Ignite Your LifeSample

All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation.

Prayer Cultivates Fellowship with God

Early church tradition unanimously identified “the disciple Jesus loved” (John 21:20) as John. John seemed to have a closer relationship with Jesus than any of the other disciples did. John laid his head upon Christ’s chest (see John 13:23); he laid all his thoughts and all his motions upon the affection of his Lord. After Christ’s resurrection and ascension to His Father, John no longer walked with Jesus in the flesh. He could no longer touch Him with his hands. However, John’s relationship with Jesus never changed; they remained just as close as they had always been.

In 1 John 1:3 John did not say that his fellowship was with the Father and His Son Jesus; he said that it is. He was not referring to the past; he was speaking of what it was like in the present moment.

Talking with God is to take place all day, every day. While you are alone, you can pause your day, lift your eyes toward heaven, and have an intimate moment with the Lord. In between these pauses, the Holy Spirit will cause your thoughts to drift toward the Lord so you may send thoughts of affection in His direction. In turn, the Lord will do the same, causing your entire life to be one intimate moment after another. Anyone who has ever experienced such a relationship will protect it until their very last breath; it is the most special part of their life.

Jesus is the perfect example of fellowshipping with God through prayer. His prayer life was vital to His relationship with God the Father and was attractive to His disciples. (See Luke 11:1–13). He made prayer a priority during His earthly journey either amid others (see Luke 9:28), on behalf of others (see John 17:20–21), and often in solitude (see Luke 5:16). These Scripture passages are but a small sample size of Christ’s prayer life.

Jesus was well prepared to communicate with God the Father at any time and regarding any situation. We are encouraged and challenged by Jesus’s example to pray in the same way. Our lives will benefit significantly as we seek out fellowship with the Lord through a rich life of prayer.

Just for you: The Holy Spirit’s primary role in your life is to be your comforter.