How Do We Approach God?
Understanding the power of prayer and the role of Jesus as our high priest is vital to a successful and meaningful prayer life.
Whenever we pray to God, we don’t just talk to Him alone. Instead, we pray in Jesus’s name, recognizing all He has done for us. Jesus has removed our sins and given us His righteousness, making it possible for us to approach God confidently.
Because of Jesus’s sacrificial work, we are no longer alienated by our sins. We can approach God with the confidence that He hears us and that Jesus’s ongoing intercession makes our prayers effective.
This confidence doesn’t come from our own spiritual achievements but from what Jesus has definitively accomplished on our behalf.
What Does It Mean to Pray in Jesus’ Name?
Praying in Jesus’ name isn’t just a formula; it’s about understanding and appreciating that we’re not alone when we come before God. It means coming to God based on what Jesus has accomplished—His death and resurrection, which cleared the way for us to be right with God.
The Role of Jesus as Our High Priest
In Hebrews 4:14, we see Jesus as our High Priest in heaven. Just like the high priests in the Old Testament, who would offer sacrifices and prayers on behalf of the people, Jesus now presents our prayers and praises to God.
This is a powerful truth because it shows that Jesus is actively involved in our prayers, bringing them before God.
Understanding the role of Jesus as our High Priest enriches our prayer life by embedding a deeper spiritual significance into our prayers. It reminds us that we do not pray alone or in vain. Instead, we speak to God through a new covenant established by Jesus, which guarantees that our prayers are heard and they are welcomed with fatherly love.
Faith and Our Words
Our words are powerful, and how we speak can reveal what we truly believe. By speaking words of faith and agreeing with what God says about us, Jesus, our High Priest, takes these words and presents them to God.
The Bible underscores the power of the tongue to bless or curse, to build up or tear down. When we speak, we reveal what we hold in our hearts, what we truly believe. This is particularly crucial for believers because our words can either align with God’s truths or contradict them.
Confession and Agreement with God
Confession means agreeing with God. It’s about aligning our words with what the Bible says about us and our lives. This agreement activates our faith, allowing us to receive from God.
When we declare truths such as “I am more than a conqueror through Christ who loves me” or “By His stripes, I am healed,” we are not just engaging in positive thinking but actively placing our faith in and declaring God’s promises.
The Importance of Active Faith
Faith, in its essence, is more dynamic than passive hope. It’s a firm declaration of God’s promises as present realities, not just distant possibilities. In the Christian life, regularly reflecting on what we are believing God for is crucial.
This practice sharpens our spiritual focus and aligns our lives with God’s will. It turns our hopes into tangible expectations.
Faith transforms our hopes into certainties. This kind of faith does not ignore reality but instead chooses to define reality through the lens of God’s word.
It sees beyond the natural circumstances to the supernatural truths promised in Scripture. By doing so, faith becomes a powerful force that not only hopes for God’s work in our lives but actively engages with it.
Conclusion
Therefore, regularly reflecting on our faith commitments is crucial for every believer. It ensures that the changing tides of circumstances do not sway our life’s direction but steadfastly anchor us in the truth of God’s word.
This practice transforms our hopes into assured realities, profoundly impacting how we live and interact with the world around us.
Prayer:
Lord, give me grace and a supernatural understanding of the power of my prayers. Let the words that I speak be words of life and not death, words of blessing and not cursing. Jesus, you are my great High Priest. Thank you for your sacrifices, which allow me to come before Your throne and have confidence that my prayers are heard. In Jesus’ name. Amen.