Jesus: The One Who Hears Our Prayers

Many people pray — even they are not Christ-followers.

People from other religions and with no religion pray.

Some pray repetitious prayers — mantras — saying the same thing over and over.

Jesus said:

Matthew 6:7 (NASB95) “… when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.

Others pray to little g-gods and idols.

Maybe even dead people (saints).

Psalm 115:4–8 (NLT) … idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. 5 They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. 6 They have ears but cannot hear, and mouths but cannot breathe. 7 They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and throats but cannot make a sound. 8 And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.

Today I urge us to pray in a different way.

To pray to the one true God, Creator of everything.

Creator of US.

Today, let us resolve to pray as the Risen Jesus told us to pray —

In His Name.

John 15:16 (LSB) [Jesus said:] “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would abide, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.

It’s not about what WE want — it’s about producing Kingdom fruit.

In the Name of Jesus - the One who defeated death and rose from the grave.

The One who is resurrected and THE Resurrection.

As He told Martha:

John 11:23–26 (TPT) Jesus told [Martha], “Your brother will rise and live.” 24 She replied, “Yes, I know he will rise with everyone else on resurrection day.” 25 “Martha,” Jesus said, “You don’t have to wait until then. I am the Resurrection, and I am Life Eternal. Anyone who clings to me in faith, even though he dies, will live forever. 26 And the one who lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Let’s pray to the one who HEARS our prayers.

This is our text.

I will be following it phrase by phrase.

Psalm 145:18–19 (NASB95) The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. 19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them.

Certainly this is true as we pray in the Name of Jesus.

Jesus Tells Us to Call to Him

What is NOT in Psalm 145 is this first principle of prayer.

Jesus tells us to seek HIM in prayer.

Matthew 7:7–11 (NLT) “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

He not only empowers our prayers through the anointing of the Holy Spirit, but He hears and answers our prayers.

He acts on our behalf.

Jesus is Near

And when we pray Psalm 145:18 lets us know:

The LORD is near to all who call upon Him

In fact: Hebrews 13:5b (NIV) … God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Call Upon Jesus in Truth

Call upon Jesus, because you ABIDE in Jesus.

John 15:7 (LSB) “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Fear the Lord

Psalm 145 says:

He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him

This morning I opened with this scripture:

Isaiah 33:5–6 (NIV) The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness. 6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.

This is NOT something we hear about very often.

But Jesus desires reverent, awe-filled followers — those who fear Him and Him alone.

Fire Bible: Only as we truly fear the Lord will we be freed from all destructive and satanic fears.

Including the fear of what other people think.

Proverbs 29:25 (NIV) Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.

Fear of what others thought more than a fear of God certainly led Peter astray:

Galatians 2:11–13 (LSB) But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles, but when they came, he began to shrink back and separate himself, fearing the party of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.

Even though it is a STRONG OT teaching, it is STILL applicable to NT believers.

Tuesday in prayer the Lord brought to my attention:

Acts 9:31 (NIV) Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

God is calling us back to reverence.

Do we want God to hear our prayers?

Then we need to fear Him — to reverence Him.

As John Bevere asks in his book on the Fear of the Lord:

Do you think the King of kings and Lord of lords is going to come into a place where He is not given due honor and reverence?

IF we are truly abiding in Jesus — abiding in His Presence.

We cannot HELP but be awed by Him — to reverence Him.

We cannot help but fall down in worship and adoration of the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Those who are flippant or nonchalant about Jesus don’t KNOW Jesus.

Jesus WILL Hear

The promise of Psalm 145:19 is that God WILL hear and respond.

The promise of being heard is a privilege of no other religion.

There is no other deity to whom we can turn.

God is the only true deity.

All others are false gods, idols, dead people — by definition they are incapable of hearing.

So, let’s pray to Jesus — He will hear.

And not only will He hear, He will respond.

He will save us.

He will provide for us.

He will heal us.

To Whom Will YOU Call?

I am somewhat amused to follow behind cars that advocate for Gaia like “Mother Earth” is someone to whom we can pray.

Or the stars and planets of our universe.

All of those things are just that: things.

Inanimate objects that cannot hear and cannot do anything other than what God has told them to do.

Appealing to idols and dead people is just as useless.

Let us pray to the one true God who is alive.

Last week we celebrated the fact that Jesus is not dead — He is risen.

Let’s bring all our needs and concerns to Him.