GOD HEARS THOSE WITH A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS
Those with the most prayerful power are those that accept and further develop the special calling given by the Messiah in the New Covenant era. If one finds himself hearing and understanding God's calling he is very fortunate. Such persons have a calling to be in the first resurrection, the best resurrection. Note Rev 20:6. Few of the mighty or accomplished people of this world get such an opportunity.
1 Corinthians 1:26-27 NKJV 26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
If you are understanding the deeper things of the Bible, then God is calling you. By humbly answering yes to that calling we begin the process of developing a relationship with Jesus and God the Father. Paul recognized that when he appreciated his weakness he then was strong with spiritual power and influence.
2 Corinthians 12:10 NKJV 10 …. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Remember the Apostle Paul turned the entire Roman Empire upside down with his evangelism. Experts on the Bible could not really receive the message of salvation and understand it until they accepted the calling from Christ in the first century. Note Paul's words :
2 Corinthians 3:14-16 NKJV 14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
Those that humbly repent and accept the unique and opportune calling of Jesus the Son of God can then begin to exercise more real influence upon the ruler of the entire universe.
THE PRAYER REQUEST OF THE CHRIST FORGIVEN IS POWERFUL
The Apostle James and half brother of Jesus declares that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. He tells the brethren that if they are in real crisis or sick they should call for the prayers of church members and Elders. The term righteous means that they are under the protective covering sacrifice of Christ. They are seen by God as innocent and righteous and,of course, they are trying to obey and repenting when they slip and fall.
James 5:16 NKJV 16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
God listens to those who have a loving, repentant relationship with Him. James tells the brethren to rely on this closeness to Jesus for help and healing. He reinforces his argument by giving the examples of the gold standard model prophet, Elijah. John the Baptist also came in the spirit of Elijah.
James 5:17-18 NKJV 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
Fighting the northern ten tribes descent into wickedness, Elijah requested that God put a drought on the entire nation. God did as the prophet asked. Wow! James is saying look at this example. This is the kind of prayer influence that can make a huge difference. He is telling all true believers to use that power. We can use that influence to try and save each other as well.
James 5:19-20 NKJV 19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
It is a loving action to pray for those about to fall away. The question is how much influence with God can a flesh and blood person have with the Almighty?
CAN MERE HUMAN BEINGS CHANGE GOD'S MIND?
WELL THE BIBLICAL ANSWER IS 'YES'. The prophet Amos records two instances where he persuaded God to relent on two punishments for the back sliding northern kingdom of Israel. The first records a plague of locust to eat up all the food.
Amos 7:1-3 NKJV 1 Thus the Lord GOD showed me: Behold, He formed locust swarms at the beginning of the late crop; indeed it was the late crop after the king's mowings. 2 And so it was, when they had finished eating the grass of the land, that I said: "O Lord GOD, forgive, I pray! Oh, that Jacob may stand, For he is small!" 3 So the LORD relented concerning this. "It shall not be," said the LORD.
It is surprising to some that the prophet was able to get God to relent on this specific punishment. It happened again note:
Amos 7:4-6 NKJV 4 Thus the Lord GOD showed me: Behold, the Lord GOD called for conflict by fire, and it consumed the great deep and devoured the territory. 5 Then I said: "O Lord GOD, cease, I pray! Oh, that Jacob may stand, For he is small!" 6 So the LORD relented concerning this. "This also shall not be," said the Lord GOD.
Prayer is a powerful privilege and Amos set us an example to remind us to pray for our nation and its leaders. The world is in a spiritual war. World War One seems to show how Satan manipulated the nations to go to war against their own best interest. WWI was a horrible human meat grinder that the world was sucked into it's evil. Really pray for America and Canada! Israel also ran into a brick wall of war as God's patience ran out.
Amos 7:8 NKJV 8 And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said: "Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore.
Needless to say a time comes when God will no longer be persuaded to allow sinfulness to remain unpunished. The northern Israel kingdom was taken into captivity and lost their identity because of forsaking the true God for paganism and evil. One of the most dramatic events in history are the two times when Moses persuaded God not to eliminate the three million Israelites for their sins.
WHEN AND WHY WOULD GOD ALLOW MEN TO CHANGE HIS MIND?
The first event occurred while Moses was with God on the top of Mt. Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments. God suddenly told Moses that the people he had led out of Egypt had so quickly fallen back into idolatry. They had quickly broken the covenant agreement they had just concluded with God.
Exodus 32:9-11 NKJV 9 And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! 10 "Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation." 11 Then Moses pleaded with the LORD his God, and said: "LORD, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
God is angry! Yet Moses boldly ask God to not get angry and consume them. Further note that God, even considering normal human carnality, had concluded that the Israelites were especially rebellious and troublesome. Yet Moses interdiction prayers prevailed. However justice was not deprived by Moses interceding successfully for the nation. Moses punished the leaders of the wicked, idolatrous, rebellion and so did God. Evil was punished.
Exodus 32:28 NKJV 28 So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day.
How did Moses achieve this changing of the mind of the Almighty God? God really loved Moses and Moses had a deep relationship with God. God respected Moses! Moses understood God's heart and mind which allowed him to have such powerful influence with God.
In part two of this discussion on mere humans changing God's mind in prayer, we will further reveal the thinking of Moses and other great true believers. This should help us all to pray with greater power and faith and confidence.
