Posted
by Zenebe Tsega
Date: 25 September 2014
We
often forget the big picture of life and its purpose, at times we are taken away
by the wind of this material world, we don’t often have the time to contemplate
on scriptures and we are so submerged in this physical world and forget the
infinite God, but the writer of the book of Hebrew invites us to come to the
throne of grace; to forget for a moment
the material world, to cease the endless quest of the flesh, to ponder on the
greatness of our God, and splendour of the celestial shore. Let us now take a
closer look at Hebrews 4:16
These
words are found embedded in that gracious verse,” let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help us in
the time of need.” They are a gem in the golden setting. True prayer is an
approach of the soul by the by the Spirit of God to the throne of god. It is
not the utterance of words, it is not the feeling of desires, but it is the
advance of the desires to God, the spiritual approach of our nature towards the
lord our god. True prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal
performance. It is far deeper than that- it is spiritual transaction with the
creator of heaven and earth. God is a spirit unseen of mortal eye and only to
be perceived by the inner man. Our spirit within us, begotten by the Holy Ghost
at our regeneration, discerns the Great Spirit, communes with him presents to
him its request, and receives from him answers of peace. True prayer is a
spiritual business from beginning to end, and its aim and objective end not
with man but reach to God himself.
To
qualify to such a prayer, the work of the Holy Ghost Himself is needed. If
prayer were of the lips alone, we should need only breathe in our nostrils to
pray. If prayer were of the desires alone many excellent desires are easily
felt, even by the natural men. But when prayer is the desire and fellowship of
the human spirit with the Great Spirit, the Holy Ghost himself must be present
all through it- to help our weaknesses and give life and power or else true
prayer will never be presented. The thing offered to God will wear the name and
have the form of prayer, but the inner life will be prayer far from it.
It is
clear, moreover, from the connection of our text that the mediation of the Lord
Jesus Christ essential to acceptable prayer. As prayer will not be truly prayer
without the spirit of God, so it will not be prevailing prayer without the son
of God. Not only must he, the great High Priest, go within the veil for us, but
through His crucified person, the veil must be entirely taken away, until then,
we are shut out from the living God. The man who despite the teaching of
scriptures, tries to pray without a savior insults the Deity. The man, who
imagines that his own natural desires – unsprinkled by the precious blood –
will be an acceptable sacrifice before God, makes a mistake. Prayer becomes
powerful before the most High only when it is wrought in us by the spirit and
presented for us by the Christ of God.
My desire
is that your soul may be led to come to the throne of grace. In addressing the
text, I shall bring it to you this way. First, here is a throne. Second, here
is a grace. We will then put the two together, and we shall see grace on a
throne. Putting them together in another order we shall then see sovereignty
manifesting itself and resplendent in grace.
Source: Charles
Spurgeon, The power of prayer in a believer’s life. Page 15 & 16
