Divine Petitions, Part 2

Examining the Prayer Life of Christ

    “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save Him from death, and He was Heard because of His reverent submission.”  (Hebrews 5:7) Matthew Henry wrote:  “The prayers and supplications that Christ offered up were joined with strong cries and tears, herein setting us an example not only to pray, but to be fervent and [ be urgently persistent] in prayer.”

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia tells us that prayer is “Communion with God, usually comprising of petition, adoration, praise, confession and thanksgiving.  The ultimate object of prayer in both Old and New Testament is not merely the good of the petitioner, but the honor of God’s Name.” The only prayers that are heard or answered yes to, are those that are offered up for the glory of God.  Salvation’s are given when people pray that God will glorify Himself in the redeeming of a sinful soul. I would propose to you that during the days of Jesus’ life on this earth, He prayed “Divine Petitions” that were for the honor of God, His Father.  Christians are to look to Him and say, “Lord teach me to pray.” (Luke 11:1)

 Just what did Jesus pray for while He walked on this earth?

Prayers Prayed During His Ministry

    The Scriptural accounts of the prayer life of Christ may be divided into four different groups.  We have already considered one group which was “Prayers Prayed at Critical Moments of Christ’s Life.” The other groups are, “Prayers that Christ Prayed During His Ministry,” “Prayers at His Miracles,” and “Prayers that Christ Prayed for Others.”  Let us first start with “Prayers Prayed During His Ministry.”

Luke 5:16 says “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”  Mark 6:44 says, “After leaving them, He went up on the mountainside to pray.” Both of these passages of Scripture follow the Biblical accounts of miracles performed by Jesus Christ.  In Luke Jesus heals a man from leprosy and in the Book of Mark, Jesus had just fed thousands from five loaves of bread and two fish. In both of these passages of Scripture we read of Jesus’ habitual life of prayer, even during very busy times.  Great crowds would come to hear and to be healed of their illnesses. Never has anyone done as much public good as Christ has done and we read clearly that Jesus made time for heartfelt prayer.  He prayed, though He had so much preaching, teaching, healing and training to do.  He was much in prayer, often in prayer and at times long in prayer. He needed, desired and enjoyed fellowship with God His Father in prayer while on this earth.  Jesus set the example for us.  Thus, Christians need, should desire and enjoy the fellowship that comes with being with our Lord alone in prayer.

When Christians begin to be used of God in some powerful way they must be much more in prayer and at times long in prayer and most certainly alone with God in prayer.  When crowds begin to gather, the Holy Spirit will prompt Christians to seek places where they can get alone with God and pray. This will protect them from distractions and ostentation.  These are two things that have destroyed many a child of God, brought disgrace upon many a ministry and brought Christ to public disgrace. It is only good wisdom for Christians to order their affairs in a way that their public work with the Lord does not destroy quality prayer time.  Christians must do as Christ did, which was to get alone with God in prayer.

Jesus prayed at His miracles

    Scripture records Christ praying after God had used Him greatly in ministry and at His miracles.  This is the third group in which Jesus’ prayers may be placed.  Jesus prayed at His miracles. In Mark 6:41 we read of Jesus,   “Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks.”  Before the miracle of feeding the five thousand men, not counting women and children, our Lord prayed. Jesus looking up to heaven and giving thanks shows us clearly that we should recognize that God is sovereign, the supplier of all good things.  God is the one who is able to provide for the needs of people in every realm of life.  Not only does this show the fitness and correctness of grace before meals, it shows forth that God is to be sought for the provision of food for the hungry.

Another time Jesus prayed before a miracle was in healing of a deaf and mute man, thus showing us that divine petition gets deliverance of bodily afflictions as God wills.  Mark 7:32, 34 says;  “…some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk and they begged Him to place His hand on the man.  He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh, said ‘Ephpharha!  which means opened!’” Our text says with a deep sigh (stenaco) meaning here to be a silent prayer offered up with a heartfelt groan.  Dr. Walter Wessell put it this way, “…sighing that accompanied the concealed communion of Jesus with the Father.” Jesus was not sighing here because of the difficulty in working the miracle or obtaining power from God to perform it.  Rather He was touched by human infirmity and was sympathetic with the affliction of the man.

From that communion came forth a single spoken Word meaning to be opened (dianoigo).  As it is used here it means “To open the ears, eyes, understanding, and spiritual heart.” (Zodhiates Word Studies)   In other words, this miracle was performed for the purpose of bringing a physical release accompanied by spiritual understanding of the heart for spiritual things. Christ speaks here as one who has authority and power.  Our Lord had such power in prayer because of His heartfelt compassion and the communion He had with His Father through prayer.  I am personally convinced that it is possible for Christians to obtain such a prayer life with the Lord that they can receive such compassion for the physically afflicted.  When led by the Holy Spirit, they can pray with inward groaning,  which enables them to pray forth words of healing.

Another time when Jesus’ prayers which brought forth a miracle was at the raising of Lazarus.  John 11:1 says, “…Jesus looked up and said ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard Me.’” Often we read of Jesus looking up or making some expression that shows clearly that His heart and mind were focused toward heaven, toward His Father.  The secret to receiving miracles is not lifting of the eyes or hands, but the heartfelt prayer which is ascended upward to God. In raising of Lazarus, Christ was looking beyond the grave, overlooking the difficulties at hand and fixing His eyes upon the Father who loved Him.  Christians must look beyond their circumstances, set all affections upon their God who loves them, and enter into His presence through Christ who purchased them with His blood. Our Lord addresses God with such great assurance and confidence, “…I thank you that you have heard Me.” (John 11:41)  The Greek word for “heard” (akauso) here means, “…To hear so as to grant what is spoken.”  Jesus who was to defeat death just after the Passover, speaks forth His authority over death and raises Lazarus from the dead.

Christ sets forth an example for us.  First,  in prayer we are to call to God our Father and draw close to Him with humble reverence and yet with a holy boldness.  The best way to do this is to understand what it means to abide in Christ. “Abide” (meinette) means “…to remain in or with someone, to be and remain united with him, one with him in heart, mind and will.”  It is then Christians can have full fellowship with God and pray Holy Spirit led prayers. Second, in our prayers we must praise Him. Going to the mercy seat with a thankful heart, acknowledging Him for former mercies received.  Pray for miracles that will cause people to see and believe in Christ and that glorify God.

That is why Jesus said in His prayer, “Father, I thank you that you have heard Me.  I knew that you always hear Me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here,   that they may believe that you sent Me.” (John 11:41-42)  Matthew Henry in his exposition of John 11:41 wrote; “First, Christ speaks of this miracle as answer to prayer.  Secondly, Christ is assured that His prayer was answered, therefore, He professes.”  As Christ honors and has faith in prayer, so should Christians.

Merril C. Tenney gives us this understanding:  “He thanked God for already answering.  So great was Jesus’ faith in the Father that He knew that the miracle was necessary to His mission, therefore it was as good as done when He prayed.” The faith that Christ was standing on was the fact that Lazarus was going to be raised from the dead.  We know that Christ knew His mission regarding Lazarus before He even went to Bethany.  Jesus said to His disciples when He heard that Lazarus was sick, “This sickness will not end in death.  No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4) He most certainly understood from communion with His Father in prayer what His task was. He clearly told His disciples that “Lazarus is dead.”  (John 11:14) and He said, “I am going to wake him up.”  (John 11:11) H. R. Reynalds writes; “This is the true mystery and meaning of prayer.  [Jesus’] words confess the Divine eternal will [of God].” Christians who remain united with Christ in heart, mind, and will, can be used of God to pray for awesome miracles that would bring glory to Christ and God.

In our church office we have a CD with the testimony of Joshua Youssef on it.  He is the son of Dr. Michael Youssef and while he was living in disobedience, he was chastised by the Lord.  Our Lord’s disciplinary actions toward Joshua ended with him in the emergency room, with his best friend out on a river in a life threatening situation. A Holy Spirit filled nurse who knew what it meant to truly abide in Christ was helping to attend to the wounds of Joshua Youssef. She asked Joshua if she could pray for him and his friend, upon which she was given permission.  The Holy Spirit literally revealed to this nurse the will of God as she prayed. The prayer was answered exactly as the nurse spoke in her prayer.  Joshua’s friend was rescued, saved from a situation in which almost everyone has died.  If it be God’s will and as He leads you, you could pray Holy Spirit led prayers for the glory of Christ.

Jesus prayed for others who are being attacked by Satan

    Another portion of Scripture that recorded the prayers of Christ and can be placed in a fourth group teaches how Jesus prayed for others who are being attacked by Satan. In last week’s message I discussed in more detail of Christ praying on the Cross for those who crucified Him and a little about Him praying for His disciples and those who would come to believe through their message. Today I want to show the necessity of and the power of Christ praying for those under attack by Satan.

In the King James Bible, Luke 22: 31, 32 says, “…the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” There is a reason why the King James Bible used the word “you” in verse 31 and in verse 32 it uses the word “thee.”  You see the Greek word for you (hymas) in verse 31 is plural.  This refers to the other disciple as well as Peter. The Word “you” or “thee” (sou) in verse 32 is singular referring to Peter directly.  That is very significant to know.  Satan was not only going to bring a great trial upon Peter, but to the other disciples as well.  Let us remember, all the disciples failed the trial in Gethsemane.

Let us not deceive ourselves, it is not only those who boasted as loudly as Peter who will be tempted by Satan to turn from their faith and commitments to the Lord.  But, all good soldiers of Christ are subject to Satan’s deceptions and attacks. Matthew Henry wrote in exposition, “Peter, who used to be the mouth of the rest in speaking to Christ, is here made the ear of the rest and designed for warning to them all.”  The more God wants to use a child of God and the more a Christian becomes useful in the building of the true church, the more Satan wants to destroy him and his works with the Lord. Satan really longed to get Peter.  However, Jesus gave powerful encouragement to Peter and for the Children of God as well,    “But, I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.”  (Luke 22:32) Jesus’ prayer was not that the disciples or Peter be spared from this trial, but that Peter’s faith may not fail.  His faith, (pistis) here means that which came from hearing Christ and a faith in God that would see him through in his calling.  He would complete all that God had called him to do through a faith that would cause him trust in the forgiveness and empowerment of God, which would enable him to keep the others steadfast.

Dr.  Walter L. Liefield has a unique teaching about the words “may not fail.” (me eklipe)   He says this means that Peter “may not give out or may not disappear completely as the sun in a total eclipse.”  In other words, even though Peter’s denial was serious and showed a shrinking in faith.  Peter chose to believe and trust in Christ and God, not like Judas Iscariot whose faith did completely fail.  Peter returned, but Judas Iscariot did not. Jesus saying “…and when you have turned back,”  reveals to us that Jesus knew what lay ahead for Peter and He prayed for God’s perfect will for Peter to be done.  Jesus’ prayer empowered Peter to achieve what Judas Iscariot could not do on his own.

Please note:  All true disciples of Christ, who in their hearts truly desire and choose to follow Christ, have Jesus’ “Divine Petitions” given on their behalf before God’s Throne.  These Christians, though they may fall, will not utterly be cast down, even in their greatest temptations and trials.  Christ has prayed for them. Christ’s prayers were not general and they are particular to us personally as it was for Peter when it comes to Satan’s attacks.  In truth, if a child of God was left to himself, he would eventually be completely destroyed.  Because of Christ’s loving intercessions for Christians, they will be empowered to return to trust in Him if they should shrink in their faith. This is a great encouragement to all who know Jesus and who know the power of His Divine Petitions.  It should also encourage Christians to pray for those who have for some reason backslid in their relationship with Christ.  

Should always pray and not give up

    Christ prayed for others and Christians need not fear Satan’s attacks while living for the Lord.  Jesus is our example in prayer and he has some clear instructions to the children of God in Luke 18: 1 – 8.  Luke writes, Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Listen to these words of Jesus on prayer. “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men.  And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’  For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’ And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says.  And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night?  Will He keep putting them off?  I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly.  However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?’” (Luke 18:2-8) Luke’s statement in verse 1 is a duty to persevere in prayer.  We know this, for the key word “should” or “ought” (pios to dein) means absolutely necessary that men persevere in prayer.

Just as man needs food, water, and sleep, Christians need prayer.  I tell my boys often they cannot ride upon the pleasures of their parents’ prayers forever.  They must let Jesus teach them to pray.  Things are designed not to go well if one does not pray.

When should Christians pray?  “Always” (pantote) meaning at all times.  As surely as time passes by in the clock of life here, Christians must always pray.  Christians are to develop a constant spirit of prayer, to maintain an unbroken consciousness of God’s presence.  To be led of the Holy Spirit in prayer at all times and in all occasions.  He is to walk in a constant state of prayer.  The best way to do this is to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.  The best way to overcome sin is to spend every moment in prayer.  This communion with God will enable them to literally walk in step with the Holy Ghost. Jesus says “and not give up” (me egkakein) means not to lose heart, not to turn coward or give into evil.”….

Let me assure you of this, our Lord is not to be identified with the unjust judge for He is a loving God who has called His children to prayer and have communion with Him.  The children of God who stay persistent in prayer will see God get His good and perfect will accomplished in and through their lives. The Christian who goes to Christ and says “Lord teach me to pray” learns to 1.) Pray through critical moments in his life.  2.) Pray God’s called ministry through, staying steadfast and he completing what His Lord as sent him to do.  3.) He prays, believing in God, asking for miracles that will only glorify God and draw people to Christ and lastly, he intercedes for his brothers and sisters in Christ, that they may overcome any attacks from their adversary. There are children of God who have learned from Jesus to pray, and discovered the joy of praying prayers led of the Holy Spirit.

One child of God who knew the prayer life of Christ and lived a life that said, “Lord Jesus, teach me to pray” was Pastor Charles Spurgeon. He wrote; “Keep the altar of prayer burning.  This is the very life of all godliness.  The sanctuary and family altars borrow their fires here, therefore, let this burn well.  Secret devotion is the very essence, evidence, and barometer of vital Christianity. Burn here the fat of your sacrifices of time, heart and life.  Let your closet-season be if possible, regular, frequent and undisturbed.  Effectual prayer availeth much…” Every Christian must examine himself on this important matter.  Is your prayer life lukewarm?  Or is there a measure of real faith and life in your times with the Lord? Those who are taught of Christ to pray have the same heart of Christ in prayer who prayed, “Father… Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you…”   Prayer warriors like Jesus have a rejoicing in Holy Spirit led prayers that glorify Christ in and through them.

Connecting in Prayer

Five Truths to Success in Prayer

Grasping the Foundational Truths of Prayer

 “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” (John 15: 7)

Every child of God has gone through a dry period in prayer and some have never really been able to fully enjoy the success in prayer that the Lord Jesus wants them to experience.  Many do not know what the heart attitude should be in coming to the Lord in prayer.

Others have discovered that prayer can change their life and allow them to participate in the most powerful ministry there is.  It has been one of the key ministries that has delivered nations, brought healing into lives and brought souls to Christ.

I would propose to you that when the child of God understands and submits to the Lord in Biblical prayer, he will find himself obeying God’s instructions to “pray continually.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Just what are five Biblical truths that enable the child of God to enjoy success in prayer?

If Christians submit and cling to these truths, they can expect to see God, answer their prayers in a way that will glorify Jesus Christ in and through their lives.

The thrust to being successful in prayer is beautifully presented in the key word “remain” or better translated as “abide” in the New American Standard Bible.    Therefore, it is a necessity that we understand what Jesus meant when He said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you…”

To “abide” (ménō) as it is used in John 15:7 gives us the idea that the child of God has a heart that studies and learns the Word of God.  This Christian’s thoughts, desires and motivations are birthed forth as he prayerfully reads the Bible.  The application is that he remains united with Jesus Christ in mind, heart and will.  It also has a command to hold on, to continue on, to keep obeying, to live on and rest in the everlasting loving arms of Christ.  The purpose for this type of living is to cleanse the heart so as to do away with selfish prayers.  The connection in “abiding” is maintained by obedience to the written Word of God.

I realize that analogies are imperfect, but let me try to use some human circumstances to bring some application into abiding in Christ.

Suppose there is a Christian who is easily overcome by temptation.  Then suppose that there is another Christian who sees this brother continually falling and he intervenes by moving in with him.  The stronger brother is always right there to make sure he does not fall into slumber, makes sure that he is eating the right foods, sleeping at the proper times and getting back a forth to work at the right time.

Thus, the weaker Christian is unable to be overcome by his temptation, because the stronger Christian is always right there protecting and giving strength to the weaker brother.  As long as the stronger Christian keeps that contact the weaker Christian lives victoriously.  However, as soon as contact is broken in any way that temptation rears its head again and defeat is at hand.

Defeat is sure, because the fact is that Christians cannot defeat the flesh, the world and discern the lies of the devil without the help of the eternal Friend, Jesus Christ, who sticks closer than a brother.  Just as the weaker Christian needed the constant intervention of the stronger Christian, the child of God needs the constant intervention of the Spirit of Christ intervening in his life.

The fact is there are those people who just can’t keep themselves pulled out of the gutter.  I know of a man named, Jim Carr.  He went into the streets of Kansas City, MO. and found a down and outer on the streets.  He took him into his house, cleaned him up, fed him good food, and then he taught this homeless man all he knew about the business that he was in.  The man did well, prospered, got his own home, and after a season of being away from the protecting hand of Jim Carr, he fell right back in to the gutter.  He went back into the streets of Kansas City, MO.

The fact is, unless Christians are abiding in Christ and abiding in His words, they will not have the spiritual strength to keep themselves out of the gutter of the flesh, the world, and lies of the devil.  Jesus Christ is the only one who can bring deliverance and the Word of God is the only food that can make and keep them spiritually healthy.

The Word of God is like that picture of the man, who helped another man get victory over sin.   There was a preacher who was known as, Robertson of Brighten who helped a Mr. Kingsley recognize the dangers of sin and showed him the joys of honest living. The man became successful and was known by many as being honest, upright and dependable.

When asked how he was able to build and keep such a good name, the man said, “Whenever I was tempted to fall into wrong practices, I would just run to the picture of Pastor Robinson and the temptation was defeated.  That picture reminded me that I have a friend.”

The Word of God reveals to all that they have a Friend who gave His very life, for the redemption of mankind and He rose from the dead so Christians can have victory over sin and death.  The connection is sacrificial love and abiding in Christ. It involves having a Biblical picture of what Jesus has and will do for you.  Our Biblical picture of abiding is found in the relationship that Jesus had with His Father.  Jesus was in contact with God; again and again Jesus withdrew into a solitary place to meet with God in prayer.

Christians must follow the example of Christ.  They must deliberately take steps to establish and maintain a constant relationship with the Lord Jesus.  By arranging life so as to be prayerfully reading and studying the Word of God so they can give attention to it.  They must be continuously in prayer, throughout the day, so they can meditate on what Jesus is telling them to get done. They must be in humble prayer asking for the will to obey and the strength to endure.

A final note on this important topic is that there are foundational truths that must be grasped in having success in abiding in Christ.  One, the Christian must enrich his own life by having an ongoing surrendered relationship with Jesus Christ.  Two, his prayers are to be for the glory of Jesus Christ alone.  As he prays with this in his mind and heart, the results of his prayer life turn men’s hearts to God and Christ.

There are three questions that are constantly asked by those who are successful in prayer. 1.) Do I admit and confess the wrong that the Holy Spirit reveals to me is offensive to the Lord?  1 John 1:8 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”    2.) Am I presently ignoring God’s Word and avoiding His Biblical principles for living?  1 John 3:21-22 says, “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from Him anything we ask, because we obey His commands and do what pleases Him.”  3.) Do I really want to surrender to God’s will for my life?  1 John 5:14-15 says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.”  

Forgiving Attitude Toward Others 

The first step to Christians connecting with God in prayer is to be honest with themselves.  Do they live in a way that reflects a life of abiding in Christ?  Jesus Christ gives us another truth to connecting with God in prayer.  He says in Mark 11:24-25, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”     One, you must have a faith that Christ will answer your prayer in accordance to His Father’s will and two, you must have a forgiving attitude toward others.

Number one characteristic to being successful in prayer is to have faith and the second is to have a forgiving heart.  Jesus is very direct on this matter of forgiveness, because resentment will kill your ability to keep your mind and heart steadfast during prayer.

In Matthew 6 Jesus taught that when we pray we should ask, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12)   Christians can not hold unforgiveness in their hearts and expect to enjoy success and remain connected to God in prayer.  A heart that can forgive others is a heart that receives forgiveness from God and keeps itself aright in prayer.

The Christian who wants to be successful in prayer must learn what Jesus taught Andrew Lang.  Andrew Lang was a famous Scottish man of letters.  He once wrote a very kind review of a book that was written by a young man who thought of nothing but himself.  The young man repaid Mr. Lang with a bitter and insulting attack.  About three years later Robert Bridges, a poet saw Mr. Lang reading a book.  Robert Bridges said, “Why, that is another book written by that ungrateful young writer who behaved so shamefully to you.”

To the astonishment of Mr. Bridges, Andrew Lang’s mind was a blank on the whole matter.  Andrew Lang had completely forgotten the bitter and insulting attack.  Robert Bridges wrote, “To forgive is the sign of a great man, but to forget is sublime.  Nothing but the cleansing Spirit of Christ can take from these memories of ours the old bitterness that we must forget.”

Do you rely on the Holy Spirit to cleanse your heart and keep the root of bitterness out so you can be successful and connect in prayer to God?

What is our purpose to having God answer the prayers we pray? 

Being connected in prayer means that you must have a compassionate heart to the needs of those who cry out for help. Proverbs 12:13 says, “If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.”

There is a fact of life, if Christians expect God to bless them, they must be willing to bless those who have needs with whatever God has given them.  Jesus wants us to be like Him and His view of the church is found in James 1:27 and it says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows…”  If Christians ignore those who have obvious needs, what right do they have to praying to God about their own needs?

Obedient Christians are God’s channels to meeting the needs of the poor in a way that draws attention to Christ.  The reason you should ask God to bless your business or bless you in the work place is so that you cannot only provide for yourselves.  But so you can bless Him and reach out to the needs of the poor.

I recently read a story about a man who was a multi-multi-multi- millionaire.  Pastor Rick Warren had visited with this man who just a few years ago went bankrupt.  After going through this severe trial this man received the Holy Spirit gift of giving.  He allowed the Holy Spirit to give him the revelation of hilarious giving, which is New Testament teaching.

This man now gives 97% of his income to the Lord’s work, which includes meeting the needs of the poor.  He lives on 3% of his income and still lives a higher standard of life than most of the people in this country.

He found the necessity of obedience to the tithe, then, he was illuminated to the truth that he could not out give God.  He went from the joyful surrender of 10% to 20% to 30% and is now at 97% and he lives a very wealthy life style.  This man had come to the realization that his purpose in this world was to be a blessing to others.

This leads to the obvious question, “What is our purpose to having God answer the prayers we pray?”

If we want to be connected to God in prayer, we must pray that God will make us a blessing to others.  Then we must believe that God will answer prayer and never take our authority in Christ for granted.   James 1:5-7 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord…”   

James is writing in the context of trials and temptations here.  The idea is when these trials and temptations have run their course the child of God will not lack the virtues and strengths that must be found in the man who wants to connect with God in prayer.  It is during these trials and temptations the child of God will get all the wisdom he needs, and God is not going to reject His needy children because of any faults.  It is assumed that while a child of God is going through trials and temptations, he lacks wisdom, and God would freely give it upon the asking.

Although there is nothing more God wants more than to give wisdom and meet the needs of His children, there is a barrier that could arise within them.  When Christians ask, they “must believe” and not have any doubt.  There faith must be more than mere acceptance or a creed.  To believe here means to be confident that God will give what is requested and it is to be expected that He will do so.

It is to believe it when He says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrew 13:5b)  God’s people are secure no matter what comes their way, so there is no need to use the world’s way of doing things.  It is to believe it when he said “…and surely I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)  Christians are to go forth in the Great Commission in confidence that Jesus is in sovereign control of everything in heaven and on earth.

Matthew’s Gospel does not end with a command, but a promise and there is a truth that must be grasped in the Greek word for “always” (pasa tes hemeras), strictly meaning “the whole of every day.”  This suggest that Christ’s continued presence is with us “day in and day out” no matter what troubles or difficulties may come.

Let me caution you, even though we have Christ’s promise to be with us and the Holy Spirit is in us and He has given us gifts so we can fulfill our callings,   there is a warning I would like to present to you.  We must not become so confident in what the Lord has given us that we exercise our gifts in our power and not continually to beseech the Lord Jesus in prayer at all times.

Let me show you what happens when we take the wrong approach to doing the Lord’s work.  In Mark chapter 9:14-29 we read of a boy that had an evil spirit.  When Jesus approached the crowd they were arguing with Jesus disciples.  After Jesus ask the question of why this argument, a man in the crowd answered, saying, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.  Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” (Mark 9:17-19)

As you continue to read of this Biblical account you will come to Mark 9: 28-29 and you see why the disciple could not cast the demon out.  It says in the New American Standard Bible, “And when He [Jesus] had come into the house, His disciples began to question Him privately, ‘Why could we not cast it out.’”   In verse 29 Jesus gives the answer, “…This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”

The reason why the disciples asked this question was because the disciples knew that they had been given authority over evil spirits. (Mark 6:7)  The Bible says,  “…they drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” (Mark 6:13)  Jesus had to remind them of their need to be in prayer here.

If they would have been faithful to come to God in prayer, why did Jesus draw their attention back to prayer?  It is because they had apparently taken for granted the power given them and were relying on past experiences.  They stopped depending on a prayerful approach to God’s work and were no longer following the example Jesus set before them.  They no longer nurtured their authority and gifts in prayer.

This is why spiritual leaders must take time to draw their congregations back to prayer and make time for prayer for the work of God in the church they oversee.

It is all too easy to claim the truths found in Scripture such as “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8) and not truly be blanketing everything we do in true heartfelt prayer.  There is way too much proclaiming truths found in God’s Word and not near enough discipline in praying for those truths to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The phrase “In My Name”

Once you have it deep within your heart that God answers all prayers offered up for the glory of Christ, you must pray in Jesus’ name if you want to connect with God in prayer.

Jesus said, “I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.   You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it.” (John 14:13-14)

The power of the disciples originated in prayer, therefore, Jesus could not have made a more powerful declaration in saying, whatever they should ask in His name, He would do.  The phrase “in My Name” is not to be used as a charm for the command of supernatural energy.  He did not wish it to be used as a magical charm like a rabbit’s foot hung around a neck.  It is both a guarantee, like the endorsement on a check, and yet as a limitation on the petition; for He would grant only that petition that is consistent with His character and purpose.  In prayer we are to call on Him to carry out His purposes, not our purposes.

The key to connecting in prayer with God is to honestly ask, “Am I really offering this prayer in Jesus’ name?”   No one can ask for some unworthy thing or object that has no purpose of glorifying Christ in his life and in the lives of all he comes in contact with.  The prayer that connects with God ends with “Thy will be done.” When this last truth is fully placed within a man’s heart and being lived out in his life, he may come before the “Throne of Grace” with boldness.

It is somewhat like the man who took his son and several of his son’s friends to the county fair for celebrating his son’s homecoming after being a long time away from home because of an illness. He bought lots of tickets and he stood in front of every ride and every game and passed tickets out to each child that was involved in the celebration.   As he was passing out the tickets, he all of a sudden noticed that there was a child that he had never seen before, standing with a hand out.  The man asked, “Are you involved in my son’s celebration party?”  “No,” said the young child.  “Then why should I give you a ticket?”  The little boy pointed at the man’s son and said, “Your son as just invited me to be a part of his party and said you would give me one.”  So the man did.

The point is that God’s Son took upon himself the results of sin and after dying upon the Cross of Calvary, He rose on the third day and he is now at the right hand of God His Father.  Jesus says when we come in prayer in His name and for His purposes we as Christians will be given entrance simply because of what Christ did for us and the price has already been paid.

There are five truths to connecting in prayer 1.) Christians must be abiding in Christ.  2.) Have a forgiving heart.  3.) Have a compassionate heart to the needs of others.  4.) Believe that God will answer prayer and 5.) Pray in Jesus’ Name.

Enraging the Devil

 Hell-shaking Prayer Warriors

2 Corinthians 10: 4 says, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

Hell-shaking prayers

In today’s message I will be referring a lot to the prophet Daniel.  Few people in Scripture exhibit the faith, courage and prayerfulness  seen constantly in the life of Daniel.  This faithful prophet of God prayed hell-shaking prayers and set the example for us on how to be a Body of Christ that enrages the devil. I would propose to you that the Word of God tells us to consider the life of great men and women of God who have lived a life of faith, ordinary people who did great things in the work of the Lord. (Hebrews 13:7; 11; Barnes Notes; The Expositors Bible Commentary)

Just what is seen in the life of Christians who exhibit the life of prayer that Daniel did?

A genuine faith in prayer

The first step to having a church that prays hell-shaking prayers is to have a pastor and spiritual leaders who are men that exhibit a genuine faith in prayer.  Daniel 2:17-19 says, Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends… He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery… During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said:  ‘Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are His. He changes times and seasons; …you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.’” (Daniel 2:17-23)

In this time of history God granted Nebuchadnezzar a remarkable dream that disclosed His plan for the ages to come until the final triumph of Christ.  This king of Babylon was convinced that this dream was not just a passing fancy, but contained a message of the utmost importance. (The Expositors Bible Commentary; Who’s Who in the Bible)  Like all people of the world Nebuchadnezzar puts his trust in other people.  The Bible says he “…summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers…” (Daniel 2:2) If they were able to tell him what the dream was and give him the interpretation of the dream, they would receive gifts, rewards and great honor.  If not they would be killed in a horrible manner. (Daniel 2:5-6)  When the men told Nebuchadnezzar, “There is no man on earth who can do what the king asks…”  and “What the king asks is to difficult…,”  he became furious and ordered the execution of all the wise men including Daniel and his friends. (Daniel 10:10-13)

Daniel spoke with Arioch “…with wisdom and tact.” (Daniel 2:14)  It is believed through proper channels Daniel was granted time. (Barnes Notes; The Expositors Bible Commentary; Thru the Bible)  After receiving permission, “Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends… He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning the mystery…” of the dream.

The cohorts of hell were working through wicked men trying to do away with faithful men of prayer.  Satan longs to destroy anything that has sweet fellowship with God and all that is being labored in towards the Lord’s perfect will.  However, when two or three are agreeing, touching anything upon earth, God will be glorified. (Matthew 18:19) Churches that enrage the devil have men who agree and will unite in prayer expecting God to be merciful. (Thru the Bible; The Expositors Commentary; The Pulpit Commentary) Daniel 2:19 says, “During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision.”  Daniel’s response to the Lord’s revelation was an immediate prayer of detailed praise.  His prayer to the Lord was no halfhearted thank you, but a prayer giving recognition to God’s Sovereignty, recognition of God’s willingness to give wisdom, knowledge and discernment to those who seek Him.  Daniel praises God for knowing all things and revealing to him exactly what was in the dream of the king. (Daniel 2:20-23)

Daniel was taken to King Nebuchadnezzar.  When the king asked Daniel if he could tell him the dream and interpret it, this prophet of God set the record straight.  Daniel said, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he asks about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries…”  Daniel goes on to explain, “As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than other living men, but so that you, O king, may know the interpretation…” (Daniel 2:30)  Here we see a truth that will keep men and women of prayer in a humble state as God gives them revelation.  Christians who enrage the devil in prayer are Christians who know that their testimony about prayer is to bring glory to God.

Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar, “The Great God has shown the king what will take place in the future.  The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy.”  (Daniel 2:45)  After Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar what the dream was and then interpreted it, the king became humble before God. The Bible says, “Then king Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate…  The king said to Daniel, ‘Surely your God is the God of all gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.’”

Spiritual leaders and people of the church who engage in prayer which demolishes strongholds and defeats everything that sets itself up against the work of the Lord are Christians who spend the same amount of energy praising God for answered prayer as they do in petitions seeking God’s intervention.  They will be used of God to reveal to others that the Lord God is the only God.

Read the writing on the wall

Churches that enrage the devil have Christians who express a lifestyle that shows a genuine faith in prayer for God’s glory, and they have spiritual leaders that can read the writing on the wall.  Daniel 5:12 says, “…Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.” (Daniel 5:12)

At this time of history King Belshazzar was overseeing the city of Babylon.  He chose to show contempt to the true God by bringing in the gold and silver goblets that were taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so he, his nobles, his wives and his concubines may drink wine from them while they praised their Babylon-idols. His purpose of heart was to insult the God of Israel while worshiping the gods of Babylon.  (Daniel 5:2-4; Matthew Henry’s Commentary; The Bible knowledge commentary; Commentary on the Old Testament)

Belshazzar well understood what crime he was committing. Among the heathens of his time it was considered religious irreverence to take a vessel that was dedicated to one god and use it to worship other gods or make common use of it. (Barnes Notes; The Bible Knowledge Commentary)   Throughout Biblical history, the Lord has let frolic slide, but He often deals directly with that which attacks His honor.  This irreverence caused God to give a visitation, thus setting the record straight. This visitation, a sign of judgment, came in a way that clearly showed the offender that this was not the work of some man attending the banquet, but was the work signed by the Divine hand, the One who Belshazzar was purposely degrading. (Barnes Notes; Dr. Lightfoot)  This visitation struck such fear in Belshazzar that “His face turned pale… and… his knees knocked together and gave way.” (Daniel 5:6) The Bible says, “Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall…” (Daniel 5:5) Belshazzar knew this was a serious message and wanted to know the contents.  He “…called out for the enchanters, astrologers and diviners…”   Whoever could read the writing and give its meaning would be held in high honor and given the third highest office in the land. (Daniel 5:7)

When God’s judgment is being observed by those involved in offending the Lord, people start looking for answers.  When America was attacked by the planes being flown into the World Trade Center people were looking for answers.  As we approach the last days before the second coming of Christ, people are going to naturally be drawn to different teachers to find answers. They will call on people, just like Belshazzar did, people who they think might have some answers, but hearts will not be satisfied and peace will not come because those giving the answers do not have the heart of God nor Divine revelation. The Bible says, “…the king’s wise men could not read the writing or tell them what it meant.  So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew even more pale.  His nobles were baffled.” (Daniel 5:8)

Once God has given a message, he will raise up men who know Him and seek Him, people of God who will proclaim His message. Daniel 5:10-14 tells us how Daniel, a real man of prayer was seen by those in key positions.  The Bible says, “The queen, hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. ‘…Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale!’”  She said,  “There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. …This man Daniel… [is] found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.”  (Daniel 5:10-14)

Daniel was brought before the king and was promised honor and even the third highest position in the land.  This true man of prayer showed no interest in the gifts and rewards by answering, “…You may keep your gifts for yourself and give rewards to someone else.  Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.”  (Daniel 5:17) Daniel likely refused Belshazzar’s gifts and offer of rewards not out of pride or rudeness but in order to destroy any misconception that God’s service could be bought and to avoid any obligation to the king.  By doing this Daniel would avoid, as a God enlightened proclaimer, every appearance of self-interest in the presence of authority, thus showing them that such a man of God did not regard earthly advantages.  This heart of Daniel is a protection from having any hesitation of declaring truth.  It shows all who hear the message of the Lord that truth will be proclaimed, whether it be pleasing or displeasing. (The New American Commentary; Commentary of the Old Testament;)

Churches who have leaders who are going to be used of God in these last days express the same heart as Daniel did as they serve the Lord Jesus Christ.  The modern day praying church that enrages the devil and is victorious in what the Lord’s calls her to do says, But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.  For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.  To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.  And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.” (2 Corinthians 2:14-17)

There is a character trait found in the heart of Daniel that is wonderfully presented in Daniel chapter 5.  This must be taken note of if the church is going to have spiritual leaders who are praying Holy Spirit led prayers that kick open the gates of hell.  Daniel 5:24 says, “…the hand that wrote the inscription” came from God.  Dr Lightfoot puts it this way, “That Divine hand which had written the two tablets for a law to his people now writes [His Word] to Belshazzar.” (Matthew Henry Commentary)

Exodus 31:18 says, “When the LORD finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.”   (Exodus 31:18)  At least two other places in the Word of God the Ten Commandments are referred to as coming by the finger of God or being referred to as the writing of God. (Exodus 32:15; Deuteronomy 9:10) “The finger of God” is synonymous with divine power or that of coming from Divine operation by which God is making His will known. (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia; The Pulpit Commentary; The Expositors Bible Commentary; Bible Knowledge Commentary)

Daniel is a prophet of God who walked in step with the will of God.  The Bible portrays him as being distinctly committed and humble.  He rose to the highest governmental position in the administration of three empires and his lifetime spanned the entire period of Judah’s captivity.  The prophet Ezekiel lived at the same time as Daniel and Ezekiel referred to Daniel’s righteousness and wisdom as being great. (Ezekiel 14:14,20; 28:3; The Teacher’s Commentary)

Daniel had a great relationship with God and I believe he knew what his commission was before he even met with the king.  In Daniel 5:18-28 we read of God using this faithful prophet of God to set the record straight and then pronouncing God’s judgment.  He reminded king Belshazzar who had given King Nebuchadnezzar authority, greatness and glory and splendor.  He reminded Belshazzar how people and nations from every language feared Nebuchadnezzar.  He told Belshazzar that when King Nebuchadnezzar became proud, the Lord God dwelt with him until he acknowledged that the Most High God is Sovereign over the kingdoms of men and can set over them anyone He wishes. Daniel then rebukes King Belshazzar directly about the sin of pride and how he directly set himself against the Lord of heaven.  Daniel then gives the meaning of the writings on the wall.

First – “Mene” God had literally numbered the years of his rule and it was now complete.  Not only was his rule over the kingdom finished but also his life. Second – “Tekel” The Counsel of God had determined this and it was found that his moral character was deficient and he had no heart toward repentance.  The Lord had pondered his actions, considered the merits of his case and found him unworthy to be brought into fellowship with Him.  Third – “Peres” The kingdom would be divided and literally rent from him. The spiritual application for today from the Word is:  This is death, judgment and hell.  Those who have not surrendered to the Lordship of Christ through repentance will be found in great want of the Savior forever.  (The truths to the teachings of the meanings of these words “Mene, Tekel and Peres” come from a studying Matthew Henry Commentary; Tyndale Concise Bible; A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory and The New American Commentary)

The church that will be used of God has communion with the Lord in prayer, just like Daniel did and she will have spiritual leaders who will address sin.  They are able to read the writing of God’s Word.  They will know that even though Belshazzar’s particular sins may not be found in this country.  God looks upon the average home in America, a nation that says “In God We Trust” and sees sins that fall under the same category as Belshazzar’s sins did. The handwriting on the wall in the banquet of self-indulgence is first, “Infidelity to Accorded Revelations:” Just as Belshazzar knew of the God’s working in Nebuchadnezzar’s life. (Daniel 5:22)

People in proper authority have been well informed of the fact that this nation was founded and governed by men who had a reverent fear of God.  Second, this nation “Sets Herself Up Against God.”  Some of our governmental officials and even men claiming to be representatives of God are embracing homosexuality, an act that both the Old and New Testament say is a sin.  The idols of inflation’s, profanity – the misuse of God’s Name, sensualism and the love for worldly views are being held higher than what God’s Word says.  This breaks the heart of God just as much as the sins of Belshazzar.  Thirdly, “Failure in Man’s Duty to Glorify God through His Life:” This is manifested through failure to consider God’s view as mankind lives out life.

Steadfast in prayer even if it may cost them their lives

The Church that enrages the devil can read the God’s warnings, disclose sin and proclaim God’s will through the written Word.  She also has leaders who will be steadfast in prayer even if it may cost them their lives.  Daniel 6:10 says, “…Three times a day [Daniel] got on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to God, just as he had done before.”  Daniel’s prayer life got him in some hot water.

By this time in history “…Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators… by his exceptional qualities [the] king had planned to set him over the whole kingdom.  At this the other administrators… tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct in government affairs, but they could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.  These men said, ‘We will never find any basis for charges against Daniel unless it has something to do against the law of his God.’” (Daniel 6:3-5)

Daniel’s prayer life was well known, so Satan worked a plan through government officials to get a law out that said no one should pray to any god or man for thirty days except to King Darius. (Daniel 6:7)  The penalty to be paid for breaking the law was to be thrown into the lions’ den. (Daniel 6:7) When Daniel learned of the law he went home opened his window that faced Jerusalem and prayed just as he had done before.  His fellow administrators went as a group to the place where they knew they could find Daniel and there he was praying asking for help from God, so they turned him in. (Daniel 6:11) This was just as Jesus’ fellow worker, Judas Iscariot, who had served with Him went and got officials so Jesus could be arrested in the garden of Gethsemane the place where our Lord usually prayed. (Luke 22:39-54)

In these times Christians are discovering the people who are most offended by prayer are public officials, those whom the Bible teaches the church is to have public prayer for. (1 Timothy 2:1-3)  Even though we have public officials doing their best to make it illegal to pray publicly in Jesus’ Name, Christians are still to pray in our Lord’s Name.  The true church has spiritual leaders who will pray in Jesus’ Name and she is a church that enrages the devil.

Daniel paid the price for praying illegally and was thrown into the lions’ den, even though King Darius was determined to rescue him through every effort that could be made. (Daniel 6:14)  Darius was so aware of Daniel’s prayer life to God that when he had Daniel thrown into the lions’ den he said, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” (Daniel 6:16)    After losing sleep a second night and suffering the consequences for supporting such a horrible law, Darius runs to the lions den to see if God had rescued Daniel. (Daniel 6:18) Daniel’s answer to King Darius was, “…My God sent His angel, and shut the mouths of the lions.  They have not hurt me…” (Daniel 6:22) The gates of hell were kicked open and men who were the vessels of Satan were cast into the lions’ den and crushed. (Daniel 6:24)  “The king was overjoyed…” (Daniel 6:23) and the devil was enraged because King Darius issued a decree saying, “[in] every part of [his] kingdom people must fear and [show] reverence [to the] God of Daniel.” (Daniel 6:26)

The church that has praying men such as Daniel come to the truth taught by Jesus Christ, “…the gates of Hades will not overcome [her].” (Matthew 16:18)  “The gates of hell” can have a two fold meaning here.  One interpretation is derived from the fact in Oriental cities the gate is a scene of deliberation and counsel.  Hence “the gates” here may represent the evil designs planned by the powers of hell to overthrow the church or to at least hinder the work of the gospel. (The Pulpit Commentary) This passage of Scripture can apply that the Body of Christ has enemies that fight against her and directly oppose the work of God.  She has enemies who oppose the spread of the gospel, corrupt God’s Word, and persecute faithful preachers and Christians.  (Baker’s Greek New Testament Library; Matthew Henry’s Commentary)

Considering the fact that Jesus is building His church, she will be victorious.  The application for us today through the life of Daniel is a praying church lays the foundation of a victorious church, thus enraging the devil and praying hell-shaking prayers. A praying servant of God is the scourge of Satan and his demons. She is a church that 1.) Expresses a true faith in prayer.  2.) Points people to God’s Sovereignty and addresses sin and 3.) Seeks God in prayer in Jesus’ Name regardless of what the law of men says.

Let us pray!

Connecting In Prayer

 Five Truths to Success in Prayer

 “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” (John 15: 7)

Every child of God has gone through a dry period in prayer and some have never really been able to fully enjoy the success in prayer that the Lord Jesus wants them to experience.  Many do not know what the heart attitude should be in coming to the Lord in prayer. Others have discovered that prayer can change their life and allow them to participate in the most powerful ministry there is.  It has been one of the key ministries that has delivered nations, brought healing into lives and brought souls to Christ.

I would propose to you that when the child of God understands and submits to the Lord in Biblical prayer, he will find himself obeying God’s instructions to “pray continually.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Just what are five Biblical truths that enable the child of God to enjoy success in prayer? If Christians submit and cling to these truths, they can expect to see God, answer their prayers in a way that will glorify Jesus Christ in and through their lives.

The thrust to being successful in prayer is beautifully presented in the key word “remain” or better translated as “abide” in the New American Standard Bible.    Therefore, it is a necessity that we understand what Jesus meant when He said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you…” To “abide” (ménō) as it is used in John 15:7 gives us the idea that the child of God has a heart that studies and learns the Word of God.  This Christian’s thoughts, desires and motivations are birthed forth as he prayerfully reads the Bible.  The application is that he remains united with Jesus Christ in mind, heart and will.  It also has a command to hold on, to continue on, to keep obeying, to live on and rest in the everlasting loving arms of Christ.  The purpose for this type of living is to cleanse the heart so as to do away with selfish prayers.  The connection in “abiding” is maintained by obedience to the written Word of God.

I realize that analogies are imperfect, but let me try to use some human circumstances to bring some application into abiding in Christ. Suppose there is a Christian who is easily overcome by temptation.  Then suppose that there is another Christian who sees this brother continually falling and he intervenes by moving in with him.  The stronger brother is always right there to make sure he does not fall into slumber, makes sure that he is eating the right foods, sleeping at the proper times and getting back a forth to work at the right time. Thus, the weaker Christian is unable to be overcome by his temptation, because the stronger Christian is always right there protecting and giving strength to the weaker brother.  As long as the stronger Christian keeps that contact the weaker Christian lives victoriously.  However, as soon as contact is broken in any way that temptation rears its head again and defeat is at hand. Defeat is sure, because the fact is that Christians cannot defeat the flesh, the world and discern the lies of the devil without the help of the eternal Friend, Jesus Christ, who sticks closer than a brother.  Just as the weaker Christian needed the constant intervention of the stronger Christian, the child of God needs the constant intervention of the Spirit of Christ intervening in his life.

The fact is there are those people who just can’t keep themselves pulled out of the gutter.  I know of a man named, Jim Carr.  He went into the streets of Kansas City, MO. and found a down and outer on the streets.  He took him into his house, cleaned him up, fed him good food, and then he taught this homeless man all he knew about the business that he was in.  The man did well, prospered, got his own home, and after a season of being away from the protecting hand of Jim Carr, he fell right back in to the gutter.  He went back into the streets of Kansas City, MO. The fact is, unless Christians are abiding in Christ and abiding in His words, they will not have the spiritual strength to keep themselves out of the gutter of the flesh, the world, and lies of the devil.  Jesus Christ is the only one who can bring deliverance and the Word of God is the only food that can make and keep them spiritually healthy.

The Word of God is like that picture of the man, who helped another man get victory over sin.   There was a preacher who was known as, Robertson of Brighten who helped a Mr. Kingsley recognize the dangers of sin and showed him the joys of honest living. The man became successful and was known by many as being honest, upright and dependable. When asked how he was able to build and keep such a good name, the man said, “Whenever I was tempted to fall into wrong practices, I would just run to the picture of Pastor Robinson and the temptation was defeated.  That picture reminded me that I have a friend.” The Word of God reveals to all that they have a Friend who gave His very life, for the redemption of mankind and He rose from the dead so Christians can have victory over sin and death.  The connection is sacrificial love and abiding in Christ. It involves having a Biblical picture of what Jesus has and will do for you.  Our Biblical picture of abiding is found in the relationship that Jesus had with His Father.  Jesus was in contact with God; again and again Jesus withdrew into a solitary place to meet with God in prayer.

Christians must follow the example of Christ.  They must deliberately take steps to establish and maintain a constant relationship with the Lord Jesus.  By arranging life so as to be prayerfully reading and studying the Word of God so they can give attention to it.  They must be continuously in prayer, throughout the day, so they can meditate on what Jesus is telling them to get done. They must be in humble prayer asking for the will to obey and the strength to endure.

A final note on this important topic is that there are foundational truths that must be grasped in having success in abiding in Christ.  One, the Christian must enrich his own life by having an ongoing surrendered relationship with Jesus Christ.  Two, his prayers are to be for the glory of Jesus Christ alone.  As he prays with this in his mind and heart, the results of his prayer life turn men’s hearts to God and Christ.

There are three questions that are constantly asked by those who are successful in prayer. 1.) Do I admit and confess the wrong that the Holy Spirit reveals to me is offensive to the Lord?  1 John 1:8 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”    2.) Am I presently ignoring God’s Word and avoiding His Biblical principles for living?  1 John 3:21-22 says, “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from Him anything we ask, because we obey His commands and do what pleases Him.”  3.) Do I really want to surrender to God’s will for my life?  1 John 5:14-15 says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.”

Forgiving Attitude Toward Others 

The first step to Christians connecting with God in prayer is to be honest with themselves.  Do they live in a way that reflects a life of abiding in Christ?  Jesus Christ gives us another truth to connecting with God in prayer.  He says in Mark 11:24-25, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”     One, you must have a faith that Christ will answer your prayer in accordance to His Father’s will and two, you must have a forgiving attitude toward others.

Number one characteristic to being successful in prayer is to have faith and the second is to have a forgiving heart.  Jesus is very direct on this matter of forgiveness, because resentment will kill your ability to keep your mind and heart steadfast during prayer. In Matthew 6 Jesus taught that when we pray we should ask, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12)   Christians can not hold unforgiveness in their hearts and expect to enjoy success and remain connected to God in prayer.  A heart that can forgive others is a heart that receives forgiveness from God and keeps itself aright in prayer.

The Christian who wants to be successful in prayer must learn what Jesus taught Andrew Lang.  Andrew Lang was a famous Scottish man of letters.  He once wrote a very kind review of a book that was written by a young man who thought of nothing but himself.  The young man repaid Mr. Lang with a bitter and insulting attack.  About three years later Robert Bridges, a poet saw Mr. Lang reading a book.  Robert Bridges said, “Why, that is another book written by that ungrateful young writer who behaved so shamefully to you.” To the astonishment of Mr. Bridges, Andrew Lang’s mind was a blank on the whole matter.  Andrew Lang had completely forgotten the bitter and insulting attack.  Robert Bridges wrote, “To forgive is the sign of a great man, but to forget is sublime.  Nothing but the cleansing Spirit of Christ can take from these memories of ours the old bitterness that we must forget.” Do you rely on the Holy Spirit to cleanse your heart and keep the root of bitterness out so you can be successful and connect in prayer to God?

What is our purpose to having God answer the prayers we pray? 

Being connected in prayer means that you must have a compassionate heart to the needs of those who cry out for help. Proverbs 12:13 says, “If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.”

There is a fact of life, if Christians expect God to bless them, they must be willing to bless those who have needs with whatever God has given them.  Jesus wants us to be like Him and His view of the church is found in James 1:27 and it says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows…”  If Christians ignore those who have obvious needs, what right do they have to praying to God about their own needs? Obedient Christians are God’s channels to meeting the needs of the poor in a way that draws attention to Christ.  The reason you should ask God to bless your business or bless you in the work place is so that you cannot only provide for yourselves.  But so you can bless Him and reach out to the needs of the poor.

I recently read a story about a man who was a multi-multi-multi- millionaire.  Pastor Rick Warren had visited with this man who just a few years ago went bankrupt.  After going through this severe trial this man received the Holy Spirit gift of giving.  He allowed the Holy Spirit to give him the revelation of hilarious giving, which is New Testament teaching. This man now gives 97% of his income to the Lord’s work, which includes meeting the needs of the poor.  He lives on 3% of his income and still lives a higher standard of life than most of the people in this country. He found the necessity of obedience to the tithe, then, he was illuminated to the truth that he could not out give God.  He went from the joyful surrender of 10% to 20% to 30% and is now at 97% and he lives a very wealthy life style.  This man had come to the realization that his purpose in this world was to be a blessing to others.

This leads to the obvious question, “What is our purpose to having God answer the prayers we pray?” If we want to be connected to God in prayer, we must pray that God will make us a blessing to others.  Then we must believe that God will answer prayer and never take our authority in Christ for granted.   James 1:5-7 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord…”   

James is writing in the context of trials and temptations here.  The idea is when these trials and temptations have run their course the child of God will not lack the virtues and strengths that must be found in the man who wants to connect with God in prayer.  It is during these trials and temptations the child of God will get all the wisdom he needs, and God is not going to reject His needy children because of any faults.  It is assumed that while a child of God is going through trials and temptations, he lacks wisdom, and God would freely give it upon the asking.

Although there is nothing more God wants more than to give wisdom and meet the needs of His children, there is a barrier that could arise within them.  When Christians ask, they “must believe” and not have any doubt.  There faith must be more than mere acceptance or a creed.  To believe here means to be confident that God will give what is requested and it is to be expected that He will do so. It is to believe it when He says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrew 13:5b)  God’s people are secure no matter what comes their way, so there is no need to use the world’s way of doing things.  It is to believe it when he said “…and surely I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)  Christians are to go forth in the Great Commission in confidence that Jesus is in sovereign control of everything in heaven and on earth.

Matthew’s Gospel does not end with a command, but a promise and there is a truth that must be grasped in the Greek word for “always” (pasa tes hemeras), strictly meaning “the whole of every day.”  This suggest that Christ’s continued presence is with us “day in and day out” no matter what troubles or difficulties may come. Let me caution you, even though we have Christ’s promise to be with us and the Holy Spirit is in us and He has given us gifts so we can fulfill our callings,   there is a warning I would like to present to you.  We must not become so confident in what the Lord has given us that we exercise our gifts in our power and not continually to beseech the Lord Jesus in prayer at all times.

Let me show you what happens when we take the wrong approach to doing the Lord’s work.  In Mark chapter 9:14-29 we read of a boy that had an evil spirit.  When Jesus approached the crowd they were arguing with Jesus disciples.  After Jesus ask the question of why this argument, a man in the crowd answered, saying, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.  Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” (Mark 9:17-19)

As you continue to read of this Biblical account you will come to Mark 9: 28-29 and you see why the disciple could not cast the demon out.  It says in the New American Standard Bible, “And when He [Jesus] had come into the house, His disciples began to question Him privately, ‘Why could we not cast it out.’”   In verse 29 Jesus gives the answer, “…This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”

The reason why the disciples asked this question was because the disciples knew that they had been given authority over evil spirits. (Mark 6:7)  The Bible says,  “…they drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” (Mark 6:13)  Jesus had to remind them of their need to be in prayer here. If they would have been faithful to come to God in prayer, why did Jesus draw their attention back to prayer?  It is because they had apparently taken for granted the power given them and were relying on past experiences.  They stopped depending on a prayerful approach to God’s work and were no longer following the example Jesus set before them.  They no longer nurtured their authority and gifts in prayer.

This is why spiritual leaders must take time to draw their congregations back to prayer and make time for prayer for the work of God in the church they oversee. It is all too easy to claim the truths found in Scripture such as “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8) and not truly be blanketing everything we do in true heartfelt prayer.  There is way too much proclaiming truths found in God’s Word and not near enough discipline in praying for those truths to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The phrase “in My Name”

Once you have it deep within your heart that God answers all prayers offered up for the glory of Christ, you must pray in Jesus’ name if you want to connect with God in prayer. Jesus said, “I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.   You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it.” (John 14:13-14)

The power of the disciples originated in prayer, therefore, Jesus could not have made a more powerful declaration in saying, whatever they should ask in His name, He would do.  The phrase “in My Name” is not to be used as a charm for the command of supernatural energy.  He did not wish it to be used as a magical charm like a rabbit’s foot hung around a neck.  It is both a guarantee, like the endorsement on a check, and yet as a limitation on the petition; for He would grant only that petition that is consistent with His character and purpose.  In prayer we are to call on Him to carry out His purposes, not our purposes. The key to connecting in prayer with God is to honestly ask, “Am I really offering this prayer in Jesus’ name?”   No one can ask for some unworthy thing or object that has no purpose of glorifying Christ in his life and in the lives of all he comes in contact with.  The prayer that connects with God ends with “Thy will be done.” When this last truth is fully placed within a man’s heart and being lived out in his life, he may come before the “Throne of Grace” with boldness.

It is somewhat like the man who took his son and several of his son’s friends to the county fair for celebrating his son’s homecoming after being a long time away from home because of an illness. He bought lots of tickets and he stood in front of every ride and every game and passed tickets out to each child that was involved in the celebration.   As he was passing out the tickets, he all of a sudden noticed that there was a child that he had never seen before, standing with a hand out.  The man asked, “Are you involved in my son’s celebration party?”  “No,” said the young child.  “Then why should I give you a ticket?”  The little boy pointed at the man’s son and said, “Your son has just invited me to be a part of his party and said you would give me one.”  So the man did.

The point is that God’s Son took upon himself the results of sin and after dying upon the Cross of Calvary, He rose on the third day and he is now at the right hand of God His Father.  Jesus says when we come in prayer in His name and for His purposes we as Christians will be given entrance simply because of what Christ did for us and the price has already been paid.

There are five truths to connecting in prayer 1.) Christians must be abiding in Christ.  2.) Have a forgiving heart.  3.) Have a compassionate heart to the needs of others.  4.) Believe that God will answer prayer and 5.) Pray in Jesus’ Name.

Divine Petitions, Part 1

Examining the Prayer Life of Christ

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save Him from death, and He was Heard because of His reverent submission.”  (Hebrews 5:7) Matthew Henry wrote:  “The prayers and supplications that Christ offered up were joined with strong cries and tears, herein setting us an example not only to pray,   but to be fervent and [ be urgently persistent] in prayer.”

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia tells us that prayer is “Communion with God, usually comprising of petition, adoration, praise, confession and thanksgiving.  The ultimate object of prayer in both Old and New Testament is not merely the good of the petitioner, but the honor of God’s Name.” The only prayers that are heard or answered yes to, are those that are offered up for the glory of God.  Salvation’s are given when people pray that God will glorify Himself in the redeeming of a sinful soul.

I would propose to you that during the days of Jesus’ life on this earth, He prayed “Divine Petitions” that were for the honor of God, His Father.  Christians are to look to Him and say, “Lord teach me to pray.” (Luke 11:1) Just what did Jesus pray for while He walked on this earth?

Prayers Prayed During His Ministry

The Scriptural accounts of the prayer life of Christ may be divided into four different groups.  We have already considered one group which was “Prayers Prayed at Critical Moments of Christ’s Life.” The other groups are, “Prayers that Christ Prayed During His Ministry,” “Prayers at His Miracles,” and “Prayers that Christ Prayed for Others.”

Let us first start with “Prayers Prayed During His Ministry.” Luke 5:16 says “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”  Mark 6:44 says, “After leaving them, He went up on the mountainside to pray.” Both of these passages of Scripture follow the Biblical accounts of miracles performed by Jesus Christ.  In Luke Jesus heals a man from leprosy and in the Book of Mark, Jesus had just fed thousands from five loaves of bread and two fish. In both of these passages of Scripture we read of Jesus’ habitual life of prayer, even during very busy times. Great crowds would come to hear and to be healed of their illnesses. Never has anyone done as much public good as Christ has done and we read clearly that Jesus made time for heartfelt prayer.  He prayed, though He had so much preaching, teaching, healing and training to do.  He was much in prayer, often in prayer and at times long in prayer. He needed, desired and enjoyed fellowship with God His Father in prayer while on this earth.  Jesus set the example for us.  Thus, Christians need, should desire and enjoy the fellowship that comes with being with our Lord alone in prayer.

When Christians begin to be used of God in some powerful way they must be much more in prayer and at times long in prayer and most certainly alone with God in prayer.  When crowds begin to gather, the Holy Spirit will prompt Christians to seek places where they can get alone with God and pray. This will protect them from distractions and ostentation.  These are two things that have destroyed many a child of God, brought disgrace upon many a ministry and brought Christ to public disgrace. It is only good wisdom for Christians to order their affairs in a way that their public work with the Lord does not destroy quality prayer time.  Christians must do as Christ did, which was to get alone with God in prayer.

Jesus prayed at His miracles

Scripture records Christ praying after God had used Him greatly in ministry and at His miracles. This is the third group in which Jesus’ prayers may be placed.  Jesus prayed at His miracles. In Mark 6:41 we read of Jesus,   “Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks.”  Before the miracle of feeding the five thousand men, not counting women and children, our Lord prayed. Jesus looking up to heaven and giving thanks shows us clearly that we should recognize that God is sovereign, the supplier of all good things.  God is the one who is able to provide for the needs of people in every realm of life.  Not only does this show the fitness and correctness of grace before meals, it shows forth that God is to be sought for the provision of food for the hungry.

Another time Jesus prayed before a miracle was in healing of a deaf and mute man, thus showing us that divine petition gets deliverance of bodily afflictions as God wills.  Mark 7:32, 34 says;  “…some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk and they begged Him to place His hand on the man.  He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh, said ‘Ephpharha!  which means opened!’” Our text says with a deep sigh (stenaco) meaning here to be a silent prayer offered up with a heartfelt groan.  Dr. Walter Wessell put it this way, “…sighing that accompanied the concealed communion of Jesus with the Father.” Jesus was not sighing here because of the difficulty in working the miracle or obtaining power from God to perform it.  Rather He was touched by human infirmity and was sympathetic with the affliction of the man.

From that communion came forth a single spoken Word meaning to be opened (dianoigo).  As it is used here it means “To open the ears, eyes, understanding, and spiritual heart.” (Zodhiates Word Studies)   In other words, this miracle was performed for the purpose of bringing a physical release accompanied by spiritual understanding of the heart for spiritual things. Christ speaks here as one who has authority and power.  Our Lord had such power in prayer because of His heartfelt compassion and the communion He had with His Father through prayer.  I am personally convinced that it is possible for Christians to obtain such a prayer life with the Lord that they can receive such compassion for the physically afflicted.  When led by the Holy Spirit, they can pray with inward groaning,  which enables them to pray forth words of healing. Another time when Jesus’ prayers which brought forth a miracle was at the raising of Lazarus.  John 11:1 says, “…Jesus looked up and said ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard Me.’”     

Often we read of Jesus looking up or making some expression that shows clearly that His heart and mind were focused toward heaven, toward His Father. The secret to receiving miracles is not lifting of the eyes or hands, but the heartfelt prayer which is ascended upward to God. In the raising of Lazarus, Christ was looking beyond the grave, overlooking the difficulties at hand and fixing His eyes upon the Father who loved Him.  Christians must look beyond their circumstances, set all affections upon their God who loves them, and enter into His presence through Christ who purchased them with His blood. Our Lord addresses God with such great assurance and confidence, “…I thank you that you have heard Me.” (John 11:41)  The Greek word for “heard” (akauso) here means, “…To hear so as to grant what is spoken.”  Jesus who was to defeat death just after the Passover, speaks forth His authority over death and raises Lazarus from the dead.

Christ sets forth an example for us.  First,  in prayer we are to call to God our Father and draw close to Him with humble reverence and yet with a holy boldness.  The best way to do this is to understand what it means to abide in Christ. “Abide” (meinette) means “…to remain in or with someone, to be and remain united with him, one with him in heart, mind and will.”  It is then Christians can have full fellowship with God and pray Holy Spirit led prayers.

Second, in our prayers we must praise Him.  Going to the mercy seat thankfully, acknowledging Him for former mercies received.  Pray for miracles that will cause people to see and believe in Christ and that glorify God. That is why Jesus said in His prayer, “Father, I thank you that you have heard Me.  I knew that you always hear Me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here,   that they may believe that you sent Me.” (John 11:41-42)  Matthew Henry in his exposition of John 11:41 wrote; “First, Christ speaks of this miracle as answer to prayer.  Secondly, Christ is assured that His prayer was answered, therefore, He professes.”  As Christ honors and has faith in prayer, so should Christians.

Merril C. Tenney gives us this understanding:  “He thanked God for already answering.  So great was Jesus’ faith in the Father that He knew that the miracle was necessary to His mission, therefore it was as good as done when He prayed.” The faith that Christ was standing on was the fact that Lazarus was going to be raised from the dead.  We know that Christ knew His mission regarding Lazarus before He even went to Bethany.  Jesus said to His disciples when He heard that Lazarus was sick, “This sickness will not end in death.  No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4) He most certainly understood from communion with His Father in prayer what His task was. He clearly told His disciples that “Lazarus is dead.”  (John 11:14) and He said, “I am going to wake him up.”  (John 11:11) H. R. Reynalds writes; “This is the true mystery and meaning of prayer.  [Jesus’] words confess the Divine eternal will [of God].” Christians who remain united with Christ in heart, mind, and will, can be used of God to pray for awesome miracles that would bring glory to Christ and God.

In our church office we have a CD with the testimony of Joshua Youssef on it.  He is the son of Dr. Michael Youssef and while he was living in disobedience, he was chastised by the Lord.  Our Lord’s disciplinary actions toward Joshua ended with him in the emergency room, with his best friend out on a river in a life threatening situation. A Holy Spirit filled nurse who knew what it meant to truly abide in Christ was helping to attend to the wounds of Joshua Youssef. She asked Joshua if she could pray for him and his friend, upon which she was given permission.  The Holy Spirit literally revealed to this nurse the will of God as she prayed. The prayer was answered exactly as the nurse spoke in her prayer.  Joshua’s friend was rescued, saved from a situation in which almost everyone has died.  If it be God’s will and as He leads you, you could pray Holy Spirit led prayers for the glory of Christ.

Jesus prayed for others who are being attacked by Satan

Another portion of Scripture that recorded the prayers of Christ and can be placed in a fourth group teaches how Jesus prayed for others who are being attacked by Satan. In last week’s message I discussed in more detail of Christ praying on the Cross for those who crucified Him and a little about Him praying for His disciples and those who would come to believe through their message. Today I want to show the necessity of and the power of Christ praying for those under attack by Satan.

In the King James Bible, Luke 22: 31, 32 says, “…the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” There is a reason why the King James Bible used the word “you” in verse 31 and in verse 32 it uses the word “thee.”  You see the Greek word for you (hymas) in verse 31 is plural.  This refers to the other disciple as well as Peter. The Word “you” or “thee” (sou) in verse 32 is singular referring to Peter directly.  That is very significant to know.  Satan was not only going to bring a great trial upon Peter, but to the other disciples as well.  Let us remember, all the disciples failed the trial in Gethsemane. Let us not deceive ourselves, it is not only those who boasted as loudly as Peter who will be tempted by Satan to turn from their faith and commitments to the Lord.  But, all good soldiers of Christ are subject to Satan’s deceptions and attacks.

Matthew Henry wrote in exposition, “Peter, who used to be the mouth of the rest in speaking to Christ, is here made the ear of the rest and designed for warning to them all.”  The more God wants to use a child of God and the more a Christian becomes useful in the building of the true church, the more Satan wants to destroy him and his works with the Lord. Satan really longed to get Peter.  However, Jesus gave powerful encouragement to Peter and for the Children of God as well,    “But, I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.”  (Luke 22:32) Jesus’ prayer was not that the disciples or Peter be spared from this trial, but that Peter’s faith may not fail.  His faith, (pistis) here means that which came from hearing Christ and a faith in God that would see him through in his calling.  He would complete all that God had called him to do through a faith that would cause him trust in the forgiveness and empowerment of God, which would enable him to keep the others steadfast.

Dr.  Walter L. Liefield has a unique teaching about the words “may not fail.” (me eklipe)   He says this means that Peter “may not give out or may not disappear completely as the sun in a total eclipse.”  In other words, even though Peter’s denial was serious and showed a shrinking in faith.  Peter chose to believe and trust in Christ and God, not like Judas Iscariot whose faith did completely fail.  Peter returned, but Judas Iscariot did not. Jesus saying “…and when you have turned back,”  reveals to us that Jesus knew what lay ahead for Peter and He prayed for God’s perfect will for Peter to be done.  Jesus’ prayer empowered Peter to achieve what Judas Iscariot could not do on his own. Please note:  All true disciples of Christ, who in their hearts truly desire and choose to follow Christ, have Jesus’ “Divine Petitions” given on their behalf before God’s Throne.  These Christians, though they may fall, will not utterly be cast down, even in their greatest temptations and trials.  Christ has prayed for them. Christ’s prayers were not general and they are particular to us personally as it was for Peter when it comes to Satan’s attacks.  In truth, if a child of God was left to himself, he would eventually be completely destroyed.  Because of Christ’s loving intercessions for Christians, they will be empowered to return to trust in Him if they should shrink in their faith. This is a great encouragement to all who know Jesus and who know the power of His Divine Petitions.  It should also encourage Christians to pray for those who have for some reason backslid in their relationship with Christ.

Should always pray and not give up

Christ prayed for others and Christians need not fear Satan’s attacks while living for the Lord.  Jesus is our example in prayer and he has some clear instructions to the children of God in Luke 18: 1 – 8.  Luke writes, Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Listen to these words of Jesus on prayer.

“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men.  And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’  For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’ And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says.  And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night?  Will He keep putting them off?  I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly.  However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?’” (Luke 18:2-8) Luke’s statement in verse 1 is a duty to persevere in prayer.  We know this, for the key word “should” or “ought” (pios to dein) means absolutely necessary that men persevere in prayer.

Just as man needs food, water, and sleep, Christians need prayer.  I tell my boys often they cannot ride upon the pleasures of their parents’ prayers forever.  They must let Jesus teach them to pray. Things are designed not to go well if one does not pray. When should Christians pray?  “Always” (pantote) meaning at all times.  As surely as time passes by in the clock of life here, Christians must always pray. Christians are to develop a constant spirit of prayer, to maintain an unbroken consciousness of God’s presence. To be led of the Holy Spirit in prayer at all times and in all occasions. He is to walk in a constant state of prayer. The best way to do this is to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. The best way to overcome sin is to spend every moment in prayer. This communion with God will enable them to literally walk in step with the Holy Ghost. Jesus says “and not give up” (me egkakein) means not to lose heart, not to turn coward or give into evil.”….

Let me assure you of this, our Lord is not to be identified with the unjust judge for He is a loving God who has called His children to prayer and have communion with Him.  The children of God who stay persistent in prayer will see God get His good and perfect will accomplished in and through their lives. The Christian who goes to Christ and says “Lord teach me to pray” learns to 1.) Pray through critical moments in his life.  2.) Pray God’s called ministry through, staying steadfast and he completing what His Lord as sent him to do.  3.) He prays, believing in God, asking for miracles that will only glorify God and draw people to Christ and lastly, he intercedes for his brothers and sisters in Christ, that they may overcome any attacks from their adversary. There are children of God who have learned from Jesus to pray, and discovered the joy of praying prayers led of the Holy Spirit.

One child of God who knew the prayer life of Christ and lived a life that said, “Lord Jesus, teach me to pray” was Pastor Charles Spurgeon. He wrote; “Keep the altar of prayer burning.  This is the very life of all godliness.  The sanctuary and family altars borrow their fires here, therefore, let this burn well.  Secret devotion is the very essence, evidence, and barometer of vital Christianity. Burn here the fat of your sacrifices of time, heart and life.  Let your closet-season be if possible, regular, frequent and undisturbed.  Effectual prayer availeth much…” Every Christian must examine himself on this important matter.  Is your prayer life lukewarm?  Or is there a measure of real faith and life in your times with the Lord? Those who are taught of Christ to pray have the same heart of Christ in prayer who prayed, “Father… Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you…”   Prayer warriors like Jesus have a rejoicing in Holy Spirit led prayers that glorify Christ in and through them.

Holy Spirit Come Home

Holy Spirit Come Home

Praying for a True Revival in the Church

Grasping the Foundational Truths of Prayer

“…Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.” (2 Chronicles 15:2)

2 Chronicles chapters 14-16 record very powerful truths that must be taken notice

2 Chronicles chapters 14-16 record very powerful truths that must be taken notice of by the Body of Christ if she is going to enjoy God’s presence and power in His work.

I would propose to you that the history revealed in 2 Chronicles 14-16 gives a lesson on revival (Thru the Bible) and shows us the danger of not surrendering to God’s Word and perfect will.  The forty-one year reign of King Asa, shows us the success that can be enjoyed by walking in step with the Holy Spirit as He reveals the truths of God’s Word to us.  Asa’s life also reflects the consequences of letting the spiritual heart grow cold to the Word of the Lord.

How did King Asa approach the Lord?  What are the benefits and warnings?

Approach the Lord in heartfelt prayer

The first step to enjoying and experiencing all that God has for His church is to approach the Lord in heartfelt prayer.  2 Chronicles 14:11 says, “Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, “…Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O LORD, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you.” (2 Chronicles 14:11)

The Bible says that King “Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.” (2 Chronicle 14:2)  He was a great leader for he exhorted Judah to “…seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to obey His laws and commands.” (2 Chronicles 14:4)  Their life of faith in the Lord opened the door for the people of Judah to build and prosper in the land where God had placed them. (2 Chronicles 14:7)  When King Asa made his petition in 2 Chronicles 14:11 Judah was facing the approach of a great powerful army.  King Asa had seen the Lord God bless them often as they sought Him and depended upon Him.

Christians who have the greatest peace in times of trouble are those who are aware of and have enjoyed the Lord’s presence in times of blessings and trials in everyday living.  The Holy Spirit has revealed to them what the Apostle Paul prayed for the church, “[they] may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:18-19)

It is imperative that the Body of Christ understand that this was a holy war and victory could only be assured if God intervened because Asa’s enemy was massive.  Asa could count his three hundred thousand men equipped with large shields and spears.  He knew he had two hundred and eighty thousand brave fighting men from Benjamin, yet the army he faced was massive, much larger than his armed forces. (2 Chronicles 8)

The church can count her buildings, pastors, deacons, elders and members.  The church has more tools today for evangelizing and making disciples than ever before, but she must have a Biblical perspective of her real enemy, just as Asa’s, which caused him to cry out to God.

This enemy, Satan and his demons are real and they are not to be taken lightly.  They are the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12; Wuest Word Studies)  Revelations 12:7-9 says, “And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down–that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” (Revelations 12:7-9)  Satan and his company of fallen angels are free to carry out evil purposes only as God allows.  Satan’s army includes one third of the heavenly host.

Revelation 12:4 reveals to us that Satan drew one third of the angels to him and they followed him in his rebellion.  When Christians fully understand what happened in heaven and become aware of Satan’s power, they will approach their everyday battles by constantly beseeching God for the victory that only He can bring about.  The Greek Word for “drew” (suro) in the King James Bible means, “to draw, or pull away, whether things or persons. (The Complete Word Study Dictionary; New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries; Dictionary of Bible Languages with Semantic Domains)  This word implies Satan’s ability to cause apostasy by intriguing angels and humans to become earthly or carnal in reasoning and actions. (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown; Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testament) The church of Jesus Christ has a massive enemy who can cause apostasy.

This is the great news.  The church who realistically approaches her relationship and service to the Lord in fear and trembling, has watching over her the army of the Lord which is twice the size of Satan’s army.  This victorious church knows what Asa knew, all battles for the Lord will be won, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6)

Christians who have the heart of David, a repentant heart seeking after God, can cry out to the Lord as David did when Saul and His army were coming after him, “I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills His purpose for me.” (Psalm 57: 2)  The blood purchased church of Jesus Christ has an ordained purpose, “The Great Commission.”  This “Commission” is not only to baptize in Jesus’ Name, but to teach all who will surrender to Christ to obey everything the Word of God says.  The promise is that the Lord will be with us always. (Matthew 28:19-20)  Our empowerment is found in the Book of Acts, “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses…” (Acts 1:8)  This empowerment for service is not obtained by observing church ordinances.  It comes only by letting the Holy Spirit bring revelation and illumination of truth found in the Bible, thus birthing forth Holy Spirit inspired faith.  This requires a continual seeking of the guidance and empowering of the Holy Spirit, inviting Him to reside in the home of the spiritual heart of the born again Christian.

The humble servant of the Lord, Dwight L. Moody let God remind him of a truth that applies to the Body of Christ.  He writes, “…I can only say God revealed Himself to me!  I had such an experience of His love that I had to ask Him to stay His hand!  I went to preach again.  The [messages] were no different.  I did not present any new truth.  Yet hundreds were converted.  I would not [go] back that position in life where I was before that blessed experience.”

Let the Holy Spirit come home into your heart.  God loves us.  We as a church do not need to worry whether or not we have enough programs or are doing enough for the Lord.  We need only to rest in His love for us.  Rejoice in what He has already done in this Body of Christ right now.

Asa understood God’s love for Him, thus he had confidence to come to the Lord while facing the largest army ever recorded in Scripture coming against God people.  Asa saw the Lord bring a great victory as he prayed and walked in faith before the God of Judah. (2 Chronicles 14:12-15)

Restore true worship in the church of Christ

Approaching the Lord as Asa did and resting in God’s love enables the children of God to approach the Lord in prayer.  Opening the spiritual heart and allowing the Spirit of Christ to reside there enables the child of God to receive revelation, do what is right in God’s sight and restore true worship in the church of Christ. The Bible says, “…time… has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23)

The Lord knows what His obedient seeking children need.  God’s working in and through the life of Asa reveals to us three sure things that happens when the Spirit of God is working in the in the Body of Christ.  1.) The church has Holy Spirit anointed servants.  2.) The church is cleansed by the Holy Spirit and 3.) The church serves the Lord wholeheartedly.

At the end of 2 Chronicles 14 we read of the Lord giving King Asa a great victory over a massive enemy.  In the first part of chapter 15 we see Asa returning from the Lord’s victorious pursuit of the Ethiopians. (Jamieson Fausset and Brown; A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory; Matthew Henry Commentary)  Asa was met by the Prophet Azariah who had a Word from the Lord for Him.  2 Chronicles 15:1 says, “The Spirit of God came upon Azariah.”  The term “The Spirit of God” exhibits incontestably the manifold function of the Holy Spirit of God working through a servant of the Lord. (The Pulpit Commentary)

What we have in the Holy Spirit working through the Prophet Azariah is the Old Testament example of the New Testament Holy Spirit given gift of “prophesying” (propheteia) (Acts 13:2; Romans 12:6 1 Corinthians 12:4-8,13:2;14:6,24,30-31; The Complete Word Study of the NT; The Septuagint use this same Greek word in 2 Chronicles 15:8)  This gift enables the church to enjoy Holy Spirit inspired messages of warning and exhortation, the giving of instructions, judging and making the secrets of the heart known.  It is preaching the message of God through intelligible preaching given through intelligible messages. (Word Studies of the New Testament; Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament; Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament)   It is important to note that “prophesying” is not primarily prediction but the communication of revealed truth that will both convict and build up the hearers.

Where the Holy Spirit is at home in the Lord’s church there will be faithful preachers who have the anointing of God’s Holy Spirit.  These preachers will preach and prayerfully prepare messages that correctly handle the Word of God. (2 Timothy 2:15)  There will be Christians in that church hungry to hear the Word of God proclaimed and taught.

Dr. Ed Stetzer comments on Biblical Holy Spirit preaching, “Everybody seems to be an expert on preaching, because everyone who listens to a sermon has an idea of whether or not they like it. False boundaries abound when it comes to preaching—many will say that there is only one biblical form of preaching, but they have missed the point. There are many ways to communicate, but preaching requires a Biblical foundation from which to communicate.  Biblical preaching must include something to make it a Biblical message rather than a speech.”

“The Bible does say to Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction.  For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.’ (2 Timothy 4:2-3)

“When looking at boundaries, we have to determine what is NOT commanded but acceptable, certain preaching methods and temper that with what is essential, Biblical preaching..  If the word is preached and it accomplishes the Biblical objectives – correct, rebuke and encourage – then we have ‘preached the Word.’ If that sermon takes a verse-by-verse form, then it accomplishes that biblical objective. If it is thematic and dealing with a topic from a multitude of applied Scriptures, that is acceptable as well. As long as the Scripture sets the agenda of the text and the Scripture is faithfully delivered.”

Pastor, Evangelist and Prophet David Wilkerson wrote it well, “Where the Holy Spirit resides there will be no satisfaction in cotton candy messages.”  I would like to add, “Our pulpits need to return to preaching God’s Word and the people of God must learn to hate chocolate covered marshmallow messages and be hungry for the meat or the solid food of God’s Word.”  (Hebrews 5:12)

Holy Spirit led messages give guidance and comfort, just as Azariah’s message did, “Listen to me, Asa and all of Judah and Benjamin.  The Lord is with you when you are with Him.  If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.  Every Holy Spirit anointed message encompasses the whole truth of God’s Word.

Azariah’s message was not, “O King Asa, no one can win wars like you can,” rather exhortation and warning, keeping the record straight.  Asa enjoyed, as all Christians can, God’s Holy Spirit empowerment in their lives and anointing upon their labors with the Lord. (2 Chronicles 15:7)

Holy Spirit revelation and illumination lead to production of fruit of repentance and Christians who throw out modern day idols.  The Bible says, “When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah… he took courage.  He removed the testable idols from the whole land of Judah and Bejamin and from the towns he had captured…  He repaired the altar of the Lord that was in front of the… Lord’s temple” (2 Chronicles 15:8)

After hearing the Lord’s message, and the promise of God being with him and the nation, Asa become a zealous reformer.  He got idolatry out of the land and restored worship back to the Lord.  Prophetic encouragement brings genuine responses from those who have ears to hear the Word of the Lord and a heart to walk in His will.  The church must have the Holy Spirit’s presence to birth forth true repentance and cleansing so the Body of Christ may enjoy the abundant life in Christ. (The Pulpit Commentary; Matthew Henry Commentary; Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary; A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory)

It is imperative that the New Testament church has an understanding of what is so sinful about idols.  In the Old Testament idolatry included 1.) The departure from true worship to God to the worship of false gods, whether by means of images or otherwise and 2.) The worship of the Lord by means of images. (The New International Dictionary of the Bible)    The Lord God is a jealous God and He will not accept any worship given to Him apart from what is clearly spelled out in the written Word nor will He put up forever with His children giving honor and praise to some other god.

In the New Testament Jesus warned against making possessions central in life because they can easily become an idols.  He warned that man cannot both serve God and money. (Matthew 6:24)  The apostle Paul, in Romans 1:18-25, teaches that idolatry is not the first stage of religion… rather it is deliberate apostasy.

This is why the New Testament Christians are repeatedly warned to be on their guard against idolatry.  The Old Testament concept of idolatry is widened to include anything that leads to the dethronement of God from the heart. (The New International Dictionary of the Bible)     The Holy Spirit warns us in the writings of the apostle Paul, “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person–such a man is an idolater–has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”  (Ephesians 5:5)  The Holy Spirit also moved this great apostle to write what Christians are to urgently do, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.” (Colossians 3:5-6)

When the Holy Spirit is working in the home of the spiritual heart of Christians, the true church will do what Asa and the people of Judah did.  “They entered in to a covenant to seek the Lord… with all their heart and soul.  They sought God eagerly, and He was found by them.” (2 Chronicles 15:12,15)

Dead religion is man looking for God, trying to earn favor with God by the way he worships.  These hypocrites try to look like worshipers of God by religious acts.  This is dead religion and causes a form of godliness but denies the power of God to govern our daily lives and change a person from within. (2 Timothy 3:5)  This is the heartbeat of legalism, traditionalism, denominationalism and faddism.

Jesus said that the true worshiper worships in spirit and truth.  Jesus is teaching that the reflection of our character is lived out with regard to our duty which comes from a heart response to the sacrificial love He has shown us.

The Holy Spirit illuminated church has Christians who worship the Lord Jesus in spirit and truth.  They rely completely on the Spirit of Christ, who indwells them for guidance and strength to live out what God’s Word instructs them to do.  The Holy Spirit has brought a spiritual understanding of what the psalmist wrote about in Psalm 51:6-7 and their daily heart cry is, “Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” (Psalm 51:6-7)

Come Holy Spirit do a work in me

The true church spends seasons seeking the Lord Jesus in prayer and in these last days the church must be honest in her spiritual evaluations.  She must be willing to say “Come Holy Spirit do a work in me.”

2 Chronicles 16 records a tragedy in the life of a man who saw first hand the Lord’s mighty power to save.  He heard the prophecy spoken over him and the nation he ruled over.   When faced with war in this time of history Asa took silver and gold out of the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and his own palace to enter into an agreement with the King of Aram. (2 Chronicles 16:2)  God sent the seer Hanani to speak a word of rebuke to Asa because he put trust in man and not God, (2 Chronicles 16:7-9) Asa became angry and further added to his sin by putting God’s spokesman into prison. (2 Chronicles 16:10)  The Bible says, “…Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet.  Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord…” (2 Chronicles 16:12)

This portion of Asa’s life shows us God’s mercy in trying to bring Asa to repentance and turn him back to a life of faithfulness and trust in the Lord—the lifestyle he had exhibited for so many years.  As far as we are aware that repentance never came.  The truth for the Body of Christ is to be willing to seek the Lord for a fresh touch of His Holy Spirit as we serve Him in every situation of life.  Let the Lord Jesus do a work in us through the Holy Spirit so the whole Body of Christ may enjoy the abundant life promised in the Bible.

God’s spokesman had a message for Asa that applies to us today, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him…” (2 Chronicles 16:9)

In Closing:  The church has an enemy and he knows that he running out of time.  The Body of Christ needs more of the Holy Spirit’s guidance, cleansing and empowerment more than ever.  No one is beyond falling into the arms of the flesh and becoming embittered by the trials of life we must go through in order to maintain that personal, intimate, complete trust in the Lord Jesus that God wants from us.  As the church maintains a heart cry that says “Come Holy Spirit, do thy Father’s will in us,” she will be a victorious church achieving the Lord’s perfect will for her.

The Lord knows what His obedient seeking children need.  Through allowing the Holy Spirit to do a work in His church the Body of Christ will enjoy 1.) Holy Spirit anointed servants. 2.) Cleansing by the Holy Spirit and 3.) The ability to serve the Lord wholeheartedly while being led of the Holy Spirit who brings life to the Written Word.

  1. L. Moody was recognized as a child of God who had Holy Spirit filling. An unknown resource wrote, “Moody was to have a campaign in England. An elderly pastor protested, ‘Why do we need this Mr. Moody? He is uneducated and inexperienced.  Who does he think he is anyway?  Does he have a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?’  A younger, wise pastor rose and responded, ‘No, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on Mr. Moody.’”

Are we as a Body of Christ willing to fast and pray that the Holy Spirit comes to Norton County and do a work in us? That the Lord would send the Spirit of Christ to set people free from the bondage of the flesh, the lures of the world and the lies of the devil?  When it is all over, will CrossRoads Church be found faithful in asking God to do a work in Norton County because of the work Christ as already done on the Cross of Calvary?

When we make it to heaven, will those who did a hard faithful work in this church before us find that we were faithful to ask God to turn this church into a spiritual hospital where Holy Spirit heart surgery is being done? (Ezekiel 36:26-27) Is this where Christians are receiving a powerful thirst and hunger for the Word of God, Christians saying “Lord Jesus teach me to pray.”  Asking the Lord to make us a church where all the Holy Spirit given gifts are being exercised out of sacrificial love.