There’s a story told of a little boy standing outside of Buckingham Palace in London, England, longing to see the King. He asks the guard at the gate “Please mister, I want to see the King.” But he is not allowed through the gate. It is closed tight to him. A Man parked nearby sees the situation and gets out of his car and approaches the young boy and asks him what he wants? “I want to see the King” he says. The man has him join him in his car and drive to the gates, Immediately the gates open, when they arrive at the front of the Palace, someone runs to open the car door, the doors to the palace are opened and the man takes the young boy by the hand down a long hall way and a door is opened and there to the amazement of the boy sits the King upon His Throne. With that the man says to the King, “Father, I would like to introduce to you my friend.”

The man was the son of the King and He had unlimited access into the presence of his father. Today I have been thinking of the Access we have to God because His Son has brought us into His Presence…. Consider some of the Privileges you have in Prayer to your…Father…because of the Son…

THE PRIVILEGES OF PRAYER;

1.  You have been ADOPTED by the Father. Him- Eph 1:4 ; Full benefits- Eph 1:3-11
2.  You have Permanent ACCESS to the Father,- Heb 10:19
3.  You have ACCEPTANCE with God. – Eph 1:6
4.  You have An ADVOCATE with the Father – 1 Jn 2:1-3,
5.  You have AUTHORITY To enter into His presence – Heb 4:16
6.  You have ASSURANCE you will be heard- Heb 4:16 ,10:22, 1 Jn 5:14, 3:22
7.  You have ALMIGHTY God praying with and for you.
A. – The Lord Jesus your Great High Priest ever lives to intercede for you. – Hebrew 7:25
B. – The Holy Spirit intercedes for you – Rom 8:26
8.  You have the ABILITY of God to perform answers to your prayers- Eph 3:20

God is Able!
God is not hindered or dependent on others to do what only He can do, which is a work of God – and change Lives…and situations.

What Great Privilege the follower of the Lord Jesus Christ has, we have an Audience with the Living God- The Almighty GOD, WHO Effortlessly spoke the world into existence- Gen 1:1 and the Living Lord Jesus who PRESENTLY and Effortlessly upholds and sustains the world – Heb 1:3 “He…upholds …all things with the WORD of His POWER.” Almighty God, Creator and Sustaining God, Maker of all things visible and invisible…who Sovereignly sits enthroned above the earth in whom ALL men and women will one day have to give an account to -Rev 20:11-15; 2 Cor 5:10; Phil 2:9-11.

It is to this One whom we can call “ Father”- those of us who have embraced and trusted His Son ALONE- for the Forgiveness of sins and Deliverance from the consequences … we can draw close to His Loving heart and come to His Throne of Favor- the Throne of Grace and RECEIVE from Him help in time of need.

God greatly encourages His people in Hebrews 4:14-16-“Therefore, since WE HAVE a Great High priest who has passed through the Heavens, JESUS THE SON OF GOD, LET US hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest WHO CANNOT SYMPATHIZE with our weaknesses, But One who has been tempted in All things as we are, yet without sin.

“Therefore, LET US DRAW NEAR WITH CONFIDENCE TO THE THRONE OF GRACE, SO THAT WE MAY RECEIVE MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED.”- Hebrews 4:16

OH, BELOVED OF GOD– look  at the Privilege you have been afforded by and through the Lord Jesus Christ – ACCESS, and A Friend who sits at the Right Hand  God for you- 1 John 2:1″…We HAVE an ADVOCATE with the Father, JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS”…

AVAIL OF YOUR PERMANENT ACCESS TO GOD IN PRAYER – THAT WAS ACHIEVED BY HIS BLOOD. AND DRAW NEAR TO GOD CONFIDENTLY WITH FULL ASSURANCE He sees you, and is listening to you and desires to hear from you- 1 Peter 3:12 says “For the EYES of the Lord are Towards the righteous and His EARS ATTEND to their Prayers”.

Because of what God has done in placing you in right relationship with Himself through His Son -“But by HIS DOING you ARE in Christ Jesus, who Became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, Boast in the Lord” {I Cor 1:30-31}  – We can draw near to Him and enter into the Privilege to Pray to Him and Know He is ABLE to do what will Glorify Him most in our requests…To God be the Glory…

THANK GOD for the Privileges He has bestowed on you in Prayer

  • Thank Him for the ACCESS YOU HAVE TO HIM- Rom 5:2; Eph 3:12
  • Thank Him for His ADOPTING you into His Family- Rom 8:15
  • Thank Him for ACCEPTING you because of the Work of JESUS ON YOUR BEHALF- Eph 1:6
  • Thank Him for the ASSURANCE you have of His  attention; 1 Peter 3:12
  • Thank Him for the AUTHORITY through His Son in which you can come to Him to make your requests known to Him…-Heb 4:16
  • Thank Him for the ALMIGHTY Ones’ Gift of Audience to you day or night…1 Peter 3:12
  • THANK Him for his ABILITY to do whatever Pleases Him in earth or sky -Psalm 135:6 says “Whatever PLEASES HIM HE DOES…”

Consider the Privileges God has Bestowed on you to Pray and use them.

GOD WANTS you to Pray and to be ever in an attitude of prayer…always ready to turn every circumstance into an opportunity to Praise Him, Thank Him, Request of Him, Intercede before Him on behalf of others. For years when I hear an ambulance or fire brigade siren I have tried t immediately turn that sound into an opportunity to PRAY TO GOD for those involved…and at times I have seen my little children follow suit…”PRAY about EVERYTHING”-Phil 4:6 tells us. There is nothing too small, too big in your life that God does not want you to be able to bring to Him. Aren’t you glad God has afforded you this GREAT PRIVILEGE.

WHO CAN YOU USE YOUR PRIVILEGE TO PRAY FOR?

1.- PRAY FOR THOSE IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY-
1 Tim 2:1 –
“FIST of all, then, I Urge that entreaties and PRAYERS, petitions and Thanksgivings, Be made on BEHALF OF ALL MEN, for kings and ALL Who are in AUTHORITY…

The SCRIPTURE SPEAKS TO US OF

A.- Those in Civil Authority – Rom 13:1-4
B. -Those in Family- Eph 6:1-3
C. -Those Godly Leaders in the Church- Heb 10:17; I Thess 5:12-13

2.- PRAY FOR LABORERS -To be Compelled to Go with the Gospel
Matthew 9:36-38- ” Therefore BESEECH the Lord to SEND OUT WORKERS into His harvest…”

3. PRAY FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO WITNESS- Gods WORD regarding the Lord Jesus.
– Col 4:3 – “PRAYING at the same time SO THAT or us as well, THAT GOD WILL OPEN UP TO US A DOOR FOR THE WORD,  we may speak forth the mystery of Christ,…”

4. PRAY FOR THE SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF CHRISTIANS
Col 4:12 –“…Laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, THAT YOU MAY STAND MATURE and FULLY ASSURED in ALL the Will of God” 

5. PRAY FOR THE SUFFERING AND THE SICK.
James 5:14- “Is ANYONE among you Suffering? He MUST PRAY…Is ANYONE among you sick? then he MUST CALL for the elders of the church and they are to PRAY over him…”

6. PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING

Phil 4:6 “…in Everything by prayer…”

LEARN TO Turn your thoughts, anxieties, concerns and joys and questions into PRAYER.

Phil 4:6 –

“Be anxious in NOTHING BUT IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER and Supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

7. PRAY FOR THE GLORY OF GOD-Matt 6:9
      Matt 6:9 – “Our Father who are in Heaven, HALLOWED be YOUR NAME, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven”; John 15:7-8;1 John 5:14-15…
This will include the Spirit of God convicting lost people of sin…-John 16:8-11

These are but some things, situations and people you CAN PRAY for because of your PRIVILEGE in your relationship to GOD through the Lord Jesus Christ

Col 1:9-10- is a great prayer to pray for the people of God...
For this day since the day we have heard of you have not stopped PRAYING for you and ASKING GOD to fill you with the knowledge of His will through All spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we PRAY This IN ORDER THAT You may Live a Life WORTHY OF THE LORD and PLEASE HIM IN EVERY WAY; BEARING FRUIT in every good work and GROWING in the KNOWLEDGE of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might SO THAT YOU MAY have great ENDURANCE and PATIENCE and joyfully Giving THANKS to the FATHER…”

My what a prayer- what a Privilege-that God can bring this about IN A PERSONS LIFE- It should encourage us to PRAY- PRAY AND PRAY…

One last encouraging thought from God Himself regarding your Privilege in Prayer in Matthew 6:6-The Lord Jesus says, 

“When you DO PRAY, go into your room {a place of aloneness with God, a place where you can be undisturbed} close the door and PRAY TO YOUR FATHER, who is unseen. THEN YOUR FATHER who SEES WHAT IS DONE IN SECRET, WILL REWARD YOU.” – Matthew 6:6

QUESTIONS TO PONDER?
1. – Have you ever thanked God for the PRIVILEGE of Prayer?

2. – It is not an issue of “do YOU BELIEVE in prayer?” BUT are YOU PRAYING?

Col 4:2 Gods Word tells us to “DEVOTE YOURSELVES TO PRAYER, KEEPING ALERT WITH AN ATTITUDE OF THANKSGIVING…”

NOW’S as good a time to start! AND BEGIN with THANKING Him for the Privilege He has afforded you right now…He is lovingly watching and attentively listening- 1 Peter 3:12

My what love the Father has showered upon us hasn’t He- 1 John 3:1-3.

Together let us….PRAY…PRAY. PRAY… PRAY for us that we too may become People who AVAIL of the PRIVILEGES of Prayer, God has Afforded us.

God bless