There are so many ways to pray.

Sometimes we long for a different way to

communicate with God. I discovered Sanctuary Prayers over more than 10 years ago
and it has always encouraged me in my prayer life. Understanding the sanctuary
message itself is a key element to our Christian walk. For further reading see the books
listed at the end of the prayer. This layout is just another prayer guide, feel free to alter
and rewrite until it becomes a natural part of your prayer life.

EXPERIENCING SANCTUARY PRAYER

Step One: THE GATE
The gate is wide and beautiful. Because of our sins God could have said
everybody must stay outside in eternal darkness. All must perish but instead
He made a door for everybody! That is the news of the gospel, the glad
tidings: God provides a door so that all who want to may enter. The door is
easily entered, the colours are inviting. Christ is the only door through which
we have access to the Father (Eph. 2:18; 3:12) I am the door; by Me if any
man enter in, he shall be saved (John 10:9). The earthly priests began their
daily work in the courtyard of the sanctuary. They entered reverently,
chanting or singing praises to God. This praise honored God and prepared
the way for Him to work in the salvation of the people.
Individual Prayer:
Father I come before you today praising your Holy name. There is none like
you majestic in holiness, awesome in glory. How I praise you Creator of
the Universe for inviting me into Your presence. Thank you for your mercies
which are new every morning.
Step Two: THE ALTAR of BURNED OFFERING/SACRIFICE
In the sanctuary in the wilderness, as the priest entered the courtyard, the
first item of furniture he came to was the bronze altar on which the animal
sacrifice was slain and burned as a sin offering. That of course, was only the
earthly illustration. The real sacrifice for all sin was accomplished at the
cross of Calvary. When we come to Jesus and envision Him hanging on the
tree for our sins, let us cry out and remind Him of the promise: if we
confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
(Prayer Pointer - PP) Repent, confess, (confession must be specific) and
ask for forgiveness at the bronze altar, representing the cross of Christ.

"I humbly come before you, knowing the great sacrifice you have given in
the death of your Son, Jesus. I also want to die with Him as I give myself
completely to you (Rom. 12:1-2; 6:6-4; 1.Cor. 15:31; Luke 9:23-24).
Forgive me my sins with the blood of Christ at Calvary."
"Lord, I ask you now to make known to me any barriers (sin) between you
and me that prevent you from pouring out your Holy Spirit upon me."
Step Three: LAVER OF WASHING
Just beyond the altar of sacrifice in the courtyard of the Mosaic sanctuary
was the laver. It provided water for washing the feet and hands of the priest
before he entered to minister in the holy place or to offer a burnt offering.
Contact with the world often contaminates us and dims our desire for the
Lord. Christ cleanses the church through washing with water, which is the
Word (Eph. 5:25-27). So the Word of God has cleansing properties and we
loosen the effects of the world upon us by reading the Word daily.
In revelation 1: 5-6, we read that the Lord Jesus loves His own and that He
made them priests unto God and His Father. Every child of God is equally a
priest. The apostle Peter says you are a holy priesthood to offer up
spiritual sacrifices a royal priesthood to show forth the praises of Him
who has called us. (1 Peter 2:5, 9) Because we defile ourselves everyday we
need to be washed daily before entering into communion with God.
Offer a prayer of cleansing
THE HOLY PLACE
Step Four: THE CANDLESTICK / LAMPSTAND (Exodus 25:31-40)
The lamp stand in the earthly sanctuary, fed by holy oil, lit up the entire
sanctuary with a light that was never allowed to go out; the light represented
the eternal vigilance of the Holy Spirit. Emptied of sin and self at the laver,
we are ready to be filled with the Spirit. The candlestick was of pure gold;
the pure gold was beaten and beaten and beaten yet again. He who is the true
light suffered and was beaten with the severe blows of Gods judgment. The
seven lam ps that were on it gave light in the darkness. The lamps were
filled with olive oil, which is a type of the Holy Spirit (Zech 4:1-6). So it is
with believers who are closely connected with Christ: they can spread light
as well, but they can only do so by the Holy Spirit. The burned part of the
wick gave no light, so first the priest had to remove it. A believer whose life
is clogged by uncleanness does not spread light.

Prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit

"Since we have become your new vessel, grant us the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit. Please endow us with the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit: wisdom;
knowledge; understanding; counsel; power; reverent submission and good
judgement. May the Holy Spirit be visible in our lives through the fruits of
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and
temperance according to our needs today."
Step Five: THE TABLE OF SHEWBREAD /His Presence (Exodus
25:23-30)
Opposite the candlestick stood the golden table, on which lay twelve loaves
of bread, exactly the same as the number of tribes in Israel. The table is
Christ. Just as the table bore the loaves of bread, so Christ bears Gods
people today. They are acceptable to God because He bears them. The
twelve loaves signify the entire nation of Israel. Surrounding the table was a
golden border, forming an enclosure, this served to prevent the loaves falling
or sliding off the table. Gods got the whole world in His hand. The earth is
the Lords and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein.
(Psalm 24:1)
Every Sabbath the loaves of bread were eaten by the priests and replaced by
new loaves. The bread on the golden table was food for the priests. God had
ordered it so. John 6:32-58 says that the Lord Jesus is the Living Bread that
came down out of heaven, and that if anyone eats of it, he will live forever.
The life of the Christian is fed by the true Bread. Feeding upon Him, being
occupied with Him through His Word, receiving Him and enjoying Him
gives spiritual growth and true blessing.
(PP) Ask for strength and sustenance for your physical, mental, emotional,
spiritual, and financial needs. Claim promises that God gives to you in His
Word. Live as Jesus did, on every word that proceeds from the mouth of
God.
"Father you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. I
desire to become a partaker of the divine nature by studying Your words and
obeying them. May the life I live today be under your control! Please protect
me from the thorns that can choke me from seeing your guidance and
experiencing your presence. Strengthen me with wisdom to do my work well
& bless me with good health. Let me be wise as a serpent and be honest as a
dove with the money you have given me the strength to earn. May your will
be done today.

Step Six: THE ALTAR OF INCENSE / INTERCESSION (Exodus 30:19)

This altar unlike the brazen altar only offered sweet-smelling incense;
animal sacrifices could not be burnt there. The pleasant odour of the incense
rose up to God. Only the high priest served at the altar of incense in the
wilderness sanctuary. Only Jesus serves as our high priest in the heavenly
sanctuary. There He receives the sincere prayers of the contrite. The high
priest burned incense specially blended for use in the sanctuary work. The
incense represented the perfect intercession of Christ, which he offers
continually for us in the heavenly sanctuary. Each of us has been chosen to
be a priest of the Kingdom, and we each have a circle of people whom God
has given us: friends, family, neighbours. We are responsible to pray for
them and to represent God to them. Our prayers for them allow God to work
in their lives in a way in which He could not have done, if we had not
prayed. All true prayer must be prayed under the influence of the Holy
Spirit, Who takes the thoughts and desires we cannot verbalize and puts
them into heavens language and presents them to God. Remember we
cannot pray for someone if we hold a grudge against them or look down on
them. We must forgive and respect them as Gods children before we can
pray for them. Also we must be willing to be involved in their lives if God
leads that way. And so your thoughts and words must meet in order to reach
God in prayer.
Offer here special prayer(s) for those whom the Lord has laid upon your
heart for today.
Prayer pointer: "I come by faith to the altar before the throne of God, where
Jesus continually offers up incense of His perfect human life on my behalf. I
thank you that you give me the confidence to come boldly before you. I
want to be an intercessor with You for others. May I forgive others as you
have forgiven me and enable me to intercede for them through the power of
the Holy Spirit. I bring before You today my family, friends etc.
Step Seven: MOST HOLY PLACE (Exod.25:10-22)
Behind the second curtain in the sanctuary was the place where the visible
presence of God dwelt. The only furniture in this room was the ark of God,
which contained the two tablets of the holy law. The ark was covered with
the mercy seat and was overshadowed by two cherubim of beaten gold. No
careless eye was ever allowed to see into the Most Holy place. It was

occupied only by God. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high
priest entered this room to remove the sins of the people that had
figuratively been transferred to the sanctuary over the year. God met daily
with Moses and Aaron in the holy place to instruct them, this place was the
place of judgement.
This work includes: 1. Investigation: a. God examines my thoughts,
motives and actions. b. I examine my own heart and life c. The universe
examines my life. 2: Discipline: cutting trials, persecution, suffering;
healing comfort, peace, joy and 3. Instruction- God teaches us about
Himself; God teaches us about ourselves and others; God teaches us doctrine
and prophecy; God gives us wisdom to learn practical skills for daily
survival.
It is Gods plan that we dwell in the Most Holy Place continually as long as
we fulfill the conditions for entrance the previous steps. May we learn to
take steps of praise, repentance and confession, cleansing, being spirit filled,
partaking of the body of Christ through the Word of God, and praying for
others in intercession so that we can fully experience dwelling with God in
the Most Holy place.
May we fully commit to God today as we sing this song: Search me O God
and know my heart today, try me O Saviour, know my thoughts I pray, see if
there be, any wicked ways in me, cleanse me from every sin and set me
free.
(Information gathered from Carroll Shewmake-Johnson - 7 Steps to
Sanctuary Prayer and House of Gold by Jan Rouw).
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