Prayer has two fundamental keys – Relationship and Responsibility. We need to understand both, in order to develop an effective prayer life. The basis of prayer is our relationship with God. He is our Father and we are His children and sons. Prayer is the channel of communication between us and God, our Father.
How Did God Become Our Father?
- Born Anew From Above
First of all, we have been born anew from above. We have been born into God’s family by the Word and Spirit. (John 3:1-8). This new birth experience gave us the right/power to become children of God. We ARE God’s children.
John 1:12-13 NKJV
“12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
- The Trinity Is In Agreement
Secondly, the Trinity is in agreement that we are God’s children; The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have all accepted and sanctioned our new status as children of God.
a. The Father Has Received And Accepted Us
Out of His love for us, God the Father has made all who come to Him through Christ Jesus His children and sons. The Father has received and accepted us as His children.
1 John 3:1-2 NLT
“1 See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. 2 Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.”
b. Jesus Christ, The Son, Has Affirmed Us
Jesus Christ affirmed us as sons of God when He presented us to His Father as His brethren. Through His death and resurrection, Christ reconciled us with the Father. He was not ashamed to present us to the Father as His brethren, making God our Father, and us, joint-heirs with Him.
Hebrews 2:10-12 NKJV
“10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.””
c. The Holy Spirit Affirms, Confirms And Leads Us
As many as are led by the Spirit are the sons of God. Through the Holy Spirit, we have received adoption as sons and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. He is the seal of our adoption, and confirms, affirms and identifies us as sons of God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:14-17 NLT
“14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”
- Just knowing God is our Father is enough reason for us to want to communicate with Him. Our God is a loving, kind, gentle Father, who wants us to know and get better acquainted with Him. This is why we must learn to pray at all times and about all things.
For Further Reading: John 3:1-8; Psalm 103:11-14: Hebrews 12:5-11
Jennifer Abigail Lawson-Wallace
CEO/International President
Women In Tune
Copyright 18 August 2019