Three levels of prayer are: Level 1: Prayer of children Level 2: Prayer of disciples Level 3: Prayer of friends
In this article, we will cover the difficulties in prayer by friends of Christ.
Jesus calls His servants as friends. So that He can make known to His friends what He has heard from His Father (John 15:15).
Christ gives His authority to His friends. Christ has been given all authority by the Father (Matt 28:18).
Christ’s friends must pray in His Name. Praying in Christ’s name means that we come and pray with His authority. We pray as guided by His Word and instructed by the Holy Spirit. All our prayers will be answered in Christ’s Name (Jn 14:13-14; 15:16; 16:23-24).
Prayer partnership as Christ’s friends falls into three areas: 1. Participating in the works of Christ What works can friends of Christ do? (Jn 14:12) * Proclaim the Gospel * Make disciples of Christ * Worship God and do good to all men
2. Pruning by the Father (Jn 15:1-11; Eph 2:10) – removing our character flaws so that we conform to the image of Christ. – developing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives (Jn 15:16; Gal 3:22-23). – disciplining as His legit children by the Father for holiness and righteousness (Heb12:3-11).
3. Partnering with the Holy Spirit (Eph 6:18; Jude 20; 1 Jn 2:27) – warring in 3 areas – personal sins, social evils, spiritual wickedness. – purifying by the washing with the Word and sanctification by the Holy Spirit. – praying for backsliders and preaching the gospel to the lost.
Every breath of a Christian must lead to prayer of: #1 a child of God the Father. #2 a disciple (learner) of Christ. #3 a friend of Christ and partner of the Holy Spirit.
Elder Yoong Yuen Soo
