Written by: John Sernaque
Dear Reader,
Books / Pr - Prayer (2002) / Chapter 5—God’s Promises Concerning Prayer
God Promises to Hear and Answer Prayer—Christ is the connecting link between God and man. He has promised His personal intercession by employing His name. He places the whole virtue of His righteousness on the side of the suppliant. Christ pleads for man, and woman, in need of divine help, pleads for himself in the presence of God, using the power of the influence of the One who gave His life for the world. As we acknowledge before God our appreciation of Christ’s merits, fragrance is given to our intercessions. Oh, who can value this great mercy and love! As we approach God through the virtue of Christ’s merits, we are clothed with His priestly vestments. He places us close by His side, encircling us with His human arm, while with His divine arm He grasps the throne of the Infinite. He puts His merits, as sweet incense, in a censer in our hands, in order to encourage our petitions. He promises to hear and answer our supplications.—(SDA Bible Commentary 6:1078.) {Pr 46.1}
The simple prayers indited by the Holy Spirit will ascend through the gates ajar, the open door which Christ has declared: I have opened, and no man can shut. These prayers, mingled with the incense of the perfection of Christ, will ascend as fragrance to the Father, and answers will come.—(Testimonies for the Church 6:467.) {Pr 46.2}
Christ Jesus instructs us to pray in His name, and whatsoever we ask in His name, that will He do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Christ is our mediator, our intercessor between heaven and earth. The way to place ourselves in His hands is through prayer. If you do not know what to pray, ask Jesus to pray on your behalf, as He did for Peter. Let Jesus make an utterance on your behalf so that in His perfection, His prayers will reach God’s throne of grace as sweet incense. Jesus is the door to heaven, which no man can shut. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father but by Him.
Our God Almighty,
We come to the foot of Your throne of grace and thank You for all the great things You have done. Because You love us so much, You gave Your only begotten Son to save us from our sins. We have inherited and cultivated sins that separate us from You. However, it is by Your great mercy that You have provided us a lifeline to heaven, whereby we are re-joined back to heaven by prayer through our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. Dear Jesus, sometimes we stumble through our prayers, as we know not what to pray. We pray that in Your perfect eloquence and righteousness that You pray for us, make an utterance on our behalf, that whatsoever You speak shall be done. We pray that You hold us in Your right hand of power as You reach out to the Father on our behalf. Clothe us in Your righteousness that the Father may be honored and glorified in Your name. Let nothing come between us, and what You have joined together, let no man pluck out of Your hand. We thank You for granting us Your power from on High as You intercede on our behalf. We can do nothing by our own strength. We are eternally grateful for Your merits, mercy, and love. We thank You for keeping us close to Your side, for watching over us, protecting us, and keeping us safe. We thank You for the hedge of Your Holy angels that are round about us, keeping Satan and his demons far from us. Satan is constantly on the attack, so we thank You for Your divine help when tempted by the wily foe. Thank You for helping us through our trials and tribulations. We thank You for the privilege of prayer and the open door that no man can shut. We thank Your for hearing and answering our prayers and for giving us the victory over sin. In the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
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