If prayer is to have power it must be in connection with the God of the universe. This is not a praying to but a conversation with. A praying to God finds us as the leading voice. A conversation with God asks questions and listens for a response. In "The Screwtape Letters", the work of the enemy finds it's central focus in watering down and innoculating our prayers. It's focus is to:
1. Keep us from realizing that our physical position matters in the matter of prayers, because it becomes
a reflection of the heart.
2. Keeping our impression of God in the moments of prayer focused on an image rather than the
essence of God and his character.
3. Making prayer more about us trying to conjure up some certain emotion, leaving us feeling
successful in our prayer rather than a concentration on Christ that leads our hearts.
Which of these means of the enemy do you find most successful in keeping you from real conversation with Christ?
2 Chronicles 7:15
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
This book is very thought provoking so far.
ReplyDeleteIt is odd how we would often measure our prayer time and God's presence by our feelings rather than the power released by our obedience!
ReplyDelete"The best thing, where it is possible, is to keep the patient from the serious intention of praying altogether."
ReplyDeleteThis struck to the core of me as I read this. I know time spent in prayer has been lacking in my life. I also thank you Phil in that you pointed out the fact that prayer is a conversation with God not at God where our voice is the leading voice. As we talk with God, which what we say should be led by the Spirit (Romans 8:26-27), we also are to listen to God speaking to us.
Of the 3 above ways the enemy is most successful in keeping me from real conversation with Christ would be the first one. Just as the words that come from us can be "parrot-like" so for me the physical position in which I am in before the LORD in prayer. In thinking about who God is, how could I be in any physical position but one of reverence and humility before the LORD?
The other two were means of the enemy I had not put much thought into before reading about them. I wonder if it is because the enemy has successfully implemented those means that I thought nothing of them, or the means of downplaying the physical position I am in when praying has been so successful that the enemy has not needed to use the others.
All I know is my time with the LORD will be in conversation on my knees tonight.