The Lord's Promise to Answer Prayer

In seeking the face of Almighty God in prayer, I find myself interceding for a group of neighbors I meet with monthly. Some in this group believe in New Age spirituality, some are Catholic, some agnostic and others atheistic.

I believe those people are my neighbors in order to have their names written in Heaven. Two people, speaking for this group, insist I speak no longer in the name of Jesus. I must be tolerant of other religions (though that doesn't stop the most foul talk from proceeding out of the mouths of those seated near me). In short, Jesus is not allowed.

When asked to give the invocation, I imagine many think I'm indicating they are going to hell.

If I were to insist they are going to hell, I'd not be believing in my intercession and the Lord's promise to answer my prayer. I have asked the Father to cause each person to draw near to Jesus and be saved safe within Him. I've asked the Father to ensure their names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. I've stood before the Father and stand now with chutzpah, brazenly stating Jesus' promise, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you (Jn. 16.23).

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened (Mt. 7.7,8).

"Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven (Mt. 18.19).

"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive (Mt. 21.22).

"Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you (Mk. 11.24).

"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you (Lk. 11.9).

"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son (Jn. 14.13).

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

"You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you (Jn. 15.7,16).

"In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you (Jn. 16.23).

"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him (1 Jn. 5.14,15)."

My case has been made, O Lord. Your promises are cast in the framework of eternity. Yeshua came to seek and to save that which was lost (LK. 19.10). I'm asking you now, O Father, to save those people for whom I have been interceding. You have stated, it is not your will any should perish but all come to repentance (2 Pe. 3.9).

I stand before you, Father, washed in the blood of Jesus with Jesus as my advocate (1 Jn. 2.1) who is seated at thy right hand ever living to make intercession for me and is completely able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him (He. 7.25). He is at your right hand, O God, interceding for me (Ro. 8.34). What is more, the Holy Ghost maketh intercession for me in groanings that cannot be uttered (Ro. 8.26).

I have the perfect case for the fact the names of those for whom I intercede must be in Heaven: Your Word and Your Promises, O God.

No one comes to the You but by Jesus (J. 14.6) and no one can come to Jesus except You draw him (Jn. 6.44). You will draw those for whom I have interceded and you must draw them for you will never go against your Word.

Now unto Him who liveth forever and ever with no beginning of days nor end of years,

The Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and End

In whom time is but a drop in the ocean of eternity

and eternity is but a wisp of vapor within God's permission,

Be all praise and worship. Amen.

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great Name we praise.

- Walter C. Smith (1867)