There is a controversy among Christians who believe that Jesus is not God but the Son of God, about whether or not we can pray to Jesus. The only definitive place to go for an answer to that question is the Word of God. It is important when trying to answer such an important question that we do not base our position upon only one Greek word or one verse. Rather, we must examine the scope of Scripture to see what it says. We believe that the Bible makes it clear that one can pray to Jesus, but does not have to, and we will do our best to show why that is.
There are many points of logic in understanding why we can pray to Jesus. Before we delve into the issue, however, it is important to understand that the basic and fundamental definition of “prayer” is “asking.” Our prayers may also include some praise, but in every language, prayer is fundamentally asking for something, as is clear from studying the Hebrew and Greek words translated prayer, and even looking up “prayer” in an English dictionary. Below are some points of logic and Scripture that indicate we can pray to Jesus.
1) Jesus is Lord of all (Acts 10:36; Rom. 10:12), and has all authority in heaven and earth (Matt. 28:18). How can he be “Lord” in any real sense if we cannot ask him for things? Now that the Lord Jesus has all authority, it makes even more sense that we petition him, even as it made sense that people petitioned him when he was alive in his earthly ministry. Hundreds, even thousands, of people asked Jesus for things when he was on earth. Does it make sense that someone could ask Jesus for something over 2000 years ago, but cannot do so now?
2) We are to have fellowship with the Son (1 John 1:3). How can we have fellowship with Jesus, which clearly indicates being in relationship with him, but not ask him for anything? We have fellowship with God and ask Him for things, and we have fellowship with other Christians and ask them for things, so does it make sense that we are to have fellowship with Jesus but not ask him for anything?
3) Jesus said that his followers could ask him for things.
John 14:13 and 14
(13) And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.
(14) You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
These verses become especially enlightening when they are read as they were written in the original text, which was without punctuation: “…I am going to the Father and I will do whatever you ask in my name…you may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” It is clear from these verses that Jesus knew he was going to the Father, and wanted people to ask him for what they needed. Their doing so is a prayer, whether it is formally in a church building or informally as one is going about his or her daily business.
4) The Word of God makes it clear that believers in the early Church thought it normal to talk with the exalted Lord Jesus Christ.
A) After his ascension, the disciples prayed to Jesus about choosing a replacement for Judas. This was logical because they understood it was Jesus who had originally chosen the twelve.
Acts 1:24 and 25
(24) Then they prayed , “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen
(25) to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.”
Although some have contended that the Lord in the above verse is God, it is more logical that it refers to Jesus. He was the one who chose Judas, and he was addressed as “Lord” by all the apostles over and over in the New Testament.
B) Stephen called upon Jesus, not God, when he was being stoned.
Acts 7:59 and 60a
(59) While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed , Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
(60a) Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
C) Paul pleaded with the Lord Jesus about his “thorn in the flesh,” as is clear from the context of the following verses.
2 Corinthians 12:8 and 9
(8) Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
(9) But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
5) Verses such as Acts 9:34 and 2 Timothy 4:18 show that as the Head of the Body, the Lord Jesus is actively involved in healing and sustaining its members. It is our contention that any Christian can ask the Lord Jesus to do for him anything that would help him do the works that Jesus did. As Head of the Body, he converses with believers and asks things of them. It is only logical that we would also ask things of him. The New Testament tells us of his personal interaction with Stephen (Acts 7:56); Saul/Paul (Acts 9:1-9; 23:11; Gal. 1:12; 2 Cor. 12:9); Ananias (Acts 9:10-16); Peter (Acts 10:9-22; 2 Pet. 1:14); and John (Rev. 1:9-18).
A) Since Pentecost, many things come to the Body via the Head, Jesus Christ. It is he who:
- Pours out the gift of holy spirit (Acts 2:33)
- Gives us grace (Rom. 1:5; 16:20; 1 Cor. 16:23; 2 Cor. 8:9; 13:14; Gal. 1:6; 6:18; Eph. 4:7; Phil. 4:23; 1 Thess. 5:8; 2 Thess. 1:12; 3:18)
- Gives us peace (2 Thess. 3:16)
- Gives us mercy (1 Cor. 7:25)
- Blesses us (Rom. 10:12; 15:29)
- Nurtures and cares for the Church, holds it together and causes it to grow (Eph. 5:29; Phil. 1:19; Col. 1:17; 2:19)
- Directs us (1 Cor. 16:7; 2 Thess. 3:5)
- Is interceding for us (Rom. 8:35)
- Gives the equipping ministries to the Church (Eph. 1:1; 4:8,11)
- Gives revelation (2 Cor. 12:1; Gal. 1:12)
- Will transform our bodies at his appearing (Phil. 3:21)
- Will judge, reward, and punish people, according to what they deserve (John 5:21,22; 2 Cor. 5:10; Eph. 6:8; Col. 3:23-25; 1 Thess. 4:6; 2 Thess. 1:8)
Could it really be that with such an intimate connection to the members of his Body, the Lord Jesus could then not be addressed by his Church? Surely we can ask our Lord and Head for whatever that we need.
6) Calling on the Name of the Lord.
One evidence in Scripture that people can pray to Jesus is seen by paying attention to the phrase, “call upon the name of the Lord.” Through the Old Testament, when people “called upon the name of the Lord,” it was to pray to, appeal to, or ask for help from God.
Abraham was in the habit of praying to God, and though there are many examples in Scripture, one will suffice.
Genesis 12:8
From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal as to who was the true God and who was not. He and they each prayed to their god, and the one who answered by fire would be known to be God. They prayed, which in the Hebrew idiom is to “call upon the name….”
1 Kings 18:24
Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God.” Then all the people said, “What you say is good.”
Naaman, the great Syrian general who was also a leper, expected Elisha to come out and pray for him. He expresses his thought about prayer by the phrase, “call on the name of the Lord.
2 Kings 5:11
But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.
In Psalm 99 we see that when the great men of God prayed to God (“called on the LORD”), He answered them.
Psalm 99:6
Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name; they called on the LORD and he answered them.
God tells the people that when they pray to Him (“call upon my name”), He will answer.
Zechariah 13:9
This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”
Just as the Old Testament records people calling upon the name of the Lord in prayer, so the Church Epistles use the same terminology to record people praying to Jesus.
1 Corinthians 1:2
To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
This is clearly the same phrase used in the Old Testament, and is applied to Jesus as well as God. Vincent writes:
“It is used of worship, and here implies prayer to Christ.”
R. C. H. Lenski writes:
“‘To call on him’ means to praise, bless, thank, worship him, and to ask of him all that we need for body and for soul.”
It seems clear that even as the Old Testament believers called upon God, we today can call upon Jesus, and that means we can pray to him and expect him to answer our requests. Calling upon Jesus, our Lord, also occurs in Romans 10:12-14 and 2 Timothy 2:22.
7) It is honoring to God when we honor Jesus.
John 5:22 and 23
(22) Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,
(23) that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
The first thing we notice about these verses is that God’s intent is that people honor the Son just as they honor Him. More than that, if we do not honor the Son, we do not honor the Father. The pertinent question we must ask ourselves is, “How do we honor the Father?” Surely one way we honor Him is by our praise and thanksgiving to him, and by our prayers to Him. According to Scripture, we are to honor the Son in the same way.
8) There is no verse, and nothing in the scope of Scripture, that forbids us from praying to Jesus. This is important, because God’s prohibitions in Scripture are quite plain. Since we can ask both God and other people for things we need, it is only logical that if we could not ask our living Lord Jesus for things, the Bible would say that somewhere. However, no verse prohibits us from asking Jesus for things or thanking him for what he has done for us.
Thanking Jesus
Not only can we ask Jesus for things, we can thank him for what he did and is doing for us, and that is only logical. Think about it. Jesus is alive. He is Head of the Body of Christ. He is our Lord. How could we not be able to lift up our voices in praise and thanksgiving for what he has done? We thank God for all kinds of things, and we thank other people for their acts of kindness to us. We are also able to, and should, thank Jesus Christ for what he did and is doing, even as Paul did.
1 Timothy 1:12
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.
Praising Jesus
Jesus is worthy of our praise. On this earth we praise men who have done far less for us than Jesus ever did. We throw them parties, give them certificates and medals, and sing them songs. Surely Jesus is worth at least that much praise, and Scripture says he will get it. Jesus is lauded and praised by the 24 elders (Rev. 5:8-10); by the multitudes of angels (Rev. 5:11, 12), and by all God’s created things (Rev. 5:13). If we are going to praise him in the future, surely it is not out of bounds to praise him now for what he has done for us.
Worshiping Jesus
Many verses show that people worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. This was natural because it was very common to worship (i.e., pay homage to) men of a higher status. This is hard to see in the English translations of the Bible. The translators usually render the Hebrew or Greek word as “worship” when it involves God or Jesus, but in some other way, such as “bow before,” or “pay homage to,” when it involves men. Nevertheless, “worship” is clearly used in the Hebrew and Greek texts, and that is how it should be understood. For example:
- Lot “worshipped” the two strangers who came to Sodom (Gen. 19:1)
- Abraham “worshipped” the pagan leaders of the land in which he lived (Gen. 23:7)
- Jacob “worshipped” his older brother when they met after being apart for years (Gen. 33:3)
- Joseph had a dream that his parents and brothers “worshipped” him (Gen. 37:10)
- Joseph’s brothers “worshipped” him (Gen. 43:26)
- Joshua fell down and “worshipped” an angel (Joshua 5:14)
- Ruth “worshipped” Boaz (Ruth 2:10)
- David “worshipped” Jonathan (1 Sam. 20:41)
- Abigail “worshipped” David (1 Sam. 25:41)
The above list is a small sampling of all the examples we find in Scripture. There is a sense, of course, in which there is a very special worship (homage, allegiance, reverent love, devotion) to be given only to God, but there is no unique word that represents that special worship. Rather, it is a posture of the heart. Understanding that both God and men are worshipped in the Bible forces us as readers to look not at the specific word for “worship” but rather at the heart of the one doing the worship. It explains why God rejects the worship of those whose hearts are not really with Him.
People fell down and worshipped Jesus while he walked the earth and performed great miracles because they loved and respected him greatly. It is clear why we are to worship him now: he has earned our love and our highest reverence. He died to set us free, and God has honored him by seating him at His own right hand above all other powers and authorities. Jesus was worshipped by his followers both before and after his resurrection (Matt. 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52). Thus it seems very unreasonable to assert that Christians should not worship Jesus today just as people did when he was on earth: by homage, praise, thanksgiving, and with requests.
Conclusion
It seems clear that we can pray to Jesus for things we need. However, the Bible does not give us clear direction as to when or about what a believer should talk to Jesus, as opposed to God. Whether a believer prays to God or Jesus is left up to the individual.
However, the vast majority of scriptures dealing with prayer make it clear that God is the principal source of all things, and therefore should be the chief focus of our worship, praise, and supplication. Those who enthusiastically embrace the idea of praying to the Lord Jesus must recognize that this practice ought not to be carried out to the point of distracting one from the worship of the Father. We are sure that the Lord Jesus would find it ironic indeed if he himself were to become the principal object of Christian worship and adoration, when his entire life and ministry was devoted to the glorification of his Father.
We should also make it clear that we are not saying that a Christian must pray to the Lord Jesus as part of his or her Christian walk. Because there is no clear command to do so, as there is to God (Eph. 5:19,20; Col. 1:3,9; 4:3), we must never tell anyone they must pray to Jesus. On the other hand, we shudder at the idea of any Christian telling another that it is wrong for him to talk/pray to the Lord Jesus. We would particularly hate to see believers judge one another and segregate themselves from other Christians over the issue of whether or not they pray to the Lord Jesus. We think whether or not one prays to Jesus is a matter of individual conscience, and not an issue about which believers ought to tyrannize one another.
Endnotes:
1. Some say “the Lord” here was God, but there are good reasons to believe it was Jesus. First, Peter was in the habit of calling Jesus “Lord.” Second, he had a history of arguing with Jesus, but never with God. Back to top
2. Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament, Vol. 3, p. 186. Back to top
3. The Interpretation of I and II Corinthians, p. 26. Back to top
www.biblicalunitarian.com
Table of contents
Prayers to Jesus Christ – “God the Son”
“Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy burdened, I will give you rest” Matthew 11: 28
Christ died so that you might live
“Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” John 16:33
Imagine a God So Almighty, So Powerful… that he is in fact – Incomprehensible. It is simply not possible to imagine what God really is. It is said, “We would die instantly if we looked upon his face”.
But imagine this Almighty, All Powerful God totally in love with you… his creation. How does he tell you what he wants you to do… how does he directly communicate with you… so you will comprehend and understand him? Quite simply… he becomes a Man… and tells us “we what we need to know” in order to be blessed and one day have eternal life. No more.. No Less. What we need to know only.
He did this thru the incarnation of himself thru Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God… in a comprehensible way for us to understand. When you pray to Christ… You are recognizing the Glory and the Power that Christ shares with God… because he one with God. They are one and the same. But Christ is the part of God we can understand.
So pray to Christ… ask him to receive your prayers… give him glory… give him honor…. give him thanks… and he will bless you and your future generations. Make him #1 in your life. For as he said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Do Not Worry
Sacred Heart of Christ
I give myself and consecrate to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, my person and my life, my actions, pains and sufferings, so that I may be unwilling to make use of any part of my being other than to honor, love and glorify the Sacred Heart. This is my unchanging purpose, namely, to be all His, and to do all things for the love of Him, at the same time renouncing with all my heart whatever is displeasing to Him. I therefore take You, O Sacred heart, to be the only object of my love, the guardian of my life, my assurance of salvation, the remedy of my weakness and inconstancy, the atonement for all the faults of my life and my sure refuge at the hour of death.
Be then, O Heart of goodness, my justification before God the Father, and turn away from me the strokes of his righteous anger.
O Heart of love, I put all my confidence in You, for I fear everything from my own wickedness and frailty, but I hope for all things from Your goodness and bounty.
Remove from me all that can displease You or resist Your holy will; let your pure love imprint Your image so deeply upon my heart, that I shall never be able to forget You or to be separated from You.
May I obtain from all Your loving kindness the grace of having my name written in Your Heart, for in You I desire to place all my happiness and glory, living and dying in bondage to You.
Amen.
Glory
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be… World without End
Amen.
Divine Mercy Chaplet
To read more and hear the Chaplet – Read More Here
Mercy
Oh My Jesus –
Forgive us our sins,
save us from the fires of Hell,
Lead all souls to Heaven,
especially those
in most need of your mercy.
Holy Face of Jesus
O Blessed Face of my kind Savior, by the tender love and piercing sorrow of Our Lady as she beheld You in Your cruel Passion, grant us to share in this intense sorrow and love so as to fulfill the holy will of God to the utmost of our ability.
Amen.
Litany of Humility
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved…
From the desire of being extolled …
From the desire of being honored …
From the desire of being praised …
From the desire of being preferred to others…
From the desire of being consulted …
From the desire of being approved …
From the fear of being humiliated …
From the fear of being despised…
From the fear of suffering rebukes …
From the fear of being calumniated …
From the fear of being forgotten …
From the fear of being ridiculed …
From the fear of being wronged …
From the fear of being suspected …
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I …
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease …
That others may be chosen and I set aside …
That others may be praised and I unnoticed …
That others may be preferred to me in everything…
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should…
Anima Christi
Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from Christ’s side, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints
and with Thy angels
Forever and ever
Amen
Christ the King
O Lord our God, You alone are the Most Holy King and Ruler of all nations.
We pray to You, Lord, in the great expectation of receiving from You,
O Divine King, mercy, peace, justice and all good things.
Protect, O Lord our King, our families and the land of our birth.
Guard us we pray Most Faithful One.
Protect us from our enemies and from Your Just Judgment
Forgive us, O Sovereign King, our sins against you.
Jesus, You are a King of Mercy.
We have deserved Your Just Judgment
Have mercy on us, Lord, and forgive us.
We trust in Your Great Mercy.
O most awe-inspiring King, we bow before You and pray;
May Your Reign, Your Kingdom, be recognized on earth.
Amen.
indefenseofthecross.com
Mormons are a praying people. They have morning and evening prayers as individuals, as couples if they are married, and with their families. They bless the food and pray before their daily scripture study. Before leaving on a trip or starting something challenging, they pray. They often pray informally throughout the day as well. But who are they praying to?
Mormon is a nickname for people who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are Christians and so they pray the way Jesus Christ taught His followers to pray.
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full (John 16:23-24).
How Did Jesus Ask Us to Pray?
Previously, people had prayed only to God, but now Jesus Christ, in the verse above, was teaching them a slightly new pattern. They were to continue to pray to God, but in the name of Jesus Christ. Mormons, therefore, begin their prayers by addressing God in person—“Dear Heavenly Father” or some other similar greeting. At the end of their prayer, they say something similar to, “And we ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
While many people have gotten into the habit of praying directly to Jesus, this isn’t actually how Jesus asked us to do it. He Himself always prayed to God. All three members of the Godhead have an essential role to play in our prayers, but we have to respect the hierarchy and pattern that has been set.
Mormons do not believe that God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are all one being and reject current definitions of the trinity. Instead, they use the term “Godhead,” which is the correct Biblical term. They teach that the Godhead consists of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and that they are entirely unified in love and purpose, but not in any sense of physical being. This makes it particularly important that the pattern of prayer be done correctly so as to include both God and Jesus Christ in the proper way. Answers to prayers come through the Holy Ghost.
Prayer: A Conversation with God
Mormons teach that prayer is a personal communication with God. Very few prayers are done in a formal manner with recited words. Everyday prayers are all simply our own thoughts and words shared with God in a respectful, but personal manner. Mormons follow a simple pattern in their formal prayers.
First, as mentioned above, they address Heavenly Father by name. This is followed by offering thanks for our blessings, a thoughtful and non-repetitive process. This part of the prayer is critical and if our entire prayer consisted only of that, it would be sufficient. It helps Mormons to remember that all blessings come from God. By paying attention to the good things in life, we can prevent becoming caught up in the bad. We also avoid taking false pride in accomplishments that are really God’s doing alone or in partnership with us. We grow in our love for God as we become aware of all He has given us and then we are delighted to give back to Him as we’re able.
Next, they discuss their day, their concerns, their questions and their thoughts with God. They ask for whatever they might seriously need. They know they can take anything to God and He will listen and understand. He is ready to help when asked, but His help isn’t always exactly what we asked Him to do. God knows everything and understands us far better than we understand ourselves. He knows what is best for our eternal well-being. He also knows how the things we ask for will impact other people and He must juggle our desires and needs with those of others who would also be affected by the request.
Give God Time to Answer Prayers
The next step is to sit quietly. Many people finish the requests and then race off, treating prayer as a monologue. Mormons are taught to consider prayer a dialogue. They know God may have something He’d like to say to them and so they sit quietly, pondering and listening with their hearts to see if inspiration and wisdom come to them. During this time, they may receive answers to the questions they have asked God—because Mormons don’t believe requests can only concern physical things—or they may gain a sense of something God would like them to do or to think more about. God knows what we need, but we have to be ready to listen when He speaks to our hearts.
Inspiration often comes as quiet thoughts in our minds, accompanied by the peacefulness that always accompanies God’s presence. If we’ve made a choice and want it confirmed by God, a positive answer is usually a warm, peacefulness in our hearts.
Mormons close their prayers, as discussed earlier, in the name of Jesus Christ and with the word, “Amen.”
In answer to the question, then, Mormons pray to God, but in Jesus’ name, because that is how Jesus asked them to do it.
jesus.christ.org
One question we have found that many Christians have on their prayer life with the Lord is who exactly should they be directing their personal prayers to – God the Father, Jesus Christ, or the Holy Spirit?
As you will see in the Scripture verses I will give you in this article, Jesus Himself makes it very plain and very clear that we are to direct all of our personal prayers direct to God the Father.
We are not to pray direct to Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or any dead saints who are now living up in heaven.
Here are 5 very good clear verses spelling all of this out for us:
- “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. But when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathens do.For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:6-13)
- “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God …” (Philippians 4:6)
- “Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion; and to You the vow shall be performed. O You who hear prayer, to You all flesh will come.” (Psalm 65:1-2)
- “… Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16:23-24)
- “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14)
Notice several key things from these verses, along with how Jesus interacted with His Father when He was walking down here on our earth in the flesh:
1. In the very first verse listed above, Jesus tells us to specifically pray direct to God the Father. He does not tell us to pray direct to Himself, the Holy Spirit, or to any dead saints who will be up in heaven once He dies on the cross for all of us.
If Jesus wanted us to pray to either Him or the Holy Spirit, I believe He would have included that directive in this verse. This verse is very specific in that we are to pray only to God the Father if we have any specific prayer requests that need to be met.
2. In the second verse above, the apostle Paul once again tells us to make all of our prayer requests be made known direct to God the Father, not to Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or any dead saints who are now up in heaven by the time Paul makes this statement.
3. The third verse above is from King David. Notice that he is addressing God the Father direct, and then makes the statement that God the Father is the One will actually “hear prayer.” Again, he is only addressing God the Father on this issue, not Jesus or the Holy Spirit.
4. The last two verses from Jesus are now going to give us one more key piece of revelation. Not only must you pray direct to God the Father, but Jesus now wants those prayers to be done “in His name.” In other words, pray direct to God the Father in the name of Jesus.
Praying direct to God the Father in the name of Jesus means you recognize and realize that it is only through Jesus and His sacrificial death on the cross that we now have direct access to both Him and His Father in heaven. Here are two main verses that will tell us that Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal salvation with God the Father:
- Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
- “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Either we come direct to God the Father in prayer through Jesus and the blood that He has personally shed for all of us on the cross or we do not come through at all. Only a true born-again Christian has direct access to God the Father in heaven.
This is why we must always approach God the Father in prayer in the name of Jesus – as a constant reminder that it is only through Jesus Christ and His sacrificial death on the cross that we now have this incredible direct connection established with Him.
By telling God the Father that we are now praying to Him in the name of His Son Jesus, I believe He is really moved and touched by that statement, and it then puts us on a very good solid footing with Him in the prayer room.
I personally like to start out all of my prayers in the name of Jesus at the beginning of my prayer to God the Father, and depending on the length of the prayer, also include it in various parts of the prayer.
You will see us do this in all of the battle prayers that we have listed in the Spiritual Warfare and Stories and Testimonies sections of our website.
5. If you study very carefully how Jesus interacted with the Father while He was walking down here on this earth, He was always praying direct to God the Father. There is not one instance where He prayed direct to the Holy Spirit. Jesus was obviously doing all of His miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit, but all of His actual prayers were always directed to God the Father, not to Himself or to the Holy Spirit.
I believe all of the above verses should be interpreted very literally. And if Jesus and the apostle Paul are telling us to direct all of our prayers to God the Father, then we should do exactly that and not try to direct our prayers to either Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or any dead saints who are now in heaven.
If Jesus wanted us to direct any of our personal prayers to either Him, the Holy Spirit, or to any dead saints who are now up in heaven, I believe He would have personally put that kind of revelation into the Bible.
Jesus knew full well that God was going to orchestrate that His Word and testimony would all be put into this one Holy Book. He knew this Holy Book would eventually be read by millions of people in the future, with everyone looking for spiritual guidance on how to live their lives in Him and His Father. As such, I believe that Jesus has laid out for us exactly who we are to pray to and exactly how we are to pray to Him.
I believe we can commune with, fellowship with, talk to, and worship and praise both Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
We can develop good communication and best-friend type relationships with the both of Them. But when it comes down to direct serious prayer, I believe Jesus wants all of us to direct those kinds of prayers direct to His Father, not to Himself or to the Holy Spirit.
I know some people have had some of their prayers answered when praying to Jesus. One prayer in particular is when people yell out, “Jesus,” right as they are getting ready to have a car wreck, and then God moves to save them just in the nick of time.
I believe that God does answer some of our prayers to Jesus, especially if the person does not have this knowledge that we should be praying direct to God the Father.
I believe there is some “slack” with God on this issue and that He will still help us out, even if we are not doing things quite the right way. But I still believe the above verses should be interpreted very literally – and if Jesus Himself is telling us to direct our prayers only to God the Father, then I believe we should do it that way.
Conclusion
I have seen numerous testimonies from other Christians who were not having much success in their prayer life with the Lord, as many of them were directing their personal prayers to Jesus instead of direct to God the Father.
Then once they were given this basic prayer principle from Jesus Himself, and then started to direct all of their personal prayers direct to God the Father in the name of Jesus, then many of them started to get a lot more of their personal prayers answered.
If there are any of you out there who have not had much success in your personal prayer life with the Lord, and you did not now about this particular prayer strategy from the Lord, try directing all of your personal prayers direct to God the Father instead of to Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or to any dead saints you were trying to reach up in heaven.
This one simple change in prayer strategy could completely open up the door for you in your own personal prayer life with God the Father and thus cause a lot more of your personal prayers to get actually answered by Him, since you are now following a direct specific command from His Word – the Bible!
www.bible-knowledge.com
