PART 10 A LONGING OF THE SOUL

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What Must Be Received into Someone’s Life for Their Prayers to Have Any Chance of Approaching the Heavenly Realm?

When you think of the amount of information presented in this study, it seems remarkable one essential ingredient provides a believer with the possibility for their prayers to be answered. Without this, there’s no hope. Any guess as to what I’m referring to? Let’s find out by going to the Book of Romans.

 

Suggested Reading: Romans 8:1; Romans 1:16; Romans chapter 7.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

This verse continues on the subject discussed in Romans chapter 6 and is intended to show that the gospel could [affect what the Mosaic] Law was unable to accomplish. The Apostle Paul explained that the Law was incapable of producing sanctification or peace of mind.¹⁰⁶ And that it’s only through the unbeliever’s response to the gospel of Christ that they’d receive what’s necessary for their prayers to have any chance to approach the heavenly realm. When a person responds to the gospel, Scripture tells us what they’re given.

Ephesians 1:12-13 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

What they’ll have bestowed on them is one of the members of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, who seals them (a mark indicating that the person is owned by God the Father, i.e., they’re His confirmed children). He’ll supply the believer with additional blessings in his spirit, aid them in trials and infirmities, and deliver them from condemnation (no punishment), meaning that they’re justified, declared righteous, and therefore stand in His [(God the Father’s) grace (Romans] 5:2) and not under His wrath (1:18), and possess eternal life (5:17-18, 21).¹⁰⁷

If we’ve received the indwelling Spirit, we’ll be recognized as those who are in Christ Jesus. And because of such, a verse in the Book of Ephesians will tell us what access is available to us regarding prayer.

Ephesians 2:18

For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.          

Through Christ, both Jew and Gentile Christians have access (entrance) by the ministry of the Holy Spirit into the presence of God the Father.¹⁰⁸ This declares that it’s our right to enter God’s presence in prayer and worship, confident that [He’ll receive and] answer us.¹⁰⁹ Likewise, if someone hasn’t received the indwelling Spirit, God the Father won’t receive and answer their prayers. With that said, here’s a question to consider.

                               

Does everyone who believes in God receive the indwelling Spirit?

I worded this question in a certain way. Did you notice a word that seems out of place? We’ll find out as we continue reading.

I want to answer this question by sharing a brief story with you. A few years back, I was involved with an ecumenical Bible study. Each week, a different biblical topic would be discussed. On one occasion, there was a dialogue about experiencing God’s presence, i.e., His righteousness, peace, and joy. Before I finish this story, please turn your Bible to the Book of Romans.

 

Romans 14:17

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

The kingdom of God (for which Christians are formed into a community of renewed [men through] subjection to God¹¹⁰) is not meat and drink (to oppose the Spirit to external things¹¹¹); but righteousness (upright character and disposition; integrity; correctness in thinking, feeling, and acting¹¹²), and peace (regulating, ruling, and harmonizing the heart¹¹³), and joy (inner spiritual happiness without any mental agony or fear) in the Holy Ghost.

In other words, God the Father’s rule in our hearts depends on receiving the indwelling Spirit and developing His fruit, i.e., peace, joy, etc., in our lives. Now, let’s get back to my story.

As the dialogue continued about God’s presence, a longtime member of one of the local churches declared that she’d never experienced God’s peace or joy in her heart. When she said this, I was taken aback. This brought me to the realization that someone could believe in God and attend church for many years and never experience His presence or involvement in their lives. Why not?

One of the reasons is because of one of the words I deliberately included in the questions’ wording. That word was God.

John 7:37-39 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

It’s not belief in God, God almighty, or God the Father, but in Jesus Christ that allows us to receive the Holy Spirit and experience His graces. Once someone does, verification of such is revealed in another verse from the Book of Romans.

Romans 8:16

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

For those who have received the indwelling Spirit, He gives them witness (evidence) of His presence with their spirit (human spirit) in a [joint testimony to the fact that they’re] a child of God¹¹¹⁴ by producing in [them] the appropriate effects of his influence. [It’s His] to renew the heart; to sanctify the soul; to produce “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.”¹¹⁵This is further exemplified ‘in His comforting us, His stirring us up to prayer, His reproof of our sins, His drawing us to works of love, to bear testimony before the world, etc.’¹¹⁶

And if someone hasn’t received the Holy Spirit, the following verse would provide proof of such.

 

1 Corinthians 2:14

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Of the things of the Spirit, the natural (unregenerate; the man whose cognition of truth is based on one’s natural insight) man cannot receive (chooses not to accept) because they are foolishness (nonsense) unto him, and neither can he know (understand; incapacity of spiritual perception) them, because they are spiritually discerned (it’s only with the help of the Holy Spirit that we’re able to examine and investigate the things of the Spirit).

As for this person from the Bible study, in all likelihood, she hadn’t received the indwelling Spirit. This could be because of one of two reasons. Either the church didn’t present the gospel of Christ, or if they did, she chose not to respond to it.

So, where do you stand? Have you had glimpses of the Spirit working in your life, or are the only impressions you have of your past that’s dominating your mental processes in the present? Well, would you like your life to begin anew? Would you like to receive a new nature? Would you like to have access to God the Father in prayer? Would you like God the Holy Spirit to come into your body and reside? If your answer is yes, yes, yes, and yes, then please repeat the following words silently or aloud.

I acknowledge that I’ve sinned in many areas, such as: slandering others; having sexual relations outside of marriage; being jealous; having participated in alcohol or drug abuse; having sex with others of the same gender; having committed adultery; having taken money from others in a deceitful manner; having committed rape; having engaged in pedophilia, having committed murder, etc. 

I don’t want to continue in these mental, verbal, or overt sins. I need a new nature. 

I believe in you, Jesus Christ, as one of the members of the Trinity, who pre-existed time; came to the earth and took on the form of a man, being born of a virgin (no sin nature); God incarnate (God come in the flesh); deity (possessing a divine nature); lived a sinless life; listened to and obeyed the directives of his Father; went to the cross and paid for the penalty of and forgave the sins of the whole world; rose from the dead after three days, never to die again, walked the earth in His resurrection body for forty days witnessing to over five hundred people; and ascended into heaven to be seated at the right hand of God the Father. 

Suppose you’ve said this prayer, congratulations. You’ve now received the indwelling Spirit. You’re a new person. Welcome to your new life in Christ.

I’d like to pray for you now. Father, in the name of your Son, Jesus, and using the ministry of the Holy Spirit, give them an awareness of your presence. Show them in your way and time that they’re your child.

What I’d like us to look at in the following chapter is an exciting article that informs us that there are four ways God the Father answers our prayers. I can only think of two. Let’s learn about each of these.