When do you approach the throne of grace?

"Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infimities; but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16 (KJV)

Jesus has overcome the world, the flesh and the devil. It is by Christ's overcoming Spirit, resident in the believer that we overcome.

Most of us approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and grace because we have sinned but the above verses encourage the believer to come to the throne to receive from God in order to overcome!

So often we start in the flesh and when we fail we end in the Spirit. Surely God's invitation to His children is to begin in the Spirit and remain in the Spirit by depending on Him for mercy and grace in order to overcome the world, the flesh and the devil?

Paul encourages Timothy and says, "..be strong in the grace that is in Christ." 2 Tim. 2:1

God's mercy means we don't receive what we deserve but God's grace means we receive in abundance what we don't deserve.

Come to the throne of grace and receive mercy and then in your time of need today, find the grace God has given you in Christ to overcome trials and temptation! Don't start in the flesh! Start in the Spirit and end in the Spirit and hold firm to the faith that you profess.

Be strong in the grace that is in Christ!

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The key to praying in power

"It is written, 'I believed; therefore I have spoken.' With the same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak." 2 Cor. 4:13

Speak!

The spirit of faith believes AND speaks!

"The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." Luke 6:45

A heart filled with faith speaks.

The words we speak because of faith have creative power to influence and change the natural realm.

The apostle Paul writes,

"The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Romans 10:8-10

Powerful words

The words we speak that agree with our faith, have power! To confess is to agree.

"From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him." Proverbs 12:14

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue." Proverbs 18:21

The words we speak have power only when they are in agreement with what we believe. It is not the right words that have power but the words that flow out of a heart of faith!

Faithless words?

Those who use words without faith can get themselves into a lot of trouble!

"Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, 'In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.' Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, 'Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?' Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding." Acts 13-16

Praying with the spirit of faith

The believer must pray the will of God. If we are praying in the Spirit, we will pray in agreement with God's will so that His Kingdom is manifested on earth as it is in heaven (see Matthew 6:10). The Holy Spirit intercedes in accordance with the will of God and so should we, if we want to pray with the spirit of faith (see Romans 8:27).

The key to praying in power

The key to praying in power is to know and believe the will of God and to speak it into the physical realm. This is praying with the spirit of faith!

How to pray with the spirit of faith

A great way to build your faith and to grow in the spirit of faith is to pray God's Word out loud. For example, you can take Psalm 91 and pray it out loud over your own life. Verse one states,

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."

You can pray, "Thank you, Lord, that as I dwell in your shelter I find rest in your presence! Thank you Lord that I can dwell in your shelter and abide in your presence. Thank you that you overshadow me right now as I rest in your presence."

Faith comes from hearing God's Word (see Romans 10:17)! Therefore, praying God's Word out loud is operating with the spirit of faith and it strengthens your faith at the same time!

I encourage you to develop the "spirit of faith" as you believe and speak God's will on earth as it is in heaven. I pray that you will be filled "with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding....so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, 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, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light." Col. 1:9-12