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Cold Springs Church
Prayer: His Teaching. His Example - When Prayer Gets a No
When Prayer Gets a No
Locations & Times
Cold Springs Church
2600 Cold Springs Rd, Placerville, CA 95667, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:45 AM
1. The Tension We All Live In
- Life doesn’t feel simple.
- We understand so little—but feel pressure to understand everything.
- We feel like we must hold ourselves together.
- But what if we can’t? What if we don’t?
Jesus never treated prayer as a box to check—but as a life to step into.
- Life doesn’t feel simple.
- We understand so little—but feel pressure to understand everything.
- We feel like we must hold ourselves together.
- But what if we can’t? What if we don’t?
Jesus never treated prayer as a box to check—but as a life to step into.
2. Jesus and the Reality of Unanswered Prayer
Mark 11:12–14, 20–25
- Ask. Seek. Knock.
- Believe that God hears.
But then…
- Garden of Gethsemane
- Jesus asked—and did not receive what He asked for.
Key Question:
What do we do when prayer gets a no?
Mark 11:12–14, 20–25
- Ask. Seek. Knock.
- Believe that God hears.
But then…
- Garden of Gethsemane
- Jesus asked—and did not receive what He asked for.
Key Question:
What do we do when prayer gets a no?
3. When “No” Touches Real Life
Our prayers about:
- Children
- Jobs
- Lives
- Relatives & friends
- Sin and brokenness
What happens when we ask, seek, and knock—and the answer doesn’t come? Where do we go then?
Do we just… try harder to hold it together?
That can’t be the answer.
Our prayers about:
- Children
- Jobs
- Lives
- Relatives & friends
- Sin and brokenness
What happens when we ask, seek, and knock—and the answer doesn’t come? Where do we go then?
Do we just… try harder to hold it together?
That can’t be the answer.
4. Scripture Makes Room for Lament
What do we believe about Scripture?
Psalm 13
- Honest.
- Raw.
- Faithful—even without resolution.
- There are many Psalms like this.
1 Peter 3:12
- God’s ears are open.
- The Lord hears your lament.
God is not offended by your unanswered questions.
What do we believe about Scripture?
Psalm 13
- Honest.
- Raw.
- Faithful—even without resolution.
- There are many Psalms like this.
1 Peter 3:12
- God’s ears are open.
- The Lord hears your lament.
God is not offended by your unanswered questions.
5. What Does God Actually Expect From Us?
- Not perfect answers.
- Not flawless prayers.
- Not holding ourselves together.
Matthew 11:25–30
- “Come to me…”
- Rest is found in closeness, not control.
- Not perfect answers.
- Not flawless prayers.
- Not holding ourselves together.
Matthew 11:25–30
- “Come to me…”
- Rest is found in closeness, not control.
6. The Core Truth
Prayer is not holding yourself together; it’s leaning into the God who holds you.
- Babies don’t fix anything.
- They rest because they are held.
- We keep trying to hold it together…
- When what we really need is to be held.
Prayer is not holding yourself together; it’s leaning into the God who holds you.
- Babies don’t fix anything.
- They rest because they are held.
- We keep trying to hold it together…
- When what we really need is to be held.
7. So How Do We Keep Praying When No Is an Option?
- We keep asking.
- We keep seeking.
- We keep knocking.
But we do it from His chest—not from self-sufficiency.
- We need to be held.
- God doesn’t expect you to have it together.
- God just wants you close.
- We keep asking.
- We keep seeking.
- We keep knocking.
But we do it from His chest—not from self-sufficiency.
- We need to be held.
- God doesn’t expect you to have it together.
- God just wants you close.
8. Why This Matters
- This is what transforms us.
- This is what we bring to others.
- This is the peace Jesus wants to give.
You can fight it—or let it carry you.
- This is what transforms us.
- This is what we bring to others.
- This is the peace Jesus wants to give.
You can fight it—or let it carry you.
9. Living It Out
- This must be real life—not a thought experiment.
- Gen to Gen faith is formed when prayer is honest.
- So we ask, seek, and knock.
- And when the answer is no…
- We lean into the God who holds us.
- This must be real life—not a thought experiment.
- Gen to Gen faith is formed when prayer is honest.
- So we ask, seek, and knock.
- And when the answer is no…
- We lean into the God who holds us.
10. Closing Call
- Prayer is real.
- Prayer is necessary.
- Prayer is not holding yourself together.
- It’s leaning into the God who holds you.
So… lean in.
- Prayer is real.
- Prayer is necessary.
- Prayer is not holding yourself together.
- It’s leaning into the God who holds you.
So… lean in.
Generation To Generation Giving
100% of these funds go to our Generation to Generation Capital Campaign. Every improvement is about one thing: helping people engage more deeply with Jesus and with one another.
https://coldspringschurch.churchcenter.com/giving/to/generation-to-generationGeneral Giving
Our goal here at Cold Springs Church is transparency. We operate solely on the generosity of those who call Cold Springs home and give regularly to support the mission and vision we are committed to carrying out. God invites us to worship Him in all areas of our lives, including the way we spend our money. Because it is an act of worship, God is more interested in the shape of our heart than the size of our gift.
https://coldspringschurch.churchcenter.com/giving