# Praying to Jesus - it is Biblical/Correct?



## tyndale (Nov 17, 2012)

Hi there, I know this is a strange question, but is praying directly to Jesus Biblical? I know there is one passage when Stephen was dying where he prayed as per the following verse.

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Acts 7:59 NIV

Yet, the Lord's prayer seems to teach that praying to the Father is the "correct" manner to do it. 

Do people here pray to Jesus (or even to the Holy Spirit) during your prayer time? I confess it's been nagging me for a while, and wanted to see your thoughts.

T.


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## nicnap (Nov 17, 2012)

I think at times, when addressing the Godhead, it is acceptable to address each Person of the Trinity. It is acceptable to ask the Holy Spirit for insight into the Word, or to ask Christ to intercede on your behalf. I think it is acceptable to address each Person in their role/with respect to the economy of the Trinity.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


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## BibleCyst (Nov 17, 2012)

Praying to the Holy Spirit - that is interesting! Any more information on this?


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## jwithnell (Nov 17, 2012)

I will pray to the Holy Spirit to illuminate the word for me and to acknowledge my total dependence on him to grant understanding. I also offer prayers of gratitude for the work of each member of the trinity. At times I will marvel that I may pray to the Father in the same manner as Jesus did while hear on earth and to meditate on the amazing intimacy that that suggests. We may pray in a manner that reflects what the Bible teaches on the members of the Godhead.


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## py3ak (Nov 18, 2012)

Whenever we pray, we pray to God. We may legitimately call upon any of the Persons of the Trinity, but it is not as though we invoked one of them to the exclusion of the others. What we must not do, in other words, is imagine that we turn from one to another person.


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## tyndale (Nov 18, 2012)

I like the things that have been said here and appreciate the thoughts, and I do believe that the Lord God is One. 

My own struggle is that they are different roles in the Godhead, and the model prayer is to the Father. If we look at John 8:50, it says (Jesus speaking) "Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge."

So here Jesus is saying that it is the Father that is seeking the glory if I read the context correctly. So there is a distinctness that is Scriptural. 

If Christ is the intercessor on our behalf and He is, then to me if we follow the pattern, we should be addressing God as the Father, asking to pray "in the Spirit" (to be led by Him), and then asking that it be done and sealed in Jesus' name.

Sorry not trying to confuse folks, it's been something I've been wrestling.


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## Gavin (Nov 18, 2012)

Interesting topic, I have also thought about this. 
I pray to God the Father and to God the Son interchangeably, but am not in the habit of praying directly to the Holy Ghost, but know it is
He who inspires my prayers and stirs me up.
And yet it is interesting to note that the prayers at the back of my Geneva Bible are all carefully directed to God the Father through, or for the sake of God the Son.


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## jwithnell (Nov 18, 2012)

In his incarnation, we're told that Jesus did not see equality with God something that he should grasp, though it was due him. Wouldn't humility dictate that he address his father in prayer? Just a thought. I agree, this is an interesting topic.


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## dudley (Nov 18, 2012)

We who are Protestant pray in silence, in groups or out loud. However, however we do not like using formula prayers, We do say the Lords prayer at Sunday service using the (debts, debtor) but we do not pray to Mary or to saints. Yes we can pray to Jesus! Prayer is simply talking to Jesus. And we who are Protestants believe that Jesus Christ is our only mediator with the Father.
Praying to Jesus is scriptural:
There are three ways to establish Bible authority: (Command, example and inference.)
We are commanded to pray to Jesus: Jn 14:14; James 1:1-7; 1 Cor 1:2; Eph 5:19; Acts 8:22 
We have apostolic examples of praying to Jesus: Rev 22:20, 2 Cor 12:7-9, Acts 7:54-60; Acts 8:24 
We have necessary inferences of pray to Jesus: 1 Jn 5:11-15, Acts 1:24; Heb 7:25
I believe the Holy Spirit is with me as a guide , but I do not pray to the Holy Spirit. I pary to Jesus and to The Father.


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## Gavin (Nov 19, 2012)

*Geneva Catechism, Question 251: Do you understand that we are to pray to God only in the name of Christ? *
A: I so understand. For it is both so enjoined in distinct terms, and the promise is added, that He will by His intercession obtain what we ask. [1] 
1. 1Tim. 2:5; 1 John 2:1

There has been some discussion about imprecatory prayer, but yet it is never (or not in my experience) adjoined with praying in the name of Jesus.


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## J. Dean (Nov 19, 2012)

Didn't Stephen say "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," before he died?

I'd think that qualifies as a prayer.


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## joejohnston3 (Nov 19, 2012)

It is interesting as I have struggled and thought about this a lot lately. I have seemed to settle on the praying to God and finishing in Jesus name. I have found myself asking for forgiveness to each one before due to hardness to the Holy Spirit, denying the Lord Jesus and disobeying the heavenly Father and find that I want to individually address each one in those circumstances. I still do not feel completely settled on the issue though. Great topic and discussion though!


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## Contra_Mundum (Nov 19, 2012)

Dudley,
One of your best posts ever. Well done.



dudley said:


> We who are Protestant pray in silence, in groups or out loud. However, however we do not like using formula prayers, We do say the Lords prayer at Sunday service using the (debts, debtor) but we do not pray to Mary or to saints. Yes we can pray to Jesus! Prayer is simply talking to Jesus. And we who are Protestants believe that Jesus Christ is our only mediator with the Father.
> Praying to Jesus is scriptural:
> There are three ways to establish Bible authority: (Command, example and inference.)
> We are commanded to pray to Jesus: Jn 14:14; James 1:1-7; 1 Cor 1:2; Eph 5:19; Acts 8:22
> ...



I will add, however, praying to Holy Spirit is acceptable. It just seems impossible to specifically pray "in the Spirit," without in the very act invoking him, and thinking of him, even though our thoughts are lifted by him to the Throne. Jud.1:20 "But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and *praying in the Holy Spirit*,"

Furthermore, it is obviously possible to address Holy Spirit, even indirectly, a clear inference from the fact that he (as a Person) is lied to by Ananais and Saphira, Act.5:3. Holy Spirit spoke to men, as a Person, Act.13:2; so it is reasonable to infer that direct response is appropriate.

Of course, this does not detract from our understanding that Holy Spirit typically, ordinarily deflects attention away from himself to the Son and to the Father.


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## Supersillymanable (Nov 19, 2012)

Didn't John Owen write a book on this very topic? It was called "Of Communion With God" if I remember. I may be wrong though...


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