Prayer - Keys to a More Effective Prayer Life

Today we shall title the sermon, Prayer, Keys to a More Effective Prayer Life. Prayer, Keys to a More Effective Prayer Life. How is your prayer life or your prayers being answered? We can read several scriptures in the Gospels in which Jesus states, ask anything in my name and I will give it you.

There are several verses here in the Gospel of John that says that, in essence, for example, John 1413. John 1413, and whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. And then John 1414, if you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. And then in other places in John 15 and 16, we have similar verses. We'll read John 1626. At that day you shall ask in my name and I say not unto you that I will pray unto the Father for you, because we have direct access to the Father through Jesus Christ and we pray in His name.

But as we shall see here today, there are many conditions to answered prayer. The greatest requirements for prayer to be answered centers around judging ourselves and being reconciled to God and to each member of the body of Christ and, for that matter, all of humankind. Let me say that again.

What we're talking about today is very hard and core in essence to a large degree of whether you will be successful or I will be successful in our Christian life and our walk with God, because communication is absolutely necessary. And as we shall see later, that prayer is counted as a sacrifice. It's one of the main sacrifices, spiritual sacrifices, that we can offer up to God. So to judge ourselves and become reconciled to God, to Christ, and each member of the body of Christ, and for that matter, to live peacefully with all human beings.

So let's note the example of Daniel's great prayer in Daniel chapter 9. In Daniel chapter 9, Daniel has been studying the book of Jeremiah and he centers, he focuses on what we call the 70 weeks prophecy that he reads there in Jeremiah, and he wants to understand the meaning of that prophecy. So how does he go about that? We read in Daniel chapter 9 and verse 1, In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans, in the first year of his reign, I Daniel, understood by books the number of the years whereof the Word of God came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish 70 years.

Now 70 years in effect becomes the 70 weeks prophecy, which we're not here to discuss necessarily the 70 weeks prophecy, but we're here to discuss Daniel's preparation and what he did in order for God to reveal that prophecy to him. So 70 years in desolations of Jerusalem, and I set my face unto the eternal God to seek by prayer and supplications with sackcloth and with ashes and fasting.

And I prayed under the eternal 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. We have sinned. So reconciliation with God confessed that you are a sinner. And of course, Daniel is praying for the whole nation and for himself. We have sinned and have committed lawlessness, have done wickedly, and have rebelled even by departing from your precepts and from your judgments. So Daniel starts off with confessing the sins of himself and of the people. And we drop down to verse 16, O Lord, according to all your righteousness, I beseech you let your anger and your fury be turned away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain, because for our sins and for our lawlessness and iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people are become a reproach to all that are about us.

Of course, Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were taken into captivity along with many others. And what the pagan nations would do was they would capture the most promising and especially of the intelligentsia and educated and capture them first and enslave them first. Of course, Nebuchadnezzar sent several waves against Jerusalem until it was finally burned and sacked. Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of your servant and his supplications and cause your face to shine upon your sanctuary that is desolate for the Lord's sake.

And of course, Solomon's temple was burned and destroyed. So you see how Daniel starts off here? He starts off with confessing and asking God for forgiveness and for reconciliation. Verse 19, O eternal, O eternal, forgive, O eternal, hearken, listen and defer not for your own sake, O my God, for your city and your people are called by your name. There's a holy city. It's God's city. And he appealed even to God's name and to God's reputation, as did Moses, as we shall see a little later. So here we see that we must be reconciled to God and Christ. We can confess our sins and repent.

And these are the similar requirements for taking a Passover as we cover each year as well. We also must be reconciled to one another. Let's go now to Matthew chapter 5. Matthew chapter 5 verse 22. Matthew 5.22.

So that is how dangerous it is. And one of the main reasons for that is what is covered there in James 3 with regard to the use of the tongue, that we who are made in the similitude of God, every person made in similitude the likeness of God, to say that that person is a fool, is very dangerous in the sight of God. Because every person who is created born has that potential of being in the very spirit family of God.

Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and one of the main gifts that we bring to the altar would be our prayers, our spiritual sacrifices, you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has ought against you, leave there your gift before the altar, go your way, be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift. So I would say the first prerequisites for answered prayers, reconciliation with God, Christ, and then reconciliation with each member of the body of Christ and neighbor extended.

And also let's note in conjunction with this the words of the prophet Isaiah, because we know that in the Bible it says that God heareth not sinners, and we shall see this here in Isaiah 59 in verse 1. So this ties in with reconciliation with God and with each member of the body of Christ and neighbor extended that we must repent of our sins, be reconciled to God in Christ in order for our prayers to be answered. There is no way around it. This is the Word of God. In Isaiah 59 in verse 1, Behold, the eternal's hand is not shortened that it cannot save neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear.

But your iniquities, your lawlessness, have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear. So God heareth not sinners. And then this chapter continues with a cataloging of the many sins that they are committing in the land. It sounds like listening to the news on television, radio, or reading the morning newspaper, which hardly anyone does anymore.

However, anyone can cry out to God in prayer, a prayer of repentance, at any time. And how are they going to cry out? Generally speaking, it has to do with hearing the Word of God. As it says in Romans 10, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, and God has ordained that his Word should be preached in a commission, the church, and the ministry to do that. Now I want to impress upon our minds perhaps the most comprehensive prayer that is recorded in the Bible.

And you probably haven't read this prayer today or in recent months, or maybe never, and if you did you might have just read over it. We want to go to 2 Chronicles chapter 6. While we're turning to 2 Chronicles chapter 6, we shall briefly give the background to this prayer. In 2 Chronicles chapter 5, the Ark of the Covenant is brought from the City of David into the newly constructed temple that was built by Solomon, and so they had dedicated the temple there around the Feast of Tabernacles, just as the Feast of Tabernacles was beginning. The Ark of the Covenant was brought from the City of David, which is Zion, into what we call Solomon's temple, the first temple.

And chapter 6 picks up on that event. We notice in 2 Chronicles chapter 6 and verse 1. Then said Solomon, the Lord has said that he would dwell in the thick darkness, but I have built a house of habitation for him and a place for his dwelling forever. Of course, we know that God now does not dwell in buildings made by hands, as Stephen says this in Acts chapter 7, that God dwelleth not in buildings made by hands.

Also in Hebrews chapter 8, he dwells now in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man, and that is the Church of God. God dwells in each of you if you have God's Spirit. And the king turned his face and blessed the whole congregation of Israel, and all the congregation of Israel stood. So they stood up and Solomon begins to talk. We're going to go down to verse 11. I encourage you to read all of chapters 6 and 7 and meditate and focus on both chapters.

We don't have time to do that today and cover the rest of the material as well. Now in 2nd Chronicles 6 verse 11, "'And in all I put the ark, that is, the ark of the covenant, as we have said, was brought from the city of David.' You remember David had pitched a tabernacle on Mount Zion, which is the city of David.

Now it's brought into what is called Solomon's Temple, wherein the covenant of the Lord that he made with the children of Israel." We heard about that covenant last week in Mr. Moody's sermon in Exodus 24, where they entered into the old covenant, a type of the new covenant and, of course, the marriage covenant. Now verse 12 begins his prayer.

Notice this prayer. Of course, we can't read all of it, but the first part here, "'And he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel and spread forth his hands. For Solomon had made a brazen scaffold of the cubics, and he stood and kneeled, notice the last sentence, the last clause here, and stood upon it, he stood and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel and spread forth his hands toward heaven.'" So in the Old Testament, prayer position was on your knees with your hands up toward the heavens.

Verse 14, "'And said, O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like you in the heavens nor in the earth.'" Somewhat similar to the model prayer of starts off, "'Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.' O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like you in the heaven nor in the earth, which keeps covenant and shows mercy unto your servants that were before you with all their hearts.

You which have kept your servant David, my father, that which you have promised him and speak with your mouth and have fulfilled it with your hand as it is this day. Now therefore, O Lord God of Israel, keep with your servant David, my father, which you have promised him, saying, there shall not fail a man in his sight to sit upon the throne of Israel yet so that your children take heed to their way to walk in my law as you have walked before me." And so what Solomon does from this point on is basically to recount almost every situation that the nation or an individual would encounter in his life and ask God to forgive them of whatever the sin is upon repentance.

Now let's read 27 and 28 down to verse 27. Then hear you from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Israel when you have taught them the good way wherein they should walk and send rain upon the land which you have given unto your people for an inheritance. And if there be a drought in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting mildew, locusts, caterpillars, if their enemies beseech them in the cities of their land, and whatsoever sore or whatsoever sickness there be, then what prayer or what supplication server shall be made of any man or of all your people Israel when everyone shall know his sore and his own grief and shall spread forth his hands in this house.

And it continues. Whatever the situation is nationally or individually, he is beseeching God to hear, to forgive, to answer the prayer. Now chapter 7. So I encourage you to read all of that chapter. Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from the heaven consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the house and the priest could not enter into the house of the Lord because the glory, that is the presence of the Lord, had filled the Lord's house.

And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces and the ground of the pavement and they worshipped and praised the Lord saying, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. So when the Holy Spirit comes in to you upon baptism and laying on of hands, what a glorious time that is.

And what a load that is off of your mind and heart and perhaps of other people as well. Now coming on down here, verse 11, then Solomon finished the house of the Lord in the King's house and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the Lord and in their own house he prosperously affected.

Now here's God's response to that prayer. And that response sometimes for special music Mary Beth Phelps and Jim Stewart will sing, Heal Our Land. And here's the basis for that song to centers on verse 14. And what this is is God's response to Solomon's prayer. So verse 12, the eternal appeared to Solomon by night and said unto him, I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.

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, so in a sense, in just a few words, the eternal is summarizing Solomon's prayer, in which he covered so many different scenarios that might happen. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, once again reconciliation with God and neighbor, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

See, that is the condition for answered prayer for the nation and for that matter for the individual. And we live in a land that becomes more and more secular with each passing day and almost every minute in today's world. Now mine eyes shall be upon and my ears attended unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now have I chosen and sanctified this house that my name may be there forever and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually. Of course, you see how here, even here, that some of the things that were contained in the Old Covenant are passed away through Christ and the New Covenant, because now the Almighty dwells in temples not made by hands.

We should turn there and read that Hebrews 8 beginning in verse 1. As I said, it's also mentioned by Stephen in Acts chapter 7 that the Most High dwells not in buildings made by hands. Remember, Hebrews compares and contrasts elements of the Old Covenant with elements of the New, showing how much the New Covenant supersedes the Old Covenant. In Hebrews chapter 8 verse 1, now the things which we have spoken, this is a sum. Want a summary? We have such an high priest who has sat on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens a minister of these things to worry and of the true tabernacle, the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man.

In Matthew 16, 18, what does it say? And I say unto you, your name is Peter, and upon this rock, big rock, I will build my church, and the gates of the grave shall not prevail against it. So we see here that the church now is the temple of God. You are the temple of God. But the spiritual principles with regard to God dwelling in that temple are the same. You remember the story of the Pharisee and the publican.

If you turn to Luke 18 verse 10, we'll see here once again that we must be reconciled to God and each member of the body of Christ in order for sins to be forgiven and for the individual and or for the nation. In Luke 18 verse 10, we're familiar with the parable here of the Pharisee and the publican. In Luke 10 and Luke 18 and verse 10, two men went up in the temple to pray and one a Pharisee, the other a publican.

The Pharisee stood and prayed with himself, God, I thank you that I'm not as other men, extortioners, unjust, adulteresses, and even as this publican. I fast twice in the week. I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican standing afar off would not lift up so much as his eyes into heaven and smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me, a sinner. And once again reiterating and also reaffirming what we have just said, reconciliation to God, to neighbor, judging self.

I suppose one of the main things we hear as a condition for answered prayer is we must pray according to God's will. In 1 John 5 and verse 14, if you want to note there, turn to 1 John 5 14. We'll see here that praying according to the will and asking according to will of God. 1 John 5 14.

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, and we read some of the verses there in the Gospel of John that didn't put a condition just as whatever you ask in my name, that will I give it to you. But in many other places in the Bible, we come to understand the conditions, the qualifications for answered prayer. And this is a confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

And if we know that he hears us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. Now we focus on one of the great prayers in the Bible, that of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Of course, it was in the garden where he was betrayed. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed that the Father would remove the cup he was facing from him. So let's note that if you'll turn to Luke 22, Luke 22 and verse 39.

Luke 22 verse 39 will start there. Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane just before he is betrayed. This is shortly after he had instituted the symbols of the New Covenant Passover.

Luke 22, 39. And he came out and went as he was want, which generally means as it usually does, to the Mount of Olives. And his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, the place being the place apparently where he customarily would kneel down to pray. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that you enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast and kneeled down and prayed, saying, Father, if you be willing, remove this cup. And see, it's interesting that he would pray this because Jesus knew why the Father had sent him into the world. He knew even before the creation of anything, before the creation of the physical universe, before the creation of the spiritual realm, before the recreation of the earth. Jesus knew why he had been sent in the world, yet he prayed. And in view of this, he was strengthened by an angel. So you look at verse 43, Luke 22, 43, and there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. See, Jesus Christ had the spirit without measure, but even having the spirit without measure, he was a human being with regard to his physical energy and strength. And being in agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground. If you be willing, let this cup pass, but at the same time knowing why he had come into the world. As we'll read later, the effectual, which means energetic, the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man, abated much. And when he rose up from prayer and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow. And he said unto them, Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation. See, God places a great deal of emphasis on asking through prayer. We note now the example of this in Genesis chapter 20. The story of Abraham.

Abraham had done this also in Genesis 12, when he and Sarah went down into Egypt because of a famine. And he told the Pharaoh there that Sarah was his sister. And of course, God began to plague Egypt. And Pharaoh found out the reason why, because Pharaoh was wanting to take Sarah into his court. She was a very beautiful woman. And so Pharaoh eventually, after he was dealt with, confronted Abraham and said, Why did you say she was your sister? And then they journeyed out of the famine, journeyed from Egypt, having been delivered from that. And Abraham essentially repeats the same strategy in Genesis chapter 20. Let's look at Genesis 20 and verse 1. Abraham journeyed from there forward toward the south country and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, or Shur, and sojourned in Giraar. Abraham said of Sarah's wife, She is my sister. And Abimelech, king of Giraar, sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, Behold, you are but a dead man, for the woman which you have taken, she is a man's wife. But Abimelech had not come near her, and he said, Lord, will you slay also a righteous nation?

Said, Be not unto me, she is my sister. That's what Abraham had said. And Sarah, even she herself, said, He's my brother. So they're both guilty of this, and the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have done this. So they said this, I believed him. And notice this, Now therefore restore the man his wife, for he is a prophet. You won't read many places in the Bible that says Abraham was a prophet. But here it is, where he is a prophet, and he shall pray for you. He shall pray for you. Why does Abraham need to pray for him? God just could have said to you, Abimelech, well, you haven't done anything, everything's all right. But he doesn't say that. He says Abraham is a prophet. He will pray for you. And if you restore her, and if you restore her not, know you that you shall surely die, you and all yours. Therefore Abimelech rose up early in the morning and called all his servants and told all these things in their ears, and the men were very afraid. Then Abimelech called Abraham and said unto him, Why have you done this unto me? And what have I offended you that you should bring on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.

And then, of course, the thing was made right. The point I want to emphasize here is that God told Abimelech, Abraham is a prophet, and I will ask him to pray for you. God places a great deal of emphasis on asking. God works through his chosen servants and asks us to maintain that link. That is the link between God, his chosen servants, and us. For example, when we are sick, as it says in James chapter 5 verse 15, if anybody's sick, let him call from the elders of church. Let them anoint and pray, and the prayer of faith shall save the sick. See, this keeps us in communication with God's representatives and the church and God himself through that process. So to ask is very important, but how we ask is also equally important. Now we go to James chapter 4 and verse 3. James chapter 4 verse 3. Prayer must not be based upon personal lust or upon personal gain.

James 4.3. You ask and receive not because you ask amiss that you may consume it upon your lust, your own earthly desires. So it is absolutely essential that we be sure that we understand that we're not asking this just for ourselves or to advance self per se. God has called each one of us into his marvelous light. I mean, that sounds so simple. That sounds, could sound, mundane. God has called each one of us into his marvelous light. He has, in essence, handpicked you. Why didn't he call your brother, your sister, your husband, your wife, or someone else? He called you.

And we should never take that for granted, and that we should keep that in mind when we go to God in prayer how precious that calling really is, and that when we ask, we do not ask amiss. Another thing you must do, as we find in the book of James, I want you to turn now to the first chapter, to James chapter 1 verse 5, that in prayer you must in faith pray with singleness of purpose and belief. In James 1.5, if any of you lack wisdom, and that is one of my main continual prayers, wisdom, grant me the wisdom that I may be able to do what you have called me to do. That should be one of your prayers. As I have already said, God called you individually and specifically. And everyone has something that they can give, and everyone needs wisdom. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, gives to all men liberally, and upbraids not, and it shall be given unto him. But there's a condition to this. But let him ask in faith. I mean, you have to believe. The simplest definition of faith, as I have said for 50 years, believe God, do what he says. You have to believe that it's going to be answered. That is, the request, let him ask in faith nothing wavering, for he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with a wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. So faith is a vital component of prayer. You have to believe that God will answer. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. And you must understand that sooner or later, whatever the answer is, the answer you see in the simplest term, it's what they call the binary yes or no. If there is no answer, it may be no. And of course, you may be those country music fans might be familiar with Garth Brooks song title, Thank God for Unanswered Prayers, and he knows best. Another condition we must persistently persevere in prayer. Persistently continue. Persistently persevere in prayer.

Let's go to Luke 18.1. Luke 18.1 is the memory verse or the Scripture of the day. And he spoke a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint. This is Luke 18 verse 2 now. Saying, remember this parable, there was in a city a judge which feared not God neither regarded man.

And he would not for a while but afterward he said within himself, though I fear not God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her lest by her continual coming she weary me. Now remember this judge is an evil person, doesn't regard God or man, but this widow keeps coming and asking, keeps coming and asking. And finally he says, I'm tired of this, I'm going to do something. Verse 5 in the eternal said, hear what the unjust judge says and shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with him.

It may be a long time before God answers the prayer. And as we've already said, the answer may be no. I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, shall he find faith on the earth? Of course, one of the Scriptures talks about hope deferred makes the heart sad. And sometimes we tend to lose hope if we don't get the answer that we want. But this parable should give us great insight into the way God views things. He wants us to keep on keeping on, regardless, because once again God always has our best interests at heart.

And I often remind us of Hebrews 11 6 for those who would come to God, my first of all believe that he is, and that he is rewarder of those who diligently seek him. Now let's note some of the great prayers that are recorded in the Bible.

Many of these prayers are intercessory prayers. Intercessory prayer is one of the great responsibilities that God places on all of us. All of us have the responsibility of intercessory prayer. Time after time Moses interceded for faithless and rebellious Israel. Let's go now to Numbers 14. Numbers 14 verse 1. The backdrop here is that Israel has journeyed now from Egypt some distance. They're in the third month. Pentecost is upon them. And Moses sends out spies to spy out the Promised Land.

And he sends out 12 men. Ten come back with an evil report. Two, Joshua and Caleb with a faithful report. And as a result of the report of the ten men, the congregation of Israel is ready to stone Moses and Aaron. Numbers 14.1. And all the congregation lifted up their voice and cried, and the people wept that night. And all of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, murmuring because of the evil report in which the ten said, they're giants there, they have chariots, we don't stand a chance, we'll be like grasshoppers, we'll be crushed if we try to invade that land.

Would to God that we had died in the land of Egypt, or would God we had died in the wilderness? And wherefore has the Lord brought us into this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and their children should be a prey were it not better for us to return unto Egypt? And they were ready to kill Moses and Joshua. God even talked to Moses about wiping out all of them and starting all over with Moses and Aaron. And now we pick it up in verse 11. And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me, and how long will it be before they believe me for all the signs which I have showed among them?

I will smite them with the pestilence, disinherit them, will make of you a greater nation and mightier than they. Then Moses began to reason with God, appealing to his reputation. Moses says, Well, when the other nations hear this, they will say their God was not able to deliver them. He brought them out and just killed them. What will it do to your name, to your reputation, if you take that course of action? So God then backed off of that and decided to spare them at that time. Let's pick it up again after he says that.

Let's look at verse 17. Now beseech you, let the power of my Lord be great according as you have spoken, saying, The Lord is long-suffering of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of their fathers upon the children and of the third and fourth generation. Pardon I beseech you the iniquity of this people according and the greatness of your mercy, and as you have forgiven this people from Egypt even until now.

This was the tenth time in which they had greatly tempted God and his patience. And God did answer, he said, None of these are going to go into the Promised Land, only Joshua and Caleb. In fact Moses and Aaron did not go into the Promised Land. Moses was allowed to see a glimpse of it. Then another example, if we'll look at Exodus chapter 32. Exodus 32 and verse 25, the golden calf example, what are we talking about? We're talking about intercessory prayer.

We're talking about interceding on behalf of people that you love and that you care for. To what extent did Moses love and care for the people of Israel? One might be reminded of what Paul writes in Romans chapter 10 where he says, I could wish myself occurs from Christ, that my brethren according to the flesh might be saved.

So here in Exodus 32 beginning in 25, Moses begins to intercede once again after the golden calf incident that Aaron had brought on the people. Exodus 32 verse 25, and when Moses saw that the people were naked, for Aaron had made them naked under their shame among their enemies, then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, who is on the Lord's side? Let him come unto me, and all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. Now we're about to read one of the, I guess you would call it, the bloodiest scenes in all of the Bible, and it is a scene that is, if you were one of the Levites that stepped forward that day and you were given the mission that they are given that we shall read in just a moment.

You would really be tested as they were. All the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. Verse 27, he said unto them, Thus says the eternal God of Israel, put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor, and the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And there fell of the people that day about 3,000 men. Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord even every man upon his son and upon his brother that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.

You better determine whether you are with God or not. What a test! And it came to pass on the morrow that Moses said unto the people, You have sinned a great sinned, and now I will go up unto the Lord for adventure. I shall make an atonement for your sin. And Moses returned unto the Lord and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and it made them gods of gold.

Yet now if you will forgive their sin, and if not, if not, blot me, I pray you, out of your book which you have written. Let me die with them. You talk about loving and intercessory prayer. And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. Therefore now go lead the people into the place which I have spoken unto you. Behold, my angel, and I gave a sermon recently on the angel of the Lord's presence, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.

And the Lord plagued the people because they made the calf which Aaron made. So we see this intercessory prayer. One can only marvel at the love Moses showed for the people. Moses, of course, was a type of Christ. Jesus, who is now our high priests, intercedes for us according to the will of God. Let's look at Romans 8. A lot of people tend to forget this scripture, and the scriptures were about to read about the intercessory work of Jesus Christ at the present time. He sits on the right hand of the Father. In Romans 8, verse 26, likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities.

God is Spirit. Jesus Christ is sitting on the right hand of the Father, and as we shall read, He makes intercession for us. What I'm about to read is among the most encouraging scriptures in the whole Bible that we tend to forget. Likewise, the Spirit also helps our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searches the heart knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. It's not just you praying. There's somebody else praying. For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, for this is the love of God that we should keep His commandments, and His commandments should not grieve us, to them who are called according to His purpose. Now look at 1 John.

1 John chapter 2 verse 1. 1 John.

1 John chapter 2 and verse 1. My little children, these things are right unto you, that you sin not. 1 John chapter 2.

1 John chapter 2. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with a father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

He is that spirit being who sits at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us. Now this word advocate is the Greek word parakletos or parakletos, the one alongside.

We have an advocate, a comforter, one alongside with a father. Who is he? Jesus Christ the righteous. Remember what Jesus said in John 16, John 14, that He would send a comforter.

John 14, 26 says that comforter is the Holy Spirit.

He is the propituation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. Hereby we can know that we know Him if we keep His commandments. He that says, I know Him and keeps not His commandments is a liar.

And the truth is not in Him. I mean, that one verse is a test verse that for people who say they know God, I mean, that verse separates the sheep from the goats, as it were. Now quickly back to Hebrews 7, 25, which to me is one of the greatest verses, and summary verses in the whole Bible.

Speaking of Melchizedek, our high priest, Hebrews 7, 25, wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them. So what do we take from these great words of encouragement? We should focus on the fact that Christ and God are always aware of us and watching out for our best interests. Oftentimes we don't understand why we are having to go through what we're going through. And it may seem that God has forsaken us, but He has promised never to leave us or to forsake us. The very hairs on our head are numbered, not even as Pharaoh falls to the ground unless he is aware of us. God, who cannot lie, He is faithful in His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us. And just as Moses was the mediator of the Old Covenant and interceded for the people, Jesus, the mediator of the New Covenant, interceded for us. And we are instructed to intercede for one another. And look at James 5 and verse 16. This is on the heels of calling for the elders of the church. If you're sick, verse 16, James 5, 16, Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another. Now, this Confess your faults, I'm convinced this has to do with any points of disagreement or whatever it may be that separates you, be reconciled, and pray one for another that you may be healed. The effectual, the energetic prayer of a righteous man avails much. Jesus Christ prayed so energetically, so fervently, that great sweats, great drops of blood, dropped from him as he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. One of the most interesting aspects of Job's trial centers on when he was healed. Do you know when Job was healed? What event took place just before Job was healed? Let's go to Job 42. In the book of Job, we know that this great calamity came upon him from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet. The great sores, or whatever it was, tormented him. He was in great pain. His wife even said, Job cursed God and died. Job had three friends that came to him. The three friends focused on the notion that Job had some great secret sin. Job, if you'd just confess your secret sin, you would be healed. That wasn't Job's problem. That wasn't his problem at all. Job's problem was that he needed to come to understand that God is just in all his actions. He would not allow you to be tempted or tested above what you're able to bear. He always has her best interest at heart. Job had to learn that man must be judged and God justified.

He finally comes to this, and chapter 42 is a summary. 42.1.

Too wonderful for me, which I knew not. At one point, Job even said that God was unjust in the way that he was dealing with him. And a lie he who came along and said, Job, in this you're not just. Here I beseech you, and I will speak. I will demand of you and declare you unto me. I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye sees you. And one of the things that God is doing with each one of us is to come to that point that Job came to you, where we really see God. We've not just heard of him, but we see him. Wherefore, I abhor myself, I judge myself, I realize that you always have my best interest at heart, and I repent in dust and ashes. And it was so that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliaphy, as the team and I, My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job has. So, you know, they were saying, Oh, Job, just fess up, reveal your secret sin, you'll be healed. Therefore, take unto you now seven bullocks, go sacrifice, my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves, for Job and yourself, a burnt offering. And my servant Job shall do what? My servant Job shall pray for you. My servant Abraham, who is a prophet, will pray for you. Of course, there are not the only two cases of that. Call for the elder of the church, they'll pray for you. For him will I accept, lest I deal with you after you are folly, in that you have not spoken the thing that is right like my servant Job. So, a life as the team and I build at this you hide so far the name of Thite, when and did according as the Lord commanded, and the Lord also accepted Job. Now this verse. And the Lord turned the captivity of Job. In other words, he healed him. When he prayed for his friends, also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. We're even instructed to pray for our enemies. So there's so much in the Bible about prayer. And so today I'm challenging each one of us, including myself, to seriously consider our prayer life. Jesus gave us the model prayer. It begins with recognizing God's office, greatness, and power. And so many of the prayers in the Old Testament began with recognizing God's greatness and his power.

And Jesus, in his model prayer, started off with, Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Hallowed be everything that you represent. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. You see, we are on a quest for glory, for honor, for immortality in the kingdom of God. That is our first priority. Seek you first, the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. We can go to some of the great prayers in the book of Psalms.

And I ask God to make the words of our prayer, the words of the Psalm, our prayer, beseeching God. I gave you a handout about a year ago of petitioned verses in Psalm 119. I wonder how many of you got down on your knees and read those verses.

I received one or two notes of thanks over the past eight years. I've given you many handouts, and it would stretch it to say that more than ten people expressed anything about those handouts. One of the greatest states of mind that anyone can be in was regard to prayer, and that is the state of thanksgiving.

Because God wants us to live in a state of thanksgiving.

I'm going to copy those petitions off again today. I'm going to send them out in my email again in Xerox and hand them out again next week. Now I want to go to Psalm 50, forward a few pages here from Job 42.

Psalm 50. Now what did I say? One of the greatest states of mind that anyone can be in is that of thanksgiving. God counts thanksgiving as a sacrifice. He counts prayer as a sacrifice.

In Psalm 50, verse 5, the first four verses of Psalm 50 describe the Second Coming.

Verse 50, "'Gather, my saints, together unto me those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.' See, at baptism we enter into a covenant of sacrifice. We say that we're going to sacrifice, put to death the old man.

Keep him under the dark waters of baptism, and the heavens shall declare his righteousness. For God is judge himself. Here, O my people, I will speak. O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, even your God.

I will not reprove you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings.

To have been continually before me, I will take no bullock out of your houses, nor hecoats out of your folds, where every beast of the field is mine or forest and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know the fowls of the air and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is mine in the fullness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay your vows unto the Most High God. Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will glorify, and you shall glorify me.

And so, thanksgiving is one of the great sacrifices that we offer. Now we go to Hebrews 13. We're about through.

In Hebrews 13, notice once again how God looks at communication, prayer, sacrifice.

In Hebrews 13, verse 15, By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.

But to do good and communicate, forget not, for with such sacrifices, God is well pleased.

Now, let's go to 2 Timothy 2, verse 1. Sometimes the question arises, well, whom should I pray for? Should I pray just for anybody? Well, you know they're dirty rotten sinners. Should I pray for them?

So look at 1 Timothy 2.

Brother in this nation, this whole world is in a sad state of affairs.

We need to pray for the leadership of this nation. We need to pray for the leadership of the church. We need to pray for one another. We need to draw together, as never before, love one another as never before, because we are members, one of another.

In 1 Timothy 2, verse 1, I exhort therefore that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving thanks be made for all men, for kings and for all that are in authority, that you may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time. Wherefore, I am ordained a preacher and an apostle.

I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up their hands without wrath and doubting. And like men are also that women, adoring themselves in modest apparel with shame, faceness, and sobriety, not with broidered hair, nor gold, nor perils, or a costly array, but that which becomes women professing godliness with good works.

So, whom should I pray for? For everybody. And I say unto you, men should pray always and not faint.