The Power of Prayer: Entering God's Presence Through the New and Living Way
In Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' powerful exposition of Hebrews 10:19-22, we discover the profound reality of prayer—not as a mere psychological exercise or religious duty, but as the incredible privilege of entering the very presence of the living God.
The Remarkable Privilege of Prayer
Hebrews 10:19-22 presents one of the most significant truths about prayer in all of Scripture:
"Having, therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, and having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."
In this sermon, Dr. Lloyd-Jones confronts a common misconception in modern Christianity—that prayer is a simple, easy activity requiring little thought or doctrinal foundation. As he explains, "Some people give the impression that prayer is something simple and easy... as if prayer were simple. And I've noticed over the years in discussion groups and classes and meetings, when a problem is presented, there's generally somebody present who jumps up at once and has an easy solution. They say, pray about it as if prayer is simple and easy."
The Doctor dispels this notion, revealing that "in many ways, prayer is one of the most difficult things in the christian life." Far from being a casual activity, prayer represents humanity's greatest possible endeavor—entering the very presence of the Almighty God.
The Difficulties of True Prayer
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies three main obstacles that make prayer such a profound challenge:
1. The Reality of God's Presence
First, the Doctor reminds us of what prayer truly means: "Prayer means going into the very presence of God." Using the imagery of the Old Testament tabernacle familiar to the original Hebrew readers, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that prayer means entering "the holiest of all"—the innermost sanctuary where God himself dwells.
"This is the great theme of the Bible," he declares. "Who can dwell with a burning fire? Asks Isaiah, who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Says a psalmist. This is the greatest activity a man can ever engage in."
The awesome reality of coming before the eternal, holy God naturally creates hesitation and uncertainty. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains, we all know what it's like to feel intimidated in the presence of some great earthly person—"Multiply that by infinity. And there are you and I in the presence of God and going to talk to God."
2. The Accusations of Conscience
The second difficulty involves our own conscience. Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes that when we attempt to pray, "your conscience begins to speak. And it says to you, who are you to pray to God? You've disobeyed God. You've sinned against him. You haven't thought of him. You've been selfish."
These accusations cannot simply be dismissed—they are true. Using examples from Scripture such as David in Psalm 51 and the prodigal son, the Doctor demonstrates that the accusations of conscience must be answered before we can pray with freedom.
3. The Pollution of Sin
Finally, Lloyd-Jones addresses our innermost corruption: "Our trouble is not merely that we do things that are wrong. The real trouble is that we've got such a nature that we have a desire to do such things."
This pollution is deeper than individual sins—it's a fundamental problem of our nature. Like David who prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God," we recognize that we need more than forgiveness of individual sins; we need a complete transformation of our inner being.
The Gospel Solution: A New and Living Way
Having laid out these seemingly insurmountable difficulties, Dr. Lloyd-Jones turns to the gospel's powerful answer. He outlines several essential requirements for true prayer:
1. Absolute Sincerity
First, we must approach God with complete honesty—"a true heart." As Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains, "It must be a true heart. Unite my heart to praise thy name. It's no use attempting to pray unless we are absolutely honest and open before God and not attempting to dissimulate or to conceal anything."
The Doctor reminds us of Hebrews 4:12-13, that all things are "naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." Attempting to hide anything from God is futile and undermines true prayer.
2. The New and Living Way
But sincerity alone isn't enough. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that we need "a new way," which he contrasts with the old sacrificial system of the Jewish religion.
Using a vivid modern analogy, he compares this to the difference between winding through congested village roads versus traveling on a direct motorway: "What would you think of a man who ignored the motorway, the direct route, and still persisted in meandering and wasting his time and his energy and everything else in going along the old roads? You'd laugh at him."
Christ has opened a "new and living way" through his sacrifice, providing direct access to God that the old ceremonial system could never achieve.
3. The Foundation of Christ's Work
The Doctor explains why this way is secure, comparing it to the solid foundation needed for a major roadway: "You know, you need such a strong foundation here that it can carry the souls of all these people through the centuries. And no man could ever be strong enough to make that."
The only adequate foundation is the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Christ:
- The incarnation provided the divine-human mediator: ""No human priests can ever take us into the presence of God."
- Christ's death on the cross opened the way: "The road is prepared. But now the road has got to be opened. It's got to be consecrated. And when was the great opening day of the new and the living Way? When did this happen? Where did it happen? It happened on the cross on Calvary's hill."
- His resurrection and ascension ensure ongoing access: "He rose again to justify us. He's brought life and immortality to light. He's ascended, he's passed through the heavens."
Praying with Confidence
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that through this new and living way, we can approach God with confidence: "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus."
This confidence is based on several vital truths:
- God himself made the way: "It is he himself who has made this way... It's God who's made the way and asks me and invites me to walk along it. I can go. So do so with confidence."
- Our sins have been fully dealt with: "Yes, I am a sinner. I have done all the things of which you, my conscience, accused me. But I can tell you this, that those very sins have already received their punishment. They were laid upon the lamb of God by God himself."
- We have received a new nature: "It's one of the very central doctrines of this great gospel... The Holy Spirit can create us anew, and we can receive a new nature. We become partakers of the divine nature. We are the children of God."
- We have an answer to the devil's accusations: "How do you answer him? And you can't answer him except in these terms. The new and living way. The great doctrines of salvation that are to be found in the Bible... Take another one. Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion says, peter is roaming about seeking whom he may devour. How do you resist him? They whom resist, steadfast in the faith, in the doctrine, the doctrines of salvation."
The Necessity of Doctrinal Truth
Throughout this sermon, Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes the critical importance of sound doctrine for effective prayer. He firmly rejects the modern notion that we can set doctrine aside and simply pray together:
"The apostle's approach is not academic, it's not theoretical. He was concerned to help these people to live the christian life. That was why he rarely wrote to them. But as I say, he knew perfectly well that no one can live this christian life unless one first of all has a true understanding of what it makes us christians at all."
This insistence on doctrinal foundation explains why the Doctor begins with theological exposition before addressing prayer itself. As he states, "You cannot resist the devil without doctrine, it's impossible. That's why doctrine is essential."
Conclusion: Our Only Hope
Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes his message with a stirring call to embrace this powerful means of grace:
"My dear friends, this is our only hope. At a time such as this, the arm of flesh will fail us. We dare not trust our own. The battle against us is so mighty, it's so furious. The forces against us are so strong. We have but one hope, and that is in the Lord and the power of his might, clothed with his armor, and praying over it all, that the armor may be kept clean and bright. Pray without ceasing, and then we shall have our victory."
In a world that trivializes prayer or reduces it to mere psychology, Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds us of its true nature—the extraordinary privilege of entering God's presence through Christ's finished work. Prayer is not simple, but it is powerful—the believer's ultimate weapon in spiritual warfare and the means by which we experience the transforming power of God in our lives.
As the Doctor affirms in his concluding words: "Let us therefore go, and come with boldness into the holiest of all, by the blood of Jesus, this glorious, new and living way. Go to him in full assurance of faith, and he'll hear you, and he'll answer you, and he'll make you more than conquerors."
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes prayer difficult according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies three main difficulties: 1) The awesome reality of entering God's holy presence, 2) The accusations of our conscience regarding our sins, and 3) The deep pollution of sin within our nature that makes us unfit for God's presence.
How does the gospel address the difficulties of prayer?
The gospel provides "a new and living way" through Christ's work. His incarnation, death on the cross, resurrection, and ascension have established a permanent way into God's presence. Through faith in Christ, our sins are forgiven, our consciences cleansed, and we receive a new nature.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean by "a true heart" in prayer?
A "true heart" refers to absolute honesty before God—not attempting to hide or conceal anything, recognizing that God sees everything. This means confessing all sins without reservation and approaching God with complete sincerity.
How should we respond to the devil's accusations when we pray?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, we resist the devil "steadfast in the faith"—by standing firmly on the doctrines of salvation. We tell the accuser that Christ has died for us, and therefore his accusations have no power. As John Newton wrote in the hymn quoted by Lloyd-Jones, we "tell him thou hast died."
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasize doctrine in relation to prayer?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones insists that effective prayer requires sound doctrine because we cannot approach God, answer our conscience, overcome our pollution, or resist the devil without understanding and believing the truths of the gospel. Prayer is not just a technique but flows from our understanding of who God is and what Christ has done.