Who Do I Pray To God Or Jesus

Should We Only Pray to God the Father or Can We Pray to Jesus and the Holy Spirit?

As I preach my way through John’s Gospel, which will take around 45 weeks, we have reached Jesus’ longest prayer in John 17. There, Jesus addresses God as “Father,” which is a pattern he follows throughout his ministry. As Grace and I greeted and prayed for our congregation members after each service, many of them asked the same question: “Should we pray to God the Father or may we pray to Jesus and the Holy Spirit?” That is a frequently asked question. As a general rule, we should devote the most of our prayers to God the Father.

Jesus demonstrated praying to God as Father constantly, as shown by the fact that He refers to God as Father around 165 times in the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), which is His preferred word for God.

There is a story of an early church leader named Stephen who prayed to Jesus as he was about to be crucified.

The most common form of Christian prayer is Trinitarian in nature.

  1. The Bible makes it quite plain that we should pray in the Spirit.
  2. According to Jude 1:20, we should be “pray[ing] in the Holy Spirit.” He intended for us to pray in the name of Jesus Christ, which is why He taught us to pray “in my name” (John 14:13-14).
  3. For example, if you are reading the Bible and are reminded that Jesus died on the cross in your place for your sins, it is a good idea to take a moment to express your gratitude to Him for carrying out that work on your behalf.
  4. This is one of the Spirit’s ministries, and you can pray to the Spirit to convict someone of their sin if you care about someone who is far from God and not paying attention to the bad decisions that are destroying their life and relationship with God (John 16:8).
  5. What methods do you use to get to know the others?

Should I Pray to the Father, the Son, or the Spirit?

Transcript of the audio As a result of his podcast listening experience, Joe writes in to raise a challenging issue that we all must face: “Should I pray to Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or the Father?” Throughout the years, I’ve received a surprising number of inquiries on this topic. It is simply one of the most frequently used, and it is an excellent one. And I believe I understand why it is brought up so frequently — because we have traditions that most of us grew up with, and we question if that tradition is the only permitted way to live our lives now.

Close with a prayer to the Father in Jesus’ name.

And, to be quite honest, I believe that tradition to be excellent.

Pray to God the Father in the power of God the Spirit, in the name or by the authority and merit of God the Son, and in the name or by the authority and merit of God the Son. That is the trinitarian framework of prayer that is primarily seen in the Bible.

Focus on the Father

Thus, it should come as no surprise that it has a deep biblical foundation: “Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” “Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, let us hold fast our confession.” Because we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but rather one who has been tempted in every way we are, but has come out unscathed.

  1. We should approach the throne of grace with confidence, shall we?
  2. We can only approach God in prayer, appealing for favor, because we have a high priest, which is why we pray in the name of Jesus, who is our high priest.
  3. I advised them not to slur their words and not to speed through the process.
  4. Without Christ and his name, we have no way to communicate with God.
  5. I’m not coming in my own name, not in my own merit, and not in my own value.
  6. I’m come because Christ loves me and I want to return the favor.
  7. Christ died in my place.
  8. That is the message conveyed by that little sentence.
  9. Ephesians 6:18, for example, refers to “praying at all times in the Spirit,” which refers to the third part of the trinity.
  10. So, be honest with yourself.
  11. When I pray in Jesus’ name to the Father, I rely on the Holy Spirit to guide me.

Don’t Neglect the Son and Spirit

Now that you’ve said “amen,” you’ve done what is fundamentally right and good tradition. I’d want to add that it is beneficial and healthy to speak to Jesus as your buddy, Savior, Lord, and guide, as well as to the Holy Spirit, as well as to other people. Despite the fact that several manuscripts diverge on this point, the finest text and the majority of current translations render John 14:14 in this way. According to Jesus, “If you ask me to accomplish anything in my name, I will do it.” In addition, Revelation 22:20 says: When we say, “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely, I am coming soon,'” we are referring to Jesus, who is speaking to us.

“Come, Lord Jesus!” exclaimed the crowd.

Therefore, when we pray in Jesus’ name, we are communicating this to the Father.” And, truly, my own spirit thinks that if I grieve the Holy Spirit, as the Bible says I do in Ephesians 4:30, I should express my sorrow to the Holy Spirit by saying I am sorry to the Holy Spirit.

Although it is acceptable to regard the Son and the Spirit as individuals, there is something deep about the trinitarian truth of their existence that we should consider when we do so.

My opinion is that you should allow your normal, regular praying to be prayer to the Father via the Spirit in the name of Jesus; nevertheless, remember that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are both individuals, and speaking to them as a redeemed sinner would cannot be considered abnormal.

Should I Pray to Jesus or God?

Greetings, Beloved! Earlier this week, I received a really nice question from our beloved sister Sherry, who lives in the Bronx. In this video, I respond to her question on whether we should pray to Jesus or to God. Enjoy! Christina’s e-mail address is [email protected].

Question

Greetings, Christina I’ve been following you for the past month and have found your lectures to be really inspiring. I do have a query, though, and I believe you may be able to provide an answer. I understand that Jesus is God manifested in human form, but I am perplexed. For prayer and worship, and in general, who do I turn to in my day-to-day interactions? Some people say God (which is how I was raised), and then I hear others say Jesus, which is what I believe to be correct. I’m not sure where to start.

  1. I hear someone pronounce God for a split second before hearing Jesus’ name in the next line.
  2. But, if Jesus is God, how can I possibly leave him out of the equation?
  3. I’ve been on my spiritual path since October 2014, and I’m still a little perplexed about what I’m supposed to be doing.
  4. Sherry-Bronx, New York City

Answer

Well Hello, Sherry, from the borough of the Bronx! First and foremost, welcome to Beloved! Thank you so much for being here with us today! Second, this is a question that I simply adore. I’ve pondered this myself on a number of occasions. The quick answer is as follows: In the name of the Son, Jesus Christ, we pray to the Father on his behalf. So allow me to elaborate on what that truly implies. You are correct in that Jesus is God, and thus when you pray to God, you are effectively praying to both Jesus and God at the same time.

  • As already stated, we pray to God.
  • We need someone to stand up for us, and Jesus fulfills that role.
  • (See also Hebrews 4:15-16.) We have no relationship with God and are unable to even communicate with Him via prayer unless we accept Jesus as our Savior.
  • As a result, when we approach God, we do so in the name and authority of Jesus.
  • Amen.” at the end of their prayers.
  • The following is an example of a prayer: “Dear God, please injure Sally since I don’t like her.” In the name of Jesus, I ask you.
  • God is not going to respond favorably to such a petition.

(Ephesians 6:1) (Ephesians 6:1) This indicates that when we pray, we are not praying for ourselves, but rather for God’s will to be done in our lives.

Praying in the Spirit entails seeking the things that God desires, rather than just what we desire.

Now, we can still tell God how we feel.

(See 1 Peter 5:7 for further information).

This is best illustrated by Jesus’ prayer in the garden, just before He is about to be executed on the cross.

(See also Luke 22:42) In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus also provides us with an example of how to pray by reciting the Lord’s Prayer.

Thank you for putting your faith in me to answer your query.

And if you have a question you’d want me to address, you can submit it at belovedwomen.org/question by clicking here.

Please visit belovedwomen.org and sign up for my weekly devotional, “Hello Beloved,” which will be delivered to your email every Monday morning.

MORE PRAYER SCRIPTURES: “First and foremost, I express my gratitude to my God through Jesus Christ for each and every one of you, for your faith is being reported all across the globe.” Romans 1:8 (New International Version) “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Italics mine)”And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” – Colossians 3:17 (New International Version) “In the same manner, the Spirit provides assistance to us when we are weak.

The Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans when we are unable to articulate what we need to be praying for.

– Romans 8:26-27 (KJV) ‭NIV‬‬ As well as on all occasions and with all types of petitions and requests, pray in the Spirit on all occasions.” Keep this in mind as you remain vigilant and persistent in your prayers for the entire congregation of the Lord.” – Ephesians 6:18 New International Version “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth,” says the Bible.

She is a Bible teacher, author, and speaker.

Christina is the creator of Beloved Women, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides tools and fellowship for women to really know who they are in Christ: His Beloved.

Aside from that, she’s the author of various books and Bible studies, and she’s the founder of theLIFE Bible Journal, which encourages believers to purposefully read the Bible and apply God’s word to their daily lives.

See also:  How Did Judas Betray Jesus With A Kiss

Do we pray to God or Jesus?

Here’s everything you need to know: Pray to God the Father in the name of Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and ask for what you need. Because God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit are all one God, when we pray, we are truly communicating with all three of them. Jesus prayed to God the Father on our behalf, and he instructed us to do so as well. In addition, Jesus instructed everyone to pray in His name. In other words, it is not enough to simply say at the conclusion of a prayer, “In Jesus’ name, Amen.” It is important to remember that praying in the name of Jesus implies asking for things that Jesus would pray for; it also means praying in a way that honors Jesus and his teachings.

  1. Jesus died on the cross to atone for the sin that separates us from God.
  2. When Jesus saves us from our sins, He bestows upon us the gift of the Holy Spirit.
  3. The Holy Spirit also assists us in our prayers.
  4. Bible Truth “‘And I will fulfill whatever request you make in my name.
  5. You may ask me for anything under my name, and I will oblige.
  6. Please pray for me with the compassion and love that the Holy Spirit brings ” (Romans 15:30).

“When we are weak, the Holy Spirit comes to our aid. We’re not sure what we should be praying for. However, the Holy Spirit himself intercedes for us. He prays with groans that are too deep to be expressed in words ” (Romans 8:26).

To Whom Do We Pray: the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit?

When it comes to praying, there is some ambiguity among believers about to whom we are expected to express our prayers. According to the Bible, we are to pray to God the Father, via God the Son, and through God the Holy Spirit in order to receive His blessings. The Father is the most important person in the world. Jesus taught that we should pray to God the Father on our behalf. O, therefore, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, may Your name be sanctified’ (Matthew 6:9). As a result, God the Father is the ultimate one with whom we are communicating.

  • Because there is only one God, and there is only one mediator between God and humans, and that is the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5).
  • Our prayers will also include the participation of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity.
  • In the same manner, the Holy Spirit assists us when we are weak.
  • In addition, he who examines our hearts knows the thoughts of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the believers in accordance with God’s plan (Romans 8:26, 27).

When we are praying, do we pray directly to God or through Jesus?

Is it possible to pray directly to God or Jesus as well? The short response to the question is “Yes” and “Yes,” but please allow me to expound a little more on that. If you read Matthew 6:9-13, you will see that Jesus instructs his followers on how they should pray. He instructs them to pray to “Our Father in heaven.” So pray as follows: “Our Father in heaven, may your name be sanctified forever. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, says the Lord. Provide for our needs today, and forgive us our debts in the same way that we have forgiven our creditors.

As a result, it was Jesus Himself, God manifested in flesh (John 1:1-14), who instructed us to address our petitions directly to God, specifically to God the Father.

The doctrine of the Trinity is referred to as theTrinity.

Each member of the Trinity has a distinct function to play in the way they engage with believers and nonbelievers alike in their daily lives.

Consider the following sentence from Mark 15:38: “And the curtain of the temple was ripped in two, from top to bottom.” (Mark 15:38) This “curtain” is the one that divided people from the Holy of Holies (aka “The Most Holy Location”) in the temple, the place where God’s presence dwelled in a specific way.

When Jesus died on the cross, God tore the curtain in two, revealing the truth of who he was.

“Even the first covenant had requirements for worship as well as a sanctuaries on the earth’s surface.” 2 It was necessary to create a tent, the first portion of which included the lampstand, the table, and the loaf of bread of the Presence.

3 Behind the second curtain was a second section known as the Most Holy Place, 4 which contained the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant, which was covered on all sides with gold and contained a golden urn containing the manna, as well as Aaron’s staff that had budded and the tablets of the covenant, among other things.

We are unable to go into depth about any of these issues at this time.

8 By doing so, the Holy Spirit shows that the path into the holy regions has not yet been opened as long as the first piece of the wall remains in place (which is symbolic for the present age).

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that had already occurred, he entered once and for all into the holy places, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thereby securing an eternal redemption through the greater and more perfect tent (which was not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12.

  • It is explained in this verse that under the Old Covenant and the law, the priest was required to repeatedly offer sacrifices for the people of Israel since the sacrifices were imperfect, and thus never totally appeased God’s anger for sin, resulting in the need to repeat the offering.
  • When Christ died on the cross and the curtain that divided the people from the Most Holy Place in the temple was torn, it signaled that man no longer needed to approach God via priests or through the offering of repetitious sacrifices in the temple.
  • It states in Hebrews 10:12-14, to paraphrase: After making a single sacrifice for sins on the cross, Christ sat down at the right side of the Father, 13 waiting from that time until his adversaries were made a footstool for his feet.
  • It is because of Jesus’ sacrifice that the New Covenant was established (Luke 22:20), and we no longer have to rely on earthly priests to intercede on our behalf before God, but we may now approach God’s throne with confidence and directness because of Christ.
  • It was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, one who was holy, blameless, unspotted, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens, as Jesus Christ.
  • “Since therefore we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession,” writes the apostle Paul in Hebrews 4:14-15.
  • 16 Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to assist us in our time of need.

Our prayers are directed to God, our heavenly Father, since He is the source of all good things (James 1:17; Matthew 7:7-11), and our prayers are offered in Jesus’ name because He is the one who makes it possible to approach God because His blood has covered our sins.

To whom are we to pray, the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit?

QuestionAnswer All of our prayers should be addressed to our triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—in the name of Jesus Christ. Because all three are one, the Bible allows for prayer to either one or all three at one sitting. “Listen to my cries for aid, my King and my God, for it is to you that I pray,” the psalmist says to the Father in his prayer (Psalm 5:2). We pray to the Lord Jesus in the same way as we pray to the Father because they are both equal. Prayer to one of the members of the Trinity is prayer to all of the members of the Trinity.

  • In addition, we ought to pray in the name of Jesus.
  • In the name of Jesus, meaning in accordance with His will, Jesus informed his disciples that anything they asked for would be granted (John 15:16; 16:23).
  • Even when we do not know what to pray for or how to pray for it, the Holy Spirit assists us (Romans 8:26; Jude 20).
  • All three of them are avid participants in the believer’s prayer service.
  • Some non-Christian faiths urge its members to pray to a pantheon of gods, deceased relatives, saints, and spirits in addition to the gods of their own faith.
  • Such prayers are not in accordance with the Scriptures and are, in reality, an affront to the Almighty.
  • Praise and thankfulness are two of the many parts of prayer, and if we focus on just two of these elements—praise and thanksgiving—we can see that prayer is, at its very essence, an act of worship.

Whenever we give prayers of thanksgiving, we are adoring the Almighty for His graciousness, mercy, and loving-kindness toward us as individuals.

Praying to anybody other than God has the disadvantage of denying God the opportunity to share His glory.

The LORD says, “I am the LORD; that is my name!

Praise and praise are also expressed via other parts of prayer such as repentance, confession, and supplication.

As believers, we confess our sins because we know that “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9), and we offer Him praise and thanks for it.

We thank Him for His mercy and kindness in being willing to hear and respond to us.

Who are we supposed to pray to?

God, of course, is the answer. It is considerably more necessary to pray to God, and God alone, than it is to direct our petitions to any particular Person of the Trinity. Questions about Prayer (return to top of page) Is it better to pray to God the Father, God the Son, or God the Holy Spirit?

Subscribe to the

Get our Question of the Week emailed to your inbox every weekday morning! Got Questions Ministries is a trademark of Got Questions Ministries, Inc., registered in the state of California in the year 2002. All intellectual property rights are retained. Policy Regarding Personal Information The information on this page was last updated on January 4, 2022.

You Asked: Can I Pray to Jesus?

Attention: Please send any theological, scriptural, and practical ministry questions to with your complete name, city, and state included. We’ll forward them on to the members of The Gospel Coalition’s Council and other friends in the hope of receiving a response we can share with you. David Z. from East Asia has the following question: Someone once stated that we should never pray to Jesus since that is not how it is done in the Bible. I believe this is incorrect. Is this correct? A prolific author and professor of divinity at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama, Graham Cole was asked to respond to our question.

  • But do they have the right to do so?
  • I believe there are at least two good reasons to pray to Jesus: one that is theological in nature and another that is biblical in nature.
  • And if Jesus is, as the Scriptures portray him, the one person who is both genuinely God and completely human—-the second member of the Trinity who has become incarnate—-then how could prayer to this Jesus be inherently incorrect in its fundamentals?
  • I.
  • When it comes to praying to the Holy Spirit, the same argument holds true.
  • Consider the life of Stephen, the first Christian martyr.
  • 55).
  • 60): “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” The connections between the manner Stephen dies and Jesus himself are not be ignored (e.g., see Acts 7:60 and Luke 23:34).
See also:  Hymns What A Friend We Have In Jesus

In 1 Corinthians, Paul describes Christians as those who call on the name of the Lord, saying, “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours” (emphasis added) (1 Cor.

Jesus is plainly depicted in this passage.

(Revelation 22:20) With the addition of Jesus as our great high priest, the writer to the Hebrews completes the picture by showing God as our great high priest who symbolizes both us and God.

“Prayer is the mechanism by which we might approach Jesus in this office or role” (Heb.

7:25). However, it is noteworthy that there are no petitions addressed to the Holy Spirit in the Bible, which emphasizes his mission of turning people’s attention away from themselves and onto Christ (John 14-16).

Weight of Emphasis

Despite the fact that there are compelling reasons to pray to Jesus, a disclaimer is necessary. This qualification is the result of carefully reading Scripture from Genesis to Revelation in order to discover where the accents are placed. My wife is a fashion designer, and she advises me that I should pay attention to the fabric speak. For example, you wouldn’t use a regular needle to stitch leather together. When working with leather, you need to use a particular needle; otherwise, the needle will break while you are working with it.

  1. What does this kind of listening disclose about you?
  2. He serves as a go-between in God’s grand scheme.
  3. 2:5-6).
  4. The fact that Jesus instructed his followers to pray to the Father in his name comes as no surprise: “Pray then in the following manner: Our Father in heaven” (Matt.
  5. Likewise, when praying to God the Father, Paul follows the procedure that is appropriate in the face of such majesty: “For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father” (Eph.
  6. Although he was conscious of the fact that this could only occur via the Son and with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, he stated, “For in him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father” (Eph.
  7. In order for us to approach the Godhead in this manner, the Holy Spirit must instill in us such a deep affection for the Father and the Son that we are compelled to do so.

If our justification is the most essential benefit of the gospel, then our adoption is the most important blessing of all.

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to rescue those who were under the law, in order that we may be adopted as sons,” writes the apostle Paul.

Father!’ God has done this because you are sons.

Christian believers are included in the Father’s fellowship with the Son because of the gift of the Holy Spirit bestowed upon them as God’s children.

First and foremost, Christian prayer is Trinitarian prayer.

Amen.” The practice of unitarian prayer makes it difficult to see why there is any genuine distinction between praying to God of the Bible and praying to God of other religious texts, such as the Qur’an.

With Jesus serving as the mediator, the Father serving as the recipient, and the Spirit serving as the enabling, the trinity is complete.

Of course it is possible.

We may lose sight of the wonderful gospel, in which the Father serves as the architect of our salvation, the Son serves as the achiever, and the Spirit serves as the applier of that salvation.

To whom can we pray?

Submitted by Fr. John Flader Question: Is it necessary to constantly pray to the Father through Jesus, or is it possible to pray to the Father directly? Is it possible to pray to Mary, the angels, and the saints as well? THIS QUESTION is more intriguing than it looks at first glance. We might begin with the definition of prayer found in theCatechism of the Catholic Church, which reads as follows: A person’s mind and heart are lifted up to God in prayer, and they ask for good things from God in return.

The act of praying can take many forms, including asking for something, thanking God, confessing our sins, praising God, having a dialogue with God via meditation or mental prayer, or gazing at God with love in the more silent and simple form of prayer known as contemplation.

Many prayers are addressed to God in this manner, including the Act of Contrition, which begins with the words “O my God, I am genuinely sorry for all my sins.” Although we cannot pray to all three heavenly beings at the same time, there is nothing to hinder us from praying to any one of them individually.

  1. have pity on me, a sinner.” (cf.CCC2616).
  2. We recall Jesus’ statements on prayer through him: “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, so that the Father may be glory in the Son; if you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (John14:13-14).
  3. This is something that the Church performs via her liturgy.
  4. As a result, the holy humanity of Jesus serves as the vehicle through which the Holy Spirit instructs us on how to pray to God our Father.” (CCC2664) This does not imply that we must constantly explicitly name Jesus in our prayers if we want them to be heard by the Almighty.
  5. In order to pray via Jesus, we just need to have a habitual intention of doing so, rather than having to make this purpose concrete in every prayer.
  6. Is it possible to pray to Mary, the angels, and the saints as well?
  7. “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.”, says the Hail Mary, which is addressed to Our Lady.

When we ask for favors in these prayers, it is considered that Our Lady does not give them herself, but rather that she requests God to grant them on our behalf.

We understand that Mary prays for us to the Father via Jesus, and thus the Church uses the traditional idiom “to Jesus through Mary” to refer to her prayers on our behalf to the Father.

There are many different types of angel prayers, but the most common are those addressed to the guardian angel and to St Michael, the archangel.

However, we do not have to limit ourselves to praying to the saints who have been canonized.

Even though they are in Purgatory, they are still able to intercede on our behalf.

After the death of a baptised newborn, we may be convinced that he or she has gone to be with the Lord, and we can pray to them with perfect confidence that they are interceding effectively on our behalf. As a result, we may pray to anybody and know that our prayers will always reach God via Jesus.

Should We Pray to Jesus?

The Bible clearly demonstrates two fundamental principles: 1. Prayer is usually addressed to God the Father, or the Supreme Being. Jesus instructs us on how to pray to the Father. In response to his disciples’ request that he advise them on how to pray, Jesus gave them the following instruction: “When you pray, say: “Father.'” (Luke 11:1-2). It is necessary to approach God the Father in our prayers. This is should be the norm; it is the model that Jesus provides for us to follow in his life.

  1. Paul expresses a sentiment that is similar to mine.
  2. have access to the Father via the one Spirit,” he writes to the Christians at Ephesus (Eph.
  3. This is the posture of the entire Christian life, as well as the model for our prayer: via the Spirit, through the Son, and to the Father.
  4. When Paul outlines the function of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer, one of the things he highlights is how the Spirit gives us courage to approach God in prayer, which is one of the most important things he says.
  5. This is not a coincidental occurrence.
  6. Christians are being moved by the Spirit to approach the Father in the same language that God the Son speaks.
  7. In this way, prayer takes on a normative structure that matches that of the connections within the Trinity: the Son lives by the Spirit to the Father, just as the Father lives by the Son.
  8. 2.
  9. Despite all of this, the New Testament does not forbid people from praying to Jesus in particular (or to the Spirit).
  • According to Acts, Stephen, as he is being executed, prays, “Lord Jesus, accept my spirit” (Acts 7:59)
  • And “Amen,” says the Bible’s last line, which is a petition to Jesus: ” “Come, Lord Jesus,” says the Bible (Revelation 22:20). A prayer to “the Lord” was offered by the apostle Paul on a number of occasions (see 2 Corinthians 12:8, a term Paul regularly gave to Jesus)

Examples such as these serve as a model for us to follow — it is good, right, and suitable to pray to Jesus in the same way they did. We don’t have any examples of people praying directly to the Holy Spirit, but we may presume that this is also not prohibited. Given the scriptural precedence for praying to Jesus, as well as the significance of Jesus to his followers, it would seem strange for a Christian to never pray to Jesus. This is why we should pray to him; it should be natural for us to call out to him in admiration for what he has accomplished and for guidance on how to continue along his path.

However, we can see that prayer does not necessarily need to be aimed towards the Almighty. Prayer is something that Jesus himself tells us to do.

Do we pray to God or Jesus when we say Our Lord? – Arkansas Catholic – June 28, 2019

Date of publication: June 28, 2019 Bishop Anthony B. Taylor is a Catholic priest who lives in the United States. This homily was delivered on June 16 by Bishop Anthony B. Taylor. On this day, we celebrate both Trinity Sunday and Father’s Day, which means we pay thanks to our heavenly Father, together with the Son and Holy Spirit, while also praying for and thanking God for our earthly father, through whom he has given us life in the first place. First and first, let us consider the Blessed Trinity, which is so important to our faith, and I’d like to begin by posing the following question: When we pray to “Our Lord” at Mass, who exactly are we speaking to?

See also:  How Is Rahab Related To Jesus

In the Gospels, prior to his death, when people addressed Jesus as “Lord,” they thought of him in the same way we conceive of “Our Lady” — as a wonderful person who was also a mere mortal.

As we do the Father, we adore him as we do the Son, for Jesus is God as well.

Consequently, when we pray to “Our Lord” during Mass, are we speaking to God the Father or to Jesus Christ himself?

In order to do this, although though these prayers are addressed to the Father, they are spoken “through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.” Amen.” Other times throughout Mass, however, we direct our petitions directly to Jesus rather than to the Father, such as when we beg for forgiveness of our sins.

But again, not to the exclusion of the Father and the Holy Spirit, for I also pray “May Almighty God — the Father — have mercy on us, forgive us our sins and bring us to eternal life.” And what about the presence of the Holy Spirit?

We do, however, pray to the Father in the Eucharistic Prayer, asking him to “pour forth your Holy Spirit upon these gifts in order that they may become for us the flesh and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.” Our prayers continue with a prayer for “all who partake in the flesh and blood of Christ to be brought together in unity by the Holy Spirit,” which comes a little later in the prayer.

  1. This is because the gift of prayer itself, our very ability to pray, is a result of the Holy Spirit working within us and among us as the Church.
  2. It is our prayer that we may carry out the Father’s plan on earth as it is in heaven, and it is our request that he provide for our necessities.
  3. Moreover, we implore the Holy Spirit to join and purify us in the blood of Jesus Christ, whom the Father sent to rescue us.
  4. We owe our existence to God, our heavenly Father, who has given us life and safeguarded us when we were young and defenseless, supplied for us, and fostered our physical and spiritual development via our natural dads.

It is important that you read ourComments Policy before posting. Comments on articles are powered by

Can We Pray to Jesus

People who believe in the exclusivity of prayer to the Heavenly Father (Jehovah’s Witnesses, for example) think that we must not pray to Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Is this correct? There are a number of issues that need to be addressed. Let’s examine these concerns one at a time for the time being.

1Jesus and the Holy Spirit

The Son of God, Jesus the Son, is our advocate and magnificent High Priest when we approach to God the Father. Jesus, with the help of the Holy Spirit, opens the door to the Father and the throne of grace for those who believe (Romans 8:26-27,34,1John 2:1,Hebrews 4:14-16). When we rightly comprehend the work of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, we come to realize something very important: we are not alone. They must hear our prayers in order to intercede on our behalf and advocate for us. Therefore, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are all listening and responding when we pray.

  1. After all, each of them is a manifestation of God.
  2. The concept of praying entirely to the Father is analogous to the concepts of worshipping the Father alone and believing and obeying the Father exclusively.
  3. When we pray, we usually direct our attention to the Father, but we recognize that we are praying not just to the Father, but also to Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
  4. God’s Son and the Holy Spirit are constantly by his side.

2Speaking through Jesus

It is said by Apostle Paul that “Through Christ we have access to the Father in one Spirit, whether we are Jews or Gentiles” (Ephesians 2:18). We approach and connect with the Father via Christ, according to this argument; consequently, we don’t actually pray to Christ, but only through him. A similar argument can be made in the case of the Holy Spirit. We pray “in the name of the Holy Spirit” (Jude 1:20). Consequently, we do not pray to the Spirit, but just inhim, according to the reasoning.

We have access to the Father and the throne of grace because Jesus, in partnership with Holy Spirit, acts in that role (Romans 8:26-27,34,1John 2:1,Hebrews 4:14-16).

It is because of their presence with the Father that we are able to be welcomed to join them.

We express our gratitude to God.

Start your prayer with “Our Father,” if that is how you feel most comfortable starting your prayer. However, if you were to believe that you could just speak to the Father and ignore the presence of your Saviour Jesus and the Holy Spirit, you would be very erroneous in your assumptions.

3Christ’s Model Prayer

In his teachings on prayer, Jesus began his model prayer with the words “Our Father in heaven.” as he was teaching his followers (Matthew 6:9). It is believed that according to this concept, our prayers must be addressed solely to God our Father in heaven. Other things, on the other hand, were assigned to Jesus’ Father without Jesus himself being excluded from those things. In saying, “Hallowed be your name,” Jesus did not intend that just the Father’s name should be hallowed; rather, he meant that all names should be hallowed.

Once again, the phrase “Your will be done” did not mean that the Son’s will was not also to be fulfilled as well.

4Stephen, Saul, and Ananias

Stephen, Saul, and Ananias all had visions of Jesus appear to them. He communicated with them, and they communicated back. These were genuine talks that took place after Jesus had risen to the throne of glory. Acts chapters 7-9 include the details of their exploits. Some argue that because these stories of individuals speaking to Jesus were concerning supernatural visions, they should not be considered examples of ordinary prayer. Others disagree. All prayer, on the other hand, is miraculous.

That is not something that occurs as a result of natural rules.

While it’s possible that you may not see a vision or hear Jesus speak to you, you will do exactly what Stephen, Saul, and Ananias did when they spoke to him.

5Going Directly to the Father

Jesus informed his followers that they would not see him for a short period of time, then that they would see him again for a short period of time, and that he would then go to his Father. They were perplexed by this and wanted to question him about it, but they were hesitant to do so. Because Jesus was aware of this, he responded to their inquiry without being asked (John 16:16-22). Jesus promised them that they would be ecstatic when they saw him again. In addition, he stated, “You will have no questions for me on that day.

  • Some have interpreted this to suggest that following Jesus’ ascension, the disciples would be forbidden from asking any questions of him directly, and that all prayers would be directed only to the Father, even though they were said in the name of Jesus.
  • As he climbed to the Father’s right hand, Jesus was emphasizing the fact that in his kingdom, all of their questions will be answered.
  • That’s what he meant when he stated, “On that day, you will not have any questions for me” (John 16:23).
  • As Jesus had previously stated, “If you ask me to accomplish anything in my name, I will” (John 14:14).
  • They didn’t have to pray to Jesus and ask him to intercede on their behalf with the Father (John 16:26-27).
  • Nothing Jesus said should be construed as a prohibition on praying to him in any way.
  • We have the right to ask any question we want.
  • That isn’t some complicated bureaucratic procedure that takes a long time.

Your prayer is heard immediately and without the least pause. That is the message of encouragement that Jesus was providing to his followers, and it is the message that Jesus continues to provide to people who become his disciples today.

6The Prayer in Revelation

Chapters 4 and 5 of the book of Revelation depict the vision of the Lamb taking the scroll from the right hand of the Majesty who sits on the throne of God the Father. All of the worshippers of His Majesty then dropped on their knees before the Lamb and worshipped him with their whole hearts. They praised him with prayer songs and gave to him the same authority, honor, and glory that they did to the Majesty on the throne of David. Each worshipper was accompanied by a harp and golden bowls filled with incense, which, according to legend, contained “the prayers of the saints.” In the same way that the golden bowls were presented before the Majesty on the throne, the golden bowls were brought before the Lamb as well.

Thus, the prayers of Christians can be carried to the Lamb, who is Jesus Christ the Son of God, our Saviour and High Priest, demonstrating the power of prayer.

7The Prayer in Hebrews

Psalm 45:6-7 is used as a quotation in Hebrews 1:8-9. In ancient scripture, this is a prayer addressed to Christ. It is interpreted by the Hebrew writer as the heavenly Father speaking to his Son. In fact, the prayer is Scripture, and Scripture is God’s written Word; thus, you are accurate. But the prayer was written by a human being as a prayer to Christ, despite the fact that it was inspired by God. Let’s pretend you went back to that prayer and said, “Your throne is forever and ever, O God,” again and again.

The phrase applies to both the Father and Son, therefore why can’t you address it to the Son as the original author did, as he did to the Father?

Let us consider the brief prayer at the very conclusion of the Bible, “Even so, come Lord Jesus,” for example (Revelation 22:20).

Of course, I’m referring to the Lord Jesus.

Wouldn’t it be unusual if the Father did not hear this brief prayer?

Prayer Changes Things—If you explore three questions that follow from the well-known phrase “Prayer changes things,” you will have a deeper understanding of prayer.

To proceed to the next lesson, click on the title above, next to the arrow.

Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to be sent to that lesson’s page, which will include a link back here.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.