Is Praying To The Saints, The Cloud of Witnesses Scriptural?

The Lord asked me to share with you the testimony of the cloud of witness, the saints in Heaven. They have been my friends and truly the biggest cheerleaders. I have seen the power of their intercession and the value of their relationship in my life. Before I share testimonies I first wanted to give some scriptural backing for those who may be new to the channel and think the cloud of witness, or praying to the saints is a catholic thing.

First, we are not catholic but heart dwellers simply souls who dwell in the heart of Jesus. We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are also the sacraments Jesus left behind for the apostles, the priesthood, His Mother, and the intercession of the saints.

It’s actually a very Christian thing to do, to have friends in Heaven who you can call on and have them as your prayer partners on earth.

So let’s first touch on the scriptures.

One of the first strongholds I have come to realize as a former protestant who didn’t understand the role of the saints and that it was ungodly to pray to any of the could of witness was because I thought those in heaven had no idea what was going on with us here on earth.

So the question is, Is the Body of Christ Divided From Those in Heaven and Those on Earth? No.

– Ephesians 4:4-6, There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

We have to assume that God did not divide His body, He never did, that wasn’t his intention, men have done that. Men have caused division, and His desire is one body under one head, Jesus Christ. Believers who are all fully functional, completely dedicated to saving souls, and all working together for the body of Christ. That’s what God intended, that’s still what He’s doing now.

– Jesus is the head, and His Body is the Church, and we are ALL the members of his body, both those on Earth and those in Heaven.

(Col. 1:18)

– Jesus himself mentioned that we are to be ONE in the “Our Father” prayer in Matthew 6:9-13.

In 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, it speaks of unity and diversity in the body. That body of Christ is made up of different members, but ONE body, and just as verse 21 says, “The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” So we too cannot say, “I am a member on earth so I do not need the members of Christ in Heaven, I don’t need them!” Think about it. He is calling all members of his body to come in agreement with what he is doing, and actually work, and co-labor with those who are in heaven, to do the work of God on this earth. So the scriptures are clear there are no separations from

believers who are on earth from the believers who are in heaven, we are ONE in Christ. Here Paul when praying for the Ephesians yet referenced the family of God as being those in Heaven and on Earth!

A Prayer for the Ephesians

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

– CLOUD OF WITNESSES. They cheer us on in heaven!

Hebrew 12: 1, Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Here the scripture makes it plain we are surrounded. Who is “we”? That is, all those on Earth are surrounded, which means we are adjoined, we are encompassed by those in Heaven who cheer us on to finish the race well.

Are Those In Heaven Able to Hear Our Prayer? Yes.

The angels and saints alike can hear our prayers and actually take our prayers up before the throne of God!

– Revelations 8:4, When we enlist angels to intercede for us they hear us and take our prayers before God.

– Revelations 5:8, Here we see the 24 elders take the prayers of those on earth and present them before God at his throne.

Can We Ask for Those in Heaven to Pray for Us? Yes.

John 5:14-16, Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

We must remember they too are STILL MEMBERS of the body and elders

of God’s Church. So when we enlist a saint to pray for us we can be healed and their prayers are powerful!! As the scripture says the prayers of the righteous. The souls in heaven are perfected in righteousness because they stand before God’s throne and their prayers avail much. So, what you are simply doing is asking Mary, a member of the body of Christ, to pray on your behalf, to intercede for you. She is perfected, made righteous through Christ, and takes your prayers before the throne.

Is Speaking and Praying with the Saints, The Cloud of Witnesses Necromancy (communicating with the dead)?

NO! Because Jesus himself said, He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, (Mark 12:27, Luke 20: 38). Those in Christ are not dead, they are alive! That is the whole point of Jesus’ death and resurrection. That is the good news of the gospel, that we have eternal life in Jesus Christ!

– Even in scripture Paul admonishes the Corinthians about those who doubted the Resurrection of the Dead and called their faith worthless…Ouch.

1 Corinthians 15:12-18

But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is worthless, and so is your faith. In that case, we are also exposed as false witnesses about God. For we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead, but He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all men.

– Jesus went further to ask Mary the same question when Lazarus died if she believed in his resurrection power, not in the last days, but right now.

John 11:25-26, Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

– So, I now ask you the same thing Jesus asked Mary; do you believe this or has your faith become worthless?… Think about it.

The Question Was Asked: How Can You Discern a Spirit That Comes from God VS a Familiar Spirit That Comes from the Devil?

First, the saints venerated in the Catholic and Orthodox Church went through a process to ensure that their souls were with the Lord and many have performed miracles in the name of Jesus to be a witness that they are with Jesus in heaven.

Concerning loved ones, friends, or souls who have passed on, but are not honored as saints by the Church, you simply test the spirit as it says in 1 John 4:1-3. And how do you test the spirit? Verse 3: “By this, you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.” Also Matthew 7:16 talks about testing the fruit. A good tree bears good fruit, that goes the same as for those in the spirit. You will know if the spirit comes from God by the fruit. The Lord’s presence and that of his saints leave you with a feeling of profound peace and draw you closer to Jesus, nor will any counsel or instruction from them contradict God’s word.

1. Test the spirit by asking it to confess Jesus Christ is Lord.

2. Test the spirit by the fruit.

Matthew 17:1–8, DURING PRAYER (that is important) Jesus had a visitation from Moses and Elijah. This was symbolic, giving revelation even to the disciples, and to future followers of Christ, the reality of the Cloud of Witness, and how they are very much alive to bring us encouragement and to pray for us and with us. If Jesus, although being God, availed himself to receive encouragement from the saints, (while he was praying), then how much more do we?

– This scripture confirms that all believers can have access to heaven when we pray and commune with the saints!

Thank you so much to all who responded to giving donations. You guys are so amazing! We now have enough for the outreach, the support of the mother, and even pay the children’s school fees for December. God bless you all richly