Two Weeks of Praying GraceExemplo

Self-Disqualifying

So, friends, we can now—without hesitation—walk right up to God, into “the Holy Place.” Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. The “curtain” into God’s presence is his body. So let’s doit—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. (Hebrews 10:19–22 MSG)

As we have seen, confident expectancy before God is a major key to receiving from Him in prayer. However, for most believers, their approach to God’s throne to ask for help or favor is encumbered by dozens of disqualifying thoughts:

I’ve sinned.

I haven’t done enough.

I haven’t followed through on that commitment.

I haven’t had a quiet time in weeks.

I screamed at my kids.

Other people get answers because they are better Christians.

Amid this routine hailstorm of self-accusation and self-condemnation, many believers give up on even making a request of God. They tell themselves they need to get their act together and become a little more “deserving” first, then they’ll petition God for help.

Those who do manage to make it to God’s throne slink in sheepishly, laden with guilt and wrapped in a paralyzing sense of unworthiness. So, when their prayers prove to be ineffective, they’re not at all surprised.

This pattern lies at the root of the exhortation in Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV) to “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues [or forces] of life.” It is vital to protect and maintain your heart confidence because it is the key to your capacity to receive from God.

When convicted of sin: confess it (see 1 John 1:9), count it as covered and paid for by the blood of Jesus, then mentally reassert your legal standing as righteous before God. It’s helpful to continually renew your mind to the wonderful truth of Christ’s finished work on the cross. Why?

Because through that work, you qualify. In Christ, you qualify for bold, confident access, connection, favor, blessing, and help in time of need.

Prayer of Declaration:

Father, I rejoice and feel overwhelming gratitude that my access to You is not linked to my personal qualifications. I declare that Jesus has cleared the way for me by the blood of His sacrifice, acting as my Priest before You. My pathway into Your presence is His broken body and shed blood.

I come to You today in Jesus’s perfect qualifications. I guard my heart against voices and messages that would move me back into thinking that my access to Your face and Your hand of blessing is in any way rooted in my own performance. I stand in Jesus’ performance.