Talking to God

““This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:9‬

Relationship with the Father

Growing up in the church I heard many types of prayer. I’m not against groups of people being organized, or adding symbolism to their prayer time out of reverence for God. Those are both excellent ways to pursue God if you are doing them for the right reason. What I want to share with you is the simplicity behind a prayer life that I believe will transform your life if you put it into practice.

When you Pray…

Having a consistent prayer life is critical to your connection with God. But nobody can force you to connect with God on an intimate level. The stewardship of intimacy is only between you and God. Here are a couple suggestions to help you develop consistency in your prayer life:

#1 Force yourself to pray- I know this sounds funny and unspiritual, but your flesh is in direct opposition to the Spirit, and your Spirit is in direct opposition to the flesh. The desires of both are contrary to one another. Forcing yourself to spend time in prayer might be the place you start in this journey! I have practiced this many times in my faith journey and find that it can be incredibly valuable. The true value behind this practice, is learning to say no to your flesh. Your flesh is never going to be excited about spending time in prayer, so learning to live by the Spirit does take practice putting off the flesh.

#2 Release the desire of your Spirit- Both of these practices will be strengthened the more you understand God’s word, but especially this second one! Since the desires of your Spirit are hidden and need to be uncovered, growing in understanding of your new identity will dramatically help you in prayer. As a new creation in Christ, all your deepest desires are found in God! If you look to fulfill your desires apart from God you will always be lacking, but when you walk with God and approach life from relationship with Him you will find complete fulfillment that is completely separate from your circumstances. Jesus is the fulfillment of EVERYTHING you want and need. Sometimes going deeper in prayer takes a few minutes of meditating on your truest spiritual desire, “I want to know God.” In other words, “I don’t want to pray because it’s a good practice. My desire is to know Jesus, hear His voice, grow in love, receive His joy, and bless the world around me.” Releasing these desires will transform your prayer life! All those things are true for everyone who has been born again, even if you don’t “feel” it. (Remember, the flesh is at war against the desires of your Spirit- odds are you will experience opposition when you first try this, thats when you know it’s time to press in!) 

God is your new father

Here’s another critical piece to maturity as a believer and transforming your prayer life. God is not “a” father to you, HE IS YOUR NEW FATHER! When we confuse this truth we become unstable in the way we approach Him. In Matthew 23:9 Jesus says, “And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.” It’s so important to know where to go for all your spiritual guidance. If you don’t pursue Him as your one father, you will be an orphan in your heart, even though you might have lots of pastors, teachers and “spiritual fathers” surrounding you.

Growing in this revelation also rides on the type of father you see him as. For starters He is a good father. He loves you, and He will always lead you into greater abundance of peace, joy and righteousness. He is your protector, your provider, your healer… In Him you will find every good and every perfect gift!

Final Thoughts

Growing in God isn’t an aimless mystical experience. The Spiritual realm is real, with actual boundaries. It has a culture and laws that determine how things work. It’s measurable, and attainable, but it is revealed through faith and a loving relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. Yes, it’s possible to tap into the spiritual realm apart from God’s love, but to enjoy the fruit of heaven, you must know God’s heart. As you embark on a deeper relationship with God in the Holy Spirit I want to share these words of Jesus from John 4:24, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” Spirit and truth, are the boundary lines of the worshipper. Don’t get caught up in tradition, or legalistic practices. Worship God with sincerity, and hold fast to everything the Holy Spirit teaches you through the Word of God.