Chapter 22: Transformed to a New Communication

Amazing! You are rich beyond belief!  In your wildest dreams, did you ever think for one moment that you could communicate with the one true Holy Jehovah, the Creator God and maker of all things?  This communication is called prayer.  No cell phone is needed and no communication towers are necessary, for God is our tower of strength. Through His Holy Spirit, each believer is given a private line, with direct access, where there is never a busy signal for He always answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

"I Stand Amazed"

performed by GlassByrd

 Prayer expresses your personal relationship and fellowship with your Father God and Yeshua His Son, sitting at His right hand and interceding as Great High Priest for each of you who have chosen to follow Him.  Read carefully the account written in Hebrews 4.  

14 Therefore, since we have a Great Cohen Gadol who has passed through to the highest heaven, Yeshua, the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we acknowledge as true. 15 For we do not have a cohen gadol unable to empathize with our weaknesses; since in every respect He was tempted just as we are, the only difference being that He did not sin. 16 Therefore, let us confidently approach the throne from which God gives grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace in our time of need.

How are you able to enter the very throne room of Almighty God? This is the parallel of the earthly and heavenly tabernacles. A curtain divided the earthly tabernacle.  The first room was called the Holy Place and the second room was called the Most Holy Place.

11 But when the Messiah appeared as cohen gadol of the good things that are happening already, then, through the greater and more perfect Tent (Tabernacle) which is not man-made (that is, it is not of this created world), 12 He entered the Holiest Place once and for all. And He entered not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of His own blood, thus setting people free forever.  Hebrews 9   

This curtain was split in two from top to bottom the moment Yeshua gave up His life on the cross outside Jerusalem 2000 years ago.  If man had split this curtain, it would have been split from bottom to top. The account in Matthew 27 reads:

50 But Yeshua, again crying out in a loud voice, yielded up his spirit. 51 At that moment the parokhet {curtain} in the Temple was ripped in two from top to bottom; and there was an earthquake, with rocks splitting apart. 52 Also the graves were opened, and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life; 53 and after Yeshua rose, they came out of the graves and went into the holy city, where many people saw them. 54 When the Roman officer and those with him who were keeping watch over Yeshua saw the earthquake and what was happening, they were awestruck and said, "Surely He was the Son of God!"

This is why you have access to the very throne room of God, for His Son, Yeshua, paid the sin debt, once for all, by the shedding of His blood for any one who comes and follows Him as Savior and Lord.  He gives us a pardon; “Paid-In-Full” is stamped on our hearts and our sins are forever forgiven!  We are forever a part of the Family of God with access to our Father God, in His heavenly throne room, through the Great High Priest, Yeshua, the One who is Holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, and lives forever exalted above the heavens.

Prayer is spiritual.

9 But you, you do not identify with your old nature but with the Spirit - provided the Spirit of God is living inside you, for anyone who doesn't have the Spirit of the Messiah doesn't belong to Him. Romans 8

24 God is spirit; and worshippers must worship Him spiritually and truly. John 4

Prayer is asking and receiving.  It is talking to your heavenly Father God from your heart, in thanksgiving and worship and making your requests known to Him, both physical or spiritual.

14 This is the confidence we have in His presence: if we ask anything that accords with His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - then we know that we have what we have asked from Him. 1 John 5

Prayer is seeking and finding.  Since we need direction in all things, God tells you to seek His way and it will be found.

12 When you call to me and pray to me, I will listen to you. 13 When you seek me, you will find me, provided you seek for me wholeheartedly. Jeremiah 29

                  

Prayer is knocking and opening.  When the mountains are too high and the valleys are too deep and God does not seem to be hearing my heart as I pray.  The door is closed to what seems to be the path to follow. These are the prayers where our faith stays strong and the impossible becomes the possible!

20 Have faith as tiny as a mustard seed, you will be able to say to this mountain, `Move from here to there!' and it will move; indeed, nothing will be impossible for you!"  Matthew 17

Do you have that mountain that is too high or the valley that is too deep?  What hurt seems almost too much to bear?  The burdens are more than you can stand.  God still moves mountains!  Nothing is too hard for Him.   Call on Him – take your hurts, heartaches and burdens to the Lord and leave them there.  He will make a way when there seems to be no way!  That is what He does best!

"God Will Make A Way"

performed by Don Moen

Our Lord God is in the miracle working business!  Always remember; your heavenly Father God made and is in charge of ALL things, for all things work together for your good, according to His riches in Heaven.  AMEN and AMEN

26 Similarly, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we don't know how to pray the way we should. But the Spirit himself pleads on our behalf with groanings too deep for words; 27 and the one who searches hearts knows exactly what the Spirit is thinking, because his pleadings for God's people accord with God's will.  Romans 8

7 "Keep asking, and it will be given to you; keep seeking, and you will find; keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who keeps asking receives; he who keeps seeking finds; and to him who keeps knocking, the door will be opened. 9 Is there anyone here who, if his son asks him for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone? 10 or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 So if you, even though you are bad, know how to give your children gifts that are good, how much more will your Father in heaven keep giving good things to those who keep asking him! 12 "Always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that sums up the teaching of the Torah and the Prophets.  Matthew 7

Consider the gifts you have received thus far because of choosing Yeshua as you personal Savior and Lord!  You are a New Creation, having been born again spiritually for the old ways are gone and the New Freedom from the penalty of sin has come.

2 Why? Because the Torah of the Spirit, which produces this life in union with Messiah Yeshua, has set me free from the "Torah" of sin and death.  Romans 8

You now have God’s Holy Spirit within you to teach His Word and direct your paths.  You now have God as your heavenly “Abba” Father, Yeshua as your Savior and Lord, and the Holy Spirit living within you completing the Trinity; Father God, Yeshua the Savior and the Holy Spirit within!  The awesome, amazing love of God!

15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to bring you back again into fear; on the contrary, you received the Spirit, who makes us sons and by whose power we cry out, "Abba!" (that is, "Dear Father!").  Romans 8

"I Bowed On My Knees and Cried Holy"

performed by Michael English & The Gaither Vocal Band

You now have a New Direction, God’s way over your own, with your New Mind, discovering the truth of God’s Word, resulting in New Love, New Faith, and for the first time real peace, joy and hope for you have been given a New Destination – Eternal Life in Kingdom of Heaven!

22 However, now, freed from sin and enslaved to God, you do get the benefit - it consists in being made holy, set apart for God, and its end result is eternal life.  Romans 6

Your heavenly Father God gives you New Armor for the spiritual battles ahead.  This armor includes sandals of Peace, girded about with Truth, the breastplate of Righteousness, sword of the Spirit, the shield of Faith and the helmet of Salvation. 

You now have a New Relationship, a personal kinship with the same Holy God and Father who made you in His image that He may love, fellowship and care for you. The Fruit of the Spirit is lived out in your life along with the Beatitudes {attitudes} naturally because of you New Life in Yeshua.  These identify believers and sum up the Greatest Commandment:

37 Yeshua told the Pharisee, an expert in the Law, "`You are to love ADONAI your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.' 38 This is the greatest and most important mitzvah. 39 And a second is similar to it, `You are to love your neighbor as yourself.' Matthew 22

Yeshua gave the “Model Prayer” to His disciples in Matthew 6.

9 You, therefore, pray like this: `Our Father in heaven! May your Name be kept holy. 10 May your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. 11 Give us the food we need today. 12 Forgive us what we have done wrong, as we too have forgiven those who have wronged us. 13 And do not lead us into hard testing, but keep us safe from the Evil One. For kingship, power and glory are yours forever. Amen.'

"The Lord's Prayer"

performed by Andrea Bocelli

Yeshua not only gave the Model Prayer but also prayed for Himself, His disciples and all believers.  These prayers are recorded in John 17.

Yeshua prays for Himself:

1 After Yeshua had said these things, He looked up toward heaven and said, "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, so that the Son may glorify you -- 2 just as you gave Him authority over all mankind, so that He might give eternal life to all those whom You have given Him. 3 And eternal life is this: to know You, the one true God, and Him whom You sent, Yeshua the Messiah. 4 "I glorified you on earth by finishing the work You gave Me to do. 5 Now, Father, glorify Me alongside Yourself. Give Me the same glory I had with You before the world existed.

Yeshua prays for His Disciples:

6 "I made Your name known to the people You gave me out of the world. They were Yours, you gave them to me, and they have kept Your word. 7 Now they know that everything You have given Me is from You, 8 because the words You gave Me I have given to them, and they have received them. They have really come to know that I came from You, and they have come to trust that You sent me. 9 "I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those You have given to me, because they are Yours. 10 Indeed, all I have is Yours, and all You have is Mine, and in them I have been glorified. 11 Now I am no longer in the world. They are in the world, but I am coming to You. Holy Father, guard them by the power of Your name, which You have given to Me, so that they may be one, just as We are. 12 When I was with them, I guarded them by the power of Your name, which You have given to Me; yes, I kept watch over them; and not one of them was destroyed (except the one meant for destruction, so that the Tanakh might be fulfilled). 13 But now, I am coming to you; and I say these things while I am still in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. 14 "I have given them Your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world-- just as I myself do not belong to the world. 15 I don't ask You to take them out of the world, but to protect them from the Evil One. 16 They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 17 Set them apart for holiness by means of the truth -- Your Word is Truth. 18 Just as You sent me into the world; I have sent them into the world. 19 On their behalf I am setting Myself apart for holiness, so that they too may be set apart for holiness by means of the truth.

Yeshua prays for believers:
20 "I pray not only for these, but also for those who will trust in Me because of their word, 21 that they may all be one. Just as you, Father, are united with Me and I with You, I pray that they may be united with Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 The glory which You have given to Me, I have given to them; so that they may be one, just as We are one -- 23 I united with them and You with Me, so that they may be completely one, and the world thus realize that You sent Me, and that You have loved them just as You have loved Me. 24 "Father, I want those You have given me to be with me where I am; so that they may see My glory, which you have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world. 25 Righteous Father, the world has not known You, but I have known You, and these people have known that You sent Me. 26 I made Your name known to them, and I will continue to make it known; so that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I Myself may be united with them."  

Sometimes God answers your prayers with a yes, or yes, but in My timing, or no, because I know what is best for you. Be thankful for your heavenly Father, for He always knows what is best for you in all circumstances.  This is called Faith, for it is true. Prayer is the key to heaven but faith unlocks the door.

6 Don't worry about anything; on the contrary, make your requests known to God by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving. 7 Then God's shalom, passing all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with the Messiah Yeshua.  Philippians 4

The prayer for the Ephesians by the apostle Paul is my prayer for you:

14 For this reason, I fall on my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth receives its character. 16 I pray that from the treasures of His glory He will empower you with inner strength by His Spirit, 17 so that the Messiah may live in your hearts through your trusting. Also I pray that you will be rooted and founded in love, 18 so that you, with all God's people, will be given strength to grasp the breadth, length, height and depth of the Messiah's love, 19 yes, to know it, even though it is beyond all knowing, so that you will be filled with all the fullness of God.  Ephesians 3

"I Get On My Knees"

performed by Jaci Valesquez