Jesus: The Reason Our Prayers Are Answered (Heb 4:14-16)

It has been said that prayer is not an intercom to ask a servant to bring us tea… but a war time walkie-talkie to call in fire support during battle.[i]  I agree.  God has given us the privilege of prayer so that as we are storming the gates of hell we have God’s power to overcome.

Prayer is to be applied to every area of life, but I’m afraid we’ve relegated it to merely asking God to heal us.  I don’t condemn that by any stretch… but I do think we need to return to the original purpose of prayer… God’s Kingdom Enterprises (War time walkie-talkie).

God’s Kingdom Enterprises are: 1) Glorifying Him thru the salvation of sinners, 2) Honoring Him by becoming more like Christ, & 3) Bringing His Kingdom into the world in which we live.

God saves sinners in response to C’ian’s praying.  Becoming more like Jesus takes place as C’ians pray.  God’s Kingdom is established in answer to the prayers of believers.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  It is of great importance to remember WHY God hears us when we pray.  And then WHY God is willing to answer the prayers we pray.  The answer is Jesus.

The first word of Heb 4:14 (Since) is explained in the rest of the vs.  It is b/c Jesus left heaven… where He dwelt for eternity past… to become human, living the life we should’ve lived & dying the death we should’ve died… was crucified, risen, & then ascended back to heaven that God answers our prayers.

But it is a conditional truth.  We must “hold fast our confession” to be heard by God.  The confession is in Ro 10:9, “IF you confess (Agree) w/ your mouth that Jesus is Lord (Abundance of the heart the mouth speaks) & believe God raised Him from the dead…” In other words, only those who are saved thru Jesus can pray… are heard by God & He answers.

No other religion’s prayers are heard & answered by God.  Not the Jew… Mormon… Hindu… Muslim… nor any other person who doesn’t name Jesus as Lord & God’s only way of salvation.

Jesus provided for our prayers to be answered b/c he always existed w/ God as God & “passed thru the heavens” to earth (4:14b).  He lived a perfect life, died… was resurrected… then to God in heaven.[ii]  No other religion makes this claim about its founder!  C’ianity is unique from all other faiths!

To read the rest of the message manuscript, CLICK HERE…