The Place of Prayer

We now come to what seems like the climax of our studies in the new life. We have seen why we are saved etc, how to work out our salvation, the provisions for our saved life, the Centrality of the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit. Today, we will approach the LORD confidently because of the blood of Jesus, yet with trembling as He delights in those who tremble at His Word (Isaiah 66:2). We will use the picture of the 3 compartments of the Temple/tabernacle to understand the place of prayer.

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\”And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.\”

Exodus 25:8-9 KJV

\”A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.\”

Hebrews 8:2 KJV

Although we cannot exhaust all the issues in these verses, let us note that the LORD seeks a sanctuary. It is not that He does not have a place of dwelling. It is that He wants to replicate His throne or dwelling in your life. This sanctuary is built after the pattern of the Tabernacle. It means if I must house (not just host) the presence and glory of God in my life, I must pay attention to the Tabernacle and the implications of its furniture.

According to the Tabernacle, the altar of incense is the gateway to the Holiest of All. This altar is found in the Holy place. Now, the tabernacle has 3 sections:

1. The Outer Court
2. The Holy Place
3. The Holiest of All.

The Outer Court is the place were our sins are forgiven and we are united to Christ in death, burial and resurrection. It is because we were raised with Him that we can enter into the Holy Place. The table of shewbread has fresh bread placed there every morning by the priest and Menorah is the light source in the Holy Place. This speaks of the Potency and currency of God\’s Word to me and the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Corporate Body of Christ respectively. And then the altar of incense is where we lay ourselves upon the altar as a living sacrifice. This matter of being a sacrifice is what makes prayer my priority and the presence of God my pursuit.

Now, let\’s take note of the following:

What produces a continuous flow of prayer are:

1. Dealing with the issue of sin by the blood of Jesus.
2. Dealing with the issue of self by the cross of Jesus.
3. Eating the shewbread – the holy bread of life
4. Submitting to the Holy Spirit.
5. Identifying and Fellowshipping with the local church as an expression of the body of Christ.
6. Offering my all.

\”A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.\”

Hebrews 8:2 KJV

You are meant to be a minister of the sanctuary like Jesus. Allow God to build progressively with you so that you can minister to Him from where He has reached with you. The place of prayer is therefore the place of your current dealings with God. It is a buildup of all that God has been doing with you that becomes your point or emphasis of prayer. Once you allow Him to pitch this true tabernacle, prayer will be the ceaseless flow of communion, supplication and intercession.