Join us as we embark on an enlightening series exploring the transformative power of prayer that aligns with God’s will. Drawing from the stories of biblical heroes, we delve into the nature of their conversations with God and discover how their prayers moved His heart. Gain insight into the Hebrew concept of ‘tefillah,’ which emphasizes the importance of aligning oneself with the divine presence for impactful communication with the Creator.
We don’t want to be praying prayers that are not really moving the heart of God. The point of our study is to look at the hearts of men and women that were walking with God and that God was moved by their prayer. Beloved ones, I’m excited today about the series that we’re beginning. It’s called According to His Will. You see, the Bible tells us in the book of 1 John that if we ask anything according to the Father’s will, that He will hear us and answer us. But oftentimes people struggle to know exactly what the will of God is. So what we’re going to do during this series is we’re going to look into the pages of Scripture from both the Old and New Testaments to look at prayers of men and women that really knew God. And we’re going to see how God heard their prayers and answered them. And by examining the prayers, beloved, of the biblical heroes and the patriarchs of the faith and see how their prayers move God’s heart and how their prayers reflected God’s nature and will, it’s going to help us and teach us how to pray biblically. You see, whenever I pray according to Scripture, I have great confidence when I come to God. And the reason is, is because I know that I’m praying according to his will. And the scripture says, once again, if we pray anything according to his will, he hears us. So this is going to be an exciting and an important series. I think it’s going to really breed confidence in many of our lives to pray with more passion, to pray with more expectation, to know that our prayers are being heard, and to know that God, hallelujah, is answering our prayers. So with that introduction, I want to take a few steps back, and I want to talk first of all about the origin of prayer. I want to bring up a couple Hebrew names for prayer, and then we’re going to move forward to actually examine the prayers of the biblical patriarchs and heroes of our faith. The most common and traditional Hebrew word for prayer is the word tefillah, tefillah. And it has to do, beloved one, with putting oneself in proper alignment between themself and God. In other words, tefillah, the Hebrew word for prayer, has much to do with putting ourselves in a right posture before a holy God. It has to do with knowing how to walk with Him in a way that He can bless us. For example, when you see the Orthodox Jewish people praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, you’ll see them swaying oftentimes back and forth. The reason that they’re swaying back and forth comes from a Hebrew word by the name of davening. And it has to do with the fact that scripture teaches us that the spirit of the Lord within man is like a flame within man. Let me read a couple of scriptures that actually illustrate this for you. Proverbs number 27 says this, the spirit of man is a candle of God. And so what are they doing? They’re putting themselves in a proper posture because they’re saying that the spirit of God is alive and if we’re gonna be in relationship to God’s spirit that’s within us, we have to be moving because his spirit is alive within us and he’s moving. And so it’s an attempt to put oneself in a proper posture before a holy God. Another scripture that speaks to this point is from the book of Psalms, chapter number 35, verse 10. And we read there these words. All my bones will say, Lord, who is like you? And so both of these, beloved, are scriptures that speak of how we’re seeing man’s heart in the Orthodox Jewish community wanting to place itself in a proper posture before God. And so tefillah, again, a common Hebrew word for prayer, carries with it the idea of placing oneself in the proper posture before a holy creator so that we can be in a proper relationship with him. The first mention of prayer in the Bible is found in the book of Genesis chapter four. In Genesis chapter four, we come to the place in scripture, remember Adam and Eve had given birth to Cain and Abel, and Cain killed Abel. Adam and Eve obviously were so grieved about this, they looked to the Lord and they asked God, would you replace Abel for us? So they had relations again. And as a result of that, they gave birth to Seth. Seth then had a child and Seth’s child, his son was named Enosh. And so Enosh then was Adam and Eve’s grandson. And at this event in Scripture, at this point in Scripture, we find prayer first being mentioned. Hear the Word of God now as I go to the pages of the biblical record and show you how this is the case. The book of Genesis, chapter 4, verse 25 and 26. And get this now. So it was at this time, where Seth gave birth to Enosh that the scripture says, then men began to call on the name of the Lord. This is where we find the concept of prayer first being described in the pages of scripture in the biblical record. Again, the point of our study, beloved ones, is to look at the hearts of men and women that were walking with God and seeing that the nature of their prayers was of such a relational perspective that God was in the prayers and that God was moved by their prayers. And this is very important because we don’t want to be praying prayers that don’t move God’s heart. We don’t want to be wasting time praying a bunch of things that are not really moving the heart of God. I remember many, many years ago, I used to go to prayer meetings at a church that I was attending, and they used to have a midweek prayer meeting. And the thing that seemed to be very shallow about it is that no one seemed to ever pray about the deeper issues. They were always praying about the surface things, things that are important, But at the end of the day, they weren’t the deeper issues of life. For example, let me say again, I don’t want to underestimate that all things are important to bring to God in prayer, but it seemed like every midweek prayer meeting, the saints there just kept praying about the same things, about, you know, somebody having an operation, about somebody having traveling mercies. But it was all based on circumstances rather than on the deeper heart issues. And they never got to the main things that Jesus is primarily concerned about. And so we’re going to see as we study the hearts of those in Scripture and in studying their heart, we examine their prayer life. It’s going to help you and I get to a deeper level in our own prayers with God. We’re going to get to another level of what the Bible calls calling to deep. And as a result of that, our walk with Jesus is going to get deeper. greater realm of walking with Him in what Jesus describes eternal life. Because Jesus defined eternal life in John 17 as knowing God. And the thing that we want more than anything else in our life is to know God. So let’s begin then today by looking at some of the biblical records I want to begin today by looking at Psalm number 51. Psalm number 51 was written by a man, beloved one, that God said was a man after his own heart. David, the Bible tells us in the book of Acts chapter 13, verse 22, as well as 1 Samuel 13, 14, David was described as a man that was after God’s own heart. God chose David because David was a man whose heart was in a proper posture before God. So it would do us well to look at David’s prayer life because this was a man that knew God. This was a man that God deeply loved. In fact, Jesus described himself at the end of the book of Revelation as the offspring of David. Jesus also described himself in the book of Revelation as the one who holds the key of David. And I believe the key of David is intimacy. So this is really critical that we would examine the prayer life of David because he was a man that knew God. He was a man that was after God’s own heart. God said about David, he is a man that is after my own heart. So we’re going to examine his prayers and we’re going to see by examining his prayers and others in scripture that oftentimes the things that we’ve been focusing on in prayer are not really the weightier matters, just like Solomon. Remember, God said to Solomon, Solomon, ask me what you will. And Solomon didn’t ask for riches, and he didn’t concentrate on things in the circumstantial realm, but rather he said, Lord, give me wisdom to know your heart and to lead your people. And the Lord said, Solomon, because you asked me for this, and you didn’t ask me for riches and superficial things, but because you asked me for something that deeply mattered, Solomon, I’m gonna grant your request, and not only that, but I’m gonna give you many other things as well. So you see that there are some prayers, beloved ones, that move the heart of God, more than others. So with that said, I want to begin now by looking together with you at Psalm number 51. I’m going to be looking at select verses here. I want to begin in Psalm number 51 with verses number one and two. Hear the word of God. Be gracious to me, O God, David is praying, according to your loving kindness. Notice this is a prayer. This Psalm is recording David’s prayer. So what does David say? Be gracious to me, O God, according to your loving kindness. Just that one sentence all of a sudden helps us understand a lot. Number one, we can understand that we can ask God for grace. What is grace? Grace is favor. That we can ask God for His favor on our life. That we can be confident of God’s, get this now, good will for us. That God has a good will for you. Many people don’t believe that God really has a good will, a good purpose, a good objective for their life. They think that somehow God is withdrawn. Or perhaps they think God is angry. Or perhaps they picture God as stoic. Or perhaps they picture God as someone that is judgmental. And oftentimes we get these wrong concepts from our earthly parents and from the social environment that we grew up with. But let’s look what David said here. He said, be gracious to me, O God, according to your loving kindness. We gain insight here into the heart of God and how we can pray. What is God’s disposition towards us? Listen, it’s good. Remember David said, your goodness and mercy in Psalm 23 is going to follow me all the days of my life. So David had confidence that God’s purpose was to do him good. And if you and I are going to have a prayer life, beloved, that brings freedom into our life, a prayer life that brings us into a deep connection with God, we have to have confidence in who he is. David said, according to your loving kindness.
SPEAKER 01 :
This is Discovering the Jewish Jesus and Rabbi Schneider will be right back. But first, we have a free gift for you. If you’re battling heaviness or patterns that you just can’t shake, it may be spiritual oppression. Don’t wait for others to deliver you. Rabbi’s free self-deliverance bundle, it includes a step-by-step PDF with scripture and an MP3 guide. to help you close every door to the enemy and live free in Jesus. Get yours at myfreegift.com forward slash freedom. At Discovering the Jewish Jesus, our desire is to reach every nation with God’s Word. Rabbi Schneider’s teachings are impacting lives, but we can’t do this without your support. Monthly partners help us spread the gospel through radio, TV, and podcasts. So would you consider joining with us today? To donate or partner, visit DiscoveringTheJewishJesus.com or call 800-777-7000. Thanks, and now back to Rabbi Schneider.
SPEAKER 03 :
One of the most profound revelations, beloved ones, in Scripture of the nature of God is when Moses said to God, show me your glory. We’re going to actually examine this prayer. And you know what God did? God said to Moses, Moses, I can’t show you all my glory. You can’t see my face. But I’m going to speak my name to you, and I’m going to bless you. And so with that, God begins to reveal himself to Moses. And the first thing that God tells Moses is that he’s loving and compassionate. And so if we’re gonna walk with God, our confession, our, listen now, our prayer confession has to be in alignment with God’s nature because our life will never rise above our confession. So our prayer life, beloved, is a confession of who we believe God is. And when we begin to confess that God is good, that He’s gracious, and that He has a heart of loving kindness towards us, it’s going to bring us deeper into the realms of eternal life and deeper into a walk where we’re experiencing Him. If you think about this, this whole concept here, David said once again, Psalm 51, 1, be gracious to me, O God, according to your loving kindness. Now think about this. Every letter that Paul wrote in the New Testament, Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, all his letters begin the same way. Listen. Grace to you. Isn’t that what David just said? Be gracious to me, O God. Every letter that Paul wrote begins this way. grace to you and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. And so God is not up in the sky waiting to judge us. He’s not up there, you know, all angry with us. He sent his son on the cross. They ripped out Jesus’s beard. They whipped his back. They tore out his hair. They put the spear in his side. They nailed his hands and feet. God’s anger for your sin was already taken out on the beloved Lord Jesus. God is simply asking you now to come boldly before the throne of grace and to have confidence in his love for you. And so the first lesson that we’ve learned today through the prayer of David is that when we come to God, we need to be confident that he loves us. The Lord said, come boldly before the throne of grace. So Father God, we thank you right now that your heart towards us is to bless us, Father, that your desire is to be gracious to us, to show us your favor, according, David said, to your loving kindness. Notice David said, Psalm 51, 1, be gracious to me, O God, according to your, listen now, loving kindness. Listen again. Be gracious to me, O God, now here at church, according to your loving kindness, according to your loving kindness. And God loves me. And yet there’s a block. oftentimes in our lives from really believing that God loves us. Do you know, I’ve read stories of men and women of God that have impacted the world so much with the gospel, and they’ve been used so mightily in the kingdom. And yet at the end of their lives, some of these servants of the Lord weren’t fully convinced that God loves them. But I’d rather know that the Father loves me. I’d rather know that Jesus loves me than to have the greatest impact on earth as a preacher. I mean, I want to have great impact on earth. But if I had to make a choice between having great impact on the earth as a preacher versus simply knowing… that God loves me, you know what? I would choose to simply know that God loves me if I had very little impact in the world as a preacher. Because that’s the only thing that satisfies. Satisfaction only comes from relationship. Again, Jesus said eternal life is to know him. So the only way that you and I are gonna be satisfied, it’s not to become great preachers, great teachers, great business people, whatever it is that you think is gonna make you somebody in the world’s eyes. No, the way to find satisfaction, beloved one, is to know that God loves you and he loves me. And so David had this confidence, Lord, show me grace according to your loving kindness. I want you to know that God loves you. His purpose for creating you, beloved, was to have a relationship with you. He sent His Son to die for you because He loves you. And when Jesus died for you, He didn’t just die to save you from hell. He didn’t just die to forgive you of your sins. He died to marry you. You see, the Bible ends with what the scripture calls the marriage supper of the lamb in Revelation chapter 19. We’re called the bride of Christ. God loves you and he loves me. He loves you specifically. He loves you uniquely. It’s not just that Jesus died for the world, but rather that he died for you. Jesus said, I chose you out of the world. Father God, thank you today for revelation. Thank you, Father God, for your goodness. We ask you to wash us of everything in us that’s preventing us from realizing how much you love us. Let’s just take a moment and wait on God. Father God, thank you for the supernatural washing of the Holy Spirit. I want to close today by reading verse number two to you of Psalm number 51. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Father God, I want to thank you today that there’s a supernatural transformation that’s taking place in each one of our lives right now. That Father, you’re washing us of wrong concepts of you. And Father, even washing us from the sin of not believing in your love for us. Father, we reject Satan and his lies right now, and we take a stand with Jesus and his Word. Father, that you love us and that you proved it to us by sending your Son. So, Father, we thank you for your love today. We thank you for washing us. Thank you so much, Father. I love you. Shalom and God bless you, beloved ones. In 1978, when the Lord supernaturally revealed himself to me as Jesus, I was instantly so excited. I started telling everybody about Jesus. I went out and bought a New Testament, started devouring the Word of God. I was going to churches all over the city. And you know what? The only thing that cost me was gas money and the price of buying a Bible. But now that the Lord has raised me up to preach the gospel all over the world through television and on the ground crusades, this cost money. And beloved, I can’t do it without you. The Lord has ordained that the gospel is financed through the finances of his people. I wanna ask you today, if you believe in me, if you believe in this ministry, if you believe the kingdom is being built through this ministry, just sow a financial seed immediately and become a partner with us and you’ll be blessed, beloved, because you’re gonna have a reward for the souls that are being changed in this ministry. Thank you and shalom.
SPEAKER 01 :
Amen. And if God is calling you to give to Discovering the Jewish Jesus, a gift of any amount, please give us a call today. You can reach us at 800-777-7835 or give online when you visit our website. You’ll find us at discoveringthejewishjesus.com. And then if you’d like to experience true spiritual freedom this year, we’d love to give you our free teaching collection on self-deliverance. With this exciting gift, you’ll be able to learn how to recognize demonic footholds, closed doors the enemy has walked through and live in the fullness of freedom that Jesus purchased for you. It’s an absolutely free bundle and it includes Rabbi Schneider’s practical PDF teaching that clarifies the difference between demonic possession and oppression, how the enemy gains access through sin, unforgiveness, trauma, and occult exposure. It also equips you with scripture-based strategies to deepen your relationship with the Father. The accompanying MP3 teaching also provides you with additional insights, modeling prayers, and faith-filled declarations that, in able you to encounter truth and confidently stand in your authority as a child of God. These life-changing resources, they’re ideal for anyone seeking deliverance from oppression and deeper intimacy with the Lord. So get your free self-deliverance bundle today and begin your journey into freedom. It’s available at myfreegift.com forward slash freedom. Now here’s Rabbi to wrap up with God’s sacred and special blessing.
SPEAKER 03 :
In the book of Numbers chapter six, the Lord gave instructions to Moses and Aaron to speak this blessing over his people. And the Lord said, when you speak these words over my people, I will place my name on them and bless them. Receive the impartations of the Lord’s blessings.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Shalom.
SPEAKER 03 :
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift you up with His countenance. And the Lord give you, beloved one, His peace. God bless you and shalom.
SPEAKER 01 :
This program is produced and sponsored by Discovering the Jewish Jesus. And I’m your host, Dustin Roberts. Be sure to come back next week when Rabbi Schneider continues to challenge us to pray according to God’s will and not our own. That’s Monday on Discovering the Jewish Jesus.
