Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Every Prayer

Every Prayer 

"There's a name that levels mountains
And carves out highways through the sea
And I've seen its power unravel battles
Right in front of me (yeah)
Oh, there's a faith that stands defiant
It sends Goliath to his knees
And I've seen His praise unravel shackles
Right off my feet (come on)
'Cause that's the power of Your name
Just a mention makes a way
Giants fall and strongholds break and there is healing
And that's the power that I claim
It's the same that rolled the grave
And there's no power like the mighty name of Jesus (yeah, yeah)
(No power like the name)
(Come on, there's a hope)
Oh, there's a hope that calls out courage
And in the furnace unafraid
The kind of daring expectation
That every prayer I make
Is on an empty grave
That's the power of Your name
Just a mention makes a way
Giants fall and strongholds break and there is healing
That's the power that I claim
It's the same that rolled the grave
And there's no power like the mighty name of Jesus
There's no power like the mighty name of Jesus (yeah, yeah)
(There's no power like the name)
(No power like the name)
'Cause I see You taking ground
Oh, I see You press ahead
And Your power is dangerous to the enemy's camp (hey)
You still do miracles
And You will do what You said
For You're the same God now as You've always been (hey)
Your Spirit breaking out
Your kingdom moving in
Your victory claims the ground that the enemy had
(Yes, it did, yes, it did)
You still do miracles
And You will do what You said
For You're the same God now as You've always been
And that's the power of Your name
Just a mention makes a way
Giants fall and strongholds break and there is healing
Oh, that's the power that I claim
It's the same that rolled the grave
There's no power like the mighty name of Jesus
There's no power like the mighty name of Jesus
There's no power like the mighty name of Jesus"  - 'That's the Power' - Hillsong Worship 

It's just before 4 AM and my first cup of coffee is drank already. Things have already been happening and yet in the midst prayers already beginning to be answered.  I have a new item on my list of things to do, however, God prepared me for it years ago. 

Prayer works.  Prayer only works because of that empty grave of Jesus.  Because He conquered sin, death and the grave, because He tore the veil in the temple...we can enter in. 

The most significant prayer we ever pray is when we first come to Christ for salvation.  It's an acknowledgment of that empty grave. 

Part of this song was running through my mind this morning as I woke up.  I think about the thousands of times He’s answered prayers...it's staggering.  Because of that empty grave. 

We were challenged to live each day as if it were Easter.  No, not the multicolored eggs and candy every day part, the part where we remember what Jesus did. What He made possible. What He's still doing today.  

Another fantastic reminder of Easter is in this song as well by Passion Conferences "What He's Done"

See on the hill of Calvary
My Savior bled for me
My Jesus set me free
And look at the wounds that give me life
Grace flowing from His side
No greater sacrifice
What He's done
What He's done
All the glory and the honor to the Son
My sins are forgiven
My future is Heaven
I praise God for what He's done
Sing for the freedom He has won
Even death is dead and done
His life has overcome
Speak, say the Name above all names
Over every broken place
He is risen from the grave
What He's done
What He's done
All the glory and the honor to the Son
My sins are forgiven
My future is Heaven
I praise God for what He's done
Now on a throne of majesty
The Father's will complete
He reigns in victory
Sing hallelujah to the King
He is worthy to receive
All the worship we can bring
What He's done
What He's done
All the glory and the honor to the Son
My sins are forgiven
My future is Heaven
I praise God for what He's done
What He's done
What He's done
All the glory and the honor to the Son
My sins are forgiven
My future is Heaven
I praise God for what He's done
I praise God for what He's done

Each day we live we are to live for the one who did it all for us...out of gratitude and thankfulness. 

Our prayers are meaningless if we keep sins in our lives and don't turn away from them.  We build walls between us and Jesus with unconfessed sin. Jesus has the power to break through to us when we do confess our sins.  Jesus, the Bible says, is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. 

I don't pray to someone who isn't there, like every single religion in this world today. I pray to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The ONLY One who conquered the grave.  It's said that all the religions of this world all lead to Satan, the only relationship leads to Jesus Christ. There's graves of the leaders of all the world's religions and within them are bodies of the dead.  Just not in the case of Jesus. He arose just like He said...as the Angel testified to.  We have both Angelic witnesses and we have others who saw Him alive after He died.  Besides the 11 and the women followers, over 500 saw Him alive. 

If it weren't for that empty grave all prayers would go nowhere. We who have placed our faith and trust in Christ Jesus alone for salvation have never been disappointed for over 2,000 years.  

If you want an ordinary life, one that leads only to an eternal separation from God in your paying for your own sins, then indeed don't come to Christ for salvation.  

If you're wanting someone to take your place in regards to that judgment against you for your sins, Jesus is the only way, the only One to whom you're a prayer away from it happening. 

You can’t and won't know the truth about prayer until you come to Jesus for salvation.  You won't know the freedom in Christ Jesus until you turn your life over to Him in exchange for what He's done for you. 

I can't and am glad that I can't know a life without Jesus in it with me.  He's always kept His promise to never leave me or forsake me, no matter how rough life has been. 

What He's done...oh what He's done.  

That gap between sinful me and God has been filled by what He's done.  

The guilty verdict against me has been erased because of what He's done. 

The door to Heaven has been permanently been opened between He and I because of what He's done. 

My future is Heaven.  I praise God for what He's done.  He hears my prayers and my praise because of what He's done. 

Can the same be said of you?  If not, it can be. You're only a prayer away.  To acknowledge your need to be saved is but the beginning.  As it says in the book of Romans in the Bible, "But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." Romans 10:8-10

You may already be resisting, starting off with thoughts along the lines of "But what about..." or "But you don't know..." or "I...".

Nothing stands between you and the free gift of salvation but you. Push all your thoughts and reasons aside and freely take what He's done for you. 

Open that door of prayer to the Living Lord Jesus.  He's been waiting your entire life to hear from you.  You'll never be the same, and that's all in every good way.  Life will likely still be complicated and difficult, but you'll not ever be facing it alone...because of what He's done.  

Easter certainly isn't 1 day a year when because of what He's done.  We get to celebrate Easter every day because if what He's done.  We get a relationship with Jesus that's unparalleled by any other.  The greatest of friendships is found in Jesus.  He already knows the best and worst about you, and still stays by the side of those who believe.  Believing that God exists isn't enough.  What we read from Romans has to take place.  Demons and Satan know and acknowledge that God exists. 

Every prayer is heard in Heaven by Jesus because of what He's done.  Is your future in Heaven?  Your response can't be "I hope so, I've been a good person".  It has to be more than just that.  Don't think that you have time to decide.  I know of people who were having pleasant conversations with spouses and stood up for another cup of coffee and fell over dead. He thought he had another day too. You have no guarantee that you have time to decide.  

If you indeed wish to be heard by God, you must come through the Son of God, through Jesus Christ...because of what He's done. 

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