Genuine Prayer: Fellowship
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep my words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him (John 14:23).
Many different things make up genuine prayer. Usually we say that prayer is communion with God. In the next few devotionals, the topic will be genuine prayer noting various elements that make up real prayer.
Prayer is Fellowship with God
Genuine prayer takes place when there is a vital relationship between you and God. A major part of any good relationship is communication, which we all understand in connection to spouses, friends, and others.
The psalmist, speaking of God, stated, In Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore (Psalm 16:11). Revelation 4:11 reveals that God created us for His pleasure.
It was that way in the very beginning when God walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden (Genesis 3:8). The indication here is that of closeness, intimacy, and communion. But immediately after they sinned, they hid themselves from God. It is interesting that they hid from God yet Psalm 66:18 reveals that if we regard iniquity in our hearts, the LORD will not hear us. Sin blocks our fellowship with God – He will not hear us and we are ashamed to come to Him. It is our iniquities that separate us from God (Isaiah 59:2).
A right relationship with God is a love relationship, but sin greatly interferes with genuine love. Jesus said: He that hath My commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves Me: and he that loves Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love Him, and will manifest myself to Him (John 14:21).
Do you truly love God? How many times have you told Him so? How often have you told someone else that you love God? Have you ever considered that God may have responded back – “You sure have a strange way of showing it!” Jesus had to ask Peter three times, Do you love Me (John 21:15-17)? Regarding prayer, Jesus said, If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you (John 15:7). To Peter, Jesus spoke of a pure, intense, personal, warm, and intimate relationship while Peter responded more with words of loyalty and care. It was not until the third question that He responded with deep affection. With that kind of a relationship, do you think God would reject our requests? Also, with that kind of a relationship, you can be certain that our requests would be according to God’s will.
One of the main reasons we pray to God should be for fellowship. After Pentecost, the saints could not depart from being together with other believers in fellowship and prayers (Acts 2:42). C. H. Spurgeon stated, Man was made for the highest and most elevated enjoyment – the enjoyment of the presence of God and the admiration of His infinite perfections. Pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17). Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18). Praying always and praying without ceasing speaks of constant fellowship with God.
David was in trouble and in Psalm 57, he was confident of God’s intervention. Warren Wiersbe states that David turned his cave into a Holy of Holies. David so often prayed and his attitude in Psalm 57:7 reveals what ours ought to be all the time if we are in fellowship with Him. He prayed, “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.” Can you say that about your relationship with God. Then you certainly know the joy of a powerful prayer life. When David prayed, He knew God would respond.
When you pray, do you believe that God will answer your prayers? What is your fellowship like with Him? The first reason why you should pray relates to the development of your relationship with God. If you truly love Him, you will want to spend much time with Him in His Word and in prayer.
Augustine prayed something that ought to be our prayer – O Lord, grant that I may desire Thee, and desiring Thee seek Thee, and seeking Thee find Thee and finding Thee be satisfied with Thee forever.
George Stiekes held successful pastorates in churches in Michigan and Washington among other places. He currently resides in North Carolina and blogs at Reverent Reflections. We recommend his ministry and republish his material by permission.