Accessing the Throne of Grace Series
Accessing the Throne of Grace Series:
“Let us then come with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
Context:
1. “There remains a sabbath rest for the people of GOD.” Heb. 4:9
2. “Let us labor therefore to enter that rest, lest anyone fall by the same pattern of unbelief ( Old Testament Israel that died in the wilderness short of entering the promise land).” Heb. 4:11
Context:
3. “For the WORD of GOD is alive, and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit . . .” Heb. 4:12
4. “We have a High Priest (JESUS) Who sympathizes with our weaknesses . . .” Heb. 4:14
Summary: Our confidence to access to the throne of grace is based on;
1. There still remains a rest for believers to enter today!
2. This rest is not automatic – we must labor in faith for it.
3. The Word of GOD is what our faith rests in.
4. JESUS knows our weaknesses and sympathizes with us.
“Let us then (because of these things, as a result of these things)
- come with confidence (faith in Who GOD is and what HE says)
- to the throne (the absolute ruler and authority) of grace
- to receive mercy (JESUS sympathizes)
- and to find grace (ability from GOD)
- to help us in our time of need (in answering our prayer). Heb. 4:16
GOD wants us to come to HIM with confidence so that when we pray HIS will, we will find sustaining grace to help us in our time of need.
Ill. How many of you I have heard stories how when you moved here your house sold quickly and things happened so fast you were amazed. Why did that happen so quickly? Because you prayed in accordance with the WORD/will of GOD.
“This is the CONFIDENCE that we have in HIM, that if we ask anything according to HIS will, HE hears us. So if we know that HE hears whatever we ask, we know that we have whatever we asked of HIM.” I John 5:14-15
Prayer is not about getting our will done, but HIS will done on earth.
Our first priority is to find out what is GODS revealed will for us to pray concerning our situation.
The backstory: Abraham picked up Hagar and Egyptian when they wrongfully went to Egypt. Sarah is barren but gives Abraham this Egyptian woman as a wife to bear him a child. Sarah is despised by Hagar and Sarah treats her harshly so that Hagar runs away.
If we heard about the trouble between Sarah and Hagar how would we have prayed about this?
Hagar in her distress has an awesome encounter with GOD.
Wednesday night I asked people this question.
JESUS became real to me when . . .
Most answered in a time of crisis, when they had no-where to turn, or no-where to go. Hagar would answer this question today in the same way. Sometimes things have to get worse before they can get better!
The LORD appears to Hagar and tells her to return to submit to the authority of Sarah. Then the LORD tells her – your pregnant with a son and you will name him Ishmael because GOD has heard your affliction, your trouble, your burden.
Ishmael = GOD hears
Then GOD prophesies about Ishmael to Hagar about his destiny. He will be a wild man and his hand will be against every man. He will dwell in the presence of his brothers, or he will live in defiance of his half-brothers or away from them (JEWS and Arabs) – GOD is telling her that her son has a future.
She is so impacted by this encounter she called GOD
El- Roi – You are the GOD who sees me
Hagar can face the future and hard circumstances that may come by having confidence in the Word GOD told her.
Now 13 years have passed. Ishmael is now age 13 and Isaac is born to Sarah. At Isaacs circumcision ceremony Sarah hears Ishmael mocking Isaac. Sarah wanted Hagar and Ishmael to leave, and GOD told Abraham to listen to his wife. The son of the bond slave will not be heir with the son of promise. So in the morning Abraham did the hard thing and gave Hagar and Ishmael bread and water and she departed into the wilderness.
“When the water in the skin was gone, she placed the child under one of the shrubs. Then she went and sat down across from him at a bow shot, FOR SHE SAID TO HERSELF, “Let me not see the death of the child.” She sat across from him and lifted up her voice and wept. Gen. 21:15-16
She is expecting her son to die – but GOD expected her to believe HIS promise!
Sad difficult times!
Hagar believed in GOD, but in her difficult circumstances she was having trouble believing GOD.
And GOD heard the boy’s voice. Then the angel of the LORD called to Hagar out of heaven and said to her, “What is the matter with you Hagar? Do not be afraid, for GOD HAS HEARD THE VOICE OF THE BOY WHERE HE IS. Arise pick up the boy and hold him in your hands, for I will make him a great nation.” Then GOD opened her eyes and she saw a well of water . . . GOD was with the boy, and he grew and became an archer and lived in the wilderness . . . Gen. 21:17-21
“Cast your burden to the LORD, and HE will sustain you.” Psalm 55:22
- Burden = an appointed thing from the LORD to you.
- Sustain = not take away the burden but give you grace to sustain you through it as part of your own journey to maturity.
Prophetic word for some who have wayward loved ones:
“Raise your weary head and refrain your voice from weeping. If GOD has made a promise to you then look with faith to the future. Hold that promise in your heart now. In GOD’S eyes it is already done.
Your loved one is a gift to you from GOD. Don’t allow the way they are acting or what they say to distract you or crush your faith. Refuse to accept the lie that there is no hope. GOD knows exactly where they are, and HE will deal with them. Release them to HIM. Stomp out the flames of fear with faith. Cast this burden on the LORD and sustaining grace will come to you today!