26^th July

“He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins……Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 7:25

Did you know that it is only because of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit in glorifying the Son through our lives, that we can enter into God’s presence and live for Him in all we do. We do not enter out of merit but out of surrender; Surrender to Jesus’ finished work on the cross. We surrender to the fact that we are forgiven and made clean before the Father, and have accepted that Jesus has purchased our freedom with His own blood. Moreover, it is Jesus who intercedes for us saying, ‘Don’t punish them, I paid the price.’

Bryan Chapell, in his book called “Praying Backwards” talks of how important it is to pray in Jesus’ Name as the foundation of your prayer, not the conclusion of it, because it is in Jesus’ Name, that the Father is glorified in our petitions and in Jesus’ Name that we can even approach God’s throne. He suggests that this, is in essence why and how we can pray in Jesus’ Name….

“Lord, there is not enough goodness in my best works to warrant Your listening to me or answering my prayer. But, Lord, I am not appealing to You on the basis of my merit. I ask You to listen to me as one who trusts in the blood of Jesus to wash away my sin. By the work of Your Holy Spirit, I am united to Jesus, and it is only on the basis of His righteousness that I can approach Your holy throne in this prayer.”¹

Chapell’s prayer is an acknowledgement, that as forgiven sons and daughters of Almighty God, we can enter into God’s presence, not based on merit, but as people who have accepted the finished work of the cross. Today, when you pray in Jesus’ Name, know that He is listening, sitting next to the Father and interceding on your behalf.