Plead is a legal word, defined by the dictionary as “to argue a case or cause in a court of law”; “to make a plea of a specified nature”; “to argue for or against a claim or to entreat or appeal earnestly”. As a child of God, an invitation exists from God to plead your case and to state your arguments.
“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins. Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case, that you may be acquitted.” (Isaiah 43:25-26)
“Put Me in remembrance [remind Me of your merits]; let us plead and argue together. Set forth your case, that you may be justified (proved right).” (v26 AMPC)
God, through the prophet Isaiah, spoke this passage to Israel, but it applies to us because we are now God’s children (Rom. 8:16). Hebrews 9:12–14 explains how the blood of Christ has blotted out our transgressions!
Notice that God made the statement, “… I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake…” (v. 25). I used to think that He blotted out my transgressions for my sake and that for my sake, He wouldn’t remember my sins. But that’s not what the Scripture says. God did it for His sake! One reason He did it for His sake was, that He wanted to bless us. And He couldn’t bless us if He didn’t blot out our transgressions and forgive our iniquities. None of us deserves forgiveness but God gives forgiveness to us as an act of grace.
Now, in the place of prayer, God also invites us to plead our case or state our case…from the classic amplified version of the bible, it states clearly: “…let us plead and argue together. Set forth your case, that you may be justified (proved right).”
This is just the first of a series of blog posts that will address this topic and we will delve deeper into this in subsequent blog posts. At this point, it is important to remember that before pleading your case, that your sins are forgiven as an act of grace from God, and by virtue of this, you establish firm foundations on your relationship with God.
For me, these (perhaps, one or two more points I am not sharing here) points form the foundation of my relationship with God, especially in terms of prayers.
- God is good and He is good to me!
- God has invited me to ask, seek, knock…in prayer because He delights to answer my prayer!
- God has given me all things that pertain to life and godliness…and I receive them!
- The earth is the Lord’s, and I am the Lord’s therefore the earth is mine!
- All things are meant to work together for my good because I love God and I am called according to His purpose.
- The kingdom of God has no geographical limitations. It is powerful, able, and willing to deliver in whatever nation, people groups, or continents around the world. As long as I am in the kingdom of God; walking according to the kingdom of God…the kingdom of God will work for me.
- I pray because this is required of me as a child of God (Discipline) and because it is an access point to intimacy with God (Relationship).
I will encourage you to adopt these bullet points as foundational truths in your relationship with God. Amen.
