Conversational Prayer

Conversational Prayer

Taking your prayer life to new heights and depths,
and to new levels of intimacy with your Father

Ever feel like prayer is just you doing all the talking? Do you want to also hear the voice of God while you are talking to him? Here is a way to turn prayer into a two-way conversation.

Remember this: the word of God is not just a book – it is the living voice of God!
Here is what God says about his Word:

“The Word of God is living and active…”(Hebrews 4:12).

Brother Warrior, when you read the Bible, it is not just a book sitting there… It is the living voice of the living God. It can be used by the Spirit at that moment to speak to the depths of your heart, soul and mind:

“Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

So how could this reality change our prayer life, making it more a two-way conversation with our Father?

Let’s hear what our fellow warrior David says about this desire on his part:

“Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek.” (Psalm 27:7-8)

David says he wants to speak with his voice to his Lord (as should we), but he wants more than that…he wants to see the face of his God. We know that God never appeared personally to any human in the Scripture, so what is David saying? What does he mean? I think he is simply saying that he wants to feel and sense his Lord’s presence in an intimate, real manner. And, brother Warrior, isn’t that what we all long for? Wouldn’t that be inspiring and awesome?

What can we do to help that happen? Can we literally see with our eyes the face of God Himself, or hear with our ears his actual voice? No…but we can “hear” his voice as our living God speaks to us as we read his living word…and then we can speak to him in reply.

Here is what I am trying to say: As you approach God in prayer, select a passage of Scripture that is relevant to what you are needing, feeling and thinking at that moment. With it before your eyes, pray to God as you read it. Claim the love that he expresses. Thank him for any promises. Surrender to any commands. Repent of any sins he identifies. Just talk with him back and forth as you read, asking the Spirit of God to make the Word come alive in your heart and mind as you pray.

Here is an example of what I am trying to say:

Let’s walk our way in prayerful conversation with God as we look at his Living Word in Hebrews 4:15-16:

God says to us:
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses…”

And we say to him in prayerful response…
O God, My Father, thank you for my great high priest, your son, Jesus. He died for me. He paid the price of my sin. Now he is seated at your right hand, interceding for me, explaining to you all I am going through. Thank you, my Father for sending your Son! Thank you Jesus, for giving your life and now for being my High Priest!

Read on, and hear more of what God says…
“…but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.”

And here is how we can respond to what God has just said….
O God, thank you that Jesus went through every challenge I am going through right now, and knows how I feel. Thank you Jesus, for doing that for me! God, here is what is tempting me right now…(tell him, lay it out before him)….

And God’s word tells us what we can do next…hear his voice as he speaks to us as we pray….
“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

And here is how we can reply…and also make a request to our loving Father through his Son, who is seated beside him, interceding on our behalf…
Oh God, thank you for welcoming me into your presence in spite of my sin and weaknesses, and the temptations that are assailing me right now. I come to you with confidence, – not in myself, but in Jesus. I come to you with boldness because that is what you tell me to do. I come in the righteousness of my Savior Jesus…in his name alone…because he shed his blood for me, and it continually cleanses me…I come…I come needing mercy. Lord, thank you that you give me what I NEED not what I DESERVE…you give me grace. Thank you God that you saved me by grace on the day I was baptized, and thank you that you continue to save me every day…by the grace of being in Christ, and the grace of his power living in me, through your Spirit. Dear God, I need help right now! I am being tempted. Father, here is what it is…here is where I have fallen (tell him what it is)…in the name of Jesus I ask for forgiveness., and in his Name I claim it…by grace. And God, I need your help now, in my hour of need. Help me to overcome the temptations that beset me. In my weakness, may your power be made perfect!

Thank you, my loving Father! Thank you, my Lord and Savior and great high priest who sympathizes with me…all glory to you…thank you for hearing me, and for speaking to me through your Living Word…in Jesus’ name, amen!

I hope the example above helps you to understand what I am trying to say. I encourage you to try this, with the hope and desire to “hear” the voice of God as you pray. Brothers, let’s start listening to the Living Word while we pray. And as we hear his voice through his Word, let’s have back and forth conversations with our Living God in the name of his Son. Let’s open our Bible, and pray our way through it, through passages that speak to us at that particular moment, on that very day.

Brother Warrior, It may take a while for this to become something that really flows, so give it some time…stay with it…and may God bring it alive in your life!

-Sam

 

 

4 Comments
  • Timothy Gorgbahn
    Posted at 18:59h, 24 June Reply

    I spent more time in prayer at night and this is my strength but taking my prayer to another level is what I really want. I want to here from God, I want to see the fruit of my time with him in prayer.
    I hope to receive other materials that will help me.
    Thanks for your educative spiritual support.

    • David Laing
      Posted at 09:32h, 27 June Reply

      Thank you, Tim! Glad this was helpful in your walk with God!

  • Elizabeth Thompson
    Posted at 16:53h, 28 June Reply

    Love this! Definitely going to try it in my prayers this week. I’m always looking to connect more deeply, and I am sure this will be a powerful experience.

  • Mulligan Price
    Posted at 08:08h, 12 February Reply

    Thanks so much Sam. Super helpful.

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