Fervent Prayer: A Two-Way Communication
Interpersonal communication is an exchange of information between two or more people. Effective communication would become the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information-to express ideas, thoughts, feelings to someone else.
Take for an example, a two-way communication system serves as a tool to engage and ultimately strengthen a parent-children partnership. When parents and children work together, children are equipped for success and prosperity. The benefits of a two-way communication reach far beyond physical limits. There are also spiritual dimensions of these benefits. This is often the first step to a long-term parent-children engagement.
Studies have shown that one-way communications are usually authoritative direct, straight, limited, or restricted. On the other hand, two-way communications are interactive-give and take, given and taken, interchangeable-uniform, corresponding, and its feedback-oriented-it requires a response.
In a one-way communication system, prayer becomes just informative. In a one-way communication system, a petitioner’s prayer intentions become information that only goes from the sender-the petitioner-to the receiver-the Almighty God. Generally, it would not involve a reply from the receiver-the Almighty God. The purpose of one-way communication is to inform, persuade, or command, and no reply is needed. The sender usually takes an authoritative position over the receiver, who acts as a listener. Take for an example, a classic example of one-way communication may be seen when one communicates through the following media: newsletters, lectures, or announcements.
On the other hand, when a believer engages in a two-way communication with God-in fervent prayers-prayers would become a correspondence that goes back and forth between the sender-the petitioner-and receiver who is the Almighty God. This is a classic illustration of worshiping the Father in Spirit and in truth. For it is written “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27). This Biblical passage would paint an artistic portrait of a petitioner corresponding with God the Holy Spirit-the third person of the Trinitarian God. To build on this foundational framework, Our Lord Jesus would state the following: “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24). This is a classic demonstration of a divine partnership agreement with a worshiper. The Almighty God purposefully designed a two-way communication system-fervent prayers, to effective partner with the petitioner-humanity.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said the following in John 8:47:
“Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
Just as parents need to have an effective communication with their children. In the same manner, the children of God are encouraged to have a two-way communication system with the Heavenly Father. To build on the foundational framework of prayer, Christ would state the following in Matthew 7:7-11:
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
In fervent prayers, the petitioner seeks the heavenly Father and finds Him. The petitioner asks, and the Father, who is a divine provider gives. The petitioner knocks, and the heavenly Father opens doors of blessings. This Biblical passage would become a classical illustration of an interaction between a petitioner and the Almighty God-the heavenly Father. The Book of the law states the following: “the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).
In the account of creation, God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So, God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (Genesis 1:26-28). The highest heaven would belong to God and the earth would belong to humanity. For Scripture states the following:
“The highest heaven belongs to God, but the earth, He has given to human beings” (Psalm 115:16).
God would bless humanity and command them to be fruitful, multiply, and have dominion over the works of His creation. This would become a classic illustration of a divine partnership agreement with humanity. The Almighty God will sign a divine partnership agreement with humanity-with Adam the federal head of humanity. In God’s principle of Divine partnership, He would choose to partner with humanity to run the affairs of the world. For it is written
“The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?” But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates those who love violence. He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked, punishing them with scorching winds. For the righteous Lord loves justice. The virtuous will see his face” (Psalms 11:3-7 NLT).
In this Divine partnership, God would respect and honor the fact that He gave mankind the privilege of ruling and having dominion over the earth. Because He is a faithful God-a God that does not break covenants, the Almighty God will not interfere in the affairs of man on earth without His partner’s permission. Therefore, humanity would give the Creator permission-through fervent prayers-to intervene in his or her affairs on earth.
Take for an example, in the Annunciation Ceremony, the Almighty God would send the angel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary to seek her consent or permission. The real need for this visit is the nation of Israel, not Mary’s, so it is through her and in partnership with her that God would intervene to redeem the nation of Israel. The Blessed Virgin Mary would enter a partnership agreement with the Divine to redeem the nation of Israel and humanity through her Son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
According to John 8:47 a person must be of God before he or she can hear the words of God. Therefore, the reason why people do not hear from God is because they are not of God. According to Psalm 5: 3 (CEV), prayer is a two-way conversation. For it is written
“Each morning you listen to my prayer, as I bring my requests to you and wait for your reply.”
A careful examination of the Bible would reveal that not only did men and women speak to God, but God also spoke back to them (2 Chronicle 20:1-17; Daniel 2:17-23). This would become a classic demonstration of a two-way communication between a petitioner and the Almighty God. Prayer is a two-way conversation. Prayer is a correspondence that goes back and forth between the sender-the petitioner-and the receiver, who is the Almighty God. Therefore, fervent prayers-a two-way communication with the divine-will become the most important conversation a person will ever have.
Prayer changes everything. Prayer is humanity’s invitation to God, to intervene in man’s affairs on earth. Prayers is humanity’s request for the Creator to work His ways in this world. Prayer is God’s given communication link between the heaven and earth-time and eternity-infinite and finite. Jesus returned to his disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter “couldn’t you watch with me even one hour” (Matthew 26:40). While the children of God are busy sleeping, the devil is busy taking dominion over the world. Wake up humanity!