Is Sozo prayer biblical?
Sozo prayer and the Sozo ministry are not biblically based. Sozo prayer is, in fact, strongly mystical.Sozo prayer utilizes a mediator or guide to help participants delve deep within themselves to discover any deterrent to drawing close to God. While drawing close to God should be a goal of every Christian, Christians don't need a mediator or a guided journey through their subconscious to do so. Sozo also draws much of its practice from new age mysticism, including entering into a mild trance state and exploring internal rooms or stages of the mind. This is not biblical.
Prayer, God's Word, the Holy Spirit, and fellowship with other believers connect us to God, and Christians should cultivate these spiritual practices, or disciplines, to draw closer to God.
Jesus tells us to rely on the Holy Spirit: "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you" (John 16:13– 15).
While we do not need a mediator to help connect us to God, it is true that other people can be helpful in our relationship with God. Hebrews 10:24–25 says, "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." This is one reason regular church attendance is important. Additionally, God has specifically equipped His people with various ministries that are helpful to others. First Corinthians 12:7 says, "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." In Ephesians 4:11–14, Paul writes, "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes."
Our need for spiritual enlightenment or opportunity for relationship is fully met by the Holy Spirit and our study of God's Word under His guidance. The following passage from the first chapter of 2 Peter is long, but shows us how God has provided for us and what we are to do to build on our faith.
"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:3–8)
Finally, we are instructed to practice discernment and wisdom.
"And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God" (Philippians 1:9-11).
In conclusion, Sozo prayer is not a biblically-based practice and is not something that is necessary or likely beneficial for Christians in seeking to draw closer to God. Intimacy with God is a product of fellowship with Him through the work of Jesus, the illumination of His Word through the Holy Spirit, and continually seeking to lead a life that brings Him honor and glory as we submit to His work of transformation in us.
What types of prayer are mentioned in the Bible?
Is centering prayer biblical?
Why pray? What is the purpose of prayer?
Is silent prayer biblical?
Persistent prayer - Is it biblical? Is it acceptable to repeatedly pray for the same thing, or should we ask only once?
Truth about Prayer
