Prayer Under the Old Covenant

Abraham’s prayer, which is recorded in Gen. 18:22-23, is the most illuminating and suggestive of any prayer in the Old Covenant.
He said to God, “Wilt thou consume the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked; that be far from thee: shall not the judge of all the earth do right?”
Here Abraham was taking his place in the Covenant.
Abraham had through the Covenant received rights and privileges that we little understand.
The Covenant that Abraham had just solemnized with Jehovah gave him a legal standing with God.
We hear him speak so plainly, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” This is his intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah.
All through the Old Covenant we find men who understood and took their place in the Covenant.
Joshua could open the Jordan. He could command the sun, moon and stars to stand still in the heavens.
Elijah could bring fire out of heaven to consume the offering as well as the altar.
David’s mighty men were utterly shielded from death in their wars. They became supermen as long as they remembered the Covenant.
Practically all the prayers of the Old Testament were prayers of Covenant men.
They had to be answered. God had to give heed to their petitions.

Prayer Under the New Covenant

The New Testament is a New Covenant.
The believer has Covenant rights in prayer.
Isaiah 43:25-26 “I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake; and I will not remember thy sins. Put me in remembrance; let us plead together: set thou forth thy cause, that thou mayest be Justified.”
Here is a challenge of the Covenant-keeping God to Israel.
It is a challenge to the church.
“Put me in remembrance.” In other words, remind Him of His promises in regard to prayer.
Men who have been mighty in prayer have always reminded God of His promises and laid the case legally before Him.
When you pray, stand before the throne and plead your case as a lawyer.
That lawyer is continually bringing law and precedent.
Bring His Word, His Covenant promises, plead your rights.
“Put me in remembrance. Set forth thy cause that thou mayest be Justified.”
It is the challenge of God to lay the case before Him.
If your children are unsaved, find a scripture that covers your case and lay the matter before Him.
Isaiah 45:11 “Ask me of the things that are to come; concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye me.”
This is prophetic. It does not apply to Israel. It is yours.
“Ask me of the things that are to come.” These were future things, things perhaps connected with your life and your family, your community or your government.
“Concerning the work of my hands, command ye me.”
This is in perfect harmony with John 15:7 “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
The word “ask” means “demand”.
You do not command in tones of arrogance but as a partner.
You lay the case before Him.
You call His attention to His part in the drama of life
A scripture you should use continually is Isaiah 55:11.
Read carefully the 9th and 10th verses: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
“For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, and giveth seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so shall my Word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
This is the very backbone of the prayer life.
No Word that has gone forth from God can return unto Him void.
Jer. 1:12 “I watch over my Word to perform it.”
He will make good His Word, if you dare stand by it.