PRAYER THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

The enemy has fought me for several days with this. Distraction after distraction. It's long but I tell you it's gonna change somebodys life.

Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need. Hebrews 4:16

When we pray and come before God, there are two things that are made available to us. The bible teaches us that we will receive either mercy or grace. Mercy tends to change or remove us from the situation, while grace gives us help within the situation so that we are not overcome. God chooses which one we will receive. Though many would prefer mercy, it really is a win-win situation for us. If the Lord leaves us in the trial or circumstance, it is because He is working something out in our lives for our good.

However, before you get to Hebrew 4:16 you must read verses 14 and 15. 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. These verses let us know that Jesus is our high priest and that He is the only one without sin. Why is that important? Because we never want to come to the Lord based on our own merit or the good things that we have done. The bible says in Isaiah 64:6

For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our wrongdoings, like the wind, take us away.

All our righteous deeds are as filthy rags before God. He is not impressed by what we do. Yet many Christians go to God and say “Lord I did this for you and I did that for you”, I gave this person food cause they were hungry or I gave this person money or even I kept myself, I didn’t fornicate and you know how much I wanted to.”

Jesus said it this way in Luke 17:9-10. 9 He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? 10 So you too, when you do all the things which were commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’”

In other words, there is no special reward for you when you do what God told you do. When you obey the word of God, you are just doing what you are suppose to do. Some people think that being “good” is their golden ticket. When you come to God in prayer tooting your own horn, you are asking Him to base His answer to you on your own merit. The problem is that you probably have unconfessed sins that He also must put in the equation.

For example, about 3 months ago the Lord spoke to me and said “You have this sin in your life.” My response to Him was “ OK Lord if you say I have it then I have it. So I repent of it. But I’m going to be honest with you, I really don’t see that in my life.” A few days later the Lord brought back to my memory several instances where this sin had played out in my life. I cried like a baby and really repented then.

What am I saying here? You may have sin in your life that you are not even aware of. We tend to focus on "big" sins like adultry, stealing etc. but what about jealousy, envy, lying, covetousness, backbiting etc. So when we come to God in our merit, He must weigh those unrepented sins into the equation also. And we all know that the bible says that the wages of sin is death.

So stop coming to God in prayer telling Him how great you are and all the great things that you have done for Him. You always want to come before Him covered in the blood of Jesus. Jesus is the only perfect one. We are being changed and formed in His image. When the Father looks at you, you want Him to see the blood of Jesus which covers all your sins and imperfections.

Then you can come boldy to the throne of grace and receive either mercy or grace for your situation. 1. Confess and repent of any known sins. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any unknown sins to you. 2. Pray that the blood of Jesus cover you. The blood from His head, his hands, his side, his feet. 3. Ask God for His mercy and His grace for your particular situation. You don’t have to spend time explaining the situation. He knows the situation. Spend time pleading for His mercy and grace.

Like Comment