As we have seen in this promise of blessing in our Prayer, Prayer will be heard and answered under certain conditions and it seems only when those conditions are meet. Our subject based on that statement will today be True Prayer Heard but before I get to it. I want to draw again on Pastor Hoekstra's pen and his dealing with the Spiritual realm of Grace and the Promised Holy Spirit and how they work together. I will as is my usual pattern edit this writing as led by the Spirit within me. Then I will also continue to use the ESV translation all found in my e-Sword program.
"The Holy Spirit Giving Life"
"It is the Spirit who gives life . . . [God] also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (John 6:63 and 2Corinthians 3:6)
"The LORD's New Covenant of Grace is a covenant of the Spirit: " [God] also made us sufficient as ministers of the New Covenant . . . of the Spirit." Any approach to GOD other than by the Spirit results in spiritual deadness. Which means the religious works of mans flesh the same err of the Jewish Priesthood.
People need Life, initially and continually. We need it initially, because all of us began spiritually dead (separated from GOD Who is Spirit, a Spirit of Light, Love, Life, Grace and Truth) due to our sin and guilt. "And you . . . were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this (dead, separated spirit of darkness in sin of the) world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh . . . and were by nature children of wrath" (Ephesians 2:1-3). The only remedy for such spiritual death is spiritual life. "But GOD, Who is rich in mercy, because of His great Love with which He loves us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together within Christ (by Grace you have been saved)" (Ephesians 2:4-5).
People also need Life continually, "for the letter kills." If we were left to our best efforts after we were given New Life in Christ, we would be struggling under a human performance bondage of rules and regulations. The very things that mans religion promotes as did the ancient hostile Jewish Priest's of Jesus' day. That is spiritually deadening.
Jesus came to earth to offer people fullness of Life. "I have come that they may have Life, and that they may have it more Abundantly" (John 10:10). Jesus taught that if we looked to Him for our spiritual nutrition, we would find ongoing Life. "And Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of Life'" (John 6:35).
Jesus did not refer to Himself as a leader establishing a new religion. Rather, "Jesus said to him, 'I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life' " (John 14:6). When the early disciples were freed from prison, they were not told to recruit members to a movement. Instead, they were instructed to "Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life" (Acts 5:20).
The Life Jesus came to provide is His Life expressed in and through us: "Christ Who is our life" (Colossians 3:4). This Life produces a lifestyle marked by His Love, His Joy, His Peace, His Wisdom, His Courage - - and whatever else is of His Holy character. The New Covenant of His Grace holds forth this Life, and the Holy Spirit delivers this Life into humble, trusting hearts. "It is the Spirit Who gives (real) Life.""
True Prayer Heard:
Job 34:21-30 "For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and HE sees all his steps. There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves. For GOD has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before GOD in judgment. HE shatters the mighty without investigation and sets others in their place. Thus, knowing their works, HE overturns them in the night, and they are crushed. HE strikes them for their wickedness in a place for all to see, because they turned aside from following Him and have no regard for any of His ways, so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him, and HE heard the cry of the afflicted—When HE is quiet, who can condemn? When HE hides His face, who can behold Him, whether it be a nation or a man?—that a godless man should not reign, that he should not ensnare the people."
Psalm 4:2-3 "O men, how long shall My honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for Himself; the LORD hears when I call to HIM."
Psalm 18:4-6 "The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my GOD I cried for help. From His temple HE heard my voice, and my cry to Him reached His ears."
Psalm 34:15-18 "The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and His ears toward their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."
Proverbs 15:21-33 "Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense, but a man of understanding walks straight ahead. Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed. To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is! The path of life leads upward for the prudent, that he may turn away from Sheol beneath. The LORD tears down the house of the proud but maintains the widow's boundaries. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD, but gracious words are pure. Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live. The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. The LORD is far from the wicked, but HE hears the prayer of the righteous. The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes the bones. The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence. The fear (respect and reverence) of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor."
Micah 7:7-8 "But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the GOD of my salvation; my GOD will hear me. Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me."
Zechariah 10:1-7 "Ask rain (for Grace) from the LORD in the season of the spring rain, from the LORD Who makes the storm clouds, and HE Will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field. For the household gods utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; they tell false dreams and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd. "My anger is hot against the shepherds, and I Will punish the leaders; for the LORD of Hosts cares for His flock (House / Family), the house of Judah, and Will make them like His majestic steed in battle. From Him shall come the cornerstone, from Him the tent peg, from Him the battle bow, from Him every ruler—all of them together. They shall be like mighty men in battle, trampling the foe in the mud of the streets; they shall fight because the LORD is with them, and they shall put to shame the riders on horses. "I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I Will save the house of Joseph. I Will bring them back because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I Will answer them. Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior, and their hearts shall be glad as with wine. Their children shall see it and be glad; their hearts shall rejoice in the LORD.""
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