By: Leon De Haan, International Bible Teacher
President, Thrive Ministries International
Several years ago, while I was ministering in the country of India, I saw something that really impacted my life. I had gone along with my Indian host to visit a Christian businessman at his place of business. While we were there, one of his employees came running in the door and fell prostrate in the dirt in front of this businessman. The businessman's response was to kick the man in his ribs and yell at him. I didn't know what to do. Afterward, I asked my host what had happened. He told me that the employee had offended the businessman by the way he approached him. He approached him in a way a beggar would approach a person looking for a handout. This man wasn't a beggar. He was an employee. He should have approached the businessman by standing in front of him and bowing at the waist. Then the employee's action would have said, "I am here to serve you," instead of saying, "I am here to beg."
I believe the way we approach God is very important. Before I can teach you how to approach God you need to know how God sees you. Are you a beggar at His feet or a son who has favor? If you have never received God's free gift of salvation, you are a beggar who is an enemy of God seeking His mercy. But if you have received the fee gift of God's grace, which is forgiveness of your sins by the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross, you are His child!
As a child of God, we need to approach God with the confidence of faith. Ephesians 3:12 says, "In whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him." The Amplified version says it this way, "In Whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear)."
Because of the shed blood of Jesus, we as believers have bold, confident access into the presence of God. We no longer have to enter with fear like the Old Testament high priest did. Now, we are expected to enter the presence of our Heavenly Father with confidence. The word "confidence" means to speak freely. God desires our fellowship. That is why He sent Jesus in the first place. When we come to Him like a beggar, it offends Him, because He expects us to enter His presence freely with confidence. When we believe that God loves us with a perfect love, all fear of punishment is gone. (See: 1 John 4:18) So, we don't approach God with a fear of punishment, but by faith in His love for us.
We must understand that the only way we can approach God is in faith. Good works, the blood of goats and bulls, or any other way will not work. It is our approach of faith that pleases God. What would you think if your child would come to you with fear and trembling every time he needed something? I would not like that. Neither does God our Father. To approach God on the basis of any of our own works is appalling to our Heavenly Father.
I remember years ago praying for a dear saint in our church. I listed for God all that this woman had done for Him. After I finished praying my religious prayer, the Holy Spirit took me to task. None of the things that she had done qualified her for a miracle. Religion has never impressed God, but faith has. Jesus was amazed with the Centurion's faith. (See: Matthew 8:10) When we approach God, we must approach Him by faith.
I am reminded at the Old Testament story of how Esther approached King Ahasuerus. Esther needed faith in order to approach the king because if he didn't find favor with her, she would have been put to death. Because of Esther's faith in God, she approached the king and God gave her favor, and she ultimately saved Israel from annihilation. As we confront the trials of this life, we need to do so by approaching God in faith. The approach of faith will please God and His hand will work a miracle for us. As you go to God in prayer each day, do so in faith.
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