Listening Prayer - Bible Study by J.Hancock 'outbackjack.info
What Listening prayer is not! Listening prayer is not a ritual. You do not need candles, labrynths, mantras or anything else. It is also not a tool to make you a ‘super-spiritual christian’. It is not a passport to a hassle free life. It is not a guarantee that you will avoid all future problems and trials. What it is - the key ingredient to a vibrant, living and joy filled relationship with God. It is the element that turns prayer from a monologue to a dialogue. It is the part of prayer that brings God’s power and purposes right into the living room of our lives.
A prayer life that is only one sided -( a monologue) is ultimately boring and often self-focused A prayer life that includes actually hearing from God is exciting, full of surprises and full of intimacy with the love of God and more focused on God than self.
It is part of God’s plan that we have the same intimate relationship with Him that Jesus did. Read John chapters 14 - 17. How can you be intimate with someone you have not listened to and got to know? It is also part of the mission of the Holy Spirit to ensure that we do hear God. He takes from what is Jesus’ and makes it known to us.
No matter whom you are, God wants to speak to you. He loves you and desires your company. Are you willing to spend the time to wait on God and see what he has to say to you?
Before we get to learning about the listening part of prayer we should have a firm, Biblical understanding of prayer itself. We need to know what prayer is, why prayer is necessary, how prayer works and when to do it. The (‘what, why, when, where, and how’)
So what is prayer? The what of prayer is simple to answer. Prayer is communication with God, (communication being both speaking and listening).God speaks we listen, we speak and God listens. We know this to be true because scripture assures us this is so.
Here are some scriptures that show us that God listens to prayer and that we are to listen too.
2 Chron:7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Sam 7:27. For you, Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, have revealed to your servant, saying, I will build you a house: therefore has your servant found in his heart to pray this prayer to you.
Psalm 6:9. Yahweh has heard my supplication. Yahweh accepts my prayer.
Gen 30:22. God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her, and opened her womb.
Exodus 15:26. and he said, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you."
Psalm 81:13. Oh that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!
See if you can find at least one more this week.
What Listening prayer is not! Listening prayer is not a ritual. You do not need candles, labrynths, mantras or anything else. It is also not a tool to make you a ‘super-spiritual christian’. It is not a passport to a hassle free life. It is not a guarantee that you will avoid all future problems and trials. What it is - the key ingredient to a vibrant, living and joy filled relationship with God. It is the element that turns prayer from a monologue to a dialogue. It is the part of prayer that brings God’s power and purposes right into the living room of our lives.
A prayer life that is only one sided -( a monologue) is ultimately boring and often self-focused A prayer life that includes actually hearing from God is exciting, full of surprises and full of intimacy with the love of God and more focused on God than self.
It is part of God’s plan that we have the same intimate relationship with Him that Jesus did. Read John chapters 14 - 17. How can you be intimate with someone you have not listened to and got to know? It is also part of the mission of the Holy Spirit to ensure that we do hear God. He takes from what is Jesus’ and makes it known to us.
No matter whom you are, God wants to speak to you. He loves you and desires your company. Are you willing to spend the time to wait on God and see what he has to say to you?
Before we get to learning about the listening part of prayer we should have a firm, Biblical understanding of prayer itself. We need to know what prayer is, why prayer is necessary, how prayer works and when to do it. The (‘what, why, when, where, and how’)
So what is prayer? The what of prayer is simple to answer. Prayer is communication with God, (communication being both speaking and listening).God speaks we listen, we speak and God listens. We know this to be true because scripture assures us this is so.
Here are some scriptures that show us that God listens to prayer and that we are to listen too.
2 Chron:7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Sam 7:27. For you, Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, have revealed to your servant, saying, I will build you a house: therefore has your servant found in his heart to pray this prayer to you.
Psalm 6:9. Yahweh has heard my supplication. Yahweh accepts my prayer.
Gen 30:22. God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her, and opened her womb.
Exodus 15:26. and he said, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you."
Psalm 81:13. Oh that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!
See if you can find at least one more this week.
| An important idea to note from some of these scriptures is that listening to God also means obedience to what he is saying. Real listening means we will do what God tells us. |
There is also another dimension to the ‘what is prayer’ question. This is the speaking of God’s word into a specific situation. We first pray to God about a situation, we hear from God and then we speak out God’s word for the situation. Sometimes this can be warfare prayer, when we pray against the schemes of the enemy with the remedy of God. Sometimes it is speaking God’s will into our lives. We may have difficulties in sickness and God is saying to speak healing, or we may have a need for finances and God is saying to speak out that he will provide.
Why Pray?
You would be surprised at how many people ask this question and not just new believers. Why should we pray, especially if God already knows what is on our minds or in our hearts. Why pray when God is in control anyway. We can also ask this question if we have no understanding of what prayer does. Why pray, what difference will it make? The answer to this question is manifold. (that is there are many aspects to the answer.) Before we go on list 3 reasons why you think we should pray.
1._______________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________
3._______________________________________________________
We pray because we are commanded to pray. God calls us to prayer.
Luke 10:2. Then he said to them, "The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out laborers into his harvest.
Luke 18:1. He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up,
1 Thes 5:17. Pray without ceasing. See also Phil 4:6
God not only calls us to prayer but is also the originator of prayer.
“Prayer starts with God. It is his idea. The desire to pray is the result of God’s greater desire to talk with us. He has something to say when we feel the urge to pray. He is the initiator. …The sense of need to pray for challenges or opportunities throughout the day is because he has wisdom and insight he wants to impart. When we face crisis and suddenly feel the urge to pray for strength, that feeling is a response to the Lord’s invasion of our minds which triggers the desire to pray.” (J. Ogilvie:12)
Isaiah 65:24 gives us insight into this. “Before they call I will answer; and while they are still speaking I will hear.” God has the answers we need and he prompts us to pray by whispering the answers.
We pray because Jesus prayed.
Jesus is our example on how to live to please God. Jesus prayed really often. He also taught the disciples to pray. We have examples of Jesus praying. Jesus also said that he only did what he saw the father doing, he could only know this if he was in direct communication with God.
We pray to glorify God.
Prayer - language of love Part of prayer is expressing our adoration to God, we bring glory to him when we tell him how much we love him, how grateful we are etc. When you love someone you love to tell them so to bring them joy.
Jer 13:16 Luke 17:18, John 9:24
Why Pray?
You would be surprised at how many people ask this question and not just new believers. Why should we pray, especially if God already knows what is on our minds or in our hearts. Why pray when God is in control anyway. We can also ask this question if we have no understanding of what prayer does. Why pray, what difference will it make? The answer to this question is manifold. (that is there are many aspects to the answer.) Before we go on list 3 reasons why you think we should pray.
1._______________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________
3._______________________________________________________
We pray because we are commanded to pray. God calls us to prayer.
Luke 10:2. Then he said to them, "The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out laborers into his harvest.
Luke 18:1. He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up,
1 Thes 5:17. Pray without ceasing. See also Phil 4:6
God not only calls us to prayer but is also the originator of prayer.
“Prayer starts with God. It is his idea. The desire to pray is the result of God’s greater desire to talk with us. He has something to say when we feel the urge to pray. He is the initiator. …The sense of need to pray for challenges or opportunities throughout the day is because he has wisdom and insight he wants to impart. When we face crisis and suddenly feel the urge to pray for strength, that feeling is a response to the Lord’s invasion of our minds which triggers the desire to pray.” (J. Ogilvie:12)
Isaiah 65:24 gives us insight into this. “Before they call I will answer; and while they are still speaking I will hear.” God has the answers we need and he prompts us to pray by whispering the answers.
We pray because Jesus prayed.
Jesus is our example on how to live to please God. Jesus prayed really often. He also taught the disciples to pray. We have examples of Jesus praying. Jesus also said that he only did what he saw the father doing, he could only know this if he was in direct communication with God.
We pray to glorify God.
Prayer - language of love Part of prayer is expressing our adoration to God, we bring glory to him when we tell him how much we love him, how grateful we are etc. When you love someone you love to tell them so to bring them joy.
Jer 13:16 Luke 17:18, John 9:24
Stuff happens when God’s people pray.
In John 14:12 Jesus tells us that we will do even greater things than he, because he is going to the Father and that he will personally see that whatever we ask in his name is done. That is a big promise. The balance to this though is that it must be according to the will of God, but we know if we listen to God we will know his will and will be able to ask accordingly.
We pray because prayer defeats Satan.
This is called Warfare prayer. Here we can pray directly against Satan’s plans by speaking God’s will and purpose into the situation. We can pray with the very authority of Jesus, with the gifts of the Spirit and the power of God. See Ephesians chapter 6:10-18 -‘The armor of God’ and 2 Cor 10:3-5 The weapons of our warfare.
We pray because he is our Father and he loves to spend time with us.
When God made Adam and Eve he came every evening to ‘hang out with them’ and to hear about their day. He did it because he loved them. We are designed to be friends with God, part of his family. Loving families seek each others company.
Reflection on prayer.
If prayer is so important why don't I pray more often?
What stops me from praying?
Have I ever experienced answered prayer?
Why do churches often use pre-written prayer, and why use the same prayer over and over again?
Should prayer be spontaneous and from the heart? Is there room for both types of prayer?
How can I improve my own personal prayer life?
How can we improve corporate prayer?
Should I start a prayer group?
Do I pray enough with my family?
What have I taught my children about prayer?
In John 14:12 Jesus tells us that we will do even greater things than he, because he is going to the Father and that he will personally see that whatever we ask in his name is done. That is a big promise. The balance to this though is that it must be according to the will of God, but we know if we listen to God we will know his will and will be able to ask accordingly.
We pray because prayer defeats Satan.
This is called Warfare prayer. Here we can pray directly against Satan’s plans by speaking God’s will and purpose into the situation. We can pray with the very authority of Jesus, with the gifts of the Spirit and the power of God. See Ephesians chapter 6:10-18 -‘The armor of God’ and 2 Cor 10:3-5 The weapons of our warfare.
We pray because he is our Father and he loves to spend time with us.
When God made Adam and Eve he came every evening to ‘hang out with them’ and to hear about their day. He did it because he loved them. We are designed to be friends with God, part of his family. Loving families seek each others company.
Reflection on prayer.
If prayer is so important why don't I pray more often?
What stops me from praying?
Have I ever experienced answered prayer?
Why do churches often use pre-written prayer, and why use the same prayer over and over again?
Should prayer be spontaneous and from the heart? Is there room for both types of prayer?
How can I improve my own personal prayer life?
How can we improve corporate prayer?
Should I start a prayer group?
Do I pray enough with my family?
What have I taught my children about prayer?