The Power of Prayer X

Again, if you appreciate the numerical perfection in Scripture, you should note that Christ was tested as the perfect sacrifice, the atonement for our sins, by the devil when he was in the desert for 40 days (Luke 4). Then after his resurrection, he appeared to his apostles for 40 days (Acts 1) to prepare them for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

In Acts 2, it tells us that flames stood on the heads of the apostles as they gathered to pray before the Holy Spirit came upon them. This was also very symbolic from when the Holy Spirit came to Moses in the desert at the burning bush.

I could on and on about that. What we need to focus on here is that the Holy Spirit is now free to dwell in men by the blood of Christ. God will give the Holy Spirit to all who ask and call upon Him (Luke 11:13).

An amazing transition occurred from the law to grace. Under the law, men demonstrated their love for God by their actions. It was action oriented. Hebrews 11, the faith chapter, goes on and on about the men and women who acted upon their love for the Lord. However, throughout the New Testament you see a significant transition. Rather than focusing on the action alone, Christ began holding men accountable for their thoughts and the desires of their heart. Christ said at His sermon on the mountainside, “You have heard it said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27-28. Why would Christ up the standard? Because God wants to be like-minded with those He has a relationship with. Sin is sin, regardless of whether it is action or thought. Christ wants us to strive to put off the old things of our sinful nature to draw closer to Him. He wants us to love holiness. He enables us to do this by the power of the Holy Spirit.

“The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.” I Corinthians 2:11-12

This power of the Holy Spirit enables us to have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:16-26).

Paul said, “If I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing…and now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” I Corinthians 13:2/13

Again, you see that God wants us to have like-mindedness with Him...relationship. Under the law, men loved because they did. Now, under grace, we do because we love.

With this understanding of the power behind your prayer, we cannot lose focus of the One we are praying to. Even though Christ gave His life for you and me on the cross and calls us friend and even sons and daughters, we must remember that we are going before a holy God who is being praised at this very moment by the angelic beings.

"There is a constant tendency to omit adoration when I forget to whom I am speaking, when I rush heedlessly into the presence of Jehovah without thought of His awe-inspiring name and character. When I have little eyesight for His glory, and little admiration of His wonders, my heart has a native tendency to omit giving thanks, and yet it is especially commanded." – Robert Murray McCheyne

When Moses approached the burning bush, God said, "Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Exodus 3:5

Indeed, when we go before the most powerful, most holy, most high God, we dare not go disrespectfully. Solomon reminds us of this in Ecclesiastes 5:2: “do not be hasty in word or impulsive in your thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.”