Thoughts for Life: #14 Your Enthroned Prayer Partner

Dr. Wesley L. Duewel- Prayers bring you into
a sacred partnership with Jesus Christ, the enthroned Son of God. If God had not revealed this to you in His Word, it would have been blasphemous to suggest that you could share such partnership.

"The Lord worked with them" is a succinct history of the early church (Mark 16:20). Further, Scripture calls all Christians "God's fellow workers" (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor. 6:1). (Google image, Jesus praying with man)

There are many ways to "work" with God—through obedience, through service to others, and through sharing His love. But He wants to have even more intimate contact with you. He wants to bring you into His inner circle where you can hear His great heart beating for a lost world.

He has created you with the ability to speak to Him and fellowship with Him. Above all else, as His "fellow worker," you were created to pray—as He prays.

Why Does Jesus Pray?

We are told repeatedly in Scripture that Jesus prayed and that He continues to pray today. But why is prayer necessary for Jesus who spoke worlds into existence (John 1:3) and sustains all things (Heb. 1:3)? Why must He pray?

Why not merely command? No demon from hell or combination of demonic forces could stand against His powerful word. Why does Jesus not just rebuke them, stop them, or consume them by His word?

One day He will (2 Thess 2:8). One day He will rule with an iron scepter (Rev. 12:5), and so will we (Rev. 2:27). But today Christ has chosen to rule the world by prayer. This is the day of grace, not the day of His power and glory. Christ is already enthroned at the right hand of the Father.

What is He doing? He is reigning. But how is He reigning? Not by His scepter, but by prayer! Even before His death and resurrection, when He forewarned Peter that Satan had asked permission to sift the disciples as wheat (Luke 22:31-32), Christ did not say, "I will stop Satan." Instead He said, "I have prayed for you."

Jesus Reigns by Interceding

Today Jesus Christ is seated at the Father's "right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God has placed all things under his feet" (Eph. 1:20-22).

Christ is already seated on His throne. And what does Christ do there? Grant interviews to angels or departed saints? The only picture Scripture gives us that He is "at the right hand of God . . . interceding for us" (Rom. 8:34). Jesus lives forever, has a permanent priesthood, and always lives to intercede (Heb. 7:24-25).

Your Priestly Prayer Role

And that is exactly the role He has chosen for you. He loves you so much that He desires you to intercede with Him as He intercedes with the Father, and to bless the world as He does. He mediates blessing through prayer. You and I are to do the same.

Thus we read in 1 Peter 2:9, "You are . . . a royal priesthood." John writes us that Jesus loves us, has freed us from our sins by His blood, has made us into a kingdom, and has made us priests to serve His God and Father (Rev. 1:5-6).

Jesus is God's High Priest (Heb. 2:17). He has made us priests to God also (Rev. 1:6). This is how we are to serve God (v. 6). The greatest service you will ever do for God will not be your external ministering, witnessing, or preaching.

Your greatest service, whatever your vocation, is to be your priestly intercession. God has ordained to work through the prayers of His people. He is waiting for your intercession. You were not only created to pray; you were redeemed, justified, and sanctified to pray.

(Chapter 5, pp. 39-41, italics added for emphasis)

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Let's pray-

"Heavenly Father, we pray for our leaders—for all those in authority—our president, our governors, the leaders of our cities and towns—give them wisdom and understanding from You. Direct their decisions that we might live peaceful lives in godliness and holiness. Grant us a spirit of unity and cooperation. Silence the voices of division and hate. We are a land in need of healing. We have accepted your great blessings and enjoyed your protection but, in our pride, we have declared ourselves the source of these divine gifts.

Forgive us of our pride, our arrogance, and our idolatry. As your people, we know you are a God of justice but also a God of great mercy and forgiveness. We come today in humility to acknowledge our sin and to repent before You. May your name be exalted, and your Word honored across our nation — in the churches, in our homes, in our classrooms, in our courtrooms, and throughout our government. In Jesus’ name, amen."
Jason Yates Info@my faithvotes.org

Today's Bible verses-

Isaiah 41:13 (MSG) "For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, 'Fear not, I am the one who helps you.' "

Isaiah 41:10 (KJV) "Fear not, for I am with you: be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold your with my righteous right hand."

Psalm 34:17-18 "When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."

Today's quote-

Liberty Savard- "The debt we owed God was so enormous, it was beyond anyone's ability to pay it except God himself. So, the almighty, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God of eternity, in the incarnate Christ, substituted himself for us and paid off our debt by shedding His own blood on that cross. The most precious forgiveness to exist came at the highest price ever paid in the universe. And it came to you and me before we ever had he sense to ask for it or the standing to deserve it." (p. 116 in SHATTERING YOUR STRONGHOLDS) [Excellent book!]

Words of wisdom-

~ Praying for other nations gives us God's Heart for them.

Today's guest post-

By Our Love

By Joanna Eccles

"I invited her to Starbucks so I could apologize.
The lady had shown up unexpectedly at a Christmas party for a ministry in which she wasn’t involved. I only spoke a few words to her, mostly talking with other people. Later, while reading my Bible, God convicted me of my bad attitude, so I decided to make amends.
Apparently, she had not noticed my rudeness until I said something. Instead of forgiving me, she laid out a long list of complaints. The coffee acid burned my stomach. My efforts to reconcile had backfired . . . "