Is Sozo prayer biblical?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Sozo prayer is a practice rooted in the Charismatic Movement that claims to help people draw closer to God through a mediator, visualization, and meditation techniques. These practices are more in line with the New Age Movement than the Bible. Scripture teaches believers that we must test all things in light of God’s Word (Isaiah 8:19-20; Acts 17:11) and avoid false doctrines or “human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Ephesians 4:14). The mediator component of Sozo prayer is also unbiblical: In the Old Testament, God selected Aaron and his descendants as priests and had specific requirements for worshiping Him. Since Christ came, He is our High Priest, the mediator between God and humankind (1 Timothy 2:5). Children of God don’t need an extra person to communicate with our Healer as Sozo prayer suggests. Verses like Isaiah 8:19-20 also make it clear that occultic practices are sinful, and some aspects of Sozo prayer—such as using a human as a way to have a spiritual experience—is reminiscent of the occult. Moreover, we don’t need to rely on a human mediator in our prayers because we have the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26). The role of other believers isn’t to replace God’s work in our life, but to encourage us and help us grow closer to Him (Hebrews 10:24–25; 1 Thessalonians 5:11). 2 Peter 1:3-8 shows us how God has provided for us and what we are to do to build on our faith, and we don’t need unbiblical practices like Sozo prayer to accomplish this.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• If we cannot find an applicable example in the Bible of a spiritual practice, we must approach it with biblically-grounded caution (Proverbs 30:5-6).
• In the Old Testament, God didn’t allow just any person to mediate between His people and Him. God specifically designated Aaron and his descendants as the priestly class (Exodus 28:1).
• Isaiah 8:19-20 talks against engaging in other culture’s occultic practices: “And when they say to you, ‘Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,’ should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.” Although Sozo prayer does not involve contacting the dead, it does involve a similar practice of using a mediator to accomplish a spiritual experience.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• First Timothy 2:5 indicates that Jesus, not simply a human being, is our mediator: “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man[a] Christ Jesus.”
• Believers rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit when praying, not on other people: "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26).
• 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." Being a mediator in the Sozo prayer context is not included and should be avoided.
• 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." Those who participate in unbiblical, mystical practices are ultimately being indoctrinated by the enemy.
• While we do not need a person 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."
• 2 Peter 1:3-8 says, "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.” We already have been given the spiritual tools we need to live godly lives—we don’t need to add Sozo prayer to our spiritual disciplines.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Sozo prayer is not a biblically-based practice and is not necessary nor likely beneficial for Christians to draw closer to God. Sozo prayer uses 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 every Christian’s goal, 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. Believers should be wary of mystical practices like Sozo prayer since we are instructed to use discernment and wisdom. 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.

UNDERSTAND

• Sozo prayer uses a human mediator and practices like visualization and meditation in an attempt to draw people closer to God.
• Christians have Jesus as High Priest and mediator and the Holy Spirit to guide us in prayer.
• Sozo prayer is unbiblical because of its focus on a human mediator and elements of the New Age movement.

REFLECT

• How do you draw closer to God?
• How do you help fellow believers who become involved in unbiblical practices like Sozo prayer?
• How is your faith strengthened by knowing that Jesus is your mediator instead of a person?

ENGAGE

• How can we best teach people to avoid practices like Sozo prayer?
• What are some biblical ways we can draw closer to God?
• What impact might it have on evangelism if unbelievers realize that they have access to our Creator through His Son?