Now, similarly, the spirit is also aiding our infirmity, for what we should be praying for, to accord with what must be, we are not aware, but the spirit itself is pleading for us with inarticulate groanings.
Paul To The Romans 8: 26, Concordant New Testament
If you were to have asked me a few years ago my opinion on prayer I probably would have given the standard church answer. That being, that prayer is speaking our requests to the Lord. Yet due to recent events in my own life I have come away with a different understanding of our prayers unto the Lord. I no longer see my prayers as simply my requests to God. These days, I see prayer as more of a conversation with Christ in whom I dwell {Paul To The Galatians 2:20}. I also have come to the deeper understanding that if Christ Jesus now dwells within us, as the apostle Paul pointed out in Galatians, then we also have the unique opportunity for intimate conversation with Jesus. And if we know Jesus in us, then we also know the Father who is in Christ as well. How does this help our prayer life? Well, the mainstream church version of prayer is that we be "Lifting up" our prayers to the heavenly Father above. Right away, this presents to us the narrative of the church that we are separated from the Lord, with God being in heaven and His children here on earth. If this were the case, then Paul would not have proclaimed Christ Jesus in him. If this were the case, then God never would have proclaimed that He is with us always {To The Hebrews 13:5}. So it is that with each and every moment of the day we have the opportunity to be in conversation with Jesus who is within us. It is Jesus who will speak unto our hearts what He desires for our life. Some will refer to this as "Being led by the spirit." However, knowing what I know of my own relationship with Christ, I view these moments as Jesus speaking His desire for me. This is something which I have experienced more than a few times. Jesus has proclaimed that His sheep know and follow Him {Johns Account 10:27}. If we are in Christ, we know His voice. This is not the voice of One whom we are separated from. No, this is the voice of Christ within us. So it is that when the need or situation arises, we often beseech Jesus on our own behalf.
And He is pulled away from them about a stones throw, and kneeling, He prayed, saying, "Father, if it is Thy intention, carry aside this cup from Me. However, not My will, but Thine, be done!"
Lukes Account 22: 41-42, Concordant New Testament
I mentioned to a dear friend on our recent podcast that I could recall but one moment when Jesus offered a prayer for Himself. That being while He prayed in the garden just before His arrest. Here we see Jesus, obviously in a moment of anxiety, requesting that the Father remove His impending ordeal. Yet Jesus also knew why He was there in that moment. Knowing this, He prayed (or, spoke to) the Father that not His will, but the Fathers will be done {Lukes Account 22:41-42}. This made me think for a moment. Understandably, the majority of our prayers we make unto the Father are prayers of provision. We pray for the Father to relieve us of situations we might or will be facing. I get it, I've been there. Yet, often overlooked is the prayer often forgotten. That being our prayers of thanksgiving unto the Father. All too often we get to caught up in relief of God providing for what we have requested that we overlook a prayer giving thanks to Him. But it goes deeper than that. Spoken unto my own heart this week was the opportunity to pray thankfulness to God for all which He has done in my life. His presence and provision I can never deny. I know that I do not pray it often enough, but I am thankful to the Father not only for providing for me, but for shaping me into the person I have become. In my heart I know that this was His desire all along.
~Scott~
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