God made man exactly like him (in his image and likeness), to be his companion and eternal associate; and conversation is a common phenomenon amongst companions.
Prayer is simply conversation or dialogue with God. It is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with God.
Man in his fallen state suffers from sin consciousness, a sense of unworthiness and an inferiority complex. Adam’s transgression made it impossible for man to go before or stand in the presence of God without condemnation. But Jesus remedied this by his obedience (death).
Scriptures declare that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (Luke 18:1). Holman Christian Standard rendering, says…“Pray always and not become discouraged,” thereby implying that man (God’s companion) ought to have constant conversation with his creator.
But in life, we observe the contrast. We pray only when circumstances get out of our control, when we hit a brick wall, when we are faced with hopelessness or when we become dismayed or dispirited.
At such times, we pray constantly. We call on all and sundry and request that they pray for us or join us in prayers; and once the issue that caused us to lose heart is resolved, we resort to our former status quo (not praying always).
A salient point about prayer is that each time a new creation (born again) open his/her mouth to pray, God pays attention… For the Lord watches the righteous and he pays attention to their prayers (1Peter3:12).
The new creation or believing ones are “the righteous”.
“Therefore being justified (declared righteous) by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans5:1)
Righteousness means right standing with God or the ability to stand in the presence of God without the sense of sin, guilt and inferiority. Jesus was made sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”(2 Cor5:21)
Jesus is our righteousness. We have the same righteousness or right standing with God that Jesus has. We are in Christ and He is righteous. The church is his body; every single believer is a member of his body, and since Christ -the head – is righteous, we- the body- is also righteous…We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. God ears are open or attentive to our prayers because we have a right standing with him.
You might ask, if God always hears our prayers, how come we sometime don’t get answers to prayers? Some of have deduced unscriptural reasons for this but I make bold to say that if you are born again and are not receiving answers to prayers, you are the problem, not God…Scriptures cannot be broken (John 10:35)
But before we address this, Let`s examine the effect of the believer’s prayers…” The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”(James 5:16). The New International Version rendering, says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” The Amplified rendering, says, “The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].”
Note that it does not say the prayer of a lot of righteous people, but the prayer of a “righteous man”; thus implying that your prayer works. If you are born again, you are righteous and your earnest heartfelt, continued prayer can change circumstances.That sad, It is vital that we pray with other believers.
However, for the married Christian folks, how we live with our significant other can hinder our prayers…Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. (1Peter 2:7)
Remember, prayer formed an integral part Jesus’ ministry on earth. Scriptures declares “In the morning, long before sunrise, Jesus went to a place where he could be alone to pray.”(Mark 1:35). Prayers was so vital that his disciple demanded that he teach them how to pray and he handed them “The Lord`s Prayer”, which was for interim time- between the time of the old covenant would be finished and the New covenant would be established by his blood.
Though there are some things to be learnt from “The Lord`s Prayer”, which begins with …”Our Father which art in heaven” (Luke 11:2),” It is however, a prayer under the old covenant, the name of Jesus is not mentioned. In order to receive answers to our prayers under the New Covenant, we must pray in the name of Jesus.
1John 5:14-15 declares, And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
… if we ask any thing according to his will – Will is another word for testament. When Jesus gave his disciples “The Lord`s Prayer”, the new testament was not in force, as he was still alive. For a will and testament is valid and takes effect only at death, since it has no force or legal power as long as the one who made it is alive.(Hebrews9:17).
Under the New Covenant, his will is that we pray to the father in the Name of Jesus; and not “through the name of Jesus” or “for Jesus sake” as some do.
Remember in (John 16:23-24), he said… 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.24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
In verse 24, Jesus said, “Hitherto” meaning “up till now” or “before this moment “that Jesus was speaking to his disciples they had asked nothing in his name .
Also in the preceding verse, he said, “In That Day”. What day was Jesus talking about? He was referring to the day when the testator (Jesus) shed his blood for the remission of sin and his will has force or legal power, the day of the New Covenant when he would ratify a new and better covenant with his blood… “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing”, another translation says, “Don’t pray to me”.
… Verily, verily, I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.- Here Jesus is saying: You ask of the father in My name – I will ratify it – and my Father will give it to you. This is wonderful prayer promise!
As stated previously, a will is also known as a last will and testament. Jesus is testator, (he made the will), which is now in force and has legal power by reason of his death – His will is that we pray to the father in the name of Jesus and receive answers.
But religiously brainwashed folks have come with an addendum that did not originate from Jesus. They have said, “God’s will, if it is His will, but it might be His will. Consequently, they and those under them have lived with glee in the empire of unanswered prayers, saying, “It must not have been His will, because he didn`t do it. If it had been his will he would have done it.”
John in his missive avers,… And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will (IN HIS NAME), he heareth us- His will is that we pray to the father in the name of Jesus. When we pray in the name of Jesus he hears us- And since we know that he invariably gives his attention to our prayers, whatever they are about, we can be quite sure that our prayers will be answered.
When we pray in the Name of Jesus, it passes from our hand into the hand of Jesus; We pass the “baton” to him. He then assumes responsibility of that prayer (Like a runner assumes responsibility for the race when he receives the baton). And we know that he said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.I know that you always hear me.”(John 11:41)
Put differently, we know that the Father always hears Jesus, and when we pray in Jesus Name, It is as though Jesus himself was doing the praying – He takes our place.In his name connotes In His stead. Hallelujah!
By Emmanuel Emeke Asiwe
