The Prayer Principle of Cooperation
Principle: Effective prayer operates in the full cooperation with the work of the Trinity.
Hearing people pray in public can be a very disturbing and confusing experience. Most prayers are a mix mash of catch phrases, and divine platitudes that leave the listener longing to hear the word "Amen." They seldom inspire more people to pray, and they rarely produce answers to prayer. They are like well intended letters that have a scribbled address, and end up back in the hands of the sender with the pasted label, "Address Unknown." Perhaps the most impotent of prayers bounces around a few references to Lord, Jesus, God, Father, but treats the Holy Spirit like a silent, junior partner in the Trinity.
Thank God, He has assigned the Holy Spirit with the responsibility of interpreting prayers, and He has Jesus seated at His right hand to intercedes for those who pray. Without their help, prayers would have little hope of being answered.
There may not be a more concise,and yet revealing verse of scripture regarding the work of the Trinity. In a few brief words, Luke records that Jesus prayed, the Spirit descended, and the Father blessed. In two short verses, the Scriptures set in stone the simple truth of believing prayer. There is no other key that will unlock the total power of the synergistic relationship that exists between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus established the standard for full cooperation: intimate communication with the Father.
Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus immersed Himself in prayer, until He was saturated with the desire to be obedient to the will of the Father. He was fully God, and fully man. God's call upon His life was stamped by the authority of heaven, but He could be tempted to yield to His own personal preferences. His passion to carry out the will of the Father was preceded by His willingness to enter into The Presence of God in prayer. His consistent companionship with the Father in prayer melted His heart and molded His will until He was fully obedient to do the will of the Father.
The power of believing prayer can be found in the synergistic work of the Trinity. Jesus prayed, and this power was released in His life. Jesus promised His disciples that this same power would be available to them. "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever, that is the Spirit of truth." (John 14:16)
When the Christ follower comes to the Father in prayer. There is a power that is released by the full cooperation of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. This is why Satan fears prayer so much. He is outnumbered, outgunned, and overwhelmed by the power of God that is released when God's people pray. Never forget that Satan is afraid of "The Ghost."
Sending an indistinct message to an obscure address and expecting clear communication is often an act of futility. Prevailing prayer becomes more effective prayer by clearly addressing one's request to the source of the answer. The prayer life of Jesus gives contemporary prayer warrior a picture of what they can expect when they confidently address their needs to the full house of God's Presence and power.
The Practice of Prayer: Discipline yourself to address your prayers to God, The Father, in the name of Jesus, The Son, and through the power of The Holy Spirit.
Thought for the Day: Send your message to the right address, and expect to have an answer.
"In every prayer the triune God takes part - the Father who hears; the Son in whose name we pray; the Spirit who prays for us and in us. How important it is we should be in right relationship to the Holy Spirit and understand His Word." Andrew Murray
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