for our prayers to be moved from the Holy Place to the The Most Holy Place. We now have assurance that our prayers are in the Presence of God and heard by our Father in heaven.
TOUR GUIDE: The nation of Israel left the worship of God and went after little “g” gods.
They burned incense as a means of entreating these gods. Many different idols were set up to worship these gods. Idolatry is worshipping and praying to other gods.
"“I will make an end of Moab,” declares the Lord, “the one who offers sacrifice on the high place and the one who burns incense to his gods." (Jeremiah 48:35, NASB95) As followers of Christ, we are exhorted to pray without ceasing to the only true Creator God. We pray to the living God who answers our prayer. God’s house was to be a house of prayer. We as the new house of the Lord (New Tabernacle) should be in continual communication with God and be His “house of prayer”.
"(Jesus) saying to them, “It is written, ‘And My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a robbers’ den.”" (Luke 19:46, NASB95)
TOUR GUIDE: Fire was needed to burn the incense. Fire was combined with incense and then was offered up to the Lord. In the same way, the fire of the Holy Spirit empowers our prayer. We are exhorted to devote ourselves to prayer and to pray without ceasing just as the fragrance from The Altar of Incense was continually offered to the Lord.
"rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer," (Romans 12:12, NASB95)
"…pray without ceasing;" (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NASB95)
The Scripture exhorts us to pray with our mind and to pray with our spirit. We may understand what it means to pray with our minds but we are also encouraged to pray with our spirit. How do we pray with our spirit?
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"For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also." (1 Corinthians 14:14-15, NASB95) The manifestation of speaking in tongues has been a controversial issue in the Church.
The extremes on this issue make a case for the cessation of tongues on one side and the other side misuses the manifestation. Paul said he prayed in tongues more than anyone in the Church at Corinth. God commands that speaking in tongues should not be forbidden. The Spirit of God has given this manifestation for the purpose of building a person up in the Lord. When tongues are interpreted, the Body of Christ is built up.
Tongues and interpretation are equivalent to prophecy. Every individual in the Body of Christ needs to be built up in the Lord.
"O ne who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. Now I wish that you all s poke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying." (1 Corinthians 14:4-5, NASB95) Regularly speaking in tongues in private prayer is a tool that the Holy Spirit gives for intercession, supplication, thanksgiving, praise and exhortation. When tongues are spoken publicly and are interpreted, the assembled Church is built up. The
manifestations of the Spirit are tools to build up the lives of believers and the Church in Christ. (For further teaching on this subject please see The Gift of the Holy Spirit by J.E. Stiles.)
We are to persevere in prayer. By being alert in all perseverance we will be able to discern the Lord’s mind and will. God desires us to be in continual relationship with Him. He wants us to be talking to Him ‘face to face’. The Altar of Incense represents perseverance in prayer. We are encouraged and exhorted to pray with our mind and to pray with our spirit as an offering to God.
"With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints," (Ephesians 6:18, NASB95)
TOUR GUIDE: Our High Priest, Jesus Christ, makes intercession in prayer for us continually. Remember, every piece of Furniture in the Tabernacle represents the person and work of Jesus. The Altar of Incense represents the continual intercession Jesus makes for us before the Father.
"The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like
87 those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever." (Hebrews 7:23-28, NASB95)
Jesus’ prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, is in John 17. John 17 is the prayer Jesus prays to the Father for our benefit. Jesus’ prays that we will be kept in His Name; we should be one with Jesus as He is with the Father; we should be kept from the evil one; that we
should be sanctified in God’s Word, His truth; that we should be given His glory; and that God’s love (the same love that the Father has for the Son) should fill us. May Jesus’ prayer for us be answered in and through us:
" Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they we re Yours and You gave the m to Me, and they have kept Your word. “Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; for the words which You gave Me I have given to them;
and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. “I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. “I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep the m in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. “While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. “But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in the mselves. “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep the m from the evil one. “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
“Sanctify the m in the truth; Your word is truth. “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. “For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they
themselves also may be sanctified in truth. “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Fathe r, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. “Fathe r, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent
88 Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”" (John 17, NASB95) The Lord’s Prayer is very powerful. He prays that He would be in us and we would be in Him just as He and the Father are One. He has given us His Word, His love and His prayer for us to be united with Him and with each other.
TOUR GUIDE: The Lord’s teaching on prayer is in Matthew 5. We usually call this the Lord’s Prayer and quote it verbatim as a prayer.
"“Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, O n earth as it is in heaven. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Amen.’" (Matthew 6:9-13, NASB95)
The Lord’s teaching on prayer is actually an outline or template for praying. Each line in this prayer can be used as a topic to stimulate and guide our prayer life. We know if we pray according to His will He hears us and we will have the things we ask of Him. A great way to know that God will hear a prayer is to pray God’s Word back to Him. God hears prayer that is according to His will and God’s Word is His will.
"This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 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." (1 John 5:14-15, NASB95) The following is a suggested outline and prayer application from the Lord’s teaching on prayer:
1.) Our Fathe r who is in Heaven, hallowed be Your ame: (THE MERCY SEAT) I hallow and praise your ame, oh my God.
Jehovah-Tsidkinu You are my Righteousness Jehovah-Makkedish You are my Holiness
Jehovah-Shalom You are my Peace and wholeness Jehovah-Shamma You are Present with me
Jehovah-Jireh You are my Provider Jehovah-Rophe You are my Healer
Jehovah-issi You are the Banner over me in the battle against the enemy Jehovah-Rohi You are my Good Shepherd. Shepherd me in Your pastures.
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Remember and praise the Name and work of Christ; Jesus is the Way, Truth, Life, Light, Savior, Lord of lords, K ing of kings, Door, Alpha, O mega, Bright and Morning Star etc.):89 2.) Your Kingdom come: (THE ARK OF THE COVE A T)
Come Your Kingdom. I pray that the righteousness, peace and joy of the Holy Spirit will be manifest in and through me this day for Your glory. Show me any area in my life that is not reflecting Your righteousness. I know if I confess my sin You are faithful and just to forgive me and cleanse me from any unrighteousness.
I carefully present to you all my cares and concerns in all things so that You will keep my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. In Your Presence is the fullness of joy.
Your joy is my strength.
"for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteous ness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17, NASB95)
3.) Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven: (THE ALTAR OF I CE SE) I present my body to You as a living sacrifice. I choose not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of my mind so that I can know and live Your good and acceptable and perfect will.
" Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:1-2, NASB95)
"For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:9-14, NASB95) 4.) Give us this day our daily bread: (THE TABLE OF SHOWBREAD)
I pray that You will give me my spiritual and physical bread for life. You are the Bread of Life. As I eat of You, I partake in Your Kingdom and life. May Your Word sustain me knowing that I do not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from Your mouth. I meditate on Your Word so that I can be careful to do all that You command in order for my way to be prosperous and to have good success. You are my Provider. Thank You for all Your generous provisions for my spirit, soul and body.
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"“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success." (Joshua 1:8, NASB95)
5.) Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors: (THE LAMPSTA D)
Father there is a direct relationship between how I forgive others and how You forgive me. May I keep a short account and quickly forgive those that offend me.
May I know how to turn the other cheek; may I forgive 7 times 70; may I not be easily offended and know how to pray for those that hurt me. May I remember that Jesus forgave His persecutors from the Cross after they tortured Him. May I follow in His example in Your strength. I am weak and cannot do it without You.
In Your light may I see the dark areas of my life that need to be confessed surrendered to You.
"“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Fathe r will also forgive you. “But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions." (Matthew 6:14-15, NASB95)
"If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:6-7, NASB95)
6.) Lead me not into te mptation (THE LAVER)
Lord I know I am drawn away from You when I allow the lust of my eyes or the lust of my flesh or my boastful pride to control me. May I quickly respond to the prompting of the Holy Spirit when I am tempted. He gives me a way out. May I take it immediately so that I will not disobey You in any way.
"No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:13, N ASB95)
Jesus you were tempted in every way that I am tempted but You are without sin.
You can identify with me and help me resist temptation.
"For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted." (Hebrews 2:18-19, NASB95)
91 7.) But delive r me from evil (THE BRAZE ALTAR)
I put on the full armor of God. May I keep Your Truth central in my life like a belt. Let my heart and every breath be protected by Your breastplate of righteousness in Christ. Protect my mind and thought life by the helmet
of salvation as I think about how Jesus’ body was broken for me and His blood shed for the forgiveness of my sins. I walk in the peace that I have found in the good news of the Cross and I will be willing to share it with those that don’t know You. May I rightly divide Your Word as I apply it in my life and use it against the evil one and his unrighteous kingdom. May I protect myself in the shadow of the shield of faith in Jesus Christ. Help me to persevere in prayer as I keep in contact with the Commander of my soul.
For Yours is the K ingdom (in the O uter Court of my body), Power (in the Holy Place of my soul) and Glory (in the Most Holy Place of my spirit) for ever and ever, Amen.
For Yours is the K ingdom (in the O uter Court of my body), Power (in the Holy Place of my soul) and Glory (in the Most Holy Place of my spirit) for ever and ever, Amen.