WHAT REALLY HAPPENS WHEN WE PRAY?

WHAT REALLY HAPPENS WHEN WE PRAY?

2 Chron. 6:20  Solomon having just built the Temple for prayer, in this great prayer of dedication, revealed his true understanding of the greatness of God, as he said: "Will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee, how much less this house which I have built?" Realizing the inadequacy of any houses built by man to contain God he uttered this suggestive and beautiful petition that the watching eyes of God might ever rest upon the house he had built. It was the place where God had said He would put His name. It was the place to which the people would go to offer their petitions, in the regular exercises of worship, in special seasons of need through sin, in battle, in drought, in famine. (God uses secondary causes to get our attention). The vision of the king created his prayer. He saw the Temple perpetually watched by the eyes of God, so that whatever worshippers approached they were seen by the God Whose help they sought. That this might be so, he prayed. It was a figure of speech but one full of suggestive beauty. For us, the great ideal has found perfect fulfillment through "Jesus the Son of God," Who has "passed through the heaven"; "now to appear before the face of God for us." We "draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace," (Heb. 4:13-16) and we do so in Him, the Beloved. The boldness is caused by the intense need that is present. He alone can answer and the penitent sinner knows that fact. The eyes of God are always upon Him in satisfaction and delight; and so in our approach we are always seen, but we are seen in Him, and so accepted. A true knowledge of our thrice holy God finds answers.

2 Chron. 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” This message came from heaven to Solomon who was to tell God’s people to sanctify themselves from their wickedness which was great, then would He hear from heaven (separated from earth because God cannot dwell with sin), forgive them with their sincere request which will finally happen after He takes them through intense suffering during the GREAT TRIBULATION, and then He will heal their land making it extremely productive.

Sanctification is a shallow word in the church today because men and women are not truly sorrowful for their wickedness and sin. No sooner do they pray when chastised, but immediately return to the same sin. God will not be mocked. He knows the heart before the words are spoken.