Last week I prayed in a way that I had never prayed before.
My heart has been heavy for an individual for many months. I sensed that person needed a special touch from God from deep within. On many, many occasions I had prayed for him. In my Men’s Bible study we have been looking at how Christ lives His life through us. Paul tells us in Galatians 2:20, “It is no longer I who lives but Christ who lives in me.” That tells me that a follower of Christ is to allow Christ to be the one who is speaking, behaving and doing all the other things a person does. If we were truly one with Christ, we could step aside and let Him live though us.
Jesus tells us in John 15:4 & 16, “Remain in me and I will remain in you.” “The Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.” To me, this says that if we are so deeply abiding in Jesus that we will actually sense His presence in us. We will know that Jesus actually is living in us. Since that is the case, then we ought to understand that Jesus wants to be the one praying, not us. If we have this awareness and are able to yield to Jesus during our prayers, then in those moments we can be confident that the prayers that are being lifted up to the Father are actually the prayers of Jesus. Wow! That is so very powerful and sacred and holy.
I believe that this is the true essence of abiding in Jesus. When we are able to experience that Jesus is present and the one living through our bodies and the one doing the talking through our lips, then we are “joined” to Him just as He desires us to be. When we are able to be in this place, that’s when much fruit will be produced. (John 15:5) And one of the fruits that most pleases the Father is the fruit of someone entering into His Kingdom.
Why does Jesus want to be able to pray through us to the Father? He wants us to experience the ultimate connection with Him that occurs during that time of prayer. He wants us to have that sweet fellowship with Him. He wants us to experience the confidence and the power that occurs when we are with Him so solidly. He wants us to be instruments of His love as we pray for others. He wants us to really know Him… the kind of knowing Him that is experienced during such intimately prayerful times.
When we are in God’s presence, imagine how quieted our body, mind and emotions are. Such peace is wonderfully conducive to our health. When we are purely connected with God and Jesus it’s a really beautiful thing. Anytime we experience something beautiful, it’s good for our inner being and wellness. Imagine the strong sense of confidence you’d have and a sense of power, not power that comes from self, but power that comes straight from God. We should not be motivated for these reasons, but it’s an extra benefit that comes from such a close and intimate relationship with our Savior!
I have full confidence that God heard that prayer last week. It was Jesus’ prayer to His Father. I also know that God then touched a man’s heart in a special way over the next few days. Thank you Jesus for revealing more of your nature to me.
Please pray for my friend. He is in ICU with blood clots in his lungs and his heart is weak. We love him so very much. Roanoke, VA. I need our precious God to heal him.
Margie, How is your friend who had blood clots? ~ Dale
Thanks Hope,
Isn’t it so true. Our challenge is to step TOTALLY aside, so Jesus can live through us. This can happen, but in the deepest parts of our hearts, we need to desire that it be about Him, not us. That can happen in our prayers as well if we prepare out hearts before praying.
Dale
Thank you for this post. It has added a bit more depth to what the Lord shown me about prayer just this week – that He is asking me to bring my problem or need or the need of another to Him without bring ‘my’ solution. The answer is with God and His wisdom not with me and my brokenness. Bring my need to Him and then trust Him. Trust that He will do what is best and that He is able to do what is best. I believe that if I pray like this then yes Jesus will be praying through me.