Devotions

Jesus tells the story of a young man who took his portion of his father’s inheritance and squandered it in riotous living. He ended up broke, ruined in health and spirit, and at his lowest point he decided to return to his father’s home. Scripture says, “He arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” (Luke 15:20).

Nothing hindered this father’s forgiveness of the young man; the son had to do nothing because his father had already made provision for reconciliation. He ran to his son and embraced him as soon as he saw the boy coming up the road. The truth is, forgiveness is never a problem for any loving father. Likewise, it is never a problem with our heavenly Father when he sees a repentant child. But inherent in this father’s embrace was his yearning for his son to be restored. He wanted his child’s company, his presence, communion with him. 

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us … let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:19-20, 22).

Believers are well aware of the human side of Christ’s work at Calvary — forgiveness of our sins, the power of victory over all bondages and, of course, the promise of eternal life. Yet there is another benefit of the cross and this one is to the benefit of the Father. It is the delight that comes to him whenever he receives a prodigal child into his house.

Beloved, the real issue at the heart of this parable of the prodigal has less to do with the coming home of the son and more to do with the happiness of the father at his return. And so it is with our loving heavenly Father. His heart is in full delight when we boldly enter into his presence for fellowship with him.

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ … but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:13-16).

You may feel as though you have completely exhausted all your efforts to be holy. You have failed so many times and this is your last chance. But God is not telling you to be holy in the same way he is, because obviously you are not deity. God is not saying, “Look at me and try your best in your own power to be like me.” No — and this is glorious — he is declaring that you “shall be holy” in the same way he declared, “Sun, glow in space. Earth, be formed. Water, fall upon the Earth.” The same way he created the heavens and the Earth — by speaking it into existence — is how he is speaking your holiness into existence.

God is not saying to you, “Let’s see how good you can be.” It is not like that at all. He is saying, “I declare that you will be holy. I am speaking into existence that you are holy. I am making you like me. I have given you my Word that remains forever — and it is power. It is life! It is joy! It is victory! And I am putting it all into you.” 

God is not inviting you to try to live a consecrated life; he is speaking these words over you. It may take some time and there may be some storms and battles with the flesh, but you will experience a progressive sanctification. He is making you holy! That should fill you with joy and hope. Be encouraged and inspired with perfect confidence that God is for you and not against you.

In order for a believer to confidently ask and receive from the Lord, he must follow the laws of prayer laid down by the Father. These guidelines are found scattered through the pages of Scripture and obedience to them opens up the channel from the Father’s willing hand to our own hands stretched out in need.

First, approach God in and through the name of Jesus. We make our appeal on the basis of what Christ did for us rather than on our own merits, because we have none. It may be humbling to continually admit that we are helpless sinners saved by grace, but only this path will lead to a prayer-hearing God.

Second, a person who prays must believe. The Bible states that when we ask, we “must believe and not doubt.” A doubting, double-minded person “should not think he will receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:6-8).

The third guideline involves the state of our hearts. The apostle John addresses the issue this way: “If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask because we obey his commands and do what pleases him” (1 John 3:21-22).

A clear conscience and a pure heart are absolute necessities for prevailing prayer. I cannot confidently ask God for answers when I cling to the sins that nailed his Son to the cross of Calvary. It is impossible to live in iniquity and enjoy the Lord’s favor simultaneously.

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15). God desires an attitude of confidence — assurance — when we come to him in prayer.

I encourage you to approach God as a child approaches a father that he knows loves him unconditionally — no holding back or fear of rejection. “In [Christ] and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence” (Ephesians 3:12).

Jim Cymbala began the Brooklyn Tabernacle with less than twenty members in a small, rundown building in a difficult part of the city. A native of Brooklyn, he is a longtime friend of both David and Gary Wilkerson.

Becoming the kind of servant who walks in God’s authority requires us to stand face to face with our conscience in the sight of our Father. When we stand before the Lord, we are driven to our knees in humility before his holy presence.

The apostle Paul describes the kind of servant upon whom such authority is bestowed: “[He has] renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully” (2 Corinthians 4:2). 

Such a servant has been shut in with Jesus and has opened his heart to the dealings of the Holy Spirit. According to Paul, this servant’s constant prayer is: “Lord, show me my sinful motives, my unholy ambitions, any and all dishonesty or manipulation, and any hidden, deceitful attitude in my heart.”

I believe all believers want to walk in spiritual authority but it is important to realize that there is a price to be paid for such authority. One good question to ask yourself is: “Am I willing to take the lowest seat in the house? Am I content to stay away from the head table?” It is just a simple test, but it may reveal some important issues in your spirit.

In Luke 14, we see that Jesus was invited by a chief Pharisee to “eat bread” in his house along with other Pharisees. Verse 7 says that Jesus observed them choosing the best seats because of their pride and a need to be seen and recognized. The Lord sat down to eat and then he gave Israel’s top religious leaders this word of rebuke: “When you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher”” (Luke 14:10).

We are to strive to “go up higher” into a place of righteous honor, a place of true spiritual authority. God needs every one of us in these last days and he wants us to draw near to him. In a very profound sense, I believe the task of drawing near to Jesus is for all of us. In doing so, God will faithfully pour out his spiritual anointing.

What can God’s people do to move the heart of the Lord in these perilous times? Is the church powerless to do anything? Are we to sit and wait for Christ’s return or are we called to take drastic action of some kind? When all around us the world is trembling, with men’s hearts failing them for fear, are we called to take up spiritual weapons and do battle with the adversary? Surely Christ’s followers have a role in these dark times, but what are we supposed to do? Are we to fall in line with the rest of the world, grabbing for our piece of the pie? No, never!

During the time of the prophet Joel, a day of darkness approached Israel such as had never been seen in history. The prophet even cried, “Alas for the Day! For the day of the Lord is at hand” (Joel 1:15). Joel’s counsel to Israel in that dark house was, “‘Now, therefore,’ says the Lord, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning … Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness’” (Joel 2:12-13).

Here was God’s call to the church: “Don’t be discouraged or give in to despair. You are not to believe the devil’s lies that there is no hope.” Instead, according to Joel, the people’s cry to the Lord was to be, “Lord, stop this reproach on your name. Don’t let your church be mocked any longer.” And the Lord replied, “Even now, when you have pushed me out of your society and mercy seems impossible, when humankind has mocked my warnings and fear and gloom are covering the land — even now, I urge you to come back to me and show the world my mercy.”

Satan wants the church to think there is no hope but God comes to us through this word from Joel: “There is hope and mercy — even now. I am kind and slow to anger and now is the time for you to turn to me in prayer.” It is time to turn to the Lord in prayer as never before!