Prioritizing Prayer for a Deeper Understanding of Christ
A deeper understanding of Christ is often sought through diligent prayer, which is presented in Scripture as direct address to God, an intercourse of the soul with the divine [5]. The Apostle Paul frequently prayed for believers to grow in their knowledge of Christ, emphasizing this as a crucial aspect of spiritual maturity [11].
Prayer is commanded in scripture, with passages like Isaiah 55:6, Matthew 7:7, and Philippians 4:6 urging believers to engage in it [4]. It can be offered to God the Father, to Christ, and to the Holy Spirit [4]. The Bible describes prayer in various ways, including bowing the knees, looking up, lifting up the soul or heart, pouring out the heart or soul, calling upon the name of the Lord, and crying to God [4, 5]. These descriptions highlight the earnestness and intimacy involved in prayer.
The New Testament epistles contain specific prayers for a deeper understanding of Christ and Christian truth. Paul's prayer in Philippians 1:9 asks that the love of believers may abound "yet more and more, pre-eminent in personal knowledge and all perception" [1]. This suggests that love for Christ is intrinsically linked to a growing understanding of Him. Similarly, in Colossians 2:2, Paul expresses his desire for believers' "hearts might be comforted, and they knit together in loue, and in all riches of the full assurance of vnderstanding, to know the mysterie of God, euen the Father, and of Christ" [3]. This highlights the connection between comfort, love, assurance, and the knowledge of Christ's mystery.
Another significant prayer is found in Ephesians 3:19, where Paul prays that believers "may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, in order that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God" [2]. This petition underscores that understanding Christ's love is a profound, even immeasurable, experience that leads to spiritual fullness.
Diligence is required in seeking God and obeying Him, which extends to the practice of prayer [7]. John Gill, commenting on Proverbs 2:3, notes that crying after knowledge implies not only listening to the word but also fervently praying for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in divine things [9]. This suggests that a deep desire for understanding should manifest in importunate prayer.
The efficacy of prayer is a central theme in biblical teaching. God is depicted as hearing and answering prayers [4]. The confidence believers have in prayer is rooted in the assurance that if they ask according to God's will, He hears them [10]. This confidence encourages believers to bring their requests for spiritual understanding before God.
Christ himself is an example of diligence, as seen in Mark 1:35 and Luke 2:49 [7]. He also taught his disciples to pray, providing a model prayer that emphasizes God's holiness and kingdom [8]. Furthermore, Christ continually intercedes for believers in heaven, appearing in God's presence on their behalf [6]. This intercession supports believers in their walk and their pursuit of understanding.
Sources
- Philippians “Philippians 1:9 (Rotherham) — And, this, I pray—that, your love, may be, yet more and more, pre-eminent in personal knowledge and all perception,”
- Ephesians “Ephesians 3:19 (LEB) — and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, in order that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.”
- Colossians “Colossians 2:2 (Geneva1599) — That their heartes might be comforted, and they knit together in loue, and in all riches of the full assurance of vnderstanding, to know the mysterie of God, euen the Father, and of Christ:”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7; Php 4:6. To be offered To God. -- Ps 5:2; Mt 4:10. To Christ. -- Lu 23:42; Ac 7:59. To the Holy Spirit. -- 2Th 3:5. Through Christ. -- Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19. God hears -- Ps 10:17; 65:2. God answers -- Ps 99:6; Isa 58:9. Is described as Bowing the knees. -- Eph 3:14. Looking up. -- Ps 5:3. Lifting up the soul. -- Ps 25:1. Lifting up the heart. -- La 3:41. Pouring out the heart. -- Ps 62:8. Pouring out the soul. -- 1Sa 1:15. Calling upon the name of the Lord. -- Ge 12:8; Ps 116:4; Ac 22:16. Crying to God. -- Ps 27:7; 34:6. Drawing”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Intercession of Christ — Christ's priestly office consists of these two parts, (1) the offering up of himself as a sacrifice, and (2) making continual intercession for us. When on earth he made intercession for his people (Luke 23:34; John 17:20; Heb. 5:7); but now he exercises this function of his priesthood in heaven, where he is said to appear in the presence of God for us (Heb. 9:12, 24). His advocacy with the Father for his people rests on the basis of his own all-perfect sacrifice. Thus he pleads for and obtains the fulfilment of all the promises of the everlas”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Diligence — Christ, an example -- Mr 1:35; Lu 2:49. Required by God in Seeking him. -- 1Ch 22:19; Heb 11:6. Obeying him. -- De 6:17; 11:13. Hearkening to him. -- Isa 55:2. Striving after perfection. -- Php 3:13,14. Cultivating Christian graces. -- 2Pe 1:5. Keeping the souls. -- De 4:9. Keeping the heart. -- Pr 4:23. Labours of love. -- Heb 6:10-12. Following every good work. -- 1Ti 5:10. Guarding against defilement. -- Heb 12:15. Seeking to be found spotless. -- 2Pe 3:14. Making our call, &c, sure. -- 2Pe 1:10. Self-examination. -- Ps 77:6. Lawful business. -- Pr 27:”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 6:9: 6:9-13 The Lord’s Prayer is similar in form to a common Jewish prayer (the qaddish). Jesus gave this prayer to his followers as a succinct expression of their new faith. 6:9 Pray like this: In contrast to the vain repetition of pagan prayers (6:7-8), “the Lord’s Prayer” is a model of simplicity. • Jews rarely addressed God as Father, but Jesus did so in every prayer but one (Mark 15:34). • may your name be kept holy: God’s name is profaned by the sin of his people (Isa 29:22-24; Jer 34:15-16; Ezek 39:7; Amos 2:7).”
- Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 2:3: Yea, if thou criest after knowledge,.... Of God, Christ, and the Gospel; not only bow the ear and bend the mind to these things, but importunately and fervently pray for them; not only attend the ministry of the word by men, but cry to God to give the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of divine and spiritual things; which supposes some sense of a want of it, an hearty desire for it, having some apprehension of the worth and value of it; and that it is to be had, as there is indeed great reason to hope for and expect it, Jam 1:5; and liftest up thy vo”
- 1 John (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 John 5:14: Here we have, I. A privilege belonging to faith in Christ, namely, audience in prayer: This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us, Jo1 5:14. The Lord Christ emboldens us to come to God in all circumstances, with all our supplications and requests. Through him our petitions are admitted and accepted of God. The matter of our prayer must be agreeable to the declared will of God. It is not fit that we should ask what is contrary either to his majesty and glory or to our own good, who are his and dependen”
- Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 1:9: 1:9-10 Paul prays that God would grant his readers deeper understanding of the Good News and its full expression in their lives. Spiritual growth yields a clearer and deeper comprehension of Christian truth and conduct that pleases the Lord, through which a believer will have the endurance and patience to stand firm against evil (1:11).”