MARCH 13, 2024
Topic: AVOID THESE ENEMIES OF PRAYER – CONDITIONS FOR EXPERIENCING GOD’S PRESENCE
Text: Hebrews 4:15-16, Luke 17: 5-10
Memory Verse: Hebrews4:16–“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne
of grace, that we obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Some of these Enemies are very dear friends. We have associated with them for many years, and it will be hard for us to give them up.
One of them is a desire to read about the Bible and about Prayer rather than to study the Word and fit ourselves for this, the highest and holiest privilege. There is also a lack knowledge of what we are in Christ, and what He is in us, what He did for us. Ignorance of what “Believing” means is another enemy. “Believe” is a verb. It is an action word; it means to act upon the word. We act upon the word of our government regarding payment of taxes, or of our banker regarding our overdrawn account. There is no believing without acting, and believing means having possession.
Another Enemy is Hope. Hope is always in the future. It is beautiful, but it is dangerous! The hoper is always is a failure. It is the Believer that is a success.
An Enemy is Mental Assent: It is admiring the Word, agreeing to the Word that it is true but refusing to act on it. The believer is a doer of the Word and not a hearer only. The doer was the one who dug deep, went down to the rock and built his house thereon, The Mental Assenter built on the sand.
Another Enemy is praying for Faith: This is based on unbelief. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom.10:17 and Luke 17:5 advices us to exercise our faith, however little our faith, just exercise it.
Depending on Another’s faith: We become spiritual hitchhikers. To every man, God has given a measure of faith; that Faith comes with the New Creation. Just as you develop your mental strength by certain exercises, and develop your physical strength by certain physical exercises, now you are developing your faith by feeding on the Word – John 15:7-8.
Confusing the Prayer Problem: There was a time of “battle prayer” and we stormed the throne. We cried out loud, but somehow or other, it didn’t bring the expected results. There was also “praying through” or “praying hard” we also tried that. These expressions are all from the realm of the senses. It was sense knowledge trying to solve a faith problem. We have not been acting on the Word; rather we try to force God to do something. John 16:23-24. Prayer is based upon the simple ground of coming to the Father in Jesus Name. In Heb 4:16, He invites us to come boldly to the throne of grace. You see, there is no “battle prayer”, there is no “praying through”.
Meditate and Apply: I am at the Throne Room of Grace to make my needs known and receive answers.