Why We Need To Pray For Jesus To Return Soon

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Share it. But most of all, thank you for listening to the Truth Podcast Network. Join us next time when we talk with him at any time about anything. On Encouraging Prayer, Dr. James Banks, author of the bestselling Prayers for Prodigals and many other books on prayer, provides weekly biblical insight to help you learn to love to pray.

And now, here's James. So today on Encouraging Prayer, we're going to talk about why we need to pray for Jesus to come soon. So James, it's kind of funny that this is a topic that you see all over God's Word, but you don't hear too much about it, especially, you know, when it comes to prayer. So let's talk. Okay. So Ravi, you're a car guy, and I like to think of this as what you might call a dashboard-like topic for our faith.

Here's why. I know that when I pray this way, my heart is moving in the right direction, God. But if I'm not, you know, lights are going off. Something's wrong. Oh, yeah, it's that check engine light.

I know what you mean, time to lift the hood. So even though it seems a little strange to ask, well, let's start out with, why should we do this? The simple answer is because Jesus said we should. I mean, if you think about it, it's the very second request of the Lord's Prayer. The first is that God's name be honored as holy, and the second is for his kingdom to come. And of course, God's kingdom coming means the return of Jesus when he comes with power, and the earth is restored and we live with him forever. And I have to believe that Jesus wouldn't make that one of the very first things he teaches us to pray for if he didn't have a very good reason for doing so. So are you saying that there's a link between our prayers for God's kingdom coming and when that actually happens?

You know, Robby, I honestly don't know, but you have to wonder. I mean, of course, God's will is sovereign over all of this, and the Father alone knows the day and the hour, just as Jesus said, but we've talked about this before. There's a fascinating passage in the Revelation about prayer and Jesus' return in the eighth chapter. There's an angel who's given incense to offer before God, along with the prayers for God's people before God's throne.

So there is the altar with this offering of prayer and incense on the coals, and then the angel takes this fire from the altar and fills the censer and hurls it to the earth, and after that, you know, the seven trumpet sound and it's on, you know, the judgment of God begins, the old world falls. But all of that makes me wonder, is there a tipping point to our prayers where we're pleading with God to return, and like a parent who hears his child crying, you know, he rushes into the room? Again, I don't know, but I have to ask, why would Jesus teach us to pray for his kingdom to come if our prayers didn't make any difference?

Darrell Bock Oh, I think that's a really great question. And there's also the famous prayer from John at the end of Revelations, right? Paul says, Come soon, Lord Jesus. Darrell Bock Right, and that's a lot like Paul's prayer in Aramaic at the end of 1 Corinthians, maranatha, which means also, come, Lord. Darrell Bock It's like you were saying, it only makes sense that we should pray this way, because really, it's all over the New Testament. Paul says, Yeah, it is from beginning to end, you know, and when Jesus tells you to pray it, and Paul prays it, and John prays it, you're in pretty good company.

Darrell Bock Yeah, you think? But why don't we pray this way more? I mean, why don't we talk about this more? Paul says, Do you really want me to answer that question?

Because the answer I get is pretty convicting. Darrell Bock Yeah, I kind of get a feeling I know what you're going to say. Paul says, Yeah, and it's because we're so in love with this world that it's hard for us to imagine anything better.

And I really like what C.S. Lewis said about this in his famous quote from his essay, The Weight of Glory. He said, It would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in the slum, because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

Darrell Bock Ouch. All right, but that's so true. I mean, if you think about what the kingdom of God is ultimately going to be like. Paul Right, and praying for the kingdom to come really helps us in so many other ways. You know, it helps us to pray for other things as well. For example, as soon as I start to pray, you know, come soon, Lord Jesus, I start to think, wait a minute, am I ready?

You know, am I really ready if Jesus were to come today and I were to see him face to face? So, of course, after that, the next thing to pray is, Lord, please help me to be ready. And, you know, of course, not only that, but as soon as you start to pray for God's kingdom to come, you think about all of those you know and love who aren't ready for him to come and who don't know him. And so the next thing it leads to is, Lord, please help her to know you, help him to know you, you know, this child that I'm pleading for, this neighbor across the street, this one who's on my heart, Lord, please, you know, don't come until they're ready. And what happens is, this starts a whole chain reaction in our hearts of praying the way God wants us to. No, it really does because it helps us to think biblically about our lives and where we're going and how this life isn't all there is, but there really is so much more.

Yeah, that is exactly it. For the end of our time together today, Robbie, I'd like us to spend a little extra time just praying about this. Again, because, you know, I don't think a lot of us are used to doing this and it will be helpful for us and for our listeners. So kind of like a bad knock-knock joke, I'm going to ask you to start.

Who's there? Oh, Jesus. Lord, oh, Lord, thank you for this reminder as we just don't want the Lord's prayer to get glib. We do want your kingdom to come. And Lord, like we said in the previous episode, can you carry us in this?

Can you show us how to get ready, the things to do, you know, enlighten our hearts with what that really means and what we should be thinking about. Lord, we thank you for the opportunity to pray for this and ask that you would guide us as we so often don't know how to pray. But like you said, you're teaching the disciples to pray in this, so help us to learn from your example here. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Robert Chisholm Yes. Jesus, help us to have your heart in this. I just think about how you long for the Father's kingdom and did everything for it. And Lord, I know I need to be that way more and I pray that you would help me. I pray that you would help our listeners. Lord, I think about those people who do not know you. Help us to have your heart for them as we pray for your kingdom.

Lord, I thank you that there's nothing better than being with you. Oh, how good that will be for those who know you. So, come soon, Lord Jesus. Maranatha, we pray. Amen. Amen. Narrator You can hear more from Pastor James by visiting his website, jamesbanks.org, or by visiting Peace Church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray. This is the Truth Network.