PRAYER RELEASES POWER
Last week, we studied about how prayer releases power. Today, let’s look at the great wonder and glory of prayer.
WHAT IS PRAYER?
So, what do we think is prayer?
- PRAYER IS DRAWING NEAR TO GOD
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:8
Have you ever had the chance to see a celebrity up, close and personal? If you are anything like me, then you must have been ecstatic. Of course, the celebrity might not even have noticed your presence or the body-guards might have shooed you far away but you would have been floating around happily on the seventh cloud. Right?
Well, prayer is drawing near the most important celebrity ever. God, unlike people in tinsel town, God does not shoo us away. He’s more than willing to welcome us.
That doesn’t mean we can just waltz in to pray whenever it suits us. Prayer is not a mumble jumble of only our wants and needs. Prayer is a beautiful process that arises out of an even more beautiful relationship. Let’s take a quick look at what that relationship means.
Essentially, man is utterly sinful. But God is holy. Sin cannot be anywhere near God’s holiness and righteousness. We can fast and pray or do the most sacrificial thing, but we will still not be able to come anywhere close to God’s presence. The best example in this regard is the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.
Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
Luke 18:9-14
The humble tax collector left the temple justified, not the proud Pharisee! The best human righteousness will not qualify us to pray.
Then what do you suppose qualifies us to pray?
Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 10:19-21 says, ‘Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God’. The perfect life, blood and righteousness of Jesus our High Priest qualifies us to pray. Because when God looks at us who are His followers, He sees Jesus. This gives us the privilege of drawing near to Him being certain that He will welcome us.
- PRAYER IS TALKING TO GOD
It is almost completely unlikely to ever be able to chat up with a celebrity, especially if we don’t know them personally. But the God of Heaven and earth, the most important person ever says, ‘Draw near to me; I want to hear you and talk to you’. What a precious gift and privilege prayer is to us. Not only does our High Priest sympathize with our weaknesses as said in Hebrews 4:15, the Holy Spirit also helps us in our weaknesses. Romans 8:26 says, ‘Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered’. Further John 16:26 says, ‘In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you’. The incredible thing is that the Spirit of God prompts and helps us to pray and also answers our prayer requests.
Now, prayer is not just about asking and receiving. Of course, that is certainly important. But it is not like just walking into the grocery store, nodding at the owner and getting our list filled. Prayer is real fellowship time with God. It is about enjoying God’s company. Let me share with you an example to elucidate this better.
My son is 2 years old. Recently, a friend visited us. She wanted to play with him, but he kept shying away. So, she pulled out a chocolate from her bag to get him to come to her. He timidly approached, grabbed the chocolate and ran away. Sometimes, we treat prayer like that. When God gives us something, we take it, mutter a quick thanks and run away. God, on the other hand, would love for us to sit back and spend time with Him and enjoy getting to know Him.
Not so sure?
Well, consider this. God is all sufficient. The Trinity completes Him. But He created us to share that love with us and enjoy a fellowship with us. Genesis 3:8 says, ‘And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden’. It was normal practice for God to hang out with Adam and Eve every day. After they sinned and ran away from God’s presence, God sent them out of the Garden. But He didn’t give up on them. He continued to seek them out to enjoy a fellowship with them. Not that He needed to, but because He wanted to. The Israelites disobeyed God and constantly ignored Him. But God continued to extend grace and mercy to them. He lived with them in the ark and then later in the temple. Then, finally He came physically in the form of Jesus. Jesus walked on the earth, died and rose again. He sent the Holy Spirit, and today we have the constant presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We can talk to Him and enjoy fellowship with Him at all times.
- PRAYER IS AN EXPERIENCE OF GOD’S ETERNAL PRESENCE
The Bible talks about a glorious Heaven. There won’t be any sadness or tears in Heaven because God will be present there. In God’s presence, there is only jubilation and celebration. Prayer is an activity that has been given to us on the earth to experience the presence of God. It is a foretaste of what will be our Heavenly experience.
Hebrews 10:19 says, ‘Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus’. Through prayer, it’s possible to enter and experience the joy of being in the most holy place – God’s presence. But unfortunately, many people look for joy and ecstasy in the wrong places. Drugs and alcohol are cheap counterfeits that will not only disappoint us, but also pull us deep down into the dumps. Our spouses, children and jobs will only satisfy us temporarily. But if we experience the presence of God, we will have great joy. Once we experience that, we will not want to have it any other way.
HOW CAN WE ENJOY THIS?
One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple
Psalm 27:4
As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
Psalm 42:1-2
How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts!
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
Psalm 84:1, 10
O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.
Because Your loving kindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.
Psalm 63:1-5
All these beautiful Psalms testify the glory of prayer. We can enjoy this glory by believing in it and desiring it. If we don’t have a desire, then God is more than able to grant us that when we ask Him for it. We need to do it for ourselves. Every great man of God will have rich experiences of a beautiful prayer time. You see, the greater thing for God is not to just meet our need but to spend time with us! Isn’t that simply marvellous?
THANKS: WWW.REVSAM.ORG
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