The Question
I am always grateful when people write and ask a question. I encourage that be done.
Recently, an inquiry was brought to my attention. The question was asked,
“How do we pray to the Holy Spirit, or should we?”
My Response
First, let it be known that every facet of our worship, our praise, our prayers, our adorations, our petitions are all trinitarian. God is one in essence but three in persons. There is no jealousy or division in God. Second, with that being affirmed, the Bible does reveal the function of the Triune God.
Creation The Father has decreed Creation, the Son brought it into existence, and the Spirit of God hovers and sustains over all that the Father has ordained and the Son has brought into existence.
Salvation The Father has designed salvation, the Son, executes the will of the Father, and the Holy Spirit sustains what the Father has designed and the Son has executed.
The Christian’s Life The Father elects those who are to be given to the Son, the Son executes the will of the Father in securing the salvation of the elect, or those whom the Father has given to Him, and the Holy Spirit indwells and sustains what the Father has given to the Son and the redemptive work the Son does to honor the Father and execute the Father’s will. Prayer Jesus has taught us to pray to the Father, in the name of the Son, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Pray to the Father
“And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth” (Luke 11:2).
Pray (Ask) in the Name (Authority) of Jesus “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). Christ, as our Great High Priest intercedes for us.
Pray in the Power of the Holy Spirit who also Helps us to Pray “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).
Understand the Ministry of the Holy Spirit “Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings [deep emotions] which cannot be uttered [expressed in words]” (Rom. 8:26).
Summary
All prayer should be directed to our triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Bible allows for prayer to one or all three, because all three are one. To the Father we pray with the psalmist, “Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray” (Psalm 5:2). To the Lord Jesus, we pray as to the Father because they are equal. Prayer to one member of the Trinity is prayer to all.
Stephen, as he was being martyred, prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59). However, primarily, the prayer model Jesus would prefer we use is taught in the Sermon on the Mount. “When you pray say, Our Father.”
A Final Thought There is a right way to pray to the Father, and it does not involve speaking in unknown tongues. There is no such thing. The word unknown is in italics. Whenever you see a word in italics, it is not in the original text but has been inserted by the translators to help smooth out the reading. In the KJV, the word unknown is misleading. We are to pray with self-control and in a KNOWN language. The spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet.
Nor are we to pray to images, or before the saints, or to the saints such as Mary, St. Christopher, etc. Nor are we to pray or talk to the dead. This is necromancy. Modern psychology invites people to write letters to the dead, or talk to them as if they were still alive. This is not healthy, spiritually. We can remember our loved ones and talk to ourselves, to God, or to others about them, but care must be taken not to carry on imaginary conversations with the dead. I would encourage songs to be sung to, and about, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but, when we pray, say, primarily, “Our Father,” keeping in mind that no sin is committed when we pray to Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. It is a matter of emphasis, Scripturally, and directionally. We worship the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit while recognizing and respecting their self-assigned functions.
I hope this helps.
Because I Care
