Your Prayers Feel Unanswered, And You're Afraid to Say It Out Loud

Have you ever got into a place where you were saying to yourself that God is nowhere? It's like as if you can't find him. It's like as if there's no one that can actually explain to you where he is, because this is who this message is for, is that you are praying. But still, nothing comes back. It sounds like as if nothing is coming your way. And the one who still comes to church, you know, when you got to church and every time when you go back from church, then you realize, but I don't understand how come it be that I'm at church all the time, but God is nowhere to be seen. It feels like he's never there. And this is what the message is for, the one who lost someone. And they cannot actually say it out loud because they are Christians. They're not supposed to say how they feel. They're not supposed to say it because of their faith, you know. And this message is also for the one who's quietly angry at God. And he's so angry at God, but so afraid to say to God, what is the anger for? And I'm also speaking to the person, the one who's thinking, Pastor, seriously, I'm not leaving. Yes, I'm definitely not leaving, but I just can't feel that God is with me. This is who the message is for. And you are a tired believer. And because you are so tired, it's actually a weird feeling because you are a Christian. Now, the message is also for somebody that nobody tells that person there are seasons when God feels a long way of you. There are seasons where you just don't get where God is at that moment. That is normal. This is the person I'm speaking to because that is normal. You're actually not supposed to be thinking that, Joe, how am I sinning? That's why God is not with me. This is who this message is for. And I also speaking to the person that is quietly saying in the quietness I sometimes want to just go back to where I come from because it seems like he not there This is who this message is for. Now, my message is also entitled, Why Does It Feel Like God Is Not With Me? Why does it feel like God is not with me? But I want us to go to our Bibles. Let us read Matthew 11. And I would like us to read from verse 2. Matthew 11, verse 2. Matthew 11, verse 2, the Bible says the following. Now, when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said unto him, Are thou he that should come, and do we look for another? Are thou he that should come, or do we look for another? So if you're looking at that Bible verse, but wait, wait, let me read further. In verse four, the Bible says, Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which you do hear and see. The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed. And the deaf hear, the deaf are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. That is the reading of the Bible. Now, if you read this message, we read John asking Christians, Because here he says, and said unto him, are thou he that should come? Or do we look for another? Like he's almost as if he is also doubting God at this moment. And then because he's doubting God at this moment, questions comes. This is the normal human beings to sometimes questioning things. And I would like you as a person specifically also to take note You have to question because some of the questions might be the answers to your new you can almost call it a new kind of a life. And I mean, if you're looking at John, now that he's in prison, he's waiting. Nothing is happening. Because he's waiting and nothing is happening, Jesus is out there healing people and John is in a cell. I mean, isn't this the guy that was actually in such a way of saying, wow, the one to come, Jesus, the one to come. He actually announced Jesus before Jesus came. And in that announcement, he was actually so hyped up. And here he's asking the question. are thou the one that should come? He's asking the question, are thou the one that should come? And my Bible, as I'm reading my Bible, that is a question almost like as if he were saying it at that time, but he's doubting it at this time, where darkness has come, because he's now in a situation where he's in jail, sitting in jail thinking to himself, is Jesus then who is out there? What is going to happen? I told you would come and get me. Or was I wrong? That's literally almost what it means. And if you read this Bible, notice that Jesus does not answer kindly. He sent back a list of what is happening. And when he sent that list of what is happening, He said the blind see. He said the lame walk. He said the poor hear good news. Go and tell John what you see. Now, my question to you is when you are in a situation, the thing is that some people felt too far off. It's like they call it when days are dark, friends are few. When days are dark, friends are few. Now if you go on and you go on to 11 verse 11 you will see the following Verily I say unto you among them that are born of woman they had not risen a greater than John the Baptist notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Now, my question to you is, imagine somebody being in jail and somebody blow a trumpet saying about how John is the greatest. But here John is doubting. This is the kind of thing that every man, woman goes through because I can guarantee you now some way or the other you would feel like God is not with you. But yet he is. God is not even feeling closer to you. but yet he is. And as I'm speaking to you now, have you as a person ever felt that moment of, you know, where are you? No man, seriously. Where are you? Have you ever gotten to a place where there's not even dishes in the house because that's how there's nothing. The only dishes is there that is just a cup that was taking water for the poor kids that is so hungry. They are taking cups just to drink water to fill their stomachs so that it can feel like something is there. Have you ever been to a place where you wake up and the child is telling you, I have headache. And you know that headache doesn't come from a normal problem. It's from hunger. Have you gotten to a place where they say you have to go and look for another place. It's only 12 o'clock tonight if that money is not in our account, you have to leave this place. You feel like, where are you, God? Are you being serious? Where are you, God? And this is the kind of things that everybody goes through some way or another. And this is the same person that was saying that Jesus is such an awesome person. And at the same time, he's asking, was I wrong? Was I wrong? Because if you read, once the messengers has left, Jesus turned to the crowd when he left the guys to go. He turned to the crowd now and he speak of Joseph. He says it right after John's doubt. It wasn't before John doubted. Right after John's doubt. So sometimes might it be that you must maybe just doubt a little bit so that Jesus can go and tell something? is it maybe that when things are going good or going well, Satan might have been the one that was tempting you as he was doing to job where God has said, you can do everything but just don't touch his soul. Might it be like that? I'm not sure, but I'm just asking you. It could have been that that would have been the case in your life. Your life is the moment you hear that the cancer has grown now from a stage one, two, to a stage four, and suddenly your question is, God, where are you? Have you said with the sickness that a doctor is saying to you, you only have one month to live. To live. I mean, the doubt left John standing while Jesus was honoring him. and that not just honoring him but honored him in public. Imagine this guy being called the greatest. He is the greatest sitting in a jail cell. Now, as he sits in a jail cell, somebody is talking about him being the greatest. How would somebody believe when Jesus is speaking to the crowd, telling them how you are the greatest? And my question to you is, have you ever felt like that? Be honest. Just be honest. The Bible doesn't say that Jesus got John out of the prison. John stayed in that prison cell, hey? I'm not saying to you God will come and change your situation like right away but it does not mean that your situation is worse or a case that you feel like it the best or the bad I mean the bad case It might feel like that but I not saying Jesus is coming to you immediately and rendering a jail cell that opened like the way the other apostle was praising God. And as he was praising, the jail doors opened and the prison woman wanted to kill him. It might not be the same case for you. It might be some way or another that it is time for you just to sit down and say, God, I am complaining today. I need to complain about this today. And your complaint must be, are you the one that must come and fetch me? Are you the one or is there another one coming? If you go to verse 6, verse 6, the Bible says, and blessed is whoever shall not be offended in me. Whosoever shall not be offended in me. And the word behind offended, it's skandalizo. Skandalizo. That's the word in verse 6. It's a word for tripping over something, a stumbling block in the path. It's a picture of a man walking alone, alone with who catches his foot and goes down. It's like it's it's like walking, catching his foot and goes down. Jesus says, blessed is a man who get past me without tripping. So questions are allowed. Questions are allowed because if you are about to trip, almost tripping, questions are allowed. Questions are allowed. And look at this part now. I need you to understand something. A honest question belongs inside your faith A honest question belongs inside your faith If you turn your Bibles and you read in the book of Psalm 13 can we go take our Bibles, open up to Psalm 13? I mean, if you... No, don't laugh. I sometimes have to take this off to see it. Because this thing, what they call this thing, short sight or near sight or far sight or whatever. But it's a sight problem. Read Psalm 13, verse 1. Because the Bible says, how long would thou forget me, O Lord? Forever. How long will thou hide thy face from me? It goes on and says, how long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Huh? God put a cry of an abandoned person in the middle of his own book. this is the bible i'm talking about an abandoned person crying because if these things wouldn't have happened the bible wouldn't have had some of these things so sometimes whenever the devil comes your way or whenever your enemies are are literally triumphing over you these are the kind of questions that you have to ask god cry out to God cry out to God the feeling of God feeling far away from you it proves nothing about where he is he's not too far from you it's just that your feelings unfortunately speak numbers because the number of your feeling is distance. The distance from here to Joburg is about 70 to 75 kilometers The distance that God feels from you might felt like 200 kilometers away from you But did he not say he will never leave you nor forsake you? Yes, feelings are real. But they can be wrong. Because feelings can be wrong. Sometimes I can tell you, And our mind even is so confusing that if I ask you to close your eyes and just imagine for one minute, you take your eyes and it's closed and you take a lemon in your right hand. And as you have your lemon in your right hand, you place it in the left hand. And when you place the lemon on the left hand, you take a knife and you take that knife, you poke through the skin, You cut it open and as you open it, you take the two parts aside, having the left and the right part, both two lemons. The moment you have these two lemons, can you smell the lemon? The moment you take the left one and you lift it up, take it to your mouth and lick it. Can you taste the sourness? My question to you, was that a real thing that happened? or was it all just in your mind? Can you taste your mouth is even going souring? The feeling of God that is far away proves nothing. I mean, look at this one. Have you ever had a child? Let's call the child maybe one years to four years. Have you ever had a child crying and screaming and saying, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, where are you? Thinking that you are gone. But you are just in the other room. The person thought you left while they heard a car that was passing, thinking that it's their car that has passed. It's the same thing that happened to you at your worst of moments. God is so near to you, but just the fear of losing makes you to think he's not there. I mean, if you can just take one moment. Just one moment. And just take that Psalm 13. Just one moment. for a moment, it says, how long would thou forget me? It's an honest feeling from the psalmist there. So you are allowed to pray that kind of prayer. You are allowed to say to God, you are too far. Today you are too far from me. You can have an honest feeling and say to him, hey man, I am demurin, I'm quiet, I'm angry. You can say that to him. Because some people think that you should be this high and mighty, holy, thou art worthy person without exposing the feelings that you're going through or the way you feel within. I mean, if I can look at it, in 2010, when I lost my mother and father, my two boys, my mother and my stepfather, all four of them were laying down there. And when I look at the program, not knowing that I was not up on the program, because I think they thought probably I would be so much hurt that I couldn't say anything. And that is why they left me out. And then the pastor that was there leading the whole service the whole time, I had to go to him and say to him, no, no, no. I want to say something here because this is an opportunity for me to expose my inner being, to expose my feelings towards this four caskets that is lying in front of me. And when that four caskets was lying in front of me, the only thing to show people how you feel was not to just cry and say, this is how I feel broken down, cursed or crushed down. And I felt like no it was not enough for me It was a way of me speaking to them and telling them even though there is this four caskets that lying here I still have to tell you something. And this is what happened. I still have to tell you. Although I'm crushed deep within, the pain is so much, yet I need to tell you something. I mean, if you're looking at it, through all of it, I could still say God is good. Through everything, if I could have had a clip of that video now, I can guarantee you now, everybody that was there could still sense that God is still in the presence of those people that taught four caskets lying there. God has left them. but through the words that I could say it could still fall on somebody's ears to say really? But when I say that does it mean I didn't feel anything or does it mean that I haven't felt him at that time? I meant it and I said it anyway God is good. I meant it and I said it anyway. God is good. And the thing is, when you're looking at this now, 30 years ago, my son was born. In 1996, 16th of July, he was born. Shangri. He would have turned 30 this year. I still feel that pain. And I feel sometimes something else too. You know, like different things at a time. But that I will tell you on the 22nd of November, on my next message that I'm going to preach. I felt it. John asked the question out loud from prison I mean from prison so that you can also ask Some of those questions have to be asked Some of those questions have to be asked A doubt that should come or do we look for another Sometimes you have to put that doubt that you have within you and say it out there. But you see. I can tell you now. sometimes if you don't say these questions out loud God must cannot send you evidence or give you proof that there is still something with living form because he sent evidence at that time when John sent this to he sent evidence back not arguments no no no he didn't say no no no but I'm here no he said sent evidence back So sometimes when you complain, it is a way of getting somebody's testimony to come and uplift you, how they were healed, how the lame were healed, how the sick, how the death could wake up. Sometimes the things that you go through is a way of exposing it out of your mouth so that there can be an evidence that comes back to you. And that evidence to show to you that Jesus is still at work. Look past your feelings. Look past the feeling of God not being there. and look what is still happening. Testimonies are still coming regardless whether it's yours or not. The testimony how God has intervened for me has come still. Whether you like it or not, whether you have heard it or not, it's just for you to open up your ears, open up your eyes because there is a crack that you need to go look through where there's still some coming through. even if you are in prison. Even if you are in prison. There's some things that you must just be honest. This is a look, not a look of thinking positively. No, no, no. No. It has nothing to do with thinking positively It about looking at some of the real things that is happening Real things that is happening. Let me make an example. If you say God is not there, ask yourself, am I still breathing? Because if God wouldn't have been there, the breath wouldn't have been there. Sometimes you have to look at smaller things to realize the greater God. Sometimes you have to look at smaller things to realize the greater God is. I need you to, for this week, just look at the worst things that you are going through. some of the things that you're going through is like really, it's worse things that you are going through. Yes, you can look at it, but look at the brighter side as well of the things that you are going through. Because when the kids don't have food, ask God, are you still there? Are you the provider that you said, Jehovah Jireh? Are you God Jehovah Jireh? Or why is it that to me there's nothing provided for? The moment you say that those kind of things, the provision will be shown to you because sometimes the thing that you think that you don't have is actually the one that is currently showing you to be focusing on like the devil was saying, look at this. I can give this to you. Some of the things you already owned, because when the devil said to Jesus, this is the things that you can be having, Jesus knew it was his already while the devil tried to manipulate that situation So that this, if he can bow down before Satan at that time, could have been given back to Satan or could have been handed over to Satan. Sometimes those kind of things makes you as a person to hand over the good things to Satan. look at those things. Have a look at those things. I'm telling you. Sometimes we call it evidence. Be an investigator. Be a private investigator. A PI searching for evidence. searching evidence of real things happening around your life. Jesus gave John not just one. He gave him a list. What is your own list that you can write down? What is your own list that you can write down? I really, I'm asking you, yes, yes, yes. What is the list that you can write down? What is the things that you're going through that makes you not to see the other things that is actually happening? Is it like the one I always make an example of? The way you're pain, your toothache or your, yeah, you have a toothache that you can't see somebody else's pain because of the toothache you're going through. Is that the reason? No. I'm asking you. There are certain times life gets so hard that you don't even see the friends that has brought you good news. Look at this. Look at this. It's so tough that you don't even see your friends. And it come to pass when Jesus has made an end of commanding his 12 disciples, he departed then to teach and to preach in the cities. Now, when John had heard the prison, the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples. He sent two of his disciples. Now imagine you being in prison Imagine you being in pain Imagine you being not able to have work Imagine certain things that you cannot do for yourself that you are restricted to the jail that you are You are so restricted in the situation that you are that there are certain people that can see that even though you are in this situation, they can still help you. Do you have those kind of friends? Do you have those kind of things that you can see? Because we get so overwhelmed with the things that we're going through that we don't see, that there's some people awaiting our response, awaiting us to ask for help, awaiting us to send them somewhere. Do you have somebody that you can send somewhere? Do you have somebody that you can send to go and actually get that evidence? Do you? if you don't have somebody that can get that evidence for you I'm asking you now if you are endangered you can actually reach out tonight to SADAG which is S-A-D-A-G on the number 0800 567 567 at any time day or night or you can go to your nearest clinic or hospital tell one person in that room today pastor pastor Even you that think that you cannot be able to cry in front of your congregation. I'm speaking to you. Go and seek help. Call somebody to come in with you. There is no shame in asking for help. There is no shame. It's actually the bravest thing that you can do. is asking for help. Sometimes God sends help in ways that you cannot imagine even. You can't imagine it. You can't imagine it. I cannot offer you to buy you a drink maybe today. I cannot offer you maybe to buy you a Coke. I cannot offer you today to maybe buy you a bread I might not be even able to give you a positive word of motivation or inspirational word But all I can say to you is very important that you should understand that every time whenever you go through certain things, Life is happening and we have to ask the questions. You have to ask the toughest of questions because the Bible also says the same thing. Sometimes whenever the Bible comes out, it even spoke about us not asking. That is why God is not giving. What is it? That you need to ask today. What is that question. That you need to confront. God today. Because that might be the reason. That things. Can become better. Just be honest. John asked. Jesus answered. Then Jesus spoke of him. As if he. I mean. he spoke of him as the greatest. Because John asked, Jesus answered, and Jesus spoke about him being the greatest. That question that John asked cost him nothing. It was just an honest question that comes from the heart. Sometimes this honest question can be, but your superior or your work boss or whatever you call him, your manager. Are you really thinking that the salary you are paying me, is that enough? Do you really think that I can survive with this? I've been working for you for quite some time and every year you only give me about 1% increase, do you think working for you for 1% increase and whilst every other thing goes above inflation and your 1%, do you think that make a difference? Do you think that makes a difference Sometimes you have to ask these kinds of questions Sometimes you have to ask your girlfriend your boyfriend do you think we doing this amma fuck and sit now for the last three years, for the last five years, for the last nine years, do you think that you are making me a horse, you're riding me as a horse and we're not getting anywhere? Sometimes those kind of questions you have to ask. He will not know, she will not know after seven years that you've been staying with them, that you don't feel fine to do this, just staying together without getting married. Sometimes you have to ask that boyfriend, Mara, really, why are we sitting every month in, month out? We're sitting at home. We're not going out like other couples. Sometimes you have to ask that hard questions. You think that your boyfriend is, there's a problem with your boyfriend when he doesn't hit you. For three days he didn't hit you. You are like, oh wow, I'm having a nice life. Sometimes you have to ask, but why you keep hitting me like this? Sometimes you have to ask that question. This is the questions that Jesus answered. This is the questions that show some sort of a wow. Well done, my son. You did well. Ask those questions. God is still here. And if it feels like he has been gone. The honest thing is to say to him. Which is the same thing that the man in that cell said. He said, and he said unto him, are thou he that should come or do we look for another? Sometimes those kind of questions you have to ask so that the question can come back or the answer can come back. And you get elevated. by being the greatest for asking the questions. The question to live it might not change things. I mean, the questions you leave, sorry, the questions you leave might not change things. The quietness that is within you, the pain you keep for yourself might not help you. What is the one question you have not said to God out loud? You have said it to Him. Yeah. what is that one question what if you can say that question today and it might change your whole life say that honest question to God even if it's just in one sentence say it out loud write down three good things that is happening to you at this moment even if the bad outweigh the good but at least just put some of them tell one person that you trust tell them that it feels like God has been quiet tell that person I felt far away from him Tell that person. Even the person now sitting with unalive thoughts to unalive themselves. I need you to reach out. There's a number on the screen. Reach out. if you feel like you want to use something and analyze yourself reach out we have a number that is 24 hours monitored if you look down on wherever you're listening this from you can even go on our website which is www.fountaingrace.com So it's fountaingrace, not fountainofgrace.org The number which is 0752592555 You can use that number to WhatsApp us. If it feels too much for you, don just take this opportunity that you have heard although it feels like God is far he asking you to give him one question But here's another one. You get up, you go to work, you do it again on Tuesday, on Wednesday, get up, go to work. On Thursday, get up, go to work. You work every day. and you are still going backwards. The bank balance is still too low. It's like the depths are piling higher and higher and nothing you seem to move is helping. Next Sunday, I would speak to you. You work every day and still going backwards. What happened to a professional fisherman who caught nothing all night and then was told to try one more time? Next week on the 8th of November November I will give you the following month And I need you to understand one thing. Even though he feels far away, he's awaiting that question. He's awaiting that moment for you to be within that anger. Tell him. And he will answer back. Not just answer back, but lift you. I prophesy in the mighty name of Jesus Christ today. Anybody under the sound of my voice. The moment you lift up your voice and tell him, you will be lifted up as well. But just tell him. That is the only thing that will be able to help you. to make the best out of it. God bless you. Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the sweet fellowship of the Holy Spirit rest and abide with us all until Jesus comes. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives, and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen and Amen.