Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Luke 11: 1-13 refers to the golden altar of incense or the worship.
Luke 11:1
11:1. Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."
Our prayer is: "Lord, teach us to pray."
Romans 8:26
8:26. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
We ask God to teach us to pray because of the reasons as follows:
James 5:16-18
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 manavails much.
5:17. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestlythat it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
5:18. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
The requirements of the prayer that pleases God are as follows:
God blesses us.
Luke 11: 1-13 refers to the golden altar of incense or the worship.
Luke 11:1
11:1. Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."
Our prayer is: "Lord, teach us to pray."
Romans 8:26
8:26. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
We ask God to teach us to pray because of the reasons as follows:
- We confess that we have many weaknesses so we do not know what we should pray for as we ought.
- We are often disturbed by our fleshly mind and feeling when we pray, so we are in doubt.
The prayer in doubt is not answered by God.
James 1:6-7
1:6. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
1:7. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; - We often pray to fulfill our pleasures.
James 4:3
4:3. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
- We are often disturbed by our fleshly mind and feeling when we pray, so we are in doubt.
- We need Holy Spirit to help us in our weaknessesso we can lift up the prayer that pleases God.
James 5:16-18
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 manavails much.
5:17. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestlythat it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
5:18. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
The requirements of the prayer that pleases God are as follows:
- The prayer is lifted up by a righteous man[James 5:16].
As a matter of fact, all men have sinned. Holy Spirit makes us realize our sins, so we can confess and forgive one another, and the blood of Jesus takes away our sins. We can live in peace and serenity.
1 Kings 18:30
18:30. Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.
Keeping sins is the same as breaking down the altar. Finishing sins is the same as repairing the altar which has been broken down to be the prayer of the righteous. - We pray fervently and earnestly[James 5:16-17].
Trust= faith. Holy Spirit helps us to hear the word of God earnestly, understand and believe it, so it becomes faith (trust) in our heart. We do not doubt anymore.
Romans 10:17
10:17. So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
The flesh always gets bored, lazy, and neglectful to serve God. Holy Spirit helps us to serve God earnestly and diligently.
When our prayer has not been answered yet, we are experiencing the test of faith and perseverance.
The test of faith is as follows:- We must not doubt against the impossibility, but we only keep trusting and hoping in God.
1 Kings 18:21, 39
18:21. And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word.
18:39. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!" - Our heart believes God because we hear His Word although we have not seen His help.
1 Kings 18:41
18:41. Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain."
- We keep persevering in prayer. Do not stop on the way until the perseverance is perfect (seven times).
1 Kings 18-42-43
18:42. So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees,
18:43. and said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked, and said, "There is nothing." And seven timeshe said, "Go again."
The perfect perseverance cannot be blocked and influenced anymore until we bow down before God. Holy Spirit helps us to humble our life as low as we can. We confess that we are the clay that is powerless and worthless.
We can worship God with broken heart until we are able to speak with other tongues. We only trust and cry to God.
18:44. Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, "There is a cloud, as small as a man's hand, rising out of the sea!" So he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.'"
18:45. Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.
As a result, God will stretch out His hands of great mercy, namely the clouds of glory is in the midst of us.
The results are as follows:- The power of God helps us in the twinkling of an eye. The impossible thing becomes possible, and all things are finished by God.
- We experience the preservation and protection power of Godfrom now in the middle of difficulties in the world up to the time when the antichrist reigns over the world for three and a half years.
- The power of renewal of life changes usfrom fleshly men to spiritual ones up to perfection like Jesus.
James 5:18
5:18. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
Galatians 5:22-23
5:22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
5:23. gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Experiencing the renewal of life is the same as yielding fruit. It starts from nine fruits of the Spirit as follows:- Love or no more hatred.
- Joy. Do not be gloomy!
- Peace.
- Longsuffering, namely we are patient in suffering and waiting the time of God.
- Kindness or generosity.
- Goodness; even returning good for evil.
- Faithfulness. Do not look for any reason in order not to minister.
The youth falls when he is not faithful. - Gentleness, namely we can receive the exhortation of the hard teaching word, parents, and the shepherd.
- Self-control. Do not follow the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life!
It continues until Jesus comes a second time that we are changed in the twinkling of an eye to be as perfect as He is. We are worthy to greet His second coming on the glorious clouds. - Love or no more hatred.
- We must not doubt against the impossibility, but we only keep trusting and hoping in God.
God blesses us.