The Bible records many things about prayer. That should not be surprising. The Bible is God’s word and prayer is the means of communicating with God. Consequently, examples and instructions pertaining to prayer are commonly seen throughout the Scriptures. It takes a careful collective examination of these references to prayer to craft a credible understanding of this multi-faceted topic.
Perhaps, it is good to begin with John’s record of Jesus dealing with the Samaritan woman. Christ tells her, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23). From this we understand that prayer is of necessity a spiritual enterprise. In order to pray to God, one must first have spiritual life. As Paul reminded the Ephesian believers, every man and woman who enters this world is born spiritually “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). As anyone who has ever stood in a cemetery understands, the dead cannot speak.
One must be born again, regenerated by the Spirit of God, to have spiritual life. As Jesus told Nicodemus, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again” (John 3:6-7). The Apostle Paul emphasized to Titus that the new birth does not occur by our own works, but by the work of the Spirit of God. Paul explains that this new birth is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his [God’s] mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5).
The Spirit of God uses his word to impress the claims of Christ and his gospel upon our spiritually dead souls to create new life in us. Peter teaches this truth in his first epistle. “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit…being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (I Peter 1:22-23). As we then exercise faith in Christ, we are born again. “But as many as received him [Jesus], to them gave he power [authority] to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13).
The New Testament goes to great lengths to present the foundation of a life of communion with God. It begins with repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to receive spiritual life, eternal life. This is prayer’s source. There is no communion with God that does not begin with new life.
But new life alone does not guarantee answers to prayer. New life gives an audience with God, but it is loving obedience that gives confidence that our prayers are heard and answered. “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him [God], because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight” (I John 3:22). God gives new life to repentant sinners that they might walk with him in obedience and enjoy him forever. Do you have this life? Are you walking in loving obedience?
From the Chaplain 