FAITH AND PRAYER: WEEK 1

Praying in Jesus' Name:

“And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.“These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” John 16:23-33 (NKJV). Do you remember the teaching Jesus introduced the before His death? He told His followers, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you” John 15:16 (NKJV). Praying in the name of Christ declares our: “ ”

ASSOCIATION WITH THE SAVIOR:

Our relationship wit Jesus allow us to approach the Father with a pure conscience and sincere motives. Because, we used to be foreigners, but at salvation, we bacame God's children through the redemptive work of the Son through His blood. “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” Ephesians 2:19 (NKJV). The Holy Spirit within us proves we belong to the Father, who listens to the crys from the needs of His children and the requests of His family. For, He will never leave us nor forsake us.

ACCESS TO THE FATHER:

Jesus' death opened an immediate, unhindered path to the Father's presence. When the Savior offered Himself as the final priestly sacrifice, the temple veil that separated the Holy of Holies from man was torn (ripped apart) in two.“For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever” Hebrews 7:26-28 (NKJV).

“That whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you” Mark 15:38 (NKJV). In that moment, access to God became available to all who believe. Through the Holy Spiriti, we can talk to God directly without a human intermediary. “TFor through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” Ephesians 2:18 (NKJV). Because of our Savior Jesus Christ, we can freely have access to our Heavenly Father, just like we have with our earthly parent(s). Let's give Him thanks for the remarkable privilege of prayer.

"So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive" Matthew 21:21-22(NKJV).