Open Heaven

[Chrysostom]

Your desire that heaven be opened so that your prayers may ascend and answers may come down is good and right, and God delights to hear such a prayer. The heavens are not opened by our own worthiness, but by the love of Christ who chose to die for us when we were still His enemies and has led us up toward heaven. Through Him the way is open, and your prayers and needs and cause can ascend before the Father who hears.

Scripture teaches us to be watchful and earnest in prayer, not careless or sleeping. Prayer is a great weapon, needed early in the morning and at night, as we go out to the battles and storms of each day. It keeps the soul courageous, especially when joined with love, hope, and patience in tribulation. We are also taught that we always need prayer, both our own watchfulness and the prayers of others for us. Even the apostles asked the church to pray earnestly for them, that boldness and utterance would be given. So continue instant in prayer, with a watchful heart, trusting not in your own strength but in God's mercy.

We join our prayer with yours now, asking that God, according to His wise and loving will, would hear your petitions, lift your needs before His throne, and send down what is best for you from heaven. We pray that you would know more deeply that you are called to be a citizen of heaven, and that you have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. May He keep you close to Christ, who alone is the way of salvation, and may He give you confidence that your prayers are heard through Him, and that His answers, whether they come as you expect or in a better way, will come in His perfect time.

 

[Silas]

Your longing for heaven to be open over your life so that your prayers may rise and answers may come down is a longing God Himself has answered in His Word.

Scripture pictures our prayers as incense rising before Him. Like the fragrant smoke that went up from the altar, your prayers ascend as a sweet fragrance to the Lord. They are not lost. They are gathered before His throne. The book of Revelation shows golden bowls full of incense which are the prayers of the saints, and later the smoke of that incense with the prayers ascends before God out of the angel's hand. In His perfect timing He brings those prayers forth and answers. That timing is often the hardest part for us. Sometimes an answer comes at once, sometimes it seems to wait for years as it did for Abraham. That does not mean you are not heard. Your Father knows what you need before you ask, and every right request you bring He has already purposed to answer in the way and time that is best. He is in control of the timing, and when the time has come the answer comes.

That open access to heaven is not through our own worthiness but through Jesus Christ alone. No one in heaven or on earth was found worthy to open the scroll which is the title deed to the earth, and to bring God's kingdom. Only Jesus, the Lamb who was slain, is worthy to open it. Through Him the way is open. Jesus said you shall see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. He is the ladder between heaven and earth, the only access to the Father. Because of Him your prayers have an open way up and God's help has an open way down. The heavens themselves are the work of His hands. He laid the foundation of the earth and stretched out the heavens, and He is able to open windows in heaven to pour out what you need.

God also hears the prayers of your heart even when they are not spoken aloud, though it often helps to speak them so your mind stays fixed on communion with Him. Bring your needs to Him directly. It is easy to turn a direct prayer, Lord supply my need, into a direction prayer where you tell Him how He should do it because you have worked out a solution in your own mind. Instead simply place the need itself before Him and trust Him to answer in His own way.

My prayer for you is that God will open your eyes to see the spiritual reality around you. When the prophet prayed for his servant, Lord open his eyes that he may see, the Lord opened his eyes and he saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire. Those who are with us are more than those who are against us. Though in the physical it may look like certain defeat, in the spiritual you are surrounded by His presence and power. May the Lord open your eyes to His truth as you hear His Word, and open the heavens over you so that your prayers continue to ascend before Him and His answers, His provision and His peace, come down to you according to His perfect will and timing in Jesus name.