The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:16)
John 16:23-24 says, “In that day you will not [need to] ask Me about anything. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name [as My representative], He will give you. Until now you have not asked [the Father] for anything in My name; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy may be full and complete.”
“In that day”, is referring to where we are now. Under the New Covenant, Jesus has redeemed us from the curse and given us the keys to the kingdom and is seated at the right hand of God the Father and is making intercession for us. Even more exciting is we are seated with Him. Ephesians 2:6 says, “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”
Do we as the Body of Christ, seated with Christ, and using the name of Jesus have authority in prayer? John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, said, “It seems that God is limited by our prayer life. He can do nothing for humanity unless someone asks Him to do it.” James 4:2 says, “You do not have because you do not ask.”
Prayer is a legal matter that allows God to act in the affairs of man. God’s Word is a legal document that is a covenant (testament) that God made with man. It was ratified by the precious blood of Jesus. Hebrews 9:15-17 says, “And for this reason, He is the Mediator of the New Covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.”
In Matthew 16:19 Jesus said, “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Eight times in the New Testament Jesus said, “I know what you need before you ask”. God knows what we need before we ask, but He still needs us to ask (pray) and to ask according to His Word (last will and testament).
I think the scripture is pretty clear. It’s time to pray and use the authority that we have been given.
