JESUS ​​CHRIST IS LORD 

THEME: PRAYER IN THE NEW COVENANT.

Beloved, prayer is the common thing in all religions. However, the methods differ from one assembly to another or from one religion to another.

Christian prayer is intended for God. It consists of being in his presence. Prayer is the presence of God. By faith, prayer allows one to enter into his presence.

It is addressed to the One and True God, and walks by faith as specified in Hebrews 10:38 that *the righteous of GOD lives by faith but if he withdraws then the Lord takes no pleasure in his soul.

Indeed, everything the Christian does must be motivated by faith in what GOD says because it is the truth. Moreover, if we speak of prayer in the new covenant it is because there was also some in the old covenant.

Let us understand that the old testament announced things to come. Jesus Christ introduces the new covenant where we rest by faith on what the man Christ Jesus accomplished for us on the cross. He is thus the mediator par excellence (1 Timothy 2:5 / Hebrews 8:6) not as in the time of Moses, mediator before GOD for the people of Israel or Abraham for the righteous living in Sodom and Gomorrah.

These examples of biblical men show that prayer is the means that introduces us into the presence of God and we enter it with faith and confidence. Jesus being no longer physically present, it is through the eyes of faith that we see him. He is our mediator par excellence who intercedes for us with the Father (Romans 8:34)

So our attitude in prayer must change automatically and we no longer come as if we were coming to inform by our requests a GOD ignorant of our problems, or accuse our brothers before him by taking this simulacrum as intercession. This is an error that can trigger harmful powers opening the door to the devil to subjugate us. Those who play mediators or intercessors before GOD are unaware that by doing so they totally cancel what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross for us. This is why the word of God reveals that there is only one GOD and also only one mediator between GOD and men, Jesus Christ, man (2 Timothy 1:5/ Hebrews 9:15)

Beloved, when we come into the presence of GOD, it is wiser to begin by giving Him thanks for the work perfectly accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ, hence our praise and worship by the confession of our mouths, and then we can submit our request to Him based on His promises in the word. Asking by faith in prayer is coming to receive what has already been released in the heavenly places *( Ephesians 1:3/ Mark 11:23)

Moreover, intercession also changes and is essentially based on what Jesus Christ did on the cross. Fasting is no longer a time of mourning as in the old covenant. It calls for the presence of the Lord and becomes a time when the Lord takes pleasure in what our soul offers Him (Isaiah 58:8-9)

This is why we do not need to sound the trumpet when we want to pray as if to be seen by men. It is a hypocritical attitude as Matthew 6:7-8 signifies. Fasting is transformed into an attitude of rejoicing where we perfume our head by raising praises to the Lord Jesus; and thus this perfume spreads on us so that we smell good (Matthew 6:16-18)

Let us remain abundantly blessed in the name of Jesus Christ! Amen

Apostle OLIVIER FOANZ