What Exactly is the ‘Courts of Heaven’ All About?

The courts of Heaven is a real place where Believers have access to by way of prayer and petition, through intercession by the Holy Spirit who intercedes for the Believer. God governs His court system in Heaven as the sovereign judge. He hears our circumstances and answers us according to His governmental system.

Have you ever noticed the references to copious numbers of legal terms in the Bible? Words such as:

• Law
• Justified
• Guilt
• Penalty
• Petition
• Throne
• Heaven’s Court

Taking the book of 2 Timothy, you read Paul’s letter to the young man to “guard what has been entrusted to you.” This “entrusting” comes from a formal procedure where one party could securely pass a commodity to another authorized party.

Paul charges Timothy…

“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word!…”—2 Timothy 4:1-2

Paul enters the courts of Heaven and charges Timothy before God as judge and the Lord Jesus. “I charge you…” means “in view of the preceding,” which was mentioned in the previous verse about the inspired Word of God used for teaching and instructing.

Why are there legal terms in the Bible?

Because there is a legal battle over the rights of this earth. There is an accuser, and there is a Righteous Judge. The beauty of it is that we can come before the Judge, know His will, and petition in prayer.

You don’t need a law degree to understand the scriptures; you need the Holy Spirit. Likewise, digging into the roots of the Jewish faith, how governments and nations were set up at the time, also sheds much light on the subject.

From the Old Testament to the New Testament, Heaven’s court is mentioned throughout.

Daniel 7:9-10 says this…

“I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousands stood before Him. The court was seated and the books were opened.”

This vision is a manifestation of God the Father’s splendor and the judgment.

Revelation 4 and 5 also illuminates the Throne Room of Heaven…

“…behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, ‘Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.’”—Revelation 4:1

The writing explains the majesty of God the Father’s appearance and further discusses the scrolls being opened, revealing what is to come.

All of these actions take place within the courts of Heaven. Many Christians steer clear of the book of Revelation and passages similar to Daniel mentioned above. Some claim we can’t understand it, or there is too much symbolism.

But we need to remember what Jesus said…

“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”—John 15:15

Being a friend of God means that He reveals Himself to us—His thoughts and His plans—through the Holy Spirit. For this reason, we can understand what those passages mean about His courts, throne, authority, instruction, and prayer.

They bring clarity to the fact that, as Believers, we have access to this place in the spiritual realm. We have been granted the right to boldly approach Him, because of the blood of Jesus. We can then petition and become intercessors.

Some argue this is in efforts to “change God’s mind.” It is clearly not about changing the mind of God, it is about having such an intimate relationship with Him that we can approach Him, and at the same time humbly grasp His sovereignty and authority. It’s all about seeing the need to follow His protocol so that we can be used by Him to accomplish His will.

Does Satan have legal rights on earth?

After the fall, sin entered the world. We have a choice to follow God and His authority or to go our own way and fall into temptation from the enemy. The fall allowed Satan to have access to this world.

Let’s look how God’s Word describes this…

• “…the ruler of this world…”—John 12:31
• “…the prince of the power of the air…”—Ephesians 2:2
• “…the god of this world…”—2 Corinthians 4:4
• “…the whole world is in the power of the evil one…”—1 John 5:19

Throughout the book of Job, we see the limited nature of Satan’s power. God limited the enemy’s affliction on Job.

The power of prayer in the courts of Heaven

Believers, knowing the heart of God, are to come before the Judge and pray in three realms of prayer. He desires to be merciful and He wants us to approach Him, to seek and proclaim His mercy for others.

“When you step into these three dimensions you are not approaching God with a prayer list. You are stepping into a spiritual sphere where you and God begin to move things in the spirt that shifts things in the earth.”—Robert Henderson

Three Realms of Prayer…

1). Approaching God as Father, opens the throne of Grace.

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”—Hebrews 4:16

2). Approaching God as Friend, and stepping into the place of the counsel of the Lord.

“And He said to them, ‘Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him”; and he will answer from within and say, “Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you?” I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.’”—Luke 11:5-8

3). Approaching God as Judge, opens the dimension of the courts of Heaven.

“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: ‘There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, “Get justice for me from my adversary.” And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, “Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.”’ Then the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?’”—Luke 18:1-8