Connecting To God Through Prayer

by Denise Cook
(Sylacauga, AL )

WHY MAKE THE REQUEST KNOWN WHEN YOU ALREADY KNOW, LORD? (Philippians 4:6-7)

Scriptures:Romans 8:15-16 John 4:21-24 Isaiah 43:7

Now here is a question I asked the Lord just this morning. On yesterday I had a rather costly automobile repair and did not mind the cost (even though I had previously spent a considerable amount just a week before). But later that evening while I was driving the car, I began to hear the exact same noise coming from the right side of the car along with a horrible “squeeching” noise. “Oh Lord”, I thought. The thought of having to place my automobile back in the repair shop was very frustrating, but that is what I did the first thing this morning. The owner of the shop was not very friendly and that gesture from him did not make me feel any better! Well, after arriving at work (early-due to this issue), I sat at my desk and began to meditate. The Holy Spirit was telling me, “instead of being frustrated, pray”. I begin to talk to the Lord and the Spirit of the Lord brought Philippians 4:6-7 to my heart and mind: "6. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Well, it was at that very moment that I began to question the Lord: “Lord, I know you already know all, you are all knowing, all seeing, and totally GOD! Why make requests to you day in and day out”? It was at that moment that the Lord began to open up my understanding and reveal something to me that was so wonderful. He said, “I want you to make your request known to Me, not because I do not know, but because I want us to CONNECT!” I began at that moment to weep and thank the Lord for His love and mercy.

You see, God wants to bond with us as “ABBA”. ABBA is a Greek word meaning “Father”. He wants an intimate relationship with us. For this is the very reason we were created. Look at Romans 8:15-16: 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

This tells us a lot about the nature and desires of God the Father. I have also asked: How can I bond with a Spirit? Well, that is where our born again nature comes into place. We are three part beings. Spirit, soul, and body. Our spirits are reborn and regenerated at the moment of conversion. That is why some refer to our salvation as the “new birth”. God wants so much to be a part of our lives and so many of us miss out on this wonderful relationship. So we commune or fellowship with our Father through our spirit man. This is the revelation that Jesus revealed to the Samaritan woman whom He met at the well in John 4:21-24: 21- Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
22- Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
23 -But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24- God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Jesus was describing true worship to this woman.

This was a woman who was “up to par” on religion, for she quoted some things that were ritualistically true. But Jesus also gave her truth. He explained to her the importance of worshipping the Father-not because of where you are or who you are, but because of the truth concerning Himself and the desire of the Father! It blows my mind because when you hear Jesus explaining what the Father is “seeking”, you would wonder why? Why is the Father seeking something? He has everything, right? He is seeking what He has always sought every since the day in the garden when Adam and Eve lost that divine connection.

Before the fall, Adam and his wife enjoyed unbroken fellowship in the “cool” of the day. They communed and fellowshipped with God without hindrance. God went to “seek” man out immediately after the fall. He is still “seeking” hearts of pure worship. Not from a traditional or ritualistic standpoint, but from the heart. It pleases the Father when we worship Him for who He is. We can only have this type of relationship when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Some of us will find this type of relationship with God the Father difficult because we have not been able to enjoy a healthy relationship with our earthly fathers. I have always had dysfunctions within my family and this has caused me to become distant and distrusting. As a single Christian mother, I have had many ups and downs in the area of connecting with people. This is something that our adversary will always attempt to use against us. The first thing I had to learn was to stay worshipful. Praise and worship will always bring us into a divine connection with the Father.

In conclusion, I would like to add that the Father desires a relationship that goes beyond mere works. We work in the service of the Lord because we are saved, not to gain salvation or favor from God. It is because of His own will and good pleasure that He has created us for His glory! (Isaiah 43:7)

But here are a few questions that we must answer for our own personal situation:

• Why do I not feel bonded with God as Father? I work for Him. I read the bible. I pray. I love Him, but why am I not comfortable with Him?



• Why is there always fear and distance between us?



• Why have I never felt that “connection” that He says He wants from me in prayer?


I believe every true born again saint of God has felt the barrenness and the difficulty of connecting with the Father. He is the God of the universe! He made all things. He is so powerful and mighty! I will give a bit of a hint for your consideration and study.

You see, this exhortative teaching is to arouse your spiritual senses and cause an arrest in the inner man that will launch you into a deeper quest and desire to be with Him like never before.

Think of it this way: In an intimate human relationship between a husband and wife, the marriage would never be consummated if the mates only hugged and kissed every now and then. There will have to come a time when the two mates would have to become totally abandoned to one another and become intimate in a sexual union, as commanded to us by the Word of God. Ok, let’s take a natural truth and learn a spiritual lesson from it. If you never touched Him nor allowed Him to touch you, then the intimacy would not be there. There would only be a stale approach of ritualistic praying and working.

Think about it. When was the last time that you lay naked and bare before the Lord in total abandonment? This is a hard thing. But this is what we must first learn before we can have that type of intimate relationship with the Lord that He desires. Our next teaching will be concerning the brokenness that brings about the intimacy that God has designed for us to enjoy before the foundation of the world.

May God bless and keep you as you seek His face and remember to continue to talk with God and make your requests known to Him, because in doing so, you are creating a connection that is so divine.



Questions it brought to my mind...
Why do I not feel the connection with the Father that I should feel when attempting to approach His presence? How do I really bond with a Spirit?



My closing prayer...
Father, may I connect with you like never before. May I know You intimately and always be obedient to your will. In Jesus' Name, AMEN