Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Tuesday, June 28,

Doxology Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.— Amen.

New Memory Verse 1 John 5:14-15, “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”

John 16:25-27 Power and Effectiveness of Prayer!

“In figurative language.” He communicated through analogies, “proverbs”, because this is the easiest way to communicate something that can be understood the first time.

Vs. 26 The relationship between the believer and the Son is so close that when any request is made to the Father, the Father sees Christ’s own desire and merit as prompting the request.

The believer never asks in his own merits, but those of Jesus.

“I do not say” Jesus is not making a promise.

1. Jesus is removing the false impressions among the disciples that He Himself must process every prayer personally.

2. No! They go directly to the Father in the name of Jesus.

3. Every believer in the Church Age has direct contact with the throne of grace. Heb 4:16

4. To pray in the name of Jesus must not be construed as Jesus must do the asking of the Father.

Rather, this is a direct approach of the believer priest to the throne of grace.

5. It is also true that the Lord Jesus Christ as our High Priest will intercede for us. Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25; 9:24; 1 John 2:1

a. We can go directly to the Father as a priest because we are in union with Christ.

Jesus making face to face petitions on our behalf does not in any way hinder a direct shot with our own petitions.

a. During the Church Age the Father is the recipient of prayer from Jesus Christ. Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25

b. He is the recipient of prayer from the Holy Spirit. Rom 8:26

c. He is also the recipient of prayers from the believer priest.

Vs. 27 Two reasons why the Father Loves you. 1. You have loved Jesus Christ. 2. You have believed that Jesus came forth from the Father.

Principles: 1. Our love for Christ is demonstrated in our belief in Christ. This starts with faith for salvation.

2. The work of Jesus was so thorough and effective that believers gain a like personal relationship with the Father as Christ has.

3. Because we have and do PHILEO Jesus Christ, God the Father PHILEOs us.

4. As a result we are made “believer priests” as members of the Royal Family of God at the moment of our salvation (1 Peter 2:5, 9), which gives us access in prayer to God the Father.

5. Having access to the Father we pray directly to Him. We do not pray to Jesus, the Holy Spirit or anyone else.

6. Because of this unique priesthood and access of the Church Age, Jesus does not have to intercede on our behalf when praying.

7. Because Jesus loves us and is now seated at the right hand of the Father, He voluntarily acts as our intercessor, supporting our prayers that are offered to the Father.

Grace Fellowship Church Tuesday, June 28, 2011 Tape # Protocol for Prayer During the Church Age Upper Room Discourse, Part 524 John 16:25-27; Rom 8:26, 34; Heb 7:25; 1 Peter 2:5, 9; 1 John 2:1 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2011