More Than A Book Pt. 4

“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” -- John 5:39-40 NIV

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We are in a blog series called More Than A Book, discussing the importance of knowing Jesus, not just the Bible. We’ve talked about studying and meditating on the Word, but now we need to discuss something just as vital: prayer.

You can read the Bible all day long, but if you never communicate with the Author, your relationship will be one-sided. Imagine being in a relationship where one person talks all the time, but the other never speaks. That’s how it is when we read the Bible but never pray. The Bible gives us God’s words, but prayer allows us to respond. It’s not just a religious obligation; it’s a conversation with the living God.

Jesus modeled prayer. He often withdrew to lonely places to pray (Luke 5:16). Before choosing His disciples, He spent the entire night in prayer (Luke 6:12). And in His most difficult moment, before the cross, He prayed so intensely that His sweat was like drops of blood (Luke 22:44). If Jesus, the Son of God, needed to pray, how much more do we?

Prayer is not just about asking God for things; it's about knowing Him. When you pray, you align your heart with His. You begin to see things from His perspective. You begin to desire what He desires. Prayer isn’t just about speaking; it’s also about listening. Often, we rush into prayer, list our requests, and say, "Amen." But prayer is meant to be a dialogue, not a monologue. Sometimes, the most powerful moments in prayer come from silence—waiting on God and allowing Him to speak to your spirit. God is more eager to answer than we are to ask. 

One of the best ways to improve your prayer life is to do what we talked about in week two: to study the Bible. The best prayers you can pray are scriptures, reminding God of His unfailing Word and promises. You don't have to make up your own prayers or have creative prayers. Find your desired prayer point in the Bible and pray it until you see it. Additionally, God wants us to pray constantly, not just in our time of need. I love what Smith Wigglesworth said, "I don't often spend more than half an hour in prayer at one time, but I never go more than half an hour without praying." You can make these prayers through the words of your mouth or the meditations of your heart; God hears and is responsive to both of them. Check out our devotional "The Power of Silent Prayers" to learn more about prayer and how to receive faster answers when you pray.

Don't just pray to get things, pray to know Jesus. The goal of prayer is not just to get answers; it’s to get Him. In the next blog, we’ll discuss another essential aspect of knowing Jesus: fellowship with other believers. Keep PUSHing.