With each passing day, our relationship with Heavenly Father should be growing closer. Prayer is such an important aspect to ensuring that this happens. We know from God’s Word that our purpose for being on this earth is to have a relationship with God; it is to enjoy fellowship with Him through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Because of Christ, we have become a part of God’s family. Romans 8:17 tells us that as God’s children, we are also His heirs. We’re together with Christ as heirs of God’s glory. This is an unbelievable inheritance, filled with every good thing. All of creation is waiting for that glorious day when God is going to bring everything together under our Lord Jesus Christ. Until that time comes, there is a lot of work for us to do, and it requires us to build our lives on the rock of Christ by learning to pray as effectively as he did.
Praying in the Spirit
Some people refer to the earth as one big playground. It may be, but there are many harmful things here. They may seem like fun, but ultimately end up bringing us to a disastrous end. We might become bored or impatient while we wait in anticipation of what God has promised, and some of us make mistakes because we get tired of waiting. The world’s way of addressing our boredom and impatience is not to encourage us in the Word, but to bombard us with information and temptations that overwhelm us. So much so that some of us feel hopeless, and we don’t know how to help ourselves. This is one of the reasons God sent His Spirit to help us both externally and internally.
We don’t always know what we should pray for, but the Spirit sees the problems we face from all angles. He knows us through and through, and knows all the details. He, the indwelling Holy Spirit, will pray perfectly for us in a language that we don’t know. In Acts 2:4, we learn that the disciples began to speak in other tongues as the indwelling Holy Spirit moved on them. They didn’t recognize the language, but the Spirit was praying a perfect prayer through their mouths as they allowed him to move through their vocal chords. We, too, can manifest the gift of Holy Spirit in this way.
Speaking in tongues is a private prayer language, and it should be an important practice in our prayer lifestyle. It is also referred to as praying in the Spirit and perfect prayer. At one time, it was only practiced by those in a certain religion, but as God has continued to pour out His Spirit on those open to receive it, the body of Christ is flourishing in the manifestations of the Spirit, as well as spiritual growth; and miracles, signs, and wonders.
The Prayer Life of Christ
During this earth experience, we should be learning how to handle all the ups and downs of life with faith. We’ve had a master teacher, through our big brother, Jesus Christ. Luke 6:12 (NLT) tells us, “One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night.” Praying all night was not a onetime event for Jesus. Our Lord and Savior was in constant communication with God. It was his lifestyle. He knew his mission, and was fully aware of the weight of it. He is the Son of God! If ever there was anyone that could possibly be exempt from prayer, surely it would have been him, but that was not the case. It was his privilege and honor to communicate with Heavenly Father through prayer, and we should feel the same way about this most sacred practice of fellowship and communion with God.
God was pleased with His beloved Son. Luke 3:21-22 (NLT) tells us, “21 One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.” Our precious Lord and Savior always pleased our Heavenly Father. Jesus knew the Father’s heart because he made a practice of staying connected to God through prayer. He heard God’s directives clearly and moved accordingly. He was baptized, and as he prayed, the heavens opened. Jesus Christ paved the way for us through his prayers, and God responded to him in a very wonderful way. He will do the same for us as well, because we are His sons and daughters.
Prayer Establishes Purpose
Every time that we go to God in prayer, something within our lives changes. We never leave the throne of God the same way we came. James 5:16 (NLT), tells us, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” When we are humble and earnest in our hearts, our prayers initiate a supernatural transaction that will help us in many ways. People and relationships can be changed through our prayers. We can also know the Father’s will and plan for our lives through a lifestyle of prayer. There are times when we don’t know what the next step is, or what the next chapter in our lives will hold, but if we continue to seek Heavenly Father in prayer, He will reveal His purposes to us.
Prayer gives our spiritual walk with Christ the momentum and fuel that our lives need to stay positive and confident in the Lord. It’s a two-way street, He both hears us and answers us through our prayers. Praying with our understanding and praying in the Spirit through speaking in tongues are extremely important spiritual communication systems. We have an enemy that tries to buffet us and tear us down. It is a great comfort to know that we have a way of communicating with Heavenly Father through prayer that perfectly covers the details of any and every situation. ■
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.