PAYING THE PRAYER DEBT
(week 29/13)
OLUBI JOHNSON
Hebrews 9:15 NIV: For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
Here the scripture reveals to us that it was not until Christ died at the close of the Old Testament that the price for sins in the Old Testament was paid.
In other words, a debt of sin was accumulating from the time of Adam (Gen.3:1-21) in the Garden of Eden: so even though God forgave the sins of men and temporarily covered them with blood of animals that were killed, the actual price for sin was not paid until the Lord Jesus, suffered and died for our sins.
This truth is shown in
Hebrews 9:7-9 NIV: But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. (8) The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. (9) This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper.
Hebrews 10:4-14 NIV: because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. (5) Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; (6) with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. (7) Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, O God.'” (8) First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them” (although the law required them to be made). (9) Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. (10) And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (11) Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. (12) But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. (13) Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, (14) because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
That is why the Old Testament saints did not go to heaven but to Abraham’s bosom under the earth, until after the Lord Jesus had paid the price, preached to the spirits in prison and lead captivity captive to heaven (Luke 16:23-26, 1 Pet. 3:18-19, Eph. 4:8-10).
Hebrews 11:39 AMP: And all of these, though they won divine approval by [means of] their faith, did not receive the fulfillment of what was promised,
Now, just as a sin debt had been accumulating from the time of Adam in the Garden of Eden, so also has a prayer debt been accumulating.
Why?
A prayer debt has been accumulating because God has had and is still doing a lot of things on the earth by His sovereign mercy, even though, legally He needs men to allow Him legal access into the earth: this is why we HAVE TO PRAY.
Psalms 115:16 NKJV: The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’s; But the earth He has given to the children of men.
So every time God intervenes sovereignly in the earth without men releasing the power of God into the earth through prayer, a prayer debt occurs; just like a sin debt occurred every time God forgave sin and simply covered it with blood of an animal that was killed.
This also why we see so much evil in the earth: because God is prudent, there is a limit to how much He does in the earth sovereignly to make sure the sovereign debt does not escalate beyond a level that man can pay back before the close of this age.
Ezekiel 22:30-31 NKJV: So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. (31) Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord GOD.
Ephesians 1:7-8 AMP: In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor, (8) which He lavished upon us in every kind of wisdom and understanding (practical insight and prudence),
So, God only intervenes sovereignly at crucial times and events in human history and individual lives so that His plan and purpose on the earth and individual lives (for those with honest hearts (2 Chr. 16.9)) will continue; but if we want to enjoy the fulness of God’s blessings in our lives WE MUST PRAY EFFECTUALLY AND FERVENTLY (Jas. 5.16).
So NOW just as the sin debt had to be paid at the close of the age of the Old Testament, the prayer debt has to be paid at the close of the age of the New Testament.
This is a LEGAL requirement that God MUST fulfill before this age can close to show His righteousness to all men:
Psalms 51:4 NIV: Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.
This is the reason why during the season of the Day of Atonement (about 1950-2000) and in the early part of this present (July 2013) season of ingathering (about 2000-2050), we have not seen too much of external spectacular miracles as a significant measure of the power of God released in prayer during this time has been used internally for spiritual growth and to reduce the prayer debt.
In fact,the manifestation of sons of God carrying the glory of God will indicate that the prayer debt has been fully paid. From then onwards because of the great revival of prayer and spiritual growth that will come upon the church sweeping in great multitudes into the church from the nations who will be discipled in prayer, everything God does sovereignly on the earth will be paid for DAILY by prayer: the prayer account, so to speak, will always be balanced or in credit before the Lord Jesus returns for the rapture fulfilling the scripture in
Isaiah 2:2-3 AMP: It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be [firmly] established as the highest of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow to it. (3) And many people shall come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law and instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Isaiah 56:7 KJV: Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
So we are to pay the prayer debt by consistent, habitual, daily (Heb. 5.7, Lk.9.23) united prayer in the Spirit for all saints and all men as shown in
Ephesians 6:18 NKJV: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for ALL the saints—
1 Timothy 2:1-2 NKJV: Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for ALL men, (2) for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
