Coming boldly to the throne of Grace – Hebrews 4:16

“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 4:16

To me boldness is a word that brings together three things: obedience, honesty, confidence.

Obedience is giving ear to; listening to; (where listening is an active verb that means to act on what you have heard).

Honesty is adherence to the facts.

Confidence is knowing what has been given to you.  As in when someone confides in you.

Prayer to me is a conversation with God.  And I believe that it is a conversation that He starts.  Whenever I get the urge to pray I take that as Him gently tapping me on the shoulder saying, "I would like to spend some personal time with you."  So prayer is a response to God speaking to us.  Just as we can love Him because He first loved us... we can talk with Him (not just to) because He first talked with us.

Just as every conversation we have with other people is different because every person is different, I believe that our conversation with the Lord is going to demonstrate who we are and reflect where we are with Him.

So "boldness" in prayer, to me,

Bringing every thought into captivity: 2 Corinthians 10:5

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Continuing on the theme of spiritual warfare…

I love this passage because it gives me great hope in the victory that Christ has won for us and giving us what we need to daily live out an effective faith.

We are not left to fend for ourselves, but are given weapons that are mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.

And one of the keys to pulling down those strong holds lies within verse 5.

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God.”

What are imaginations?

Are you going to fight with me?…(Ephesians 6)

Or for me? 

Because I am fighting for you…

In the war between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light we are either on the devil’s side, or the Lord’s side.

When we fight with each other… we have chosen the side of the devil.  Because the devil seeks to divide.

But when we realize the reality of the spiritual war we are engaged in… when we realize that we indeed do wrestle with principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness (Ephesians 6:12)…

Getting rid of the geese: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

I believe that the next great equipping of the church will come in the area of spiritual warfare.  I believe that it has to.  There are too many strongholds in our lives that prevent us from moving into the great inheritance in Christ that we have.

While we have been charged with fighting the good fight, resisting the devil, and putting on the armor of God… have we really taken this responsibility as men of God in our lives?

Have we cast of our concern for what people would think of us and be determined to both realize and act on the fact that we truly do wrestle against “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].”(Eph 6:12)

In the past week the Lord has confirmed on different occasions that in order to advance in the kingdom of God… in order to move into the abundance, the inheritance, the intentions of Christ in our lives…

When does your day start?

Happy New Year! 

There is often no greater encouragement for me than when, in my most needed time, I receive encouragement from the Lord.  When He looks at my situation, bears with me, and tells me exactly what I needed to hear… to know… at just the right moment.

Yesterday was one of those days.  And that He told me this on 1/1 didn’t go un-noticed.

I hope this encourages you as much as it did me.

When does your day start?