Be sure your own heart is pure before God and that there is no controversy between God and your own soul.(Google image, Praying woman).
Be sure that you are arguing for that which glorifies God, for the extension of God's kingdom and in accordance with God's will. This last point is very important.
The Holy Spirit can confirm to your heart that what you desire is indeed the will of God. When you are confirmed in this assurance, then you can make bold your pleadings and arguments before the Lord.
You do not need to pray to inform God about the need that burdens you, for God knows the whole situation better than you do. (However, it pleases the Lord for you to describe it fully to Him.)
You need to pray because God has ordained to work through your prayer, added to the intercession of Jesus at the Father's right hand. In a different context God, through Isaiah, revealed His heart:
" 'Present your case,' says the LORD. "Set forth your
arguments.' " (Isa. 41:21).
Presenting your case and detailing your arguments not only pleases God, it helps you understand the need more completely, moves your compassion, strengthens your determination, arms you with greater holy hunger.
1. Plead the honor and glory of God's name. The honor of God's name is involved in many ways in the answer of prayer needs. The answer to prayer usually brings glory to God.
If God does not act in some situations, it can dishonor His name. Many situations bring dishonor to God if they are allowed to continue. So God's name is at stake in most needs.
God saved Israel at the Red Sea "for his name's sake" (Ps. 106:8). Joshua pleaded with God to help Israel asking, "What then will you do for your own great name?" (Josh. 7:9).David prayed for the sake of God's name (2 Sam. 7:26). David, knowing the God-given responsibility of kingship placed upon him, prayed for guidance (Ps. 23:3; 31:3) and help (109:21; 143:11) for God's name's sake. Asaph prayed for God to help Israel "for the glory of your name" (79:9).
There is no name like God's name. At the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, all to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:10-11).
Present and plead your case to God. Show how the petition that you are pressing is for the purpose of exalting the name of Jesus, extending the lordship of Jesus, and so fulfilling God's highest will and highest glory. Thus your pleas are mighty before God.
2. Plead God's relationships to you.
a. God is your Creator, and you are the work of His hands (Job 10:3, 8-9; 14:15).
b. God is your Helper (Ps. 33:20; 40:17; 63:7), your ever-present Help (46:1). Plead the fact that He has been your Helper (27:9).
c. God is your Redeemer (Ps. 19:14). He calls Himself your Redeemer (Isa. 41:14: 54:5).
d. God is your Father. Plead that fact. Isaiah pleaded God's role as both creator and Father. "Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand" (Is. 64:8).
As your Creator, Helper, Redeemer, and Father, will He not remember you, protect you, and provide for you and for all that He has created and redeemed? What powerful pleas you can make on the basis of God's relationships to you!
3. Plead God's attributes. It pleases God to do things for His righteousness' sake (Isa. 42:21). He intervenes for the sake of the righteous (59:16-17). Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne (Ps. 97:2).
4. Plead the sorrows and needs of the people. God has a tender heart. He feels all the suffering of the whole universe. It is all directly or indirectly a result of sin. God suffers intensely each additional day He permits earth's sinful, tragic civilization to continue.
David was one who took on himself the sufferings of his people. He even wept for the suffering of his enemies (Ps. 16:9). Nehemiah, and especially Daniel, used this plea greatly as they vicariously identified themselves with the sufferings of the people.
Nothing is more eloquent to God than the tears, heart-cries, and groaning of God's children as they vicariously identify with the sufferings of the world and plead for God's mercy.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Used by permission of the author and Duewel Literature Trust, Inc., Greenwood, Indiana. Creative reading style by Jean.
#145 How to Plead Before God (1-4)
by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
(pp. 301- 305) Zondervan
Prayer-
Father, remind us that in order to have powerfully bold praying, our hearts must be pure before you.
Help us deal with any controversy we're aware of too, as our desire is to glorify you, and for the extension of Your kingdom and will.
As our Creator, Helper, Redeemer and Father, we can be assured that You will remember, protect and provide for us.
Our tears and heart-felt prayers come as Your Holy Spirit moves on us to get involved with the needs of others; for Your intervention in things that will bring honor to Your holy name.
We realize that we desperately need Your guidance in all our praying to make sure Your name is revered, and Your will done.
In Jesus' name. Amen.
Today's Bible verses-
"Thou comest to me with sword, and with a spear, and with a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied." 1 Sam. 17:45 (KJV).
"Also I heard the voice of the lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for me?" Is. 6:8 (KJV).
"Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long” (Ps. 25:5).
Notes on biblical manhood-
So, what is biblical manhood? Do men realize that they have the responsibility to have the initiative to step up to various problems and to exhibit determination to bring solutions? If the man is married, will he become a man who is willing to serve others, and give himself unreservedly to wife and family? Does the man guard his tongue, determined to have self control in his daily life? Will he press in to know the Lord of glory, to learn what His directives are for himself, family and others? Is he submissive to godly men and their leadership in a Bible-believing church group, for training in how to become a man of character?
In the beginning, in the garden of Eden, God gave Adam responsibility of tending and caring for what was created for his benefit. It has not ceased to this day, for man is responsible for following God's directives as the one who takes control, leading with good character qualities.
Passivity, indifference about what he should be doing, causes his detachment from real needs and their solutions, thus leaving others to try to accomplish what his insensitivity causes.
The men who are surrendered to God's leadership will bring victory and honor to Him, leading in high moral character, as they obediently submit to God's original plan for man. They'll lead out and be the ones to take control of situations and needs.” (Taken from my notes of Pastor Ben’s message Biblical Manhood)
Upcoming posts-
28th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
Gathered Home
30th- Saturday's post by Lisa Buffaloe
#147 Will You Become Mighty in Prayer?
10/3rd- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
#148 First, Get the Vision
5th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
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The important thing in pleading with
ReplyDeleteThe important thing in pleading with God seems to be that we bring our hearts and minds into agreement with his. Thank you for this reminder, Jean.