PAST COLUMN #21

From the West Meadow
By Pastor Wesley Higgins

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:16) Do you participate in prayer with this knowledge in mind: that your sincere prayer will accomplish great results?

When God our Savior came to earth to live and die for us, His death not only ensured us of the forgiveness of our sins, and our future salvation (Hebrews 9:28), but Christ’s death opened up a whole new dimension in prayer. “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...let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith...” (Heb. 10:19-22) We no longer need to pray toward some building (such as the temple: I Kings 8:44-45), or to some object, or through some person (such as a Levitical priest)...now, because of the rending of the veil of the Holy of Holiest at Christ’s death (Matthew 27:51), we can pray directly to, and in essence in front of, the very throne of God, the mercy seat (see Leviticus 16:2).

Jesus did not teach us to pray directly to the Holy Spirit, or to Himself, even though He is our High Priest (Heb. 9:11) and regularly makes intercession for us (Heb. 7:25). Jesus taught us to pray directly to the Father (Matt. 6:9). What a fantastic opportunity and at the same time what an awesome responsibility that we have in our prayers. The picture conveyed is that when we pray we have entered the Holy of Holies and we are kneeling before the Lord God our maker–the ruler of the universe.

Realizing all this, we can with confidence bring our needs and cares “boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need.” (Heb. 4:16)

As Christians, the things that concern us–our daily needs, the needs of others, the desire for a world without Satan’s evil influence–are the same things that concern God, and He delights in knowing our concerns. In fact, the Bible pictures our prayers as being an effective force for overthrowing evil. In Ephesians 6, it is our prayers (v. 18) that are the substance by which the armor of God, used in our battle “against wickedness in heavenly places” (v. 12), is held together. In Revelation 8, our prayers are pictured as being used in the beginning onslaught of God’s rebuke against this evil world. “[The angel] was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints...And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God...then the angel took the censer...and threw it to the earth” (v. 3-5). Then the onslaught began.

In Revelation 12, Satan and his demons are cast out of heaven and overcome in part by the “word of testimony” of the saints–that is, the words and prayers of God’s people (Rev.12:11; see also Luke 10:17-18). And in 1 Peter 5, it is our prayer–“casting all your cares upon Him” (v. 7)–that gives us the strength to “resist” the devil (v. 8, 9).

Our prayers are “effective” not only for our needs and the needs of loved ones, but for the needs of the world as well. Pray “thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10).

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