In Luke 13 from the tenth verse to the seventeenth verse, we read the story of a woman who had been bound for eighteen years, she was bent over and couldn’t stand upright, what a suffering! JESUS came and healed her but the leaders of the synagogue had a problem with it. JESUS then replied “you hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath from what bound her?”
JESUS could have said “then should this woman whom Satan has kept bound…” but that way, her right to a healing on the Sabbath would have been weak. But JESUS didn’t feel wrong for losing this daughter of Abraham from the stall to give her water to drink because she’s a daughter of Abraham, and she has a right to it. And thus verse 17 says “when HE said this, all HIS opponents were humiliated…”
This woman is one of the children of the children of Abraham who are forfeiting the blessings of GOD’S covenant with Abraham and believe me, there were many of them who were yet to taste the crumbs let alone the bread. Just like there are many now who are still yet to taste the bread while the gentile.
I remember a day I was praying for someone to get healed of something strange and I said “LORD, if you can’t allow this on JESUS, cure this person”. You see, the greatest truth that can change our lives is knowing that we are as precious to GOD as JESUS is. John 17:23 says “I in them and you in me, all being perfected into one- so that the world will know you sent me and will understand that you love them as much as you love me” (TLB).
Do you see the statement in bold italics? GOD wants you to understand that HE loves you as much as HE loves JESUS. That’s deep! What will you do with this secret?! The understanding of this change can change your life. It can change the way you pray. It can change the way you approach GOD. it can change the way you go out of your house and come in. It can change the way you respond when the devil threatens you. It can change the way you fear when you hear demons. What will you do with it?
It’s more than a promise, it’s a covenant! We have been grafted into the family Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. In other words, we are heirs to all the promises of the household of Abraham and more. This is how GOD is driving the Jews to jealousy. When those who came from nowhere are enjoying the same GOD while they are suffering because they serve HIM blindly. Those will open their eyes.
JESUS told Peter, HE said “Peter the devil planned to sift you as shaft but I have prayed for you”
I want you to observe something about what JESUS said, HE said ‘Peter, satan wanted to waste you but I have prayed for you’, HE didn’t say ‘well, Peter, I tried my best talking to GOD (or negotiating with satan) so that you don’t get destroyed; let’s hope GOD answers MY prayers for you’ like many of us would do. When HE made that statement, HE sounded more like ‘don’t worry Peter, it’s not going to happen because I have prayed for you’; ‘never mind Peter, it used to be a big deal before, but it’s no more because I already prayed for you’ what great confidence! This is what JESUS came to establish- a great confidence that whatever we ask of THE FATHER shall be granted unto us, such great faith that nothing is too big for GOD to do, whether it’s about us or not. We have received salvation by faith and it is also by faith that we would receive most things.
However, when we pray, the Bible tells us to come ‘boldly’ to the throne of GOD. It says ‘boldly’ not ‘proudly’. There’s a big difference. Boldly means without fear, proudly means without respect. Confidently means we should not approach GOD with the fear that HE may send us away, or HE may reject us or that we may be saying rubbish or that we may irritate HIM. No, approach GOD with confidence that you’re always welcome, accepted and loved, this is the fear that perfect love casts out. Also, we must never approach GOD without respect or honour. Proudly means a feeling that you can talk to HIM like you are HIS father, without honour like you are equal. We must remember that GOD answers our prayers out of mercy. Only out of mercy.
You’ll remember that GOD himself confirmed job a righteous man. Job himself throughout the book pled innocent. That makes it a confirmed truth. But do you also know that GOD nevertheless won the case that HE did the right thing and Job himself admitted that GOD was right?
Job 42: 2-6
2 “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. 3 [You asked,] ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. 4 [“You said,] ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ 5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. 6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” NIV
It’s like saying ‘I know I was righteous but yet you were right in doing what you did’. You see, GOD will always be right no matter what HE does. HE can give you a thousand reasons why your prayers should never be answered even while you think you deserve an answer; a thousand reasons why you shouldn’t be alive; a thousand reasons why you should be sick even when your covenant with HIM prohibits that. So you must understand that our prayers are answered primarily and solely by mercy.
So my question to you is this: as a Christian, what will you do with your covenant with GOD?