Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
If we want our prayers answered, how should we pray unto God?
Psalm 145:18
The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in Truth.
This is a simple verse found deep into the chapters of the Bible. Yet, it is absolutely profound. And it is the key to a successful prayer life. The Holy Spirit teaches us when we pray, we MUST pray Truth to God.
What is Truth?
John 17:17
Sanctify them through Thy Truth: Thy Word is Truth.
Can God make the explanation any clearer? This is so simple you need a theologian to help mess it up. Truth is God’s Word. Not what man has to say but what God has to say is Truth.
Here’s what God thinks about man’s wisdom.
I Corinthians 3:19-21
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain [empty].
21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
Praise God! I remember years ago when God called me to start the EnProVera Corporation, one of the first things He told me to do was throw away the bookshelves of business books and autobiographies and biographies of business luminaries I had at the time. I had books written about and written by the giants of General Electric, IBM, 3M, etc. God told me to throw them in the trash. At first, I argued with God saying, “can I at least give them to a public or school library? These are expensive and good books.” God said to me, “why do you think I’m telling you to throw them in the trash. These men and women were foolish and paid the price in how they treated people, families, their own families, their marriages, and for their hubris and pride. These men and women didn’t honor Me with their substance and with the firstfruits of all their increase. They didn’t take care of the poor, the orphaned, the widowed, the homeless, and fill the coffers of My storehouses. They don’t know Me. I’m going to teach business to you with the Truth.” I’ve learned through the years that the blessings upon the business have come from what many would consider left field. Unexpected blessings. Several times in our own strength we had “deals” made with our wisdom and trusting in other men or women to make them happen. 90% of these opportunities failed. It is only when God is made the Architect of the business that one will experience success. God will give those seeking Him the vision, which we are to decree and seed in faith. Once this is done, we leave the “how” up to God. As He directs us, we perform. Most of the time, God’s direction will go AGAINST man’s wisdom. Who are you going to trust? Some man who ran General Electric or God? I’m betting on God to get it right 100% of the time.
Man deals in physical facts. God, and therefore us, must deal in Spiritual Truth. Spiritual Truth supersedes any physical fact. Yes, it may be a physical fact you have a sickness, but it is not the Spiritual Truth. You don’t speak or pray physical fact; you speak or pray Spiritual Truth. Unless, that is, you want to take your chances with man’s healing.
When we pray, how are we to approach God?
Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find Grace to help in time of need.
As this verse tells us, we are to come BOLDLY to the Throne of unmerited, unearned, and undeserved favor. We are to come with Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, Intercessor, Mediator, Advocate, and Counselor. There is ONLY ONE WAY we can come to the Throne of Grace boldly. First, by coming with Jesus. Second, by decreeing The Word of God to The Father. See, Psalm 145:18 makes it perfectly clear we must approach God with The Truth. There is ONLY ONE TRUTH. The Word of God.
There are two verses The Holy Spirit brings to my mind right away telling me how we boldly approach The Throne of Grace.
Job 22:28
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light [study the Hebrew, this is the light of prosperity. Sorry to all of you that are religious] shall shine upon thy ways.
Isaiah 43:26
Put Me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.
Kings decree and beggars ask or beg. When we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, Revelation 1:5-6 came alive inside God’s Spirit in us. We became kings and priests unto God through Jesus Christ. This is why Jesus is “The King of kings and The Lord of lords and The Great High Priest of the priests.” Kings decree boldly. Their word is the law.
God has told us in Job 22:28 and Isaiah 43:26, among many other like verses of Scripture, to decree or declare. Both mean the same – GIVE AN ORDER. What order? The order of Truth.
Let me give you an example. Rather than praying and asking for travel mercies, try this. “Father, I thank You that I’m protected and delivered from all harm and all attacks of the enemy as I enjoy this trip. I decree there is no weapon formed by the enemy that can prosper against my family or me. No oppression, no terror, and no fear can come against my family or me. This is Your will and Your Word for me, and I decree it boldly in The Name of Jesus The Christ.” That’s it. You’re done. Declared or decreed in faith – IT IS SO!
Now, let’s look at what is usually prayed. “Father, I’m asking You to watch over me and my family as we travel. Bless us and keep us from all harm. Please protect us and deliver us from the enemy in The Name of Jesus.” On the surface, this prayer sounds really good. We feel very good about what we prayed. Confident, even. God cannot do for you what He’s already done. Asking for something you already have is a total waste of your breath and time. What we are to do is COME INTO AGREEMENT with The Truth already given us. We have it and it IS working for us. Otherwise, we have to hope for a miracle. God never intended for His Children to live by miracles. We are to live the very way Jesus modeled for us while He was on this earth in His ministry.
Matthew 18:19
Again I [Jesus] say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven.
This is known as the Spiritual Law of Agreement which operates in the Kingdom of God. Remember, the Kingdom of God is a government (Isaiah 9:6-7). Governments have laws. If you decree something and you don’t have a second human Believer around to agree with you, then all you need to do is agree with the Holy Spirit. This is your second in agreement. You shall have what you decree or declare. But notice, it has to start on earth first as a decree made by you and one other in agreement with God’s Word. Then God can make it so from heaven.
Now, a sharp observer will say to me, “Larry, in Matthew 18:19, it says “that they shall ask…” I thought you said we were not to ask, but we were to decree or declare. When you look up the Greek Word for “ask” in this verse, it means both “to ask, to demand.” We will look at this next week. In this case, translated correctly it would say “any thing that they shall demand, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven.” We are not able to “demand” unless the demand is consistent with God’s Word. We are “demanding” or “decreeing” in agreement with God’s Word. But there are times when we “ask.” We will see this in next week’s email as we examine when we decree and when we ask.
“YOUR DESIRE HAS TO BE BIGGER THAN YOUR BUT.” Gary Keesee
Much love in Christ Jesus,
Larry