I Just Became a Christian, Now What? – Prayer
As a saint, you have the privilege and opportunity to commune with God in a way you didn’t have before being born from above. Part of that communion is that you can approach God through prayer. There is so much to discuss about prayer. There are over one hundred and ninety references to it in the New Testament alone. This article will look at what prayer is and how you engage in it.
What is prayer? Simply, it is talking to God. As stated in the last article, our relationship with God is active. Two ways we communicate with God are through Bible reading and prayer. Both these exchanges are empowered by the Holy Spirit. He can also facilitate communication through promptings and other mechanisms. For example, God has spoken to people directly or through angels, dreams, and visions.[1]
Nevertheless, this article will focus on prayer as our side of the conversation with God. The Bible provides significant guidance in how prayer affects our relationships with God, the church, and the world. First, let’s discuss it in our relationship with God.
As stated above, prayer is words and thoughts directed toward God. However, there are some specific ways we can focus on him. He desires your admiration and adoration. Just like you, God appreciates it when you recognize who he is and for what he has done. The Bible is filled with prayers of praise toward God. The Psalms, in particular, contain instances of these types of prayers.[2] As you grow in knowing the Lord, you will naturally want to communicate your appreciation to him. For example, when you realize the beauty of creation or some act of kindness, you can thank him. Although God desires your worship through praise, he is not opposed to hearing your questions and concerns about him.
You may question something described in the Bible or things you experience in the world. You are free to bring these concerns to God. Sometimes people don’t understand the way God operates, particularly in the Old Testament. They see violence and question why God would command or allow it to happen. These are legitimate questions, and you can bring them to God. The Bible provides answers, and God may provide understanding.[3] However, you must approach him with openness and honesty. David, the king of Israel, gives examples of this in the Psalms.[4] You can also get a picture of honest questioning as you read the book of Job. There you will see what God does behind the scenes of horrifying experiences and how he responds to questions and assumptions about his actions. Many of God’s people have questioned God, and he has answered them.[5] The Lord knows we don’t know his ways and is patient with those who humbly and sincerely seek him.[6] Your questions may also extend to other concerns in your life, so let’s see how prayer fits with your relationship with the church and the world.
God wants you to share your cares with him because he cares for you.[7] He wants you to rely on him for what troubles you.[8] This includes problems and concerns you have for yourself and for others. You may not always get the answer you desire, but you can trust that God hears you and has your best interest in mind. I warn you that when you approach the Lord passionately and he seems distant, or you don’t see him working in the way you request, you may be tempted to think he either doesn’t hear you or care about you. For example, if a loved one is ill and you are pleading for healing that doesn’t come, it can be heartbreaking and disorienting. Please resist this temptation to blame God. Don’t get me wrong, it is okay to question him. He is big enough to handle your doubts and concerns. However, you may not know all that is going on in the situation. You need only read about Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion to see the power of unanswered prayer.[9] As you grow in your relationship with the Lord you will trust him more and more because of his character and faithfulness. We not only come to the Lord with our cares and concerns, but we also have the opportunity to minister to the church.
There are many examples of how the apostles pray for the church in the New Testament. These prayers included churches as local gatherings of the saints and the body of Christ, which consists of all believers. Some of the themes in their prayers include good behavior, maturity, growth in knowing the Lord, thankfulness for each other, behavior that pleases the Lord, and power for perseverance and patience. [10] These ideas and their references are just a few ways we can pray for each other. Instead of giving you an exhaustive list, I encourage you to be attentive to how the apostles prayed as you read your Bible. Nevertheless, I will mention a couple prayers that have been especially meaningful to me.
First, Jesus’ prayer for his disciples and us right before he was crucified is one of the most profound prayers in the Bible.[11] The content is significant, but his care for us at that time in his life on earth is awe-inspiring.
Second, a couple of the most beautiful prayers for the church are from the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.[12] Please read the first three chapters of his letter to see his heart for the church. As I stated above, there are so many ways we can pray for each other. What we pray is important, but so is our commitment to pray.
The book of Acts is a history of the early church and shows its devotion to prayer. [13] It has more references to prayer than any other book in the New Testament. It demonstrates a consistent reliance on the Lord through prayer. It shows how God responds in some magnificent ways.[14] In addition to Acts, the apostle Paul also guides the saints to be devoted to prayer in his letters to churches.[15] While much of the New Testament guidance is how to pray for the church, there are a few key ways we pray for the world.
We can bring our concerns to the Lord for others, whether they are believers or not. We love others despite their relationship with God. And he loves the world, as discussed in the previous article. One of the ways I pray for friends that are not believers is to ask the Father to draw them to Jesus.[16] I also offer to be used by him in this regard. The apostle Paul prayed for the salvation of his fellow Israelites who did not believe in Jesus.[17] It is not difficult to pray for people that we love and care about, but God asks us to go beyond these relationships.
One of the most challenging commands from Jesus is praying for our enemies and those who persecute us. It could be that you will want to obey this request by praying for God to avenge you and punish people who mistreat you. Some prayers are like this in the Bible,[18] but this is not typical of what Jesus teaches. He wants you to love your enemies and bless them.[19] Praying this way may be difficult, but this is what a child of God does, and it is one way you are different from the world. As you trust God in loving your enemies, you may find that he will change your attitude as part of the transformation that comes from renewing your mind.[20] Who we pray for and what we ask of God is important, but how we pray is also significant.
The Bible describes several things to consider in how you pray. Some guidelines tell you what to avoid when you talk to God, such as not using thoughtless repetition of words, asking with wrong motives,[21] or praying publicly to show pious you are.[22] Regarding the third issue, Jesus said it is better to pray in secret, and the Father who sees in secret will reward you.[23] This does not mean public prayer should be avoided, but our attitude is crucial.
Nevertheless, Jesus often went off alone to pray.[24] Jesus relied entirely on his Father. He did not depend on his own nature as God but took on humanity and constantly communicated with the Father to share his concerns and to receive guidance. Jesus often said he didn’t act independently but did what the Father wanted.[25] While it is good to have time alone to pray, it is not the only way to talk to God.
One of the beautiful things about our relationship with the Lord is that we can converse with him like a friend. And unlike our human friends, God is always with us and is always attentive to our relationship. You can talk to him any time, day or night. It may seem strange or may take some time to become comfortable with, but you can just talk to him. No matter where you are or what you are doing, you do it with Jesus through the presence of his Spirit. As you develop the practice of recognizing his presence, you can talk to him verbally or in your mind. You do not need particular words or any kind of formula, just share what’s on your heart. Jesus is always there for you.
As usual, there is so much more we can discuss about prayer. I hope this article is helpful as you think about how you can talk to God. In the next article, I will discuss a specific aspect of prayer that we may take for granted and not completely understand. I will break from this series for new saints and write more generally to the church. God bless you as you seek him and communicate with him.
[1] For example, see Acts 10
[2] For example, Psalm 40 and 145
[3] Colossians 1, James 1
[4] For example, Psalm 6, 13
[5] For example, Job, David (Psalm 18, 2 Samuel 12), Habakkuk
[6] Isaiah 55:6-9, Hebrews 11
[7] 1 Peter 5
[8] Philippians
[9] Mark 14:32-42
[10] Acts 12, 2 Corinthians 13, 2 Corinthians 13, Ephesians 1, Ephesians 3, Colossians 1
[11] John 17
[12] Ephesians 1 & 3
[13] Acts 1-2
[14] Acts 10
[15] Romans 12, Colossians 4
[16] John 6:41-51
[17] Romans 10
[18] The “imprecatory Psalms,” ones that ask for judgment, are an example, including Psalm 5, 10, 17, among others.
[19] Matthew 5:43-48
[20] Romans 12
[21] James 4
[22] Matthew 6:5-15
[23] Matthew 6:5-6
[24] For example, Mark 1:35, 6:45-46
[25] For example, John 5:19-23, John 8:21-30