Devotional: Prayer III

The last two devotionals have focused on the essential nature of prayer. We have started to answer the question “Why should we pray?”  So far we have identified the following reasons:

   a)      We pray because it is essential to our spiritual growth.

   b)      We pray because Jesus did

   c)      We pray to hear from GOD, understand his purpose for our lives and get his direction and guidance in every situation.

I only briefly alluded to the third reason for prayer in the last post, so today we will deal with this reason in a little more detail.

The last time, we established that prayer is a conversation. Even if it feels like it, its more than you just talking to yourself.  You are communicating with a living GOD who speaks back when HE is spoken to. We all need to cultivate the discipline of being able to hear HIS voice, so that in the moment of decision, at the crossroads of life, when we are wondering what to do, we can call and KNOW that HE will answer.

In the last devotion, we also established that JESUS spoke to and heard from GOD regularly. HE spoke very often about hearing HIS voice, and thus making perfect decisions because GOD was the guide of HIS life.  There is nothing like knowing what GOD wants you to do and then doing it. NOTHING. However, for most modern Christians, hearing from GOD is something that they only read about, hear about, but never experience.  We read so many stories in the bible of GOD speaking, but for most of us, it’s a myth. It does not happen.

So today, the focus will be on hearing from GOD. What does this mean?

There are several ways that GOD has always spoken – from Old Testament times to now. They are:

a)      Still quiet voice

b)      The word – revelation knowledge

c)      Music

d)      Circumstances

e)      Other people

f)        Dreams and visions

g)      Audibly

In today’s teaching, we will focus on the first one:

a)      The Still quiet voice:

This is the most common way that GOD speaks. Many times it is just a quiet thought that comes to us and just lingers and lingers – if we allow it to. Like I said the last time, we often kill this method of hearing from GOD because our minds are super occupied with STUFF – some legitimate, most not. TV, music, movies, internet forums, chat rooms, facebook, skype are some of the time wasting things we fill our minds with so that our thoughts are never free of stimulation so that GOD can speak. This is how it works for  me: After  I have prayed, I try to have just some moments of silence, emptying my mind of everything and everyone and just focus on HIM. Then HE drops a though in your mind – get distracted and you miss it. And when it’s a divine idea, you know it. We need times of quietness of mind and of Spirit to be able to have GOD speak to us in the still quiet voice. Where did that phrase come from?

I kings 19: 11-13

 ¹¹And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:

 ¹²And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

 ¹³And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

Elijah was in great distress  - you can read the story in I kings 19, and HE needed to hear GOD. But GOD was not in the noise, or in the show – HE was made manifest in quietness. Elijah was a prophet of GOD, and HE recognized HIS voice in the quiet. That still small voice is the most important voice that you will ever hear. You need to learn to shut off all the other stuff sometimes and listen for it. It will show you the way to go.

A great modern illustration of this would be the example given by Jim Cymbala in  one of my very favorite books “Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire”. To provide some context, the pastor was struggling with being a young, inexperienced and overwhelmed spiritual leader. So, he took some time off to seek GOD’s face.
This critical passage is found on page 25 of the book:

“Lord, I have no idea how to be a successful pastor,” I prayed softly out there on the water. “I haven’t been trained. All I know is that Carol and I are working in the middle of New York City, with people dying on every side, overdosing from heroin, consumed by materialism, and all the rest. If the gospel is so powerful…”

I couldn’t finish the sentence. Tears choked me. Fortunately, the others on the boat were too far away to notice as they studied their lines in the blue-green water.Then quietly but forcefully, in words not heard with my ear but deep within my spirit, I sensed GOD speaking:

If you and your wife will lead my people to pray and call upon my name, you will never lack for anything fresh to preach. I will supply all the money that is needed, both for the church and for your family and you will never have a building large enough to contain the crowds I will send in response.

I was overwhelmed. My tears intensified. I looked up at the other passengers still occupied with their fishing. Nobody glanced in my direction.I knew I had heard from GOD, even though I had not experienced some strange vision, nothing sensational or peculiar.

You enjoying it? Well, get the book. Its great I tell you. I read it at least once a year. Always gets me praying again. And in case you were wondering, they did pray and GOD showed up. The Brooklyn Tabernacle today is one of the most vibrant churches in America. They are at the forefront of spiritual warfare, and they are winning!!
GOD wants to speak to you today. Are you listening?

 Enjoy a great song on the topic - Speak to my heart by Donnie McClurkin.



We will talk about the other ways GOD speaks next week.

Ciao