I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! (Isaiah 65:24, NLT)
Jesus hears every prayer; He knows what troubles you; God is concerned about you. Jesus said the very hairs on your head are numbered; the same God who created the universe is the same God who created the atom, no detail is too small, so don't be afraid. God is not deaf, you don't need to shout to be heard; you can speak in the softest whisper and He will hear you.
So Jesus got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” (Matthew 9)
Jesus asked, “Which is the easiest, to say to this young man, your sin is forgiven or to say get up and walk?” They are both impossible. How could his sin be forgiven? How can the sick be healed? Only God can forgive sin. Only God can heal the sick. I can’t work miracles. You can’t work miracles. Then Jesus said something amazing, “Because I can read your minds, because I know that you don’t really believe – you don’t know My Power or My love; you don’t know how much I love you and want to forgive you – so that you can know I am the Son of God, so that you can know that I am not lying, that I am not deceiving you, so that you can know the reality and the truth; so that you can know I am the son of God, and that God sent Me here to the earth, so that you can know I have power not just in heaven, but on earth, I say to the paralytic, ‘Get up and walk!’”
God’s power is not just in heaven. God’s power is on earth. Why do I pray? Why do I pray every day? Why do I pray so much? Because God is listening, because He hears. Because God answers.
50 years ago, I had cancer in my throat. The doctors were going to take away my voice. I talked to God. I asked Him for a miracle. God heard me. He healed me of that cancer without an operation. God hears every cry for help. Jesus Himself, the Son of God, said even the hairs on your head are numbered. That is a miracle. Not even a sparrow falls to the ground without God knowing. God knows. God is concerned. God is not deaf. You don’t have to shout to God. You can speak in the softest whisper. God will hear you. You don’t have to be a in big temple. You don’t have to be in a very expensive church building. God will hear you sitting where you are. God will hear you in your home. That is our God. God has power. He has power on earth to forgive sin and heal the sick.
Before Jesus healed that crippled man, the first thing He said was, '“Son I love you”. He called him son. Why? Because that is the relationship we have with God.
Jesus said, Matthew 6:6: “When you pray go into your room and pray to your Father…” Verse 7: “When you pray do not keep on babbling like pagans…” Verse 8: “Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him…” Verse 9: “This is your Father you are dealing with, and He knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this: Our Father”
I am not afraid of God. God is not a man or a being I should be afraid of. Yes we should reverence Him, but God is also my Father. God is your Father. Jesus said when you pray to Him, don’t say, ‘O distant God I can’t know’, Jesus said call Him ‘Father’. Just as every mother and father hear the cry of their children, God also hears your cry. God hears your prayer. If there is one thing I want to teach you today it is this, you don’t need a priest to find God; you don’t even need an evangelist like me to find God; God is waiting to hear from you right now.
God wants us to come to Him for help because of our relationship – He is our Father. The Bible is very clear: through Jesus Christ, you and I have direct access to God! We don’t come through anybody else, He is our only mediator! Because of Jesus, we can know God in a way that the Old Testament believers never could – we have direct access to Him as our Father only through Jesus! This is the miracle of salvation: whoever you are – the widow, the single parent, the sick; however poor, however weak; the drug addict, the alcoholic, the criminal – we all have direct access to God through Christ; we have been adopted into His family. God is only a prayer away – He loves you – He wants to talk to you.
‘We come before Your throne’ used by kind permission of www.vinesong.com