Lesson 4-2 - To Whom Should We Pray?

Objective: To understand the roles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in prayer.

Read: Acts 5 & 6
Memorize: Philippians 4:6-7

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

To Whom Do We Pray?
Through Whom Should We Pray?
Life Application

Because the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work in perfect unity and harmony, each has a specific role in our prayers. The writer of the book of Hebrews said, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence (boldness), so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

But how do we approach the most powerful presence in the Universe? Do we pray directly to Him? Do we pray to Jesus Christ and ask Him to present our needs to the Father? How can we even approach such a holy God with boldness?

In this lesson you will learn why all three persons in the Godhead are active in our prayers and why each person performs a separate, but interconnecting role.

To Whom Do We Pray?

1.) According to Matthew 6:6, to whom should we pray?

6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

2.) From the following passages, give general reasons for your answer:

I Chronicles 29:11-12 11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. 12 Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.

Matthew 6:9 9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

John 16:23 23 Jesus said: “At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name.

3.) Meditate on the principles contained in the following excerpt from How to Pray by R.A. Torrey:

But some will say, “Is not all prayer unto God?” No. Very much so-called prayer, both public and private, is not unto God. In order that a prayer should be really unto God, there must be a definite and conscious approach to God when we pray; we must have a definite and vivid realization that God is bending over us and listening as we pray.

In much of our prayer there is little thought of God. Our mind is not taken up with the thought of the mighty and loving Father. We are occupied neither with the need nor with the one to whom we are praying, but our mind is wandering here and there throughout the world. When we really come into God’s presence, really meet Him face to face in the place of prayer, really seek the things that we desire from Him, then there is power.

How do you approach God when you pray? How can you better focus your attention on Him?

Think about a time when you particularly sensed God’s presence when you prayed. What made this time of prayer different than others? Why?

Through Whom Should We Pray?

1.) Read

John 14:6 6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
I Timothy 2:5 5 For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.

How many mediators are there between God and man? Who is the mediator?

2.) On the basis of Hebrews 4:14-16, describe the qualifications of our great High Priest.

14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

3.) What are the requirements for a prayer relationship according to I John 3:21-23.

21 Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him. 23 And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.

4.) What does unconfessed sin in our lives do to our prayer fellowship with God?

Psalm 66:18 18 If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

5.) God’s Word promises in I John 1:9 that if we confess our sins He will forgive us.

9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

The word “confess” means to “agree with.” This involves naming our sins to God, acknowledging that He has already forgiven us through Christ’s death on the cross, and repenting of our sins (turning away from or changing our attitude toward them).

Follow these steps for confessing your sins:

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any sin in your life.

Write it down on a piece of paper.

Confess the sin to God and asking Him to forgive you.

Receive His forgiveness by faith according to I John 1:9.

Write the verse across the sin.

Throw away the paper.

6.) God honors those who truly pray in His Son’s name. What is the promise recorded in

John 15:16 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

John 16:23 23 At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name.

What did Jesus promise in John 14:12-14?

12 ”I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

7.) The name of Jesus means everything to God. He lifted Jesus to the highest place in the Heavenly sphere and elevated His name far above all others in Heaven and on Earth. From the following passages, describe the significance and standing given to the name of Jesus:

John 20:31 31 But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

Acts 2:28 28 You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.’

Acts 3:6,16 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” 16 ”Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.

Acts 4:10,19, 30 10 Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

Acts 19:17 17 The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored.

Mark 9:37 37 ”Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”

Philippians 2:5-11 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. 9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names,10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father.

8.) Improperly used, the name of Jesus does not bring results. To many people, the name of Jesus has become a powerless incantation, a run-together phrase, leaving them bewildered over unanswered prayer. According to the following verses, how can se use Jesus’ name properly and receive our answer from God?

I John 5:13-15 13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

Ephesians 5:20 20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 3:17 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

John 4:10, 14 10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” 13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

John 14:13 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.

John 15:16-17 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

Life Application

List any new insights into prayer that you have gained from this lesson.
Describe how you will use these insights to have a more well rounded prayer-life.
Write down at least one new way in which you want to apply prayer in your life right now.

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