Come Up Here And See

I heard a pastor with a dream or vision that all prayers come from either: fear, selfishness or love. Only prayers with the motive of love reach the throne room can rise as incense before the Lord, the prayers of the saints. Prayers that come from the motivation of fear or selfishness do not reach the throne room. When this pastor shared his vision with his senior pastor,  he remarked “I hope that all our prayers do not reach the throne room.” I found the senior pastor’s remark hilarious and very true. 

As I contemplated this and meditated it made me think about my prayers over a short period. 

I asked the Holy Spirit to please show me the prayers of selfishness I have prayed. I was shocked at how many prayers originated from fear, panic, alarm, anxiety or selfishness.

He made it clear that God hears the prayers but the only prayers to reach the throne room that become a beautiful incense before God that He breathes in are prayers from a motivation of love. 

• Revelation 5:8 NKJV Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

As I thought about it I was thankful that I knew God heard me but I became more grateful that prayers from a motive of fear, panic or selfishness do not reach the throne room to be placed in the golden bowls of incense. I do not want prayers of fear or selfishness creating a fragrant scent of fear, anxiety, and selfishness before my Lord. These are prayers that the Lord will not answer. 

Derek Prince wrote in “Secrets of A Prayer Warrior” that there are eight basic conditions to having your prayers answered and one condition is to have the right motive. 

• Cambridge describes motive as the reason for doing something.  

• Merriam-Webster explains motive as something (such as a need or desire) that causes a person to act. 

The Lord always looks at the heart to show why we are doing something. The wildest thing is that we usually do not know why we act this way. The Lord knows us better than we know ourselves and loves us better than we love ourselves. We need to trust Him. 

• Jeremiah 17:10 NKJV I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.

God always starts on the inside with our heart whereas religious spirits or man always focus on the outside thinking they can see the heart. Samuel was sent to the house of Jesse to anoint a new king for Israel. Jesse’s sons were brought before the prophet and as soon as Samuel saw Eliab he thought he was the anointed one. But God said no. God is always concerned about our motives. He searches our thoughts and intents. 

• 1 Samuel 16:7b NASB for God does not see as man sees, since man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

James tells us that if we ask or pray for the wrong reasons we will not receive. 

• James 4:2b-3 NASB You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 

Thankfully Jesus taught us how to pray and He taught us the reason to pray:

• John 14:13 NASB And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Derek Prince says that our prayers should always bring glory to God. The opposite of this is to deny God the glory that is due Him which is the essence of sin. 

As a Christ follower, I want all I do to bring glory to God. Have I reached that state yet? No, but I will keep moving forward to bring God glory, especially in my prayers. As I continue to love, not fear, and not be selfish, I know that my prayers will bring God glory and the incense rising to God in the throne room will be a sweet fragrant. 

• 1 Timothy 1:5 ICB The purpose of this command is for people to have love. To have this love they must have a pure heart, they must do what they know is right, and they must have true faith.

Spirit of the Living God, I pray that You will continue to reveal our motives to us when we are blind. I thank You for your gentleness, kindness and goodness that chases us. Lord, thank You that You know us better than we know ourselves. Not only that, but You love us better than we love ourselves so we can love and have a pure heart. Continue to teach us how to grow in faith in giving You glory, in Jesus’ name, amen. 

Like, subscribe, review and share with others to encourage them in their prayer walk with the Lord.

Photo credit to Jon Tyson