After we are born again, we enter into the most remarkable relationship—with God—who knows everything and can do anything. As we grow in knowing God, and we allow the Holy Spirit to be our guide in everything; our prayers MAY become much more than merely an expression of what we want for ourselves or even for others. Edmund P. Clowney wrote:
“We should not decide how to pray based on the experiences and feelings we want. Instead, we should do everything possible to behold our God as he is, and prayer will follow. The more clearly we grasp who God is, the more our prayer is shaped and determined accordingly. Without immersion in God’s words, our prayers may not be merely limited and shallow but also untethered from reality. We may be responding not to the real God but to what we wish God and life to be like. Indeed, if left to themselves our hearts will tend to create a God who doesn’t exist.”
Clowney, “A Biblical Theology”
Until I began to discover how to pray as a response to knowing God, my prayer life was as dry as the sunbaked desert. I would typically give thanks, confess my sins, and go through my prayer list. It was rhetorical and redundant. It lacked passion. My prayer lacked power. It wasn’t until I began studying the topic of prayer for myself that I realized the critical importance of a Biblical knowledge of God (not the enemy’s definition) as well as growing in my understanding of His nature.
Why???
Because for prayer to be a response to a relationship—instead of a ritual—we need to understand as much as we can about the One we’re praying to.
God already knows and understands us. Completely. As we begin to seek to understand who God is, remarkably—His Spirit begins to guide our prayers. My friend, we need to SEEK to know God even better than we know our friends and family. This will lead us into the powerful habit of asking His Spirit to guide our prayers.
“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the SPIRIT Himself makes INTERCESSION for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:26-28
Isn’t this amazing???
When we seek to have the mind of Christ, then we KNOW we must ask the Spirit to lead us in prayers and—He absolutely does! As we grow closer to God, we understand that the Spirit must be the one guiding us to the throne of God. He is all-knowing and He knows the will of God. Our job is to know God and allow Him to guide our prayer so we will pray for the will of God. This takes us outside our typical prayers which focus on health, comfort, and prosperity. We begin to engage in spiritual warfare. We become aware of the critical role we play in leading others to eternal life, soul comfort and spiritual prosperity!
The more we learn who God is, our prayers become more meaningful than when we’re talking with a close friend because God is engaging us in the most meaningful relationship of our lifetime.
We know where our help comes from—in all things!
“I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.”
Psalms 121:1-2
*I highly recommend Tim Keller’s book “Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy With God.”
We would love to hear your thoughts about this devotional. Did God speak to you or challenge your daily walk with him? Or is there a topic that you would like Kimberly to cover or expound on? Please share with us in the comments below.
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