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Prayer is talking to God for the purpose of developing a loving relationship with Him. As such, prayer should strive to attain a relationship that is bold, intimate, trusting, loving and personal. We develop a relationship without fear which is not based on greed or need.
There are at least four formal occasions when we make personal contact with God.

- Sabbath. God hosts a reception and invites us to join Him and celebrate our origins.
- Feasts. God hosts a potluck reception and invites us to join Him and bring the meal to celebrate our deliverance. The food for the meal is actually His offering that He gives back to us.
  "I will fill the soul of the priests with abundance, and My people will be satisfied with My goodness," declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 31: 14)
  Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. "Incline your ear and come to Me Listen, that you may live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, according to the faithful mercies shown to David. (Isaiah 55: 1-3)
  Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. (John 7: 37)
  but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." (John 4: 14)
- Prayer. We host an impromptu reception and invite God to come to us.
  Prayer provides an opportunity for us to create the benefits of Sabbath during the week at any time we choose. On the Sabbath God makes Himself available to us. When we pray we make ourselves available to God.
  Prayer is both a personal Sabbath in time and a personal sanctuary in a place of our choosing. Here, our lips become the golden altar on which prayers and praise are raised to God.
  - The Body Temple. Our body is the temple of God where the Holy Spirit, the Father and Jesus live.
    Holy Spirit. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6: 19)
    The Father and the Son. ... If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. (John 14: 23)
    We are both a temple and sacrifices to God that never die. He is glorified by our praise and worship.
    Worship. Therefore I urge you brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. (Romans 12: 1).
    Praises. Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. (Psalm 22: 3).
  - Holy Spirit. Although the Father, Son and Holy Spirit live with us, the Holy Spirit has the special task of articulating our prayers for us. Romans 8: 26-27
  - Personal Sabbath. When we go by ourselves away from the cares of the world to have a conversation with God, it is like Sabbath.
  - Personal Sanctuary. We can create a Most Holy Place where two or more people are gathered.
    For where two or three have gathered together in my name, I am there in their midst. (Matthew 18: 20)
    This means that God is always there for prayer meetings and church services and family worship.
    » Single People. But how does this help the single person, who cannot make this quorum of at least two people? In this case, because of the promises of God, the Holy Spirit becomes the second person with us and He dresses up our prayers. God provides Himself as a companion for us!
    I will ask the Father, and He will give you another companion that He may be with you forever. John 14: 16
    » The Unbeliever. Christ and the Holy Spirit can intercede for them even if friends and family do not.
- Face To Face. Since Eden only Moses and Jesus appeared to talk to God face to face. And the evidence is that He was still hidden behind the cloud when He talked to Moses. Face to face conversation is our ultimate dream.
  In all our formal communication, we are still separated. Right now our communication seems as if it has been forged in some bitter legal custody battle. We do not see God as we should. We are left with formal requests and scheduled meeting times. However, if you can reach into the future and grasp it by faith, through the Holy Spirit you can meet God face to face now and live.
  But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. For such people the Father seeks to be His worshippers. (John 4: 23)

The Permanent Sanctuary
Prayer is the form of communication that has been established between humans and God. In the new earth there will be no sanctuary building because God Himself will be there, but face to face communication with God will exist. The earth becomes the place of the sanctuary of God because God's permanent presence here represents the best and most permanent opportunity for close and intimate communication. Each section of the sanctuary repesents different phases in time as we get closer to the kingdom of God and face to face communication.

- Outer Court. This is the condition of the earth before the crucifixion. We are justified and set right before God through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. When He finished His work the Holy Spirit came.
  But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. (John 16: 7)
  An Intermediary for Communication. In the outer court we need an intercessor. The people came and confessed their sins and the atoning blood was taken by the priest into the sanctuary. But the people could not enter the sanctuary and the priests were mortal.
- Holy Place. We are sanctified in the Holy Place by the work of the Holy Spirit who writes the law in our hearts and makes us perfect. When He finishes His work the Father can come.
  An Intermediary and an Helper for Communication. The people could not come into the sanctuary but the priests could. God solved the problem by making us all priests! Now that we have been invited into the Holy Place as priests, we also have an indestructible High Priest who intercedes for us and has exposed the Most Holy Place for us. We also have the Holy Spirit who intercedes for us and prays for us (Romans 8: 26).
  who has become such [a high priest] not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. The former priests on the one hand existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing. But Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.
  Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7: 16, 23-25)
  Now that we are in the Holy Place we have several things working for us.
  - Priests. We can walk in boldly because we are priests.
  - Two Intercessors. We now have two intercessors from the Trinity. Christ intercedes for us as the High Priest. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us by counseling us and by representing us spiritually and emotionally. He expresses our feelings better than we could during prayer.
    In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
    and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8: 26-27)
    The Holy Spirit can express our intentions on two levels.
    - Express Facts (Words). He can express the facts of our request with eloquence. He can correct the grammar, add the concerns we forgot and apologize for our attitude and add His personal recommendation. If there is a winning formula to prayer, He will arrange and present our prayers like poetry.
    - Express Emotions (Groans). However, words alone cannot express our deep emotions. He dresses up the words with other exhibitions. Tears, tone of voice and body language can also express our range of emotions, our contrite spirit, anger, joy, desperation and sorrow.
      Finally, there is one other method of expressing emotions while saying the words.
      The Holy Spirit sings our prayers with the alternating changes in volume and melody. In whispers, groans and sighs and tears, He will express our needs in a trembling voice, in a choking voice or in a beautiful melodic voice or in the yearning, pleading voice of the blues or a passionate love song or the haunting lyrics of a tenor saxophone.
      » I Will Not Let You Go. When Jacob clung to God, in pain because He was desperate, crippled and exhausted, imagine the audacity of his words delivered to God with the range of emotions expressed by Jennifer Holiday in the song,

      > And I am telling you, I'm not going. I'm not living without you. I don't want to be free.
      > I'm staying, I'm staying, and you, and you, and you, you're gonna love me"
      > Tear down the mountains, Yell, scream and shout.
      > You can say what you want, I'm not walking out.
      > Stop all the rivers, push, strike, and kill.
      > I'm not gonna leave you, There's no way I will.

    This must be the intensity of our feelings and emotions as we cling to God.
  - Access to the Most Holy Place. Under the old covenant, only the high priest could enter or see the Most Holy Place. And he could only do this one day each year. Under the new covenant, the veil that separates the two chambers is ripped apart (Matthew 27: 51-52). So we can see into and enter the Most Holy Place every day because we are living during the Day of Atonement. We have been invited to enter boldly and touch and taste everything!
    Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4: 14-16)
- Most Holy Place. We are glorified and changed by the Father at the Second Coming and live with Him forever.
  Face to Face. We talk to God, the Father, in person. God is our intercessor who gives us direct access to Him.

The World to Come | After the Cross |  | Before the Cross |
Inner Tabernacle | Outer Tabernacle | Outer Court
Praise | Prayer | Communion, Bible Study | Baptism | Surrender | Repent
Ark of the Covenant |  | Golden Incense Altar |  | Table of Shewbread Menorah |  | Laver | Altar of Sacrifice |
Most Holy Place | Holy Place | Outer Court
Glorification (Father) | Sanctification (Holy Spirit) | Justification (Jesus Christ)
Speak to the Rock | Release the Water | Strike the Rock

- Priests. All the righteous people. We have Christ, the Father and the Spirit abiding in us.
- High Priest. Jesus Christ. He washes away sins by interceding with His blood.
- The Lamb. The nail prints will remain in the hands and feet of Jesus. (John 20: 25, 27)
- Altar of Sacrifice. The earth is the altar. We will inherit the earth where Christ was killed and we were exiled.
- Laver. The Holy Spirit. He washes away sins by writing the law into our hearts.
- Table of Shewbread. The feasts, new moon and Sabbath celebrations will exist. (Isaiah 66: 23)
- Menorah. There is perpetual daylight in the new earth because God is the source of light. (Revelation 21: 23)
- Golden Altar of Incense. This represents prayer, talking personally to God. In the altar on earth our prayers were represented by a cloud of sweet incense rising up towards God.
  In the original design that represents the present time, the altar of incense was in the Holy Place. But, in the world to come, the writer of Hebrews places the altar of incense in the Most Holy Place with the Ark of the Covenant. This signifies the most important and permanent place of prayer in the world to come. Prayer is the communications bridge between this world and the world to come.
  Holy Place (Outer Tabernacle). For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one in which there were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place.
  Most Holy Place (Inner Tabernacle). Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the holy of holies, having a golden altar and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron's rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant. (Hebrews 9: 2-4)
- Ark of the Covenant. The throne of God Himself will be with us permanently.

The Covenant Of Prayer
When sin came, direct face to face communication with God ceased. Only prayer and the Sabbath and the intercessory symbols of the sanctuary remained. The Sabbath held within it the promise of a future time of rest when God would again come to us in person and begin the face to face communication again. But until that time comes, God must work to break down the barriers to communication by eliminating those things that separate us from God. He must pay the penalty for our sin and He must separate us from our sins.

Sin | Crucifixion | Prayer | Holy Spirit | Eternal Life
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Wilderness | Strike The Rock | Speak to the Rock | Springs of Living Water
Death | Thirst | Blood | Water | Forgiveness | Cleansing | Sacrifice | Fruit of the Spirit | Gift of the Spirit

During the exodus God arranged a demonstration to show them how He would cleanse them.

- Strike The Rock ("Paying The Penalty For Sin With A Stream Of Blood")
  The importance of prayer was first observed during the exodus, when God tried to symbolically demonstrate its purpose. When the children of Israel were thirsty, Moses struck the rock at Meribah and streams of water came out. This first instance of striking the rock represents the time when Christ would be struck down for our sins. Christ is the Rock sent by God. When He died streams of blood and water poured from his side.
  "Look, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. He named the place Massah and Meribah because of the quarrel of the sons of Israel, and because they tested the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD among us, or not?" (Exodus 17: 1-7)
- Speak To The Rock ("Repentance: Praying For Forgiveness Of Sin")

  Prayer Before the Cross
  Prayer did not become operational after the cross. Since prayer is the perfect plan it existed before the cross. The beauty of the men of faith before the cross is that by faith, they became face to face friends with God and took hold of this method of communication. Therefore, they were able to use the assistance of the Holy Spirit and Speak to God as if God had already paid the price and given them this personal access to Him. So their faith recognized what God really wanted and took hold of that future reality. So they prayed and asked for the Holy Spirit.

  The next time they were thirsty God told Moses to speak to the Rock but Moses disobeyed and struck the Rock twice.
  God Told Moses to Speak to the Rock. Then Moses and Aaron came in from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to them; and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it may yield its water. You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their beasts drink." So Moses took the rod from before the LORD, just as He had commanded him; and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, "Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?"
  But Moses Strikes the Rock Twice. Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank.
  Did not Believe He was Holy. But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them." (Numbers 20: 6-12)
  His anger caused Moses to sin and to destroy a vital symbol. Christ is the Rock. The water is the Holy Spirit. God, in Christ, will be struck once for sin and the Holy Spirit will be released. After the crucifixion, we only need to speak to God in prayer and the Holy Spirit will be released. Christ would not die over and over again for sin, physically or symbolically.
  Struck Again. God intended that this demonstration would be a prophecy about how He would save the world by dying once for sin. Instead, it became a prophecy about how Israel would treat Him.
  Moses' actions may have been a prophecy of what Israel would do when they met the Rock in person. Striking God again after the crucifixion may be a symbol of the fact that the people rejected Him and His messenger, John the Baptist. He was struck at the cross and for the next forty years they also did not believe Him or treat Him as being holy, but continued to reject Him. Then their temple was rejected in 70 AD.
- Releasing The Water ("Sending The Holy Spirit To Separate Us From Sin")
  The purpose of prayer should be for cleansing and eternal life. The Holy Spirit gives us the cleansing that will lead to eternal life by changing our hearts to love the law and taking away our love of sin. He writes it on our hearts.
  But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord, I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God and they will be My people. Jeremiah 31: 33
  Three concepts are needed in this Plan of Salvation.
  - The Death of Christ ("The Stream of Blood"). Christ died once as our substitute for sin and guilt.
  - The Holy Spirit ("The Stream of Water"). He is given to cleanse us by writing the law in our hearts and changing our disobedient nature. He is the answer to all prayers.
    - The Fruit of the Spirit. He forgives our sin and changes our character into the image of God.
    - The Gifts of the Spirit. He gives us power to do the will of God and advance the kingdom of God.
    - The Minister of the Holy Place. Through the symbols of the Holy Place, He introduces us to Christ, the lamp of God, the broken Bread of Life and the One who spilled His blood. His mission is to teach us about Christ and the word of God.
    He washes away our sins and gives us robes of righteousness to cover our nakedness.
    Then the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and His wife and clothed them. (Genesis 3: 21)
  - Prayer. We accept this remedy of God by asking Him through prayer. In the name of Christ, we repent of our sins and then He sends the Holy Spirit who will help to bring us perfection.
  The key to this is to realize that God controls two of these events. Prayer is our choice. It signifies that we submit to the Plan. So the main purpose of prayer is to restore our relationship to God and align us to His will. It is not to get the things we think we need. God generously supplies all our needs.

How To Pray
There are some basic requirements of prayer. Praying was not intended to be a divine shopping list with God as Santa Claus with a giant gift dispensing machine. We pray with confidence to God based on what we know about Him and His power to deliver. He has introduced Himself to us in the first four commandments and in Jesus.

1. Believe God (Have Faith). You must have faith. You must believe that God exists and that He hears you when you are sincere. Believing demonstrates that you are not suspicious of God. It indicates trust. You must trust in the good character of God and in His absolute, undying love for you. Only a good relationship can build this level of trust.
   And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11: 6)
   For most people faith is usually reduced to a definition that centers on the objects of our desires.
   - A State of Mind. For some, faith is a certain state of mind that has the power to obtain a physical reward.
     Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11: 1)
   - Power. For many, the goal of faith is having access to the power of God. This is the Santa Claus model.
   - Trust. The one who has faith will also trust, but trust is not faith. You can trust based on a person's power but faith is first based on God's character and the reliability of what He says, not power. Trust begins with knowing. It is based on proof developed over time and so is first based on the knowledge gained in that relationship. Faith begins with hearing. I hear and I believe and I act on that belief and I trust immediately. I do not need other proof. I trust the proof supplied by your witnesses and your statement. So His reliability or trustworthiness is not based on my personal experience. It is purely based on His word and the testimony about Him.
     Therefore trust will hang on while it can still reconcile the situation with the hope but it will give up when hope is shattered. Faith hangs on because it has a cloud of witnesses to testify.
   - Believe God. Faith is believing what God says. It is based on knowing and believing in His good character.
     For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed G-D, and it was credited to him as righteousness. (Romans 4: 3 and Genesis 15: 6)
     Faith is not blind or unscientific or illogical. Faith believes that truth is based on what God says, not on what may be occurring. Faith does not dismiss real experiences or contradictions. Faith simply says that God will reconcile the contradictions, and until that occurs I will wait and believe what He says.
     Only when we become like little children can we obtain this kind of faith. You see, little children do not know what is possible and what is not. They do not have the capacity or desire to analyze and debate or to formulate contingency plans. They have no limits in possibilities. Their only concern is "when" and "are we there yet?", not "if" or "but". They know or have the assurance that the object of their desire is at the end of the journey. Adults wonder if and how it will occur and what they can do to guarantee the outcome.
   Faith is empathy with God. Sympathy relies on understanding what others are feeling based on your similar experience. Empathy can understand what others are feeling based only on their testimony alone. It is the understanding that sustains your hope when your God is dying like a criminal, mocked, ridiculed and powerless. It allows you to cling to the promises of God, unwavering when you are being mocked, ridiculed and slaughtered. While trust might make you cling to hope until the last moment. Faith is the state of mind that takes you beyond the reality of a shattered hope in that final moment.
   It is faith that will take a leap and engineer a belief in the resurrection, while trust dies with death.
   Levels Of Faith. Once it is established that you are operating on the basis of faith, you will discover different levels of faith. We will use Abraham's experience to demonstrate.
   - Profession of Faith. This is untested faith. This is faith that it is easy to claim to have because we do not really believe that we will be confronted with its claims.
     Many Christians claim to believe in the future outpouring of the Spirit when we will have gifts of healing. However, what they really believe in is that physicians and medical science are exhibitions of the last day miracles that God will do.
   - Little Faith. These are your first tentative steps in trusting God. Now that you trust God, you believe Him or testimony about Him from faithful witnesses or your past history with relying on Him.
     Abraham left Ur to go to an unknown place because God told him to go.
   - Enduring Faith. This faith has been tested for a long time, but one still clings to God because God renews His promises and the promise is based on events that are possible under some conditions. Someone who goes through this tends to try to find their own answers. So they have a roller coaster experience.
     Despite giving into temptation, Abraham still believes that he will have a child by Sarah even when they are simply too old by any reasonable measure.
   - Great Faith. This faith is not based only on a promise, or testimony or what is known is possible. This faith is based on a test in which you determine how great is your God. This bold faith dares to believe the impossible. You have to use all your knowledge about God to knit together the desire of your heart with His promises.
     God said that Isaac would be the father of many generations. God asks Abraham to kill young Isaac. By itself, great faith takes a great leap and conjures up a belief in the resurrection, thus ascribing great power to God. These are attributes never claimed by God and never described in the testimony of witnesses. God gives you a test and your faith decides how great He is.
   - Absolute Love (The Faith Between Friends). Finally, there is the faith of the forsaken, even unto death. God hands you over to Satan to be tested and broken. Here, the promises of God are meaningless. In fact it is not based on waiting for a long period of time without answers. It is the belief that nothing is meant for you in this life. It is the state of mind that the wicked will reach when they have been sentenced to the second death at the final judgment.
     Isaac was spared death, but Jesus had to submit to death and abandonment. His great faith could not find an answer. So His faith went full circle. When God fails and disappoints we cling to the only thing that is the basis of our faith. This is the knowledge that God is good and just and kind and merciful and loving and powerful. Then we die with our beliefs in the hope that one day we will be justified.
     I cannot even describe this as faith anymore. This kind of response is pure love and absolute loyalty.
     Abraham never saw the Promised Land and the Promised City. So he believed that God would build it and then God would resurrect him to live in it forever.
     Job determines to trust God even if God kills him and heaps injustice on him.
     This is also the faith of Jesus on the cross and the three Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3: 17-18). This is the faith of Daniel, praying in public view, knowing that he will be thrown into the den of lions.
   Presumption. When God does not answer and you are left holding the bag in the midst of disaster, people begin to question whether or not you were really doing your own will and went ahead because of presumption. This is the proud attitude that forges ahead assuming that God must help. We have several issues here.
   - Faith or Presumption. What is the difference between faith and presumption? Faith also forges ahead.
   - Failure. Does "failure" prove that the will of God was not done?
   - Success. Does subsequent success show that the will of God was done or that God can work things for good despite our recklessness, in order to salvage His plan?
   We cannot judge the will of God based on current outcomes. After all, how often does God tell you His will through reliable daily personal instruction, visible contact, a voice or a feeling and that is 100% accurate every time? The truth is, we do not know what is the will of God except by what is written in the law. I challenge anyone to tell me a universally reliable fool-proof, biblical method which determines what is the will of God in every action taken. The truth is that we judge the will of God by successful outcomes. Success is measured in culturally acceptable tokens.
   So, what is presumption? Real presumption occurs when we choose to do reckless actions to test God. Satan tried to tempt Jesus to test God by throwing Himself over a cliff as he appealed to Promise Theology.
   Kill Yourself. God Promises to Save You. Then the devil took Him to the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw yourself down for it is written: He will command His angels concerning You and on their hands they will bear You uo, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone". (Matthew 4: 5-6)
   Jesus answered with the rationale that condemns the basis of presumption.
   Jesus said to him, "on the other hand, it is written, You shall not put the Lord your God to the test". (Matthew 4: 7)
   Both faith and presumption rely on the promises of God.
   » Faith. It relies on the promises of God to assist in doing His will.
   » Presumption. It relies on the promises of God to get us out of trouble that we deliberately create.
2. Ask God (Pray). He exists. Do not turn to another source for help, otherwise they are your graven images or substitutes for God. Simply say what you need, even though God knows what you need. He did not die for us to abandon us. He came to bring hope and to form a family relationship with us.
   Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
   If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7: 7,11)
   And all things you ask in prayer believing, you will receive. (Matthew 21: 22)
   There are some prerequisites for those who are given these broad guarantees.
   - Abiding in Christ. This means that we accept and depend totally on Christ.
     If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. John 15: 7
     There are certain signs that point to one who is "abiding in God".
     - Commandments. They will be obedient to His commandments or His words.
       The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. (1 John 3: 24)
       No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. (1 John 3: 6)
       If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. (John 15: 10)
     - Love. They will love God and they will love each other.
       Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. (1 John 4: 11-13, 15)
     - Accepts Christ. You must accept Christ as the sacrifice for sin.
       He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me and I in him. (John 6: 54, 56)
   - Love and Obedience. God will live with us if we are obedient. If we love Him we will be obedient.
     Father and Son ... If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. (John 14: 23)
     Holy Spirit ... And so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him. (Acts 5: 32)
     So the Father, Son and Holy Spirit will come and live with us if we obey Them.
3. Only In the Name Of God. We must ask God and trust in His authority. And our requests must glorify God. Do not trust in others.
   Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14: 13)
   We all say the words "in Jesus name" like a formula to use for a guaranteed hearing by God or as the signature of a wealthy cosigner on a contract. But we can also pray in the name of the Father. So praying in the name of God means much more than a divine recommendation.
   In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. (John 16: 26-27)
   - Recommendation. Jesus does recommend us to God as our intercessor.
   - Reputation and Authority. You recognize the power and authority of the one who can fulfill your requests.
   - Glory of God. The request must fulfill the will of God. So, a request for wealth that does not have as its primary objective the advancement of the kingdom of God will not be honored by God.
   - In Defense of God. The request must honor the name of God. We can defend His name, His reputation and His kingdom.
   - Love. "In the name of God" simply means "because You love us, Father".
   So, the Father also loves us so we can ask Him directly! Ask boldly because He wants no barriers between us.
4. Wait (Rest). If you love Him, if you trust Him, if you believe Him you will wait for Him. Even if it takes forever.
   Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him ... (Psalm 37: 7)
   Who is among you that fears the Lord, that obeys the voice of His servant, that walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. (Isaiah 50: 10)
5. Covenant Intercessory Forgiveness (Elijah Message).
   This message is a promise. We know that this message must mean that we can turn the heart of God towards the people and they will turn to God. This was fulfilled by John the Baptist (Luke 1: 16-17) and it will be in the future.
   The Elijah Message. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. (Malachi 4: 6)
   How is it possible that we can do that when God loves them more, yearns for them and can even give repentance, even to those that oppose Him?
   God Instructs The Rebellious. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; (2 Timothy 2: 25)
   » Other Intercessors. Humans acted like intercessors, modeling God, using His character and promises and repenting on their behalf and asking for forgiveness not even excusing themselves to become one of them in guilt.
   Stephen asked for forgiveness for wrongs done to him (Acts 7: 59-60), others for sins done by others. Can never imagine how we could understand praying INSTEAD OF them FOR them, until we model what the Holy Spirit does. Even we cannot pray, so the Holy Spirit prays for us.
   - Daniel (Daniel 9: 3-20). He took responsibility for them and acknowledged their fault.
     No Excuses Rpentance. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name. (Daniel 9: 3-4, 9, 19)
   - Job (Job 1: 1-5). A father repented for his children just as Jesus did in the flesh of humanity.
     Continual Intercession. And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. (Job 1: 4-5)
   - Moses (Exodus 32: 9-14, 32). Moses made an eloquent speech to God about forgiving the people. He told God not to be angry, but to consider the effect of God's wrath on His character among the heathens and to remember His covenant to the fathers. Yet when Moses saw the magnitude of their sin, he too was angry. But when he returned to God, he included himself as one of them in His punishment. Between wrath and punishment is a faithful intercessor.
     A Faithful Friend. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin, and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. (Exodus 32: 32)
   - Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1: 5-11). Like all the others he appealed to the covenant and kindness of God. God's promise is based on an oath, His own character, not on the unfaithful humans who swore to Him in a covenant.
     A Merciful Savior. And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. (Nehemiah 1: 5, 9)
   - Jesus (God Forgives An Unspeakable Act). He was God forgiving sin for the ultimate act of enmity.
     Disgracing And Murdering God. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. (Luke 23: 34)
   » Interceding For Our Brothers. Sinners do not know how to pray, some see no need of prayer or believe in God. While the enemy is accusing them, we need to be their advocates in the model of the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ. It is not that we stir God to have compassion for them, but if they will not repent we can ask God to grant them repentance on their behalf because this must be a choice by humans. As a human who is one like them, we have a right to plead for them. We have to plead for them. This is what turns the heart of the Father, God to the children. It gives Him the authority to interfere even when it is not their choice. Then, as God melts their heart, then their hearts are turned towards God by choice.
   Why is this allowed?
   When the final judgment occurs and either Satan or the wicked claim that they were forced to submit to God, then God can say that one of us, a former sinner, acting like a parent to an infant child who is incapable of recognizing or seeking help, intercedes for us. This is entirely different from Catholic priests who urge people not to confess to God but to priests and through Mary because God does not want to hear us. The truth is that God will use every legitimate excuse to save us, even Himself becoming one of us to submit to torture and death by His enemies. The added testimony that God has through us is that while Satan can claim that Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit used the power of God to be victorious or to override our will, God has humans who can speak up for Him We are His witnessess.
6. The Example Of Jesus. His prayers were from the heart and full of emotion.
   In the days of His Flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. (Hebrews 5: 7)
   - Be Thankful. In every circumstance be thankful.
     Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4: 6)
     In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5: 18)
   - Be Persistent. Keep asking and waiting as long as possible. Even death cannot change possibilities.
     Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5: 17-18)
   - Be Humble and Intimate. Your prayers must be an intimate affair.
     When you pray you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6: 6)
     A Promise To Forgive. If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. (2 Chronicles 7: 13-16)

The Objects Of Our Desire

Physical Needs | Mental Needs | Spiritual Needs
--- | --- | ---
Excess | Basic Needs | Holy Spirit
Alcohol | Romance | Things | Wealth | Power |  |  |  |  | Love | Forgiveness | Fruit | Gift | Life
Lust of the Flesh | Lust of the Eyes | Pride of Life | Rain | Sun | Food | Home | Righteousness | Power | Heaven
Excess | Abundant Life | "All These Things" | Kingdom of God and His Righteousness

Our needs cover a wide range of possibilities.

- Basic Physical Needs. Everyone has a right to pray for basic needs. God provides for both the just and unjust.
  But I say to you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. So that you may be the sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He causes His sun to shine on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous. (Matthew 5: 44-45)
  Every day God provides air to breathe, rain and sunlight. From these we get our health, food, clothes and shelter.
- Excess. God promises that we can have abundance or excess. But under our present emergency, it is the sinner who is more concerned with the rewards of this life than the righteous. Our first priority must be righteousness in us and righteousness in the world so that the kingdom of God can be established.
  Do not worry then, saying, "What will we eat?" or "What will we drink?" or "What will we wear for clothing?" For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6: 31-33)
  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. (1 John 2: 16)
- Mental Needs. We need to love and be loved. We need forgiveness and reconciliation to right our relationships.
- Spiritual Needs. This is our most important need. There are various levels of spiritual needs.
  - Righteousness. Everyone has a right to pray for forgiveness, the fruit of the Holy Spirit and strength for obedience. These give righteousness.
  - Love. For most of the world, love is the only spiritual emotion that they will experience. Unfortunately, many seek to be loved rather than to love. True righteousness cannot be obtained without loving. The righteousness of Christ cannot be obtained without loving your enemies.
    But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. (Luke 6: 27, 32)
  - Power. But only the righteous have a right to pray for the gifts of the spirit. The power of God is reserved for His workers who will advance the kingdom. This is the only responsible way to distribute such power. This is why many promises have a prerequisite of obedience to the Holy Spirit. That is not righteousness by works because everyone can seek forgiveness and righteousness at any time. But only those who choose to be obedient to the Holy Spirit and the will of God can be trusted with the power of God.
  - Eternal Life. Everyone can pray for eternal life but only the righteous will rececive it.

The Will Of God
We must pray according to the will of God. The Holy Spirit helps us with this (Romans 8: 27). But what is the will of God?
What career should I choose? Should I marry this person or that one? While we may be uncertain about the will of God for certain personal choices, there are certain things that we know that God always desires.

- The Great Commission. The Gospel must be preached to the world.
  This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24: 14)
- Our Sanctification. God has set us apart to be Holy and pure. Avoid immorality by honoring our body.
  For this is the will of God, your sanctification. That is that you abstain from sexual immorality. That each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor. (1 Thessalonians 4: 3-4)
- Salvation for All. He does not want anyone to die eternally.
  Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, declares the Lord, "Therefore, repent and live". (Ezekiel 18: 31-32)
- Forgiveness and Justice and Obedience. God desires obedience, justice and mercy.
  He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6: 8)
- An Attitude of Thankfulness. This is a great example to show to the universe.
  In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5: 18)
- Love and Unity. The greatest desire of God is that we love each other and that community of love becomes a witness to the world.
  My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17: 20-23)
- Protection. It is the will of God that Satan should not destroy us. (John 17: 15)
- Prosperity, Good Health and Life. These words were not spoken by God, but they reflect the promised blessings that God has made in the covenant. He desires our spiritual, mental and physical health.
  Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 1: 2
  These promises of blessings are based on the covenant. Our obedience is required.
  Any you shall again obey the Lord and observe all His commandments which I command you today. Then the Lord Your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground, for the Lord will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers. (Deuteronomy 30: 8-9)
  ... I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10: 10)
- Personal Guidance. Frankly most of our prayers are motivated for reasons of personal concerns. This is the niche where the psychics, astrologers and prosperity ministers operate. We will throw in words about "the missionaries everywhere", "the poor and hungry" and the social and religious needs that God cares about. But the biggest concern in our prayers are usually our physical and emotional needs. God has given us guidelines to His will in these areas.
  - Basic Needs. Jesus said that we are not to worry or be concerned about these things because God knows that you need them.
  - Commandments. Most of what we desire is probably regulated by the commandments. There is no use asking God to bless your adulterous affair no matter how much your marriage stinks. Do not ask God for that dream job with the tobacco company. Do not try to be the chief accountant for the gambling or porno industries. Your hands are still dirty. Do not aspire to be a lawyer for organized crime or criminal enterprises. If you let a murderer and a criminal go free, you are guilty of all their future criminal activities. If you helped the tobacco companies hide their poison through lies and delay justice for victims you are guilty of murder. Sometimes it takes courage and great sacrifice to do the right thing. The price is never too high to do the right thing because God will recompense you some day. And, we should not care about being paid back. We should still do the right thing if God were a powerless pauper.
  - Marriage. God cannot bless a union that He does not approve. But our stubbornness and disobedience forces Him to get involved with our problems because innocent children get hurt. Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Experience has shown that the vast majority of the time, the children end up shunning all religion. Marry the person you love based on all the things that are common about you or areas that are not in conflict. If you have conflicting beliefs about religion, communication, child rearing, handling of money, gender roles, friends and family, then you have serious issues.
    Marriage is the crucible in which the two become one. It helps to have many important things in common. It helps to choose the type of man or woman that God loves. Pray earnestly about your relationships. If God needs to have two special people marry each other for the sake of the kingdom, He will move heaven and earth to make it happen.
    Many of our mistakes are caused by fear of being alone, the desire for wealth or beauty, lust and the folly of "being in love". These considerations should take second place to the desire of your mate to love and serve God and for someone to respect these desires in you.
  - Career. If your career does not advance the kingdom of Satan then choose what you love. Your desires and abilities are His gift to you that express His will for you. You can advance the kingdom of God in any career.
    Delight yourself also in the LORD: and he shall give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37: 4)
    This text could mean that God will give you what you desire. But it could also mean that He even gives you the desire. So if what you love does not contradict the written will of God, choose what you love.
  - Money. Many people see money as the path to power, desirable marriages and love. This makes money a substitute for God and a bait to capture what you think is the best. The love of money is the root of all evil. Money will attract any evil that is willing to disguise itself and conform to your fantasies. So you might have the trophy wife and the beautiful children and the big house and fancy car, but somebody is unhappy. But cheer up! You can go shopping and feel better.
    Money is supposed to be an asset that is used to advance the kingdom of God it is not meant to establish your little kingdom on earth. The kingdom of God is not of this earth nor of its values.
  - All Your Cares. God is concerned with whatever troubles you.
    Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time. Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. (1 Peter 5: 6-7)
    Spiritual Maturity. This text has given some people the license to be immature. At some point you must realize that God wants you to make basic decisions based on what you like. As long as your decisions do not violate His commandments, you are free to choose. Choose the food to eat, the shoes and clothes to wear freely. If for some reason God wants you to eat something else or wear something else on a particular day, He will indicate it. Ask Him to bless all of your decisions each day with wisdom. But stop waiting around for a sign or a feeling to tell you which shoes to wear. If your mature children still come to you for guidance on such basic things you would recognize that something is wrong.
    For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. (Hebrews 5: 13-14)
    If God thinks that you can train yourself to recognize evil, then He must think that you can train yourself to select the right shoes for the occasion. It is not that God does not want to be bothered about what you want to wear for the day. However, a person who is crippled by these little decisions cannot be trusted to take on mature tasks for God.
  Even if you follow all the rules, disappointments still occur. So beyond the rules and warnings of God, we can use common sense reasoning. God may not save you from foolish decisions made with your eyes wide open.

The Promises Of God
Many people use the promises of God as an indicator of the kinds of things for which we can pray. However, sometimes promises appear to function as agreements that we use in a legal tit for tat with God. We appear to perform certain acts for the benefits that we will receive not for the reasons for the actions. For example, many people pay tithe or "sow a seed" just to get the promised blessing. Lost in this act is that the tithe really belongs to God and keeping it would be theft. We give to get. We do not give because we love or because we believe in God's plans.

- Financial. This is the promise that is most often misused.
  Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until there is not enough room. (Malachi 3: 10)
  God lays out a challenge in this promise. "PROVE ME". Although people assume that financial security is being offered, sometimes the "blessing" that you receive in not financial or physical. Malachi records that the people complained that they suffer and the wicked prosper even though they were obedient!
  You have said, "It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked in mourning before the Lord of hosts?" So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up but they also test God and escape. (Malachi 3: 14-15)
  They failed the test of love. Their complaints show that did not obey God because they believed in His way of life, they were obeying God because of the physical benefits. They wanted prosperity to be the sign that God chose them over the wicked. But God says that on the day He takes His possessions, everyone will see the difference between the good and evil (verse 18). So God will guarantee proof at the end of time.
- Basic Needs. God promises food, clothing and shelter. But if we are praying within a loving relationship with God, we will realize that our spiritual needs are our most basic needs. We must desire righteousness and the advancement of the kingdom of God more than we desire food or shelter. In fact, we don't need to pray for these basic things, just give thanks for them. Instead, concentrate your prayers on the victory of the kingdom of God.
  Do not worry then, saying, "What will we eat?" or "What will we drink?" or "What will we wear for clothing?" For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6: 31-33)
  But if this is always true, why are there martyrs and people who suffer for the sake of the Gospel?
- Suffering ("Bearing Our Cross"). Suffering is a fact of life, but God promises to help us. Jesus told His disciples that He would suffer and die and they refused to believe Him. They later learned that they must also suffer and die. We must also live the pattern of Christ's life.
  The promise of God is that He will not permit you to suffer more than you can endure.
  No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10: 13)
  God helps us by helping us bear the suffering, not by removing us from it.
  I do not ask You to take them out of this world, but to keep them from the evil one. (John 17: 15)

The Promised Suffering Of Ihe Righteous
The state of suffering appears to impugn all the rosy promises of God. Some people believe that Christians will never suffer long because God will immediately come to their rescue. They teach that suffering is a sign that one is outside the will of God. They have been cursed. But the Bible teaches that suffering will come because we are righteous.

- The Suffering of the Righteous. The story of Job teaches us that suffering is Satan's best method of trying to convince you that God has abandoned you. But, the truth is that if God allows you to suffer in this manner it means that He has confidence that you will not abandon Him. Therefore, this is why we see all the advice about rejoicing when suffering as a righteous person. Self-inflicted torture cannot carry the sense of abandonment and despair that unjust suffering causes.
  Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. (James 1: 13)
  For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2: 18)
  Suffering comes from several sources but not from God. God helps us because He also suffered.
  - Cleansing by Fire and Water. Even the law says that certain vessels must be put through the fire. The good news is that every believer will not be asked to suffer the intense agonies of Christ.
    everything that can stand the fire, you shall pass through the fire, and it shall be clean, but it shall be purified with water for impurity. But whatever cannot stand the fire you shall pass through the water. (Numbers 31: 23)
    We must all be purified by the waters of the Holy Spirit. But some will be asked to go through the fire.
  - Pruning ("Preparation for A Cross"). Every believer must go through this step. Then they choose to take up a cross. It is an honor to go through this experience because you have been chosen to bear more responsibility. Pruning is painful, but it causes you to be more fruitful. It is the same picture as gold tried in the fire. This fruit is not winning more souls for the kingdom. That will come if you bear the fruit of God. This is the fruit of the Holy Spirit which is the perfect character of God.
    I am the true vine and the Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. (John 15: 1-2)
    By submitting to unjust suffering, Jesus showed perfection.
    For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. (Hebrews 2: 10)
  - Sacrifice ("Take Up A Cross"). This is self-inflicted hardship that advances the kingdom. If there is no other way to solve a problem, you must gladly take up that cause.
    What God desires of everyone is sacrifice for the kingdom. At every occasion presented to us, we must deny ourselves and willingly and gladly take up that hardship to reflect the glory of God.
    Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me". (Matthew 16: 24)
  - Voluntary Poverty ("Take Up Your Cross"). This is a spiritual gift that takes self sacrifice to a greater level. The Holy Spirit gives you the strength to undergo unbelievable levels of self denial. They suffer because they sacrifice for the sake of the gospel, even through finding problems before they are asked.
    And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. (Matthew 10: 38)
  - Martyrdom ("Be Crucified on Your Cross"). This is the ultimate spiritual gift that requires the sacrifice of your life. Only those who honor Christ by self denial will be asked to accept the gifts of martyrdom or voluntary poverty.
    He who has found His life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew 10: 39)
  - Witness by Your Cross. Paul explains that unjust suffering will be used as evidence against the wicked and as justification for God's vengeance. If you are considered worthy of this suffering, it is an indication of God's righteous judgment! Just like Job, you were selected to demonstrate God's glory!
    Witnesses for the Prosecution. Therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you. (2 Thessalonians 1: 4-6)
  - Be Broken. We must be broken or we will be ground to dust.
    Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust. (Matthew 21: 43-44)
    Is not My word like a fire? declares the Lord, and like a hammer which shatters rock? (Jeremiah 23: 29)
  - Chewed Up and Swallowed. One other image of hardship is to be chewed up and swallowed. Christ was chewed up and swallowed by His enemies as He was "in the bowels" for three days. Like Christ, we can be chewed up and swallowed by our enemies. Babylon the Great will swallow us up, but God will make him vomit us out of his mouth.
    We can also be chewed up and swallowed by God! In this instance, regurgitation is also a part of the process. If we are righteous we will be swallowed back into the third stomach to be assimilated in the body of Christ. If we are like Laodicea, He will not make us become a part of His body, He will spit us out of His mouth.
    So we can become like the wicked and be passed out as waste or dung. Or we can be rejected like Laodicea. But we can become useful and become incorporated in the body of Christ if we submit to the chewing by God.
    The Unity of the Church. We can also swallow Christ! Unity is a picture of us swallowing Christ and being swallowed by Christ. When we immerse ourselves in prayer and Bible study and the issues that concern God, we are swallowing Christ. When we submit to Him and the hardships we experience because of prayer and bible study and the issues that concern God, we allow Him to swallow us up. (John 17: 20-23)
  - The Evil One ("Crucify the Righteous"). The will of God is that we escape this suffering. While God intends to chew us up, it is not His will that we are chewed up by the enemy. This punishment only occurs when we, or the nation abandon God. The righteous can be captured and swallowed up with the wicked. In this case, God will use it as an opportunity to submit us to His chewing.
    - Persecution. They suffer hardship because the wicked people try to destroy them.
    - Satan's Arrows. They suffer because Satan tries to destroy them directly.
  - Godly Afflictions. The pattern of the three southern tribes shows what we must bear as we are being afflicted for our faith (Hebrews 11: 36-38).
    - Reuben ("Afflicted"). Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted. (Matthew 5: 3-4)
    - Simeon ("Hated"). And you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. (Luke 21: 17)
    - Gad ("Fortunate"). This should be our attitude in unjust persecution.
      Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men shall insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you. (Matthew 5: 10-12)
  - Satanic Afflictions. We can win the fight with Satan by denying self so God tells us to submit, when we are being forced off the path.
    - Dan ("Judged a Serpent"). We must be living sacrifices who have our hearts circumcised (crucified) (Romans 12: 1 and Colossians 2: 11).
    - Asher ("Dead"). We must die to sin daily (1 Corinthians 15: 31).
    - Naphtali ("I Wrestled and Prevailed"). We have a real battle with a real enemy that we can defeat.
      Our Opponents. "we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places ..." Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)
  God promises to shield us as much as possible from Satan and persecution. He gives us the strength to take up the cross of martyrdom and voluntary poverty. However, every believer must take up the cross of self-denial and sacrifice and follow in the foot steps of Christ.
  Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. (Hebrews 13: 12-13)
- Religious Sadists and Masochists. In some circles suffering is elevated to such a status that they inflict pain and suffering on themselves. That is an abomination. Jesus tried to avoid the suffering, but He submitted to the will of God. In this case the will of God was not His suffering, but to save humans. To accomplish salvation for humanity He had to endure suffering meted out by His enemies, not God. Not because God wanted Him to suffer, but because the forces of evil wanted Him to suffer. For the first time God made Himself powerless before them and they were going to do every insulting thing that they could to Him.
  Whipping yourself does not advance the kingdom. Beating others does not communicate the love of God. It makes God look sadistic. Discipline is not best learned through self torture that can be turned on and off at your will. Discipline is learned through submission to unjust suffering where there is no foreseeable relief except by hope in a just God.
  Being whipped for the sake of the kingdom, advances the kingdom. Being beaten because of the kingdom, communicates your love for the kingdom of God. True discipline is learned when we refrain from using our power to avenge a wrong. We voluntarily submit to injustice while we wait for God.
  Religious sado-masochism is just as ridiculous as suicide bombers who believe that they are martyrs.

Satan hates those who follow Christ, so we will also have to suffer. Just as God could not shield Christ from this suffering, He cannot shield us. But we suffer because Satan has attacked us, not because we torture ourselves believing that suffering has merits. Jesus tried to avoid it. We should do the same. The suffering that God ordained is one of sacrifice for the kingdom and courage under the constant assault of Satan it is not self imposed sado-masochism.
The one who is suffering has some common experiences. They have to wait. They have no answers to prayer. All the promises of God seem to be empty, distant realities. They are forced to cling to God through spiritual means because the physical evidence has been missing for a very long time. They are forced to rely on the relationship and knowledge of the character of God. So, if you realize that you are suffering because of the Gospel, remember these things.

- Only the Best Suffer. You are in the company of great people. They learned to be obedient to the will of God despite a sense of profound injustice in the face of their great loyalty. If God does not choose to rescue them, they will wait until He is ready. But until then they will continue to do what they believe is right and submit to their fate.
  Jesus. Although He was a Son. He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. (Hebrews 5: 8)
  Prophets. As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. (James 5: 10)
  Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. (1 Peter 4: 19)
  For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake. (Philippians 1: 29)
  This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. (2 Thessalonians 1: 5)
  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. (2 Timothy 3: 12)
  The implication is that you need to worry if your life is too perfect.
- Rejoice. Satan wants you to be unhappy and angry at God, so rejoice.
  So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. (Acts 5: 41)
  But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed and do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled. (1 Peter 3: 14)
  but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. (1 Peter 4: 13)
  but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. (1 Peter 4: 16)
- Patience. You can achieve this level of waiting when you realize that this is the will of God.
  After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. (1 Peter 5: 10)
  and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8: 17-18)
  More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3: 8
- Suffering and the Curses. How can one distinguish between suffering for righteousness or suffering the curses because of disobedience? Only those who are suffering know how much they love God. Unfortunately, those around you will argue that you must be at fault for disobedience. If you are suffering, do not be surprised to find the "people of God" speculating that it is because you are not doing the will of God. Just like Job you know your heart. Wait for God. Try to ignore the advice and reasoning of the immature. Remember Job, Jeremiah, Abraham, Jacob and Noah.

Fasting ("Self Denial") And Prayer
Prayer is always linked with fasting. Unfortunately, fasting is linked with denial of food and water. But these actions are merely a symbol of the true self denial that God requires. Fasting is a symbol of the suffering that we choose to take on to help God in the Plan of Salvation.
When I wept in my soul with fasting, it became my reproach. (Psalm 69: 10)
Jesus called fasting "weeping in the soul". This is a physical expression of sorrow or loss by our spiritual nature. Take up your cross, deny yourself if that is what it takes to help the poor, homeless, helpless and exploited.
Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house. When you see the naked, to cover him; and not to hide yourself from your own flesh. (Isaiah 58: 6-7)

Fasting | Physical | Spiritual
--- | --- | ---
| Hungry | Feed | Bread of Life
| Thirsty | Drink | Water of Life
| Naked | Clothes | Righteousness
| Homeless | Invitation | Home
| Sick | Visit | Heal
| Prison (Slaves) | Freedom | Break bonds of sin
| Rejected | Sacrifice | Love

We will be judged by our self denial that extends not only to our loved ones but to our enemies. We must do the physical and spiritual works of the good Shepherd, who loved us so much that He died for us when we were His enemies.
Then the King will say to those on His right, "Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me."
The King will answer and say to them, "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me." (Matthew 25: 34-36, 40)
But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, And if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. (Romans 12: 20)
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. (Proverbs 25: 21)
But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. (Luke 6: 27)
Fast from the physical so that you can be a glutton with the spiritual. For those who do not have spiritual gifts yet, you can show your faithfulness and the love of God by helping others with these physical needs.
Think about it, just as the blood of bulls and goats cannot forgive sin, abstaining from food and drink for several days cannot give you the power to work miracles or receive answers. This fasting is only a symbol of the larger fasting which you are doing. God responds to you on the basis of who you already are in relation to Him, not how hungry your belly is. But when you hunger and thirst after righteousness and unity with God and demonstrate that by self denial to do what pleases Him and are filled with compassion by what hurts Him so that you are moved to your belly with a similar love and compassion to give your all, then you have fasted the fast that matters.
Casting out Demons. What is the fasting that controls demons?
Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. (John 12: 31)
I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. (John 14: 30)
Demons can only take possession when they find something in you that is part of them or not attached to God. You must empty yourself of all worldly desires and fears and fill yourself with the knowledge and power of the Holy Spirit of God.

Answers To Prayer
Let's face it. The main reason why we pray is to get a quick, positive answer. Logically, these are possible answers.

- Yes. God grants your request in a timely manner. Certain answers are guaranteed an immediate response.
  - Repentance. The prayer for forgiveness and acceptance will always be honored.
  - Spiritual Gifts. God answers the request of those to whom He has assigned the proof of God gifts.
  - Promises. God will answer all the promises guaranteed in Jesus Christ.
    For all the promises of God in Him are yes and Amen unto the glory of God by us. (2 Corinthians 1: 20)
- Wait. This is simply a "yes" on an extended schedule. It is often the answer that those who suffer receive. God may ask you to wait because the timing is not perfect. Your request will conflict with His will. Or, it may conflict with other prayers. The point is that we should never give up on God if we do not get the answers we want.
  Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. (Revelation 14: 2)
  » God Answers Every Prayer. God will answer your prayer when the timing is perfect, even after you are dead!
  The Prayers of the Martyrs. When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had maintained. And they cried out with a loud voice saying, "How long O Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" (Revelation 6: 9-10)
  For six thousand years, beginning with Abel (Genesis 4: 10), the blood of the martyrs and their prayers to God had cried out for justice. God even saves their blood in a pan which is sprinkled at the altar. He saves their tears in a bottle. He remembers all their prayers. But for some requests He says "wait".
  Rest and wait. And there was given to each of them a white robe, and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer; until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also. (Revelation 6: 11)
  Then God answers these prayers at one time.
  The Prayers of the Martyrs Answered. Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censor, and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand. (Revelation 8: 4)
- No. God does not grant your request. There are many reasons why God will say no. However, "no" is not a reason to abandon your request if it is a righteous one. A "no", may actually be a long "wait". Even when "no" means "no" you can still change the mind of God for a righteous request. Sometimes God appears to say "no" to see if you will challenge Him based on His character. You can ask God to change His mind. This takes faith.
  - Jacob. He had a physical fight with God, insisting that he will not let go until God blessed him!
    Death Struggle. Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with Him until daybreak. When he saw that He had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so that the socket of Jacob's thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. Then He said, "Let Me go for the dawn is breaking".
    The Audacity of Faith. But he said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me".
    Victory. He said, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed". So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, "I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved". (Genesis 32: 24-26, 28,30)
    Faith is this struggle that insists that God has the answers and I will fight and beg shamelessly for it.
    If God says no, fight for it!
  - Moses. He appealed to God based on concern for the reputation of God and knowledge of His character.
    The LORD said to Moses, "How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst? "I will smite them with pestilence and dispossess them, and I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they."
    The Name and Reputation of God. But Moses said to the LORD, "Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought up this people from their midst, and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, O LORD, are in the midst of this people, for You, O LORD, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them; and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. "Now if You slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Your fame will say, 'Because the LORD could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, therefore He slaughtered them in the wilderness.'
    The Character of God. "But now, I pray, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have declared, 'The LORD is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generations.' "Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now."
    Pardon. So the LORD said, "I have pardoned them according to your word". (Numbers 14: 11-20)
    If God says no, appeal to His character. God is kind, loving and forgiving. He is eager to give good gifts.
  - The Canaanite Woman. This humble woman appealed to logic. She believed that even what was wasted, discarded or left over could be of some value to her because it came from the Great God of Israel.
    And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed." But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, "Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us."
    The Bread of Israel. But He answered and said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" And He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."
    Give Me the Left Overs. But she said, "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."
    Request Granted. Then Jesus said to her, "O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed at once. (Matthew 15: 22-28)
    Her faith was persistence in trying to show God a way to answer her prayers without breaking His laws.
    If God says no, appeal to logic and sound reasoning and to the law and promises to make your case.
  Let me be clear. He takes no pleasure or glory in watching us beg and bow in submission so that He can fling us a bone. But the friend who approaches God with this level of certainty is relying on knowledge about the character and struggles of God which makes them confident that God empathizes with them. God's "no" may be because He considers you worthy.
- Try Again. This is the "yes" he gives to those that He is testing. Your timing is not wrong. Wrestle with Me.

When There Are No Answers
Sometimes there are no answers even when we meet all the requirements. And the answer may be that we are on display in the universe as they see how we react to adversity.
For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated and are homeless. (1 Corinthians 4: 9, 11).

- Evil Exists. Bad things happen not because God allows it but because evil exists. Sometimes God chooses not to protect us. But we can be confident that we can survive and overcome any adversity if we cling to God.
- Persistence. You can change the mind of God with your faith and knowledge of His character (Luke 11: 8).
- Bad Timing. Your request may not be answered because it is not the best time.
- Conflict. Your request conflicts with the prayers of others who are also eligible.
- Learning. Sometimes the situation is allowed so that you can learn about yourself, others and God. You can learn about your strengths and weaknesses. You may need to be strengthened for the future.
- Faith. You get no answers because you do not really believe.
  Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him and He will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday. (Psalm 37: 4-6)
- No Fault. Sometimes there is no fault. Evil exists so bad things will happen. Sometimes God allows suffering to demonstrate His glory. It may be years before we see the reason. Sometimes we may never see it.
  God's Glory. As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. "We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. (John 9: 1-4)
- Your Fault. God does not answer because your intentions are selfish or destructive.
  Greed. You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. (James 4: 2-3)
- You Are Not Eligible. Some people are not eligible to receive some promises. Everyone is eligible for forgiveness of sin, so He answers that prayer. Every one is qualified for the fruit of the Holy Spirit. However, only those who are obedient to the Holy Spirit can qualify for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This is not righteousness by works. A messenger of the covenant of God must first believe in that God.
- A Test. Like Job, God wants to demonstrate why you love Him. Do you stay for Him or for the benefits?
- No Answer. We may have to wait until the Second Coming before we understand some things. While we are waiting we must surrender our right to know and understand. We must still trust God because we know His character. We cannot allow a single incidence to turn us away.
  In Christ, God has demonstrated that He, Himself was willing to suffer the worst and submit to death when it seemed that all He knew had failed Him.

Abuse of Prayer And The Promises Of God
Abuse of prayer occurs because we either do not desire a relationship with God or do not believe that we can have a relationship with God or we do not trust God. Every day we hurt His feelings by believing and acting as if He were a monster to fear, or a stern disciplinarian to avoid or a disinterested and reluctant Father who must be begged, or a miser who makes promises that He does not intend to keep.

- Meaningless Repetitions. Persistence dares to convince God to change His mind in your favor and change a "no" into a "yes". Persistence also attempts to shrink His timing and change a "Wait" to a "Yes". All this is not based on lust or greed but on a knowledge of the character of God and a belief that He is the only solution.
  However, meaningless repetitions are a form of righteousness by works. We think that there is a formula that will interest God. Or we think that by harassing God, He has to answer just to get rid of us.
  And when you are praying do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. (Matthew 6: 7-8)
  Many Pagan religions and some Christian denominations use a string of beads to count their rote prayers. Eventually they seem like formulas to access God. Here is my problem with these prayers.
  - Not From Your Heart. As beautiful as these prayers may be they are not the expressions of your heart. God desires a relationship with you, His child not the poet who wrote these words. He knows what you need and how you feel so eloquence is not a prerequisite for His attention. He provides the Holy Spirit to help us to express our prayers with spontaneous joy!
    Lip Service. Then the Lord said, "Because this people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote. (Isaiah 29: 13)
  - God Hears You. God is not deaf. If the issue is of concern to you, then it concerns Him. I resent the idea that you have to bother and harass God to the point where He is forced to answer you to get rid of you. That does not sound like a relationship.
  - Divine Stalking. What sort of relationship are you developing when you think that you have to beg and stalk God to the point where He thinks that He must answer you to get rid of you? God is a Father who delights to give good gifts to His children. Why would you think that it would take such actions to move God? Persistence rewards your boldness not your begging. Begging implies shame. Persistence implies shamelessness (chutzpah) (Luke 11: 8).
- Use of Intermediaries. There are many people who believe that their prayers are more likely to be heard if more people pray for them or if special people, dead or alive, pray for them. This attitude totally negates what God says about Himself. And it is frankly an insult. If you have a loving parent, how do you think that He will feel if you keep sending other people to make your requests because you are afraid of him or believe that he does not want to listen to you? God begs us to come boldly to Him.

  Pagan Gods and Patron Saints
  Area | Greek | Roman | Catholic
  --- | --- | --- | ---
  Love | Eros | Cupid | Raphael, Valentine
  Love | Aphrodite | Venus
  Marriage | Hera | Juno | John Francis Regis
  War | Ares | Mars | Elizabeth of Portugal
  Catholic Patron Saints. As early as the fourth century, people and churches were named after apostles and martyrs. The worship evolved to include the worship of their bones and possessions. Then these "saints" were assigned as guardians over different areas or concerns of life such as occupations, illnesses, causes, churches or countries. This allows people to pray to hundreds of "saints" as intermediaries or intercessors in those areas. The Pagans also had dozens of gods who controlled different areas. Temples were set up to honor these gods where worshippers could seek their favor. The church also set up shrines to many of these dead "saints".

  Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4: 16)
  - More People. Sometimes people believe that the number of people who pray is directly related to the chances of receiving a positive answer from God. The thinking behind some of this behavior is that at least one of these people are great friends of God whom He cannot disappoint, or that so many voices cannot be ignored by God. We should pray for each other, but that is meant to make us more concerned for each other. A lot of praying voices does not affect God's hearing or indicate our great need. He hears. He knows.
  - Special People. Some people believe that if they pray to saints and holy people that they will successfully appeal to God on our behalf. They believe that God might ignore their prayers but He cannot resist the appeals of these wonderful dead people. Some pray to Mary, or to special patron saints in charge of every imaginable need.
  Christ is the only intercessor or intermediary that we have or need.
  For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2: 5)
  He is a great intercessor because He is able to empathize with us. So why do we need to pray to dead people?
  Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have an high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4: 14-16)
- Indulgences. The church promises forgiveness of sin, immunity for future sins and eternal life in exchange for something they valued. In the middle ages it was volunteers for war. Today, Al Qaeda promises wealth and 72 virgins to prospective martyrs. They even promise forgiveness and paradise to criminals and drug dealers in exchange for cooperation and for corrupting the children of western societies. How could people who have been taught righteousness believe that God would call them to corrupt other societies?
  And how can a church guarantee forgiveness for all past and future sins and immediate transportation to heaven for signing up for war or killing infidels?
- Promise Theology and Prosperity Ministry. This is one of the worst modern abuses of prayer. The desperation or greed of the people meets a charlatan with a biblical text. Out of this unholy union a prosperity ministry is born. These peddlers of promises have found a way to rifle through your pockets and place the burden of results on God and your lack of faith. They are just as bad as those who peddled indulgences.
  The best argument against this thinking is to look at the life and death of Christ.

Prosperity Pimps Show Me The Money!
Prosperity ministry is merely a self-help, positive thinking business whose consumers are the people of faith. I am convinced that they do not believe in God any more than I believe that the tooth fairy stalks the street at night with coins. If God is your anchor, then they will use Him as their hook to steer your thinking towards their product. Their product is selling hope without consequences. They make the promises of God the guarantor and your "lack of faith" as the scapegoat. So sue God or blame yourself, but send me the seed money of faith.

The Men And Women Of Faith
It seems that the more God places His trust and approval in you, the more He risks not responding to your prayers. Babies in the faith, or those who need to see more immediate and frequent response from God appear to have more response from God. However, the great friends of God appear to be those whom He asks to wait for decades for answers to prayer. At every turn they appear to suffer neglect and abandonment. Even though they question their assumptions and in some cases try to do what seems reasonable, they eventually turn back from their own disastrous plans to wait on God.
In their defense I will say that turning to their own plans may simply not be an attempt to be disobedient or to have their own way. It may be an attempt to make sense out of what appears illogical. Waiting for decades without any response from God makes you question your initial experience and sanity. Often, those around you are not helpful. They are the constant, nagging voice of the collective reasoning which is in conflict with God. It takes great effort to cling to your initial beliefs and wait on God despite all the signs and people that say that this is irrational.
How can the prosperity ministries account for the fact that these were the lives praised by God?
As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. (James 5: 10)
All these died in faith, without receiving the promises ... (Hebrews 11: 13)
What? NEVER receiving the promises, yet believing? Only a true friend does that.

- Noah. He suffered ridicule and he probably used his own resources to build the ark. In the end, only eight people in his own family responded out of the millions that existed. His family had to come with him.
  By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. (Hebrews 11: 7)
  The world had never seen rain before. So the scientists and common wisdom must have ridiculed him. He never saw rain, but he believed God and acted on His instructions.
- Abraham. Imagine, uprooting yourself from a wealthy family to wander around in the wilderness without a map and a plan! Here was a foreign God that was not worshipped by your people, who asked you to start walking without telling you where you were going? How stupid was that?
  By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out not knowing where he was going. (Hebrews 11: 8)
  He was promised a child at 75. God answered him twenty five years later when he was 100 and his wife was 90. When the promise was made she was 65. She was far past her child bearing years for the promise and the birth.
  Then, after showing that Isaac was the son of the promise, God asks Abraham to kill Issac! This request broke the commandment against murder and seemed to be designed to destroy the covenant. Abraham could have believed that he was going crazy, or that the devil was tempting him. Somehow, the relationship he had with God made him confident that the request came from God. So he used his reasoning and logic and reconciled the request by a thought of faith which made him act on this faith.
  How could childless Isaac be the son of the promise if he was murdered by his father?
  He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead ... (Hebrews 11: 19)
  He realized that the only way to resolve this moral crisis was to believe that resurrection was possible.
- Jacob (Israel). He said that all of his days were a disappointment!
  So Jacob said to Pharaoh, the years of my sojourning are one hundred and thirty; few and evil have been the years of my life, nor have they attained the years that my fathers lived during the days of their sojourning. (Genesis 47: 9)
- Moses. After being educated for forty years in the university of Pharaoh, He waited forty years more while God made Him herd sheep. Then for the next forty years he herded the disobedient sheep of Israel. Despite the signs and power of God that he demonstrated, the people still treated him and God with disrespect.
- Barren Women. The mothers of many who were called by God, suffered the reproach of childlessness and many did not have a child until it was physically impossible. Then the child was seen as a miraculous gift of God.
- The Disciples. All, except John, were martyred for the faith according to tradition.
  Paul. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. (2 Corinthians 11: 25)
  Disciples. To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless. (1 Corinthians 4: 11)
  Homeless?? How could THEY be homeless? Where is the promise of God for these great people?
- Jesus. This was our creator! Yet He was homeless!
  Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." (Matthew 8: 20)
  He and the disciples often fed themselves from the gleanings that were left for the poor. He could walk on water and multiply food, yet He went around in poverty and hunger for His whole life, relying on the food that had fallen on the ground and left for the poor by law. Explain that Mr. Prosperity Minister!
  His example is a condemnation of any minister who has a palatial home, private airplane, private yachts, expensive fleet of cars and sleep in $6,000 per night hotel suites. Spiritual scavengers, pimps and whores who abdicate their responsibility for teaching the people so that they can herd them into a "name it and claim it" false faith mentality.
  The evidence is that those who please God are more concerned about building his kingdom than building their own financial empires.

The Father is looking for worshippers who love Him and want to form a relationship with Him. Sometimes when He does not answer it is a test for you to see why you worship Him. Do you get angry, frustrated? Do you give up and seek others? Or do you wait for Him only? If you believed that He hears you and He is there only for your good, you will not try to construct your own answers or seek a way out for God to save face by attempting to create an answer through others.
To You, O Lord, I call; My rock, do not be deaf to me. For if You are silent to me, I will become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to you for help, When I lift up my hands towards your holy sanctuary. (Psalm 28: 1-2)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own answers.

Feeling The Encounter
Prayer is the only common solid encounter we have with God. Often, people want to feel something tangible and positive that verifies this encounter. In the process, we have developed many ways or many excuses for getting into a frame of mind that guarantees a "spiritual" environment. In this case, "spiritual" seems to be commonly redefined as an altered, feel-good mental state. In fact, the term spiritual merely means that its origin is from God.

- Hooked on a Feeling. Most Christians are not satisfied unless they feel something as evidence of God's presence or response. They can achieve this excited mental state through many physical rituals.
- High on Believing. In many other religions and those who reject "religion" and embrace "spirituality", the search for this feeling takes other routes to achieve the proper biochemical state of mind. Consequently, there are many mind altering techniques that are used to achieve what is essentially a drug-related high.
  - Drug. People used LSD, opium, marijuana and smoke or ingest all kinds of mind and mood-altering drugs, calling it a spiritual high. These are in fact spiritual lows, because God cannot have any meaningful communication with you in this state of mind. It would be similar to using a date rape drug or deliberately seeking obviously drunk and incapacitated people to rape. God cannot have an encounter with you if you cannot think clearly.
    » Seed Bearing Plant. Among this group are Christians who claim that God made all seed bearing plants for humans so there could not possibly be anything wrong with using mood-altering "medicinal" herbs and plants like marijuana. These people ignore two critical facts.
    - Curse. After sin, the plant life was cursed. So just as humans can act very evil, seed-bearing plants can also be harmful and affect our imperfect bodies in disastrous ways.
    - Poisons. Some plants are poisonous. There are seeds, berries, leaves, barks and roots that are fatal. Peach and other seeds contain cyanide. Poppy seeds contain a drug which can instantly kill you. Some plants contain digitalis and other drugs that are harmful with repeated exposure. One or two castor beans can kill you. Oleander, hyacinth, daffodil, narcissus, foxglove, rhubarb, jasmine, yew, daphne, hemlock, golden chain and acorns are all poisonous.
    The point is that our perfect bodies and those perfect plants may have been compatible before sin. But afterwards, the plant kingdom is at enmity with us just as much as the animal kingdom is at war with us. So it is wisdom to have a poodle, a butterfly and an ant farm, and eat a carrot or an apple. However, it would be unwise to bring home a cobra, hyena or even touch poison ivy or smoke marijuana.
  - Sweat Lodges. This leads to physical depravation that may be fatal. You can harm your mind and body not only by ingesting poisons but by upsetting the balance of chemicals. Any beneficial activity done to excess will eventually harm either mind or body.
  - Sensory Depravation. At the opposite end of seeking a high, is the wisdom of using techniques that strip away all distractions. Turn off all loud music and television. Fasting ensures that the body is not busy digesting food so that your mind is not sleepy.
  My problem is that God wants to approach us on a rational level. So using a mind altering technique that robs you of your critical decision making capability can never be His will.
- You Are in Love With God. Faith says that "I am in love with God". It does not care if I feel like God loves me or feel His love surrounding me. It is satisfied with the knowledge that God's written, legal testimony is that He loves us deeply and only seeks our good (Hebrews 11: 6).

The Model Of Prayer
Jesus gave us a simple model of prayer for our basic needs. Everyone can say this prayer.

The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6: 9-13)
Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation But deliver us from evil For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

- Praise The Name of God. Begin your prayer with an acknowledgement of who God is. He is our loving Father. Promise to honor and defend His holy name. It is your family name.
- The Kingdom of God. Pray for His kingdom and His reign on the earth. Only the coming of this kingdom will fix all problems. It is your inheritance.
- The Will of God. Pray that one day earth will conform to the will of God as the rest of heaven. It is your guarantee of security.
- Our Basic Needs. Now make your requests for what you need or desire.
- Forgiveness of Sin. Ask for forgiveness of sin. But remember that forgiveness is a two way street. If you love and honor God, and desire His forgiveness, then you must also forgive because it is the will of God.
- Suffering. Pray to avoid suffering from the evil one.
- Acknowledge The Power and Glory of God. Remember that God is in control and He will be victorious. Therefore, all your prayers will be answered some day.
  » God in Control. Being in control does not mean that you have no choice over your destiny or that God is the architect of disasters and sin. It means that God has not lost control despite what the situation might seem. God is in control so that no matter what your do or no matter how Satan corrupts the world it will not interfere with the ultimate will of God. He can fix everything that was maliciously broken and overcome any plans that thwart His will. God will eventually overcome all negative actions so that He can end all the destructive results of sin. Then He can restore what we have lost.
  God is in control because His desires will ultimately prevail.

Friends Forever. But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. For such people the Father seeks to be His worshippers. (John 4: 23)

Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5: 17-18) | Time: 100 minutes Print: 20 pages
Copyright First Created : April 15, 2007 Credits: The Bible and the Holy Spirit. "Strike the Rock and Speak to the Rock". Pastor Author: Laverna Patterson. Editor: Patterson (January 2008) All images were created by Laverna Patterson and are the property of teachinghearts.