I feel the throb of the great heart of God.
I am very thankful for what I have learned and continue to learn about the holy privilege of prayer. The tremendous scope of its far-reaching power and the amazing wonder of intimacy of ongoing conversation between the Transcendent Sovereign in heaven and me on earth. Everything I learn about prayer makes me long to know more, so I continue to discuss with the Holy Spirit the deep things of God as I meditate on the Word of God. As I read my Bible, I talk to the Holy Spirit about what I’m reading and He continually brings to me priceless jewels and pure gold nuggets out of that bottomless treasure chest.
It was in the Holy of Holies, the place where the blood of sacrificed animals was brought to the altar, where the power of God operates. The place where sin was cleansed and forgiven, the place where the priest proclaimed miracle healings. Now the Holy of Holies in heaven is the place where, by faith, I ascend to offer myself and my worship, praise, thanksgiving and my intercession, at the Throne of Grace.
That Throne is the place where I receive kingdom authority. Jesus said (John 14:12-13) greater works shall you do through prayer because I go to the Father. Jesus will continue to work and accomplish but because He is in heaven with the Father and not on earth, He will do His works through obedient disciples who (John 15:7) abide in Him and His Word abides in them. I cannot exercise kingdom authority to get what I want or to obtain what I think is best. It is all with a focus on God’s purpose and glory in the building of His kingdom. True prayer as God intends prayer to be, is always answered and every request granted. Kingdom authority is God putting the scepter in our hands. That is why we (Philippians 4:6) present our requests with thanksgiving. Jesus never mentioned unanswered prayer. The greater our oneness with Jesus, the greater will be the authority He gives us for the expansion of His kingdom. I believe that the good works (Ephesians 2:10) prepared for us to perform are part of the greater works we will do through prayer. Kingdom authority is not (2 Corinthians 10:4) physical weapons of human effort but mighty through God for the destruction of strongholds. Therefore, we need (Ephesians 6:13) the whole armour of God. Someone has said that warfare prayer is 90% purity. That is why (2 Corinthians 10:5) every thought and purpose must be taken captive into the obedience of Christ. Kingdom authority can take our prayer to the filthiest, vilest, cruelest hidden dens of demonic iniquity and make our prayers effective in pulling down those strongholds. Then impact those areas by the transforming power of Almighty God and for His glory alone.
(Oswald Chambers) “Intercession means to rouse ourselves to get the mind of Christ about the one for whom we pray. If we think of prayer as the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts we think rightly. God does not hear our prayer because we are in earnest but only on the ground of Redemption.”
Be earnest and unwearied (Colossians 4:2) and steadfast in your prayer life, being both alert and intent in your praying with thanksgiving. Jesus is our life (Colossians 3:4) and He continually (Hebrews 7:25) makes intercession for us. This should deeply convict and convince us that believing prayer is critically important (Matthew 7:7) in our lives. This verse teaches us to persist in prayer. I want to be so close to Jesus that I will experience the reality of the answers to His prayers for me.
We must never lose sight of the fact that everything we have was purchased and paid for by the Atonement of Jesus. If we are not redeemed our prayers would be vain repetitions of emptiness. But because of who I am in Christ the Holy Spirit meets me at the Throne of Grace and, as by faith, I kneel there, I am a prayer partner with Him. This is too great for my human comprehension but not for my joy and experience.
Everything in J E S U S
Years ago, when men first landed on the moon, all over the world people were calling it the greatest event in history. But how wrong they were shortly after the moon landing a guest singer came to our church and sang a hymn which his father had written with reference to that event. This part of that song was so deeply etched on my heart and mind that I have never forgotten it.
“Rockets may soar to far away reaches,
Man may arrive at the strangest of beaches,
But the greatest event since Creation began
Took place on that day
When GOD became Man.”
The God Who became Man is the Creator, Who created that very moon on which they landed.
As I was taking my pills including antibiotics this morning, I got a fresh look, a clearer insight into the wonder of our God and the marvel of His creation. If there had been no sin, which brought sickness and disease, there would have been no need for such medications. God created everything in His perfect world to meet all the needs of human beings. He would create on the sixth day when everything had been prepared for them, for all we would ever need. God knew that we would sin, that we would abuse our bodies, our environment, our world and reap the consequences of our own selfish lusts and desires.
So, in advance, God created chemicals etc. in plants and in other sources and He created the know-how in the scientists and medical practitioners. He had also created some with particular abilities, to extract the various ingredients from these sources and make them into the remedies which would benefit mankind. God used poisonous snakes (Numbers 21:6) to judge sin but He also put that venom in serpents to be used in some pain medications.
We can see that God is terrible in the fierce anger and wrath of His holiness – - BUT - - we can also see that God is tender and gentle (Psalms 103:13) in the beauty of the undeserved grace and favour of His holiness.
God always knows our needs before they exist and (PS.40:17) and has already made preparation for them.
Wonder and worship join together and dance within me. If we will believe (John 11:40) we will see the glory of God.
Part of an old hymn sings a petition within me and becomes my heart-felt prayer.
“Use me and all I have, dear Lord,
And get me so close to Thee,
That I feel the throb of the great heart of God
Until I burn out for Thee.”