Through the Tabernacle
If you are born again, if you repent from all your sins and give your heart completely to Jesus Christ, making Him your personal Lord and Savior, you become a child of God. And you are given a great privilege to pray.
WHAT IS PRAYER?
Prayer is talking to God. It is having a living communion and fellowship with God, sharing ideas with the Lord, coming together with your God and Father. In prayers you can know the heart of God, His mind and plans, you can know His will. You have a chance to affect the world, your family, to stand before God on behalf of your loved ones, your town, your country and the entire world. And this is actually what you were called to.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9
This is how God sees you. See yourself this way by faith. Know that you are called to be a royal priest. As a born again Christian - child of God, a royal priest - you can cooperate with Jesus who is your High Priest. Read Heb. 4:14-16
In the Old Testament the people of God - the Jews - the only people who had the covenant with Almighty God - had a tabernacle - a place where they worshipped God. I encourage you to read Exodus 25,27,30. God gave Moses the exact pattern of the tabernacle and it was the exact copy of the tabernacle in Heaven. There was the Presence of God and sacrifices were offered in this place. There were three distinct rooms in this tabernacle separated one from the other by thick curtains.
The first room was the place of golden altar were sacrificial animals were offered to God, where gift offerings, peace offerings and thanksgiving offerings were made.
The second room was called the Holy Place. There was a golden lamp stand with seven golden candlesticks, the table with consecrated breads made without yeast.
Behind a thick curtain again there was the most secret room called the Holy of Holies. Read Exodus 25:23, Heb. 9:2, Heb. 9:3,4,5 Between the two cherubim there was the Light of God's Presence called - Shekkinah. Glory God was appearing in this Holy of Holies in the form of Light. This was the most sacred place.
The priests were carrying on their ministry at the altar and in the Holy Place. But only the high priest entered the Holy of Holies and that was only once a year to offer sacrifice for himself and for the sins of the people. Only once a year he could go into the Holy of Holies to the very Presence of God with the blood of animals. This blood covered the sins of the people and if this sacrifice was accepted God was at peace with Israel and Israel enjoyed the blessings and prosperity of their covenant with God - victories, health, wealth and peace. In the Old Testament there was no free or open entrance to the presence of God.
THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS
When Jesus died on the cross for you and me He was sacrificed as the perfect Lamb of God. Read Jn 1:29, Col. 1:14, Heb. 9:12 He went as the High Priest with His own holy blood to the Heavenly Holy of Holies to the very Presence of God where He paid for the sin of the whole world. Because His blood as of the Son of God was holy, pure and without sin, He once for all was sacrificed and entered into covenant with God for all of us as our High Priest. He became a mediator between God and us. This covenant is far better than the former one that Jews had with God. Because this new covenant is not based upon the blood of bulls and goats but it is sealed with the perfect blood of the Son of God. In the very moment when the Son of God died on the cross, the thick curtain in the temple, which separated the Presence of God, torn from the top to the bottom. That represents that the presence of God came out of the Holy of Holies and now is open to everyone who wants to make Jesus Christ their High Priest.
In Jesus' name, with Him as our High Priest we can enter God's Presence, His holy blood cleanses us from all sins and we can actually minister to God as priests under our great High Priest Jesus! As a child of God you can daily enter the Heavenly Holy of Holies where your High Priest lives forever and have fellowship with God. Use this picture of the tabernacle to enter the very presence of God when praying.
Follow me as we walk through the tabernacle.
First you approach the altar of sacrifice where the Lamb was slain. Here you can talk to Jesus - your High Priest. Thank Him for all He has done for you, tell Him you love Him, praise Him, sing to Him, extol Him, magnify Him and thank Him for His precious blood that cleansed you and is able to keep you pure. Open your heart to Jesus and His lordship over your life. Ask Jesus to cleanse your heart and soul from all uncleanness and sins.
Then you enter the Holy Place. This is the place enlightened by the light of the lamp stand. This light represents the Holy Spirit. Here you can talk to Holy Spirit and have fellowship with Him. He is you counselor, your comforter, your teacher, your guide, your helper and friend. Talk to Him with love; love Him and sing to Him. Ask Him to teach you, to guide you and to help you understand the Word of God and His will. Ask Him to enlighten your heart and mind and soul with the Light of God's Glory.
At last you can enter the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus and in His name. The way was open to you to come boldly to the throne of Grace. Read Heb 4:16. You are now with your heavenly Father. Tell Him: "Father, I come to you in Jesus' name. I am your child. Thank you for Jesus, for His death on the cross, for my redemp-tion..." Thank Him for the blessed Holy Spirit. Spend time in the Presence of your Father, talk to Him in sincerity with the childlike heart. Tell Him what is on your heart. Then you can present your petitions and prayers. Ask the Father in Jesus' name for what you need. Pray for other people, for different cities and nations, for your family; ask God to save, heal and deliver them. Pray for your brethren and your church. And always thank the Father in Jesus' name.
As you are going round this circle, as you are walking through this tabernacle, you are pleasing God and causing blessings and grace to flow from His throne to you and to those you prayed for. You are a real priest - holy and royal priest - serving to the Glory of God.
Pray, beloved, and never give up. God is faithful and he that trusts in Him will never be put to shame.
If you are born again, if you repent from all your sins and give your heart completely to Jesus Christ, making Him your personal Lord and Savior, you become a child of God. And you are given a great privilege to pray.
WHAT IS PRAYER?
Prayer is talking to God. It is having a living communion and fellowship with God, sharing ideas with the Lord, coming together with your God and Father. In prayers you can know the heart of God, His mind and plans, you can know His will. You have a chance to affect the world, your family, to stand before God on behalf of your loved ones, your town, your country and the entire world. And this is actually what you were called to.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9
This is how God sees you. See yourself this way by faith. Know that you are called to be a royal priest. As a born again Christian - child of God, a royal priest - you can cooperate with Jesus who is your High Priest. Read Heb. 4:14-16
In the Old Testament the people of God - the Jews - the only people who had the covenant with Almighty God - had a tabernacle - a place where they worshipped God. I encourage you to read Exodus 25,27,30. God gave Moses the exact pattern of the tabernacle and it was the exact copy of the tabernacle in Heaven. There was the Presence of God and sacrifices were offered in this place. There were three distinct rooms in this tabernacle separated one from the other by thick curtains.
The first room was the place of golden altar were sacrificial animals were offered to God, where gift offerings, peace offerings and thanksgiving offerings were made.
The second room was called the Holy Place. There was a golden lamp stand with seven golden candlesticks, the table with consecrated breads made without yeast.
Behind a thick curtain again there was the most secret room called the Holy of Holies. Read Exodus 25:23, Heb. 9:2, Heb. 9:3,4,5 Between the two cherubim there was the Light of God's Presence called - Shekkinah. Glory God was appearing in this Holy of Holies in the form of Light. This was the most sacred place.
The priests were carrying on their ministry at the altar and in the Holy Place. But only the high priest entered the Holy of Holies and that was only once a year to offer sacrifice for himself and for the sins of the people. Only once a year he could go into the Holy of Holies to the very Presence of God with the blood of animals. This blood covered the sins of the people and if this sacrifice was accepted God was at peace with Israel and Israel enjoyed the blessings and prosperity of their covenant with God - victories, health, wealth and peace. In the Old Testament there was no free or open entrance to the presence of God.
THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS
When Jesus died on the cross for you and me He was sacrificed as the perfect Lamb of God. Read Jn 1:29, Col. 1:14, Heb. 9:12 He went as the High Priest with His own holy blood to the Heavenly Holy of Holies to the very Presence of God where He paid for the sin of the whole world. Because His blood as of the Son of God was holy, pure and without sin, He once for all was sacrificed and entered into covenant with God for all of us as our High Priest. He became a mediator between God and us. This covenant is far better than the former one that Jews had with God. Because this new covenant is not based upon the blood of bulls and goats but it is sealed with the perfect blood of the Son of God. In the very moment when the Son of God died on the cross, the thick curtain in the temple, which separated the Presence of God, torn from the top to the bottom. That represents that the presence of God came out of the Holy of Holies and now is open to everyone who wants to make Jesus Christ their High Priest.
In Jesus' name, with Him as our High Priest we can enter God's Presence, His holy blood cleanses us from all sins and we can actually minister to God as priests under our great High Priest Jesus! As a child of God you can daily enter the Heavenly Holy of Holies where your High Priest lives forever and have fellowship with God. Use this picture of the tabernacle to enter the very presence of God when praying.
Follow me as we walk through the tabernacle.
First you approach the altar of sacrifice where the Lamb was slain. Here you can talk to Jesus - your High Priest. Thank Him for all He has done for you, tell Him you love Him, praise Him, sing to Him, extol Him, magnify Him and thank Him for His precious blood that cleansed you and is able to keep you pure. Open your heart to Jesus and His lordship over your life. Ask Jesus to cleanse your heart and soul from all uncleanness and sins.
Then you enter the Holy Place. This is the place enlightened by the light of the lamp stand. This light represents the Holy Spirit. Here you can talk to Holy Spirit and have fellowship with Him. He is you counselor, your comforter, your teacher, your guide, your helper and friend. Talk to Him with love; love Him and sing to Him. Ask Him to teach you, to guide you and to help you understand the Word of God and His will. Ask Him to enlighten your heart and mind and soul with the Light of God's Glory.
At last you can enter the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus and in His name. The way was open to you to come boldly to the throne of Grace. Read Heb 4:16. You are now with your heavenly Father. Tell Him: "Father, I come to you in Jesus' name. I am your child. Thank you for Jesus, for His death on the cross, for my redemp-tion..." Thank Him for the blessed Holy Spirit. Spend time in the Presence of your Father, talk to Him in sincerity with the childlike heart. Tell Him what is on your heart. Then you can present your petitions and prayers. Ask the Father in Jesus' name for what you need. Pray for other people, for different cities and nations, for your family; ask God to save, heal and deliver them. Pray for your brethren and your church. And always thank the Father in Jesus' name.
As you are going round this circle, as you are walking through this tabernacle, you are pleasing God and causing blessings and grace to flow from His throne to you and to those you prayed for. You are a real priest - holy and royal priest - serving to the Glory of God.
Pray, beloved, and never give up. God is faithful and he that trusts in Him will never be put to shame.