Heaven
“He will call upon me, and I will answer him… and show him my salvation”.
Psalms 91:15-16. The time we spend with the Lord in prayer can release the most dynamic, history changing power the world has ever known.
The Bible describes many different operations of prayer, but in this lesson we are going to look at prayer as an individual first. Our prayer as a Body together can only be as strong as our personal time with the Lord.
A. THE SECRET PLACE
“But when you pray, go into your most private room, and closing the door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you in the open” Matthew 6:6
We have been invited into intimate prayer by none other than the Lord Himself.
This kind of “secret” prayer presupposes and ensures:
1. The Right Motives Matthew 6:5
2. A Right Relationship With God As Father Luke 11:11-13
3. A Real Trust In The Lord Psalms 55:16-17
4. A Dispensing Of False Fronts Mark 7:6-7
As we express our feelings and burdens in conversation with God, it can be in the form of adoration, Psalms 34:1-4, confession 1 John 1:9, request Matthew 7:7, or thanksgiving, Ephesians 5:4-20.
B. FIVE COMMANDS RELATED TO PRAYER
1. Watch And Pray Always
“Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man” Luke 21:36.
See also Mark 13:335-37.
2. Pray Lest you Fall Into Temptation
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body
is weak” Matthew 26:41.
3. Pray For Workers
“He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field’” Luke 10:2.
4. Pray For Those In Authority
“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” 1Timothy 2:1-2.
5. Pray For Your Enemies
“Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” Luke 6:28.
C. WHEN TO PRAY
The Bible gives many examples of people who prayed, 1Chronicles 4:10. Many of the heroes of faith can be observed to have had regular times of the day set aside specifically for prayer, often three set periods a day - morning, noon and evening.
“As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and noon, will I pray and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice” Psalms 55:16-17. See also Daniel 6:10.
The best example of a daily pattern of regular, whole hearted prayer - prayer that avoided meaningless religious ritual - can be found in the Lord Jesus Himself: 1. Early In The Morning Mark 1:35
2. All Night Luke 6:12
3. Before Each Meal Mark 6:41
D. WHAT TO PRAY
1. For Ourselves
“Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request” 1Chronicles 4:10.
2. For One Another
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other… ” James 5:16.
3. For The Ministries In The Body Of Christ
“Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honoured, just as it was with you” 2Thessalonians 3:1.
4. For The Sick And Distraught
“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray… is any one of you sick? He should call for the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the Name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the
Lord will raise him up … pray for each other so that you may be healed… ” James 5:14-16.
5. For Those Ensnared In Sin
“If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life… ” 1 John 5:16.
E. HELP IN PRAYER
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express”. Romans 8:26
Part of the Holy Spirit’s purpose is to teach us, Luke 12:12, guide us in prayer Romans 8:27, and to help us in our faith, Ephesians 3:16-17.
The Holy Spirit will sometimes anoint a believer’s prayer in a special way, and this is called “praying in the Holy Spirit” Jude 20: Ephesians 6:18.
To help us in prayer, the Holy Spirit has also provided a special gift to the believer: The Gift of Tongues - speaking in another language to the Lord in prayer. See 1
Corinthians 12:4-11.
“… the prayer of the upright is his delight… He hears the prayer of the righteous”
Proverbs 15:8,29.
F. YOKEFELLOW
Two joining together in prayer provides some very real advantages: “Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven” Matthew 18:19.
G. THE CHURCH PRAYING
If there is tremendous power when two people pray, what about the whole assembly of God’s people? See Acts 4:24.
Today God is calling His people to prayer! The Church’s mission is to change individual lives, families, communities, cities and nations through prayer!
MY COMMITMENT
Through this study I realize the wonderful opportunities of prayer - not only in my relationship with God, but also the supernatural results that follow. I commit myself to make prayer always a priority in my life.
Chapter 19
Heaven
“… God is in heaven and you are on earth… Therefore stand in awe of God”
Ecclesiastes 5:2,7.
A. WHAT IS HEAVEN?
1. Heaven Is The Dwelling Place Of God
“Is not God in the heights of heaven? And see how lofty are the highest stars!”
Job 22:12. See also Deuteronomy 26:15.
2. Heaven Is The Throne Room Of God
“The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all”
Psalms 103:19 See also Isaiah 66:1.
3. Heaven Is The Place Of God’s Glory
“As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow, the hair of his head was white like wool, his throne was flaming fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out of from before him… ” Daniel 7:9-10
See also Acts 7:55.
4. Heaven Is The Home Of The Righteous (Believing) Dead
“Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands” 2Corinthians 5:1.
5. Heaven Is The Future Home Of All Believers
“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne… ”
Revelation 7:9-10.
B. THE NATURE OF HEAVEN
Heaven is a place far beyond anything we could possibly conceive, 1Corinthians 2:9; 13:12. Heaven is a place of holiness, full of gory and without end.
But though the Bible doesn’t describe all the details of what Heaven is like, it does give us some clues as to its nature. It is:
1. A Place Of Great Glory
“Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father… ”
Matthew 13:43.
2. A Place Of Continual Worship
“After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:
’Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God...’Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting; ‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns..’” Revelation 19:1-6, See also Revelation 5:11-12.
3. A Place That Will Never End
“… and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” 2Peter 1:11. See also 1Peter 1:4.
4. A Place Untainted By Evil
“Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” Revelation 21:27. See also Ephesians 5:5.
The Book of Revelation describes the New Jerusalem, comi ng out of Heaven as a place without:
a. Night. Revelation 22:5
b. Curse. Revelation 22:3
c. Pain. Revelation 21:4
d. Crying, sorrow. Revelation 21:4
e. Death. Revelation 21:4
This is because the nature of Heaven is a product of the nature of God. Since Heaven is the full manifestation of His presence, what God is like, heaven is a place of holiness, full of glory and without end.
C. OUR LINK WITH HEAVEN
As believers, we now live our lives in a special relationship with Heaven, because:
1. We Belong There
“But you have come to… the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven… ” Hebrews 12:22-23. See also Philippians 3:20.
2. We Are Enthroned There
“And God raised us up with Christ and enthroned us with him in heavenly realms in Christ Jesus”. Ephesians 2:6.
3. We Have Our Source Of Life There
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” Ephesians 1:3. See also Colossians 3:1-4.
4. We Have Our Names Recorded There
“However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” Luke 10:20. See also Hebrews 12;23.
5. We Have Been Sent By The One Who Lives There
“They are not of the world, even as I am not of it… As you have sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world” John 17:16,18. See also 2 Corinthians 5:20.
6. We have Our Eyes Fixed There
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal”. 2Corinthians 4:17-18.
7. We Have Our Treasure There
“… He has given us new birth into a living hope… into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you… ” 1 Peter 1:3-4. See also Matthew 6:19-21.
8. We Are Being Called There
“… But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus”
Philippians 3:13-14.
Jesus Himself, before returning to Heaven, made a very special promise to every believer: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” John 14:1-3. See also John 17:24.
MY COMMITMENT
I decide today to set my affections on things in Heaven, not on thi ngs of this earth. I realize my life on earth is only temporary, so I will live by priorities
established by this truth. I will share with others the good news about this wonderful eternal home Jesus offers to all who will believe on Him.