Day 12, Friday: The New and Living Way

by Pastor Brian Petak

“Jesus was intensely committed to prayer because this loving presence of the Father was His very life. He told His disciples, “I live because of the Father” (John 6:57) – and prayer was His lifeline. This vital closeness of the Son with the Father is the foremost characteristic of our Savior’s prayer life. It was a closeness that found expression in His constant time alone with the Father in prayer.” 

~ Henry Blackaby, Experiencing Prayer With Jesus, p. 22

Meditation

Think about what Jesus did for you as you read this out loud:

Without the gospel everything is useless and vain; without the gospel we are not Christians; without the gospel all riches is poverty, all wisdom folly before God; strength is weakness, and all the justice of man is under the condemnation of God. But by the knowledge of the gospel we are made children of God, brothers of Jesus Christ, fellow townsmen with the saints, citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, heirs of God with Jesus Christ, by whom the poor are made rich, the weak strong, the fools wise, the sinner justified, the desolate comforted, the doubting sure, and slaves free. It is the power of God for the salvation of all those who believe.

John Calvin, 16th Century Swiss Pastor, Theologian & Author

Call to Worship

Hear God call you to worship through his word:

 ¹⁹ Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Hebrews 10:19-22

Adoration

Pray this praise to God:

‘Tis finished! The Messiah dies-
cut off for sins, but not His own;
accomplished is the sacrifice-
the great redeeming work is done.

The veil is rent; in Christ alone
the living way to heav’n is seen;
the middle wall is broken down,
and all mankind may enter in.

‘Tis finished! All my guilt and pain,
I want no sacrifice beside;
for me, for me the Lamb is slain,
’tis finished! I am justified.

The reign of sin and death is o’er;
all grace is now to sinners giv’n;
and, lo! I plead th’atoning blood,
and in Thy right I claim my heav’n.

~ Charles Wesley, 18th Century English Anglican Minister & Hymnwriter – London, England

Confession of Sin

Confess your sins to God:

Almighty, eternal God! Forgive us our sin and lead us to eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

~ Huldrych Zwingli, 16th Century Swiss Pastor & Leader of Swiss Reformation – Zurich, Switzerland

Assurance of Pardon

Receive these words of comfort from God:

When my life was fainting away,
    I remembered the Lord,
and my prayer came to you,
    into your holy temple.
⁸ Those who pay regard to vain idols
    forsake their hope of steadfast love.
⁹ But I with the voice of thanksgiving
    will sacrifice to you;
what I have vowed I will pay.
    Salvation belongs to the Lord!”

Jonah 2:7-9

Prayer of Intercession

As you make your requests to God, pray this prayer:

Lord, you know our weakness, and the temptations to which we are exposed: our dangers from the enemy of souls, and from the present world, which is full of snares, and, above all, from the enemy within, our vile flesh and deceitful hearts, so apt to betray us into sin. We pray, therefore, that you will arm us with the whole armor of God, and uphold us with your free Spirit; and watch over us for good evermore. O make us experience the strongest aids of your heavenly grace, that we may never fall prey to the spiritual adversary that seeks to devour us. Amen.

~ Augustus Toplady, 18th Century Pastor & Hymnwriter, Author of “Rock of Ages” – Somerset, England

Further Petition

Pray for:

• Personal: pray that the new and living way will be a mark upon your life that others will see and desire for themselves by the power of the Gospel.
• Church: pray for all who call Ascent home, to walk in dependence on the Spirit and submit by faith to the ways of Jesus, doing as He did and living as He lived.
• Community: pray for those in our community who may be considering attending a local church next week for Good Friday or Easter, that they would follow this prompting and experience a new or renewed hope in Jesus.
• World: pray for local churches and their pastors and leaders in those countries outside the United States that you have either visited personally, or that God has placed on your awareness in some way.

Connect the Heart

Consider the following questions to better connect your head and your heart:

1. What did God show you about Himself through today’s devotional?
2. What did God show you about yourself through today’s devotional?
3. What is something you need to surrender to God today as you pursue greater intimacy with Him?

Benediction

As you close your time of meditation and devotion, receive by faith this blessing from God:

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do exceeding abundantly and infinitely beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

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_{Content for our 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting devotionals is adapted from several sources, books on prayer, meditations and liturgies, drawing heavily from O Sacred Head, Now Wounded by Jonathan Gibson (copyright 2024 by Crossway)}