Your Case in Heaven’s Court: How Prayer Brings Justice and Healing

Pastor Timothy Tomlinson
7 days ago
9 min read

On Sunday, June 8, 2025, I had the honor of delivering a message called Your Case in Heaven’s Court: How Prayer Brings Justice and Healing by using The Power of Persistent Prayer at Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Portland, Oregon. I serve there as the volunteer Staff Pastor for Biblical Christian Counseling, and when Senior Pastor Craig Brown asked me to preach for the second time this year, I already knew what the Lord wanted me to share.

This wasn’t a last-minute word—this was something the Holy Spirit had already been stirring in me. I’ve taught on this exact message publicly three times now. The very first time was August 22, 2023, when I introduced it as Daniel’s Prayer Strategies. Then I shared it again in September 2024 during our live mentoring event on The Courts of Heaven. Each time, the Lord has taken it deeper. And now, here we are again—because it’s a word for right now.

I also teach on this in my book, The Daniel Prayer Playbook, where I walk people through how to step into the Heavenly Courtroom and present their case before the Lord. And if you're hungry to go deeper, we offer a free online training that walks you through it step-by-step. Whether you read the book or take the free course, it’s all about learning how to pray with persistence—because Jesus wants His people free.

One thing Jesus keeps highlighting is the power of persistence. Not just asking once—but pressing in again and again until something moves. Jesus wants His people free. And persistence? It’s one of the most important keys He gave us for breakthrough. We can’t afford to skip it.

Have you ever prayed your heart out—poured everything before God—and still felt... nothing? Like your words just vanished into the air? You start to wonder, “Is God even listening?”

I’ve been there. It's frustrating when you’re praying for healing, direction, or breakthrough, and all you hear is silence. But Jesus didn’t just tell us to pray—He told us to keep on praying. To press in with persistence, especially when it feels like heaven is quiet.

And before I ever stepped up to preach that Sunday, during worship, I heard the Lord say clearly in my spirit: “I’m doing a new thing today.” Not just in the church—but in you. That stuck with me. Because sometimes the new thing God wants to do begins with a prayer that refuses to give up.

Shameless Persistence Gets God’s Attention

In Luke 11:5–10 (NLT), Jesus tells a story about a guy who knocks on his friend’s door at midnight asking for bread. He wasn’t knocking because he was being rude—he had someone unexpected show up hungry and didn’t have anything to offer.

Now, his friend didn’t want to get out of bed. He basically said, “Go away, I’m done for the night.” But Jesus said that even if he wouldn’t help because they were friends, he’d help because the guy wouldn’t stop knocking. That’s called shameless persistence.

Jesus said, “Keep on asking… keep on seeking… keep on knocking.” And eventually, the door will open. It’s not about bothering God—it’s about showing that you believe He cares enough to listen.

When Knocking Doesn’t Seem to Work

But what about when you’ve knocked for months… or years… and still nothing? That’s where Luke 18 comes in. Jesus gave us another strategy—another way to pray when answers feel delayed.

This time, He tells the story of a widow who kept going to a corrupt judge asking for justice. The judge didn’t care about people and didn’t care about God. But because the widow wouldn’t stop, he finally gave her what she asked for. Why? Because she wore him down.

Now if even an ungodly judge will give justice to someone who won’t quit, how much more will your loving Father respond when you keep showing up?

This isn’t about begging. This is about bold, consistent, persistent faith that says, “God, I know You’re good. I know You’re just. And I’m not walking away until You move on my behalf.”

Heaven Is a Courtroom Too

A lot of Christians don’t realize this: Heaven isn’t just a throne room. It’s also a courtroom. Daniel 7:10 says, “Then the court began its session, and the books were opened.” That’s legal language.

In 1 John 2:1, we learn that Jesus is our Advocate—like a spiritual defense lawyer. God is the Judge. Satan is the accuser. And your prayers? They’re legal petitions. You’re not just crying out emotionally—you’re making your case before the highest authority in all creation.

You don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need fancy words. You just need to show up—with faith. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, you’ve got full access to God’s courtroom. You can ask for healing, restoration, provision, and justice.

Don’t Stay Stuck in One Prayer Strategy

Here’s the thing. If one prayer strategy doesn’t seem to be working, Jesus gave you another. If you’ve been knocking and not seeing results, shift to a courtroom strategy. That’s what persistent prayer in the Courts of Heaven is all about—moving forward, not getting stuck.

And don’t be afraid to ask Jesus what’s blocking the answer. Sometimes, it’s not about praying harder—it’s about closing the open doors that are letting the enemy have access.

What Are Open Doors?

These are areas of your life where the enemy might have legal grounds—like past sin, unforgiveness, bitterness, generational curses, or even trauma. Before you enter the courtroom, it’s powerful to pause and ask Jesus: “What offends You in my life? What do You want to heal today?”

Then let Him show you. It might be a memory. A wound you haven’t let Him touch. Something someone did to you that you’re still holding onto. He’ll show you—because He wants to heal it.

How to Present Your Case in the Courts of Heaven

Here’s the basic walkthrough we use in my sessions and in The Daniel Prayer Playbook:

Start with Worship Honor God as the Righteous Judge. Psalm 100:4 says we “enter His courts with praise.”
Ask for the Court to Be Opened “Father, in Jesus’ name, I ask that the Court of Heaven be opened over my situation today.”
Invite Jesus as Your Advocate “Jesus, thank You for pleading my case. I receive You as my Advocate and Intercessor.”
Present Your Case Be specific. Name the issue—your marriage, your finances, your child, your health.
Close the Open Doors Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal anything that gives the enemy legal access. Repent, forgive, and surrender it to Jesus.
Ask for the Verdict Wait on the Lord. He might bring a word, a verse, a vision, or just peace.
Declare the Outcome “I receive Your verdict of healing! I receive justice! I receive deliverance!”

Three Ways Jesus Confirms Healing

Jesus usually shows up in one of three ways:

You see Him in a vision or picture (like Him holding your hand in a painful memory).
You hear Him speak—words like “It’s finished” or “I’ve healed you.”
You feel peace—a shift in your emotions. The pain or fear is just… gone.

And if you don’t feel, hear, or see anything? Trust His Word. Like the centurion in Matthew 8, believe that what Jesus says is enough—even before you see it.

When You Don’t Get the Answer Right Away…

Sometimes you ask and don’t see a change right away. That doesn’t mean nothing happened. Jesus may be building something in you—faith, endurance, or spiritual maturity.

Romans 5:3–4 says that trouble produces endurance, and endurance builds character. That’s why Jesus didn’t teach us to pray just once. He taught us to pray daily. “Give us this day our daily bread.” Not “weekly,” not “when I feel desperate,” but daily.

Why? Because He wants relationship. He wants you to keep coming back.

Don’t Give Up. Your Breakthrough Could Be One Prayer Away.

Moses fasted 40 days for justice. Daniel prayed 21 days for an answer. Hannah cried so hard they thought she was drunk. And all of them got their breakthrough—because they didn’t quit.

Maybe your breakthrough is one more prayer away. Or maybe it’ll take 10 more. But don’t stop. Don’t let silence convince you God isn’t working. Trust Him.

Real People, Real Healing: What Jesus Did During the Volunteer Walkthroughs

After teaching on The Power of Persistent Prayer in the Courts of Heaven, I invited the congregation to take a quiet moment and ask Jesus a simple question:“Jesus, what do You want to heal in me today?”

We didn’t rush. I told them to sit with Him. Let Him search your heart. Sometimes the thing you think is the issue isn’t the real issue—so we waited for the Holy Spirit to reveal what He wanted to work on.

Then I invited volunteers to come forward. Three people responded. Each one came with a different burden, and each one met Jesus in a powerful way—whether through Inner Healing or by stepping into the Courts of Heaven.

What followed were real-time moments of breakthrough.

🧔 Randy: A Father Wound Healed Through Shameless, Persistent Prayer

Randy came up first and said the wound had to do with his father. This wasn’t a moment for the Courts of Heaven. This was a moment to come to Jesus as a friend at midnight, like in Luke 11. Sometimes we don't need a judge—we need a friend who still answers the door.

I walked Randy through a time of Christian Inner Healing, rooted in shameless, persistent prayer.

Together, we prayed:

“Jesus, I call on Your name, power, and authority.”
“Jesus, I choose to forgive my father.”
“Jesus, please forgive me for how I’ve responded to that pain.”
“Will You heal this part of me?”
“Will You speak to me or bring peace as confirmation?”

After we waited quietly, Randy said he felt a deep peace come over him. That peace was the answer. No courtroom verdict. No thunder. Just Jesus showing up and healing a deep wound that had lingered for years.

👩 Nadia: Anxiety and Inconsistency Broken in the Courts of Heaven

Nadia came forward next. She was preparing to take a big licensing exam and had been battling anxiety and inconsistency. This was the kind of blockage that needed a legal breakthrough—so we opened the Courts of Heaven using the prayer strategy from the worksheet.

We walked through the process step-by-step:

“Jesus, I call on Your name, power, and authority.”
“I divide soul and spirit, according to Hebrews 4:12.”
“I choose to forgive myself and others involved.”
“Jesus, please forgive me for agreeing with fear and discouragement.”
“Will You heal this part of me?”
“Will You testify on my behalf and bring a heavenly verdict?”

As we waited, Jesus spoke one word to her: “Consistency.” That was the root issue. She repented for partnering with it and asked Jesus to close the doorway.

When asked for a verdict, she smiled and said: “Not guilty.” Jesus also gave her a word of encouragement: “Don’t give up.” She walked away with peace, clarity, and a breakthrough that went beyond the exam.

🙋‍♂️ Third Volunteer: Addiction Broken and a Fresh Start

The final volunteer came to the front just to give thanks. He had been sober from alcohol for nearly 100 days and wanted to praise God for it. But I sensed that Jesus wanted to bring closure and legal freedom from whatever had started that addiction—so we entered the Courts of Heaven.

He prayed:

“Jesus, I call on Your name, power, and authority.”
“I divide soul and spirit.”
“I choose to forgive everyone who hurt me.”
“Jesus, please forgive me for any doors I opened through sin or agreement.”
“Will You heal this part of me?”
“Will You bring a verdict and testify on my behalf?”

After a pause, he shared that Jesus spoke to him: “Your journey is just beginning.” When asked if he received a verdict, he said confidently: “Not guilty.”

The Outcome: One Question Changed Everything

All three started in the same place—asking Jesus what He wanted to heal. They let Him search their hearts, then followed His lead. One came as a friend in need. Two came to the Judge for justice. All three began by calling on Jesus in His name, power, and authority, and they each chose to forgive others and repent where needed.

One walked away with peace. One heard a word of knowledge. Two received a verdict. All three encountered the living Jesus.

You can too.

Take a quiet moment today and ask Him: “Jesus, what do You want to heal in me?” Then follow His lead. Whether it’s through prayer, healing, or a heavenly verdict—He’s still responding to persistent faith.

References to Additional Resources:

Websites

YouVersion (youversion.com): YouVersion creates biblically centered, culturally relevant experiences that encourage and challenge people to seek God throughout each day. It’s through these experiences we create opportunities fit for anyone’s daily routine, ultimately helping them form a spiritually-rich rhythm of seeking God intimately.

Free Online Courses:

"Spiritual Warfare Training through Inner Healing": Offered by Pastor Timothy Tomlinson is a free online Christian training program designed to help individuals find inner healing and freedom through prayer and a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.
"The Daniel Prayer Playbook": Offered by Pastor Timothy Tomlinson, the online Christian training program provides guidance on how to approach Jesus as a friend, father, and judge, enabling participants to gain freedom from the enemy and experience healing through accessing the Mercy Court of Heaven.