The disciples of Jesus saw Him model the discipline of prayer and asked Him to teach them also how to pray. He taught them what we now call the Lord’s Prayer or the Model Prayer. From Jesus’ teaching on prayer, we discover two fundamental keys of prayer Relationship and Responsibility.
Relationship
Prayer is based on the relationship between us and God. He is our Father and we are His children (sons). Through the redemptive and reconciliatory work of Jesus Christ on the cross, God has adopted us into His family so we are now His children – sons of God. Therefore, as children of God, we must communicate with our Father, and He with us.
Romans 8:15-16
“15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God…”
- Our relationship with God is enhanced by our fellowship with Him – how much time we spend getting acquainted with Him in prayer and the word. That is, how well we are GROWING TO KNOW FATHER GOD, and how well we are GROWING TO KNOW WHO WE ARE IN HIM!
- For the relationship between us and God to work effectively, we must deepen our communication and fellowship with Him. This is what causes us to grow in our knowledge of God as our Father, as well as our knowledge of ourselves, as God’s children.
- This fundamental key of relationship is the greatest key to answered prayer. The deeper the acquaintance, the surer we are that He would hear us and respond. (Just like any relationship).
1 John 5:14-15 NLT
“14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.”
Responsibility
The second fundamental key of prayer is responsibility. We have a responsibility towards God and His kingdom because of our relationship with Him as our Father, and we, His children.
- Jesus lived life from the perspective of His relationship with His Father and the responsibility that accompanied that relationship.
Luke 2:49
“And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?””John 4:34 NKJV
“Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.””
- As children of God, we also have a responsibility towards our Father and His kingdom. Jesus Christ, the Son of God was committed to this and so He spent much time in prayer, and serving in His Father’s business, doing His Father’s will. We must also do the same.
- For Further Reading: Luke 11:1-4; Matthew 6:9-13; Galatians 4:1-7; John 5:19-20
For Further Reflection
Think of the problems that occur when there is a breakdown in or lack of communication between a PARENT and a CHILD, or an EMPLOYER and an EMPLOYEE. This should give you a better picture of some of the challenges we face because we don’t communicate enough with our Father God in prayer.
Jennifer Abigail Lawson-Wallace
CEO/International President
Women In Tune
Copyright 18 August 2019