The Ultimate Prayer
Is there such thing as the ultimate prayer? Is there one prayer above all the other prayers? Is there a prayer that God always hears and responds to? Is there a prayer that always works? The answer is yes there is, but it is not a magic formula. Many Christians have labeled this prayer the sinner’s prayer. It is also called the prayer of salvation.
I refer to this as the ultimate prayer because it is the prayer that begins new life. Jesus teaches that we must be born again and He is referring to a spiritual birth. Just like starting life, you need to learn how to do everything. You will not know how to pray, how to read your Bible, how to worship in spirit and in truth, or what any of those fancy Christian terms you might hear actually mean.
Even though you may not know how to pray yet, you don’t need to know how to pray to say the ultimate prayer. This prayer comes from the heart and it begins with being humble enough to admit that you are ready to turn away from sin and begin following Him. The Bible clearly teaches that God resists the proud, a humble heart is the beginning along with a commitment to turn away from sin and follow Him.
God will hear this prayer if it is sincere. He will respond to it and give you new life. This prayer will work. How will you know it has worked? This is where faith comes in. You will notice a difference in what you want to do. You will want to know Jesus more and you will want to read about Him, talk about Him, and learn about Him. Church may have seemed boring and the last place you wanted to go as a kid, but now you actually will look forward to going. Not because it is a social club that you can make friends at, but because it is a place where you can connect with the living God.
Over time, you will be amazed at the change that is going to happen in you after saying the ultimate prayer. Old habits that are self-destructive fall away, relationships can become less complicated as your perspective on others and yourself begin to change. You will find out what it really means to love and be filled with peace that you can get no other way than by joining the family of God.
When you say the ultimate prayer, it is the beginning of spiritual life. As the journey begins, you are faced with many paths to walk down. The path I just described is one, but it takes work, growth, and perseverance. Babies need food to survive. They need someone to take care of them until they are grown up enough to become independent and eventually take care of others. Your food? Read the Bible. Your parents? Good Christian mentors that have made mistakes and learned from them.
The world is full of advice. You can find two opposing opinions on every topic imaginable including this one. So how do you survive in a broken world after saying the ultimate prayer and starting your spiritual life? Prayer. Pray with a sincere heart that God will show you the truth and guide your footsteps. You need to go on a truth quest and face the truth no matter how hard it becomes. Do you really want to feel good about what you are being told, or hear the truth so you can be prepared and face it with clear knowledge? I will choose truth every time. The truth is in the Bible and prayer.
You may find some preachers that preach from the Bible and can help you understand it. This is quite helpful, but you need to pray that God shows you what is really being said and that He helps you understand the truth in the Bible being preached. Read it for yourself. If you hate reading, get an audio book and follow along. I use a Bible app to read every day because I can easily switch between translations to help me understand a particular section that I need help understanding.
We have talked about what the ultimate prayer is and what it can do. We have also talked about what happens afterward and the benefits, so you may be wondering, what the words to this prayer are. As stated in the beginning, they are not magic words. There is no formula. Jesus died for your sins and although you may not know what all that means at the moment, it will become clear as you begin reading the Bible. Matthew is a great place to start reading and continue through the books following, then go back and read the Old Testament. You can only be saved through Jesus. Understanding the simple truth that Jesus died for your sins and that you want to follow Him and live for God are the base requirements for this prayer. If you do not understand this, I would encourage you to ask God to show you what all this means and begin reading the Bible. Continue reading and don’t give up. Then when you understand enough to want it, say the ultimate prayer. I highly encourage you to use your own words, but I have also provided an example.
God, I know that I am a sinner and lost without You. I have tried things my way and have ended up in a place that I am not proud of. I want to be in Your family and live for You. I thank you for sending Your son to die for my sins. I believe in the name of Jesus and that His blood will cover my sins. I want the life that You have prepared for me. I want you to be my God. Help me to understand Your word. Guide my steps as I follow You and protect my thoughts from anyone that would try to tell me anything different from what the Bible says. I am ready to be Your child. In Jesus name, amen.
That is an example of the ultimate prayer and if you prayed that for the first time, welcome to the family. If you prayed that for the tenth time, you are not alone. You will have doubts that the prayer didn’t work because you still have sin in your life that you have not conquered or you don’t feel worthy at times, but I encourage you to look back in faith at the change you have already made.
Continue pressing in towards God and never give up. He will strengthen you.
You are not done yet after saying the ultimate prayer. As you will discover reading the Bible, people get baptized when they enter into His family. Find a church, get baptized, and I welcome you to His family. Let me know in the comments below if you have said the ultimate prayer or send me an email and I will pray for you.