Many of us have religious
traditions that we grew up in, and sometimes we wonder if that custom is the
only acceptable way. For example, many of us grew up beginning our prayers with
“our Father” and ending it with, “In Jesus’ name, amen.” That is the way we
learned it. I think children should grow up with that form as the main to pray.
Pray to God the Father in the power of God the Spirit, in the authority of God
the Son. That is the Trinitarian structure of prayer in the Bible.
In the Bible, there is one God who reveals Himself in three persons: God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. So when we pray to God, who are we to pray to? Is it ok to pray specifically to Jesus or even to the Holy Spirit? The answer is “yes. “ The most common way to pray is to the Father through the Son at the prompting of the Holy Spirit. We can approach God confidently because of our relationship with Jesus through salvation, but we’d never be inclined to pray in the first place without the Holy Spirit working in our heart.
The Father, Son, and Spirit are not jealous of each other. Jesus says He and the Father are one. When we pray to the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are there and are interceding for us. When we pray to Jesus, the Father rejoices and the Holy Spirit listens in. Just like we sometimes choose which friend we confide in based on the nature of our problem, it is acceptable to speak directly to each person of the Trinity when it feels more natural to do so.
God the Father
Most prayer is directed to God the Father. Jesus teaches us to pray to the Father, and He prays to the Father throughout His time on Earth. When we are saved, God becomes our Father, too. We can bring any request before Him, and He will hear us.
Jesus the Son
The most basic prayer of the human heart is “Save me!” As our Savior, Jesus hears this prayer and will always answer it. When people around us are saved, it’s only natural to praise Jesus for His work on the cross. Jesus removed our sin and presents us as righteous before God the Father. When we pray "in Jesus' name," we're praying with His authority. Jesus is God and man. He came like a servant and took on human likeness. As a result, it’s often easier to pray to Jesus when our feelings are tender or we’re feeling weak.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is a person just like Jesus and the Father are. He guides us, comforts us, and helps us remember Jesus’ words. The Holy Spirit also gives us the ability to experience the fruit of the spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22). If you need an extra dose of any of those qualities, by all means, ask the Holy Spirit directly. We enjoy fellowship with every person of the Trinity when we pray. After all, there's nothing one person is involved with that the other two aren't. So whether we pray to the Father, to the Son, or to the Holy Spirit, the critical thing is that we pray constantly.
“Prayers don't have to be long
and eloquent. They need only come from a sincere and humble heart.” (Divine
Inspiration & Prayers)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“Are we supposed to pray to the Father, the
Son, or the Holy Spirit?” by Compelling Truth
·
“Do you pray to the
Father, Son, or Holy Spirit?” By Alane Zlotnicki
·
“Should I Pray to the
Father, the Son, or the Spirit?” By John Piper
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