Romans 8:34 who is he that condemns? It is Christ who has died, but rather has been also raised up; who is also at the right hand of God; who also intercedes for us.
This is another encouraging verse since it shows that the Lord is praying (interceding) for us. So don’t loose heart, God is on your side to bring you fully into His glory.
Hebrews 7:25 Whence also he is able to save completely those who approach by him to God, always living to intercede for them. In this verse we are told that the Lord is always praying.
Hannah’s prayer helps us understand that prayer is not always asking (1 Sam. 2:1-10). The biblical author called what she said prayer, but her prayer did not contain any petition, only praise and thanksgiving. This helps up understand prayer from another angle.
Notice this long prayer:
1 Samuel 2:1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart exulteth in Jehovah, my horn is lifted up in Jehovah; my mouth is opened wide over mine enemies; for I rejoice in thy salvation. 2 There is none holy as Jehovah, for there is none beside thee, neither is there any rock like our God. 3 Do not multiply your words of pride, let not vain-glory come out of your mouth; For Jehovah is a ùGod of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4 The bow of the mighty is broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5 They that were full have hired themselves out for bread; and the hungry are so no more: Even the barren beareth seven, and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. 6 Jehovah killeth, and maketh alive; he bringeth down to Sheol, and bringeth up. 7 Jehovah maketh poor, and maketh rich, he bringeth low, also he lifteth up: 8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust; from the dung-hill he lifteth up the needy, To set him among nobles; and he maketh them inherit a throne of glory; For the pillars of the earth are Jehovah’s, and he hath set the world upon them. 9 He keepeth the feet of his saints, but the wicked are silenced in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. 10 They that strive with Jehovah shall be broken to pieces; in the heavens will he thunder upon them. Jehovah will judge the ends of the earth; and he will give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.
Can a sinner pray? Consider the what should be the number one apostle “Peter”, who many times was singled out special by the Lord Jesus. Matt 16 — “Peter, …upon this rock”, Matt 17 – saw the Lord transfigured with a few other apostles.
But here in Luke 5, Peter realized he was a sinner. Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw [it,] he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
Consider this section from Holy in Christ by Andrew Murray.
O my God! with a love and a joy and a thanksgiving that cannot be uttered, I praise Thee for Christ, who has been made unto us of Thee sanctification and redemption. In Him Thou art my Redeemed, my Holy One. In Him I am Thy redeemed, Thy holy one. O God! in speechless adoration I fall down to worship the love that passeth knowledge, that hath done this for us, and to believe that in one who is now before Thee, holy in Christ, Thou wilt fulfil all Thy glorious purposes according to the greatness of Thy power. Amen.
1. ‘Redemption through His blood.’ The blood we meet at the threshold of the pathway of Holiness. For it is the blood of the sacrifice which the fire of God consumed, and yet could not consume. That blood has such power of holiness in it, that we read, ‘Sanctified by His own blood.’ Always think of holiness, or pray for it, as one redeemed by blood. Live under the covering of the blood in its daily cleansing power.
“Live near to God, and so all things will appear to you little in comparison with eternal realities.” from Robert Murray M’Cheyne
This verse reminds me of I Cor 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Also consider the verse showing the confidence of God in completing what He begun in us. Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
So when we pray, remember God is in this eternal realm, and sees things from this perspective.
Genesis 1:9 And God said–Let the waters under the heavens, be gathered together, into one place, and let the dry-ground appear. And it was so. When God prays things happen. No earthly environment or situation can hinder God, eventually He wins and everything else stands in awe.
Look at these verses on prayer in the Bible, God listens to every prayer. Have this confidence that in every pray, whether it be small or large, whether it be well phrased, or just a bunch of broken words, God listens. Sometimes what we think are the worst prayers, God just loves, since we are expressing our real feelings.
Psalms 66:19 But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer.
Psalms 66:20 Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me!
James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly…
This last verse in James eventually refers to Elijah who in a very unique situation needed a prayer to bring God in to vindicate Himself. Elijah did pray and God did come in.
So never feel that God does not hear, He does hear and answer. p.s. answers do not always come how and when we expect them.
O Lord! the alone Holy One, Thou hast called us to be holy, even as Thou art holy. Lord! how can we, unless Thou reveal to us Thy Holiness. Show us, we pray Thee, how Thou art holy, how holy Thou art, what Thy holiness is, that we may know how we are to be holy, how holy we are to be. And when the sight of Thy Holiness only shows us the more how unholy we are, teach us that Thou makest partakers of Thy own Holiness those who come to Thee for it.
O God! We come to Thee, the Holy One. It is in knowing and finding and having Thyself, that the soul finds Holiness. We do beseech Thee, as we now come to Thee, establish it in the thoughts of our heart, that the one object of Thy calling us, and of our coming to Thee, is Holiness. Thou wouldst have us like Thyself, partakers of Thy Holiness. If ever our heart becomes afraid, as if it were too high, or rests content with a salvation less than Holiness, Blessed God! let us hear Thy voice calling again, Be holy, I am holy. Let that call be our motive and our strength, because faithful is He that calleth, who also will do it. Let that call mark our standard and our path; oh! let our life be such as Thou art able to make it.
Holy Father! I bow in lowly worship and silence before Thee. Let now Thine own voice sound in the depths of my heart calling me, Be holy, as I am holy. Amen.
From Holy in Christ by Andrew Murray