Last week, we asked the question, “To Whom Do We Pray?”
I want to wrap up our thoughts from last week before we breach the new subject of
“Who Is The God We Pray To?” tomorrow.
I offered the conclusion that our fellowship in prayer with the Holy Spirit should most likely be centered around the primary role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. That is the Holy Spirit’s role is to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgement. He has also been sent by Jesus as our helper to bring us comfort, encouragement, guidance and teaching.
Let me offer you one example: suppose you are going to share the Gospel with someone. Your part is to share the Gospel. Their part is to respond to the Gospel. The Holy Spirit’s part is to convict them of
their sin, of Jesus’s righteousness and of their need to confess Jesus as their Lord.
Would it not be appropriate to fellowship with the Holy Spirt about this? We might pray, “Holy Spirit, as you help me to make the gospel clear to ‘Joe,’ may he come under conviction from You regarding his sin and Jesus’ righteousness.”
And if indeed Joe does respond to the Spirit’s conviction, would you not want to rejoice with the Spirit concerning this?
I also offered the conclusion that most of our prayers to Jesus would most likely be centered around our fellowship with Him regarding His ministry to us as our Savior and Lord and Head of the Church.
That is….
* Expressing our love and gratitude to Him as our Savior.
* Expressing our allegiance to Him as our Lord.
* Interaction around our mission of making disciples
Since it is Jesus’ role, as its head, to give direction to the Church in guiding us to lead others to Salvation and in making disciples, would it not be appropriate to fellowship with Jesus around this?
We might pray, “Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for dying for our sins. Thank You for showing us how to live as Your body in this world. Our church awaits Your direction. We want only to do what You guide us to do.”
I offered a third conclusion, that while we can ask of Jesus for specifics, it appears that Jesus gave great emphasis to us of the importance of coming to the Father with most of our petitions.
John 16:23–24, 26-27 (ESV)
23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
No longer, Jesus says, do you have to ask me, but in my name, you can ask the Father.
The Scriptures are full of prayers of petition praying to the Father.
Remember, the traditional formula has always been that we are to pray
TO the Father,
THROUGH the Son,
BY the power of the Spirit.
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