is going to come back together through prayer mom could I tell you how everything's going to be all right for prayer I don't know when it's going to happen I don't know when I promise you the Mountain's gonna move but through prayer your perception is going to change Hallelujah I refuse to give up when things don't seem to change I refuse to give up and throw in the towel when I open the lid and I see nothing over and over and over again that's where Faith steps in because it's the evidence it's something I hope for but it's the evidence of something I don't see through prayer God Anything is Possible through prayer anything is possible lift your hands one more time in which you lift your voice all across this house the Lord has been with us this evening come on the Lord has been with us tonight come on through through prayer it may not happen in one prayer but it through daily prayer it may not happen in one day of prayer but through daily prayer it's going to change your perception is going to change through daily prayer your mind's going to be made up through daily prayer through daily prayer you're going to realize that you are the head and not to tell through daily prayer and the perception change you're going to realize that you are above and not beneath of Prayer through our perception being changed through prayer come on one more time let's just thank him I feel the Lord I'm so sorry I I try to get out 10 minutes ago about the Lord in this house right now oh perception changes oh if my people will humble themselves not people which are called by thy name will humble themselves and pray he'll rebuke the devour he'll heal our lands he'll heal our homes if we just begin to pray he'll show us the will of water if we begin to pray he'll show us the water that wants to spring up in our lives if we begin to pray the prayer life has to happen because I've got to have a perception change God I've got to have a prayer life because God you want to show me some things to the eyes of faith that I can't see when I just fret and I just worry about what what I'm going through God but let me open up my eyes to see what you want me to see in Jesus name we pray can we clap our hands all across this house Lord we thank you Lord