Ep 104 (S6E11) Conformed to Christ - Pt 2: Conversational Prayer: Look Up

References: 

• Learning to want what God wants can happen through the primary and urgent matter of communicating with God.
  • 1 Timothy 2:1-4 through Supplication, Prayer, Intercession, Thanksgiving
• Prayer - προσευχή (pros-yoo-khay') noun  & προσεύχομαι (pros-yoo'-khom-ahee) verb is the most common, generic word for prayer. 
  • Consider MSG translation of 1 Tim 2:1 “Pray every way you know how…” 
    • In some NT passages δέησις is used synonomously for prayer.
      • Hebrews 5:7 “Jesus offered up prayers (deēsis) and supplications (hiketēria)...”
    • In others, they are used together in the same passage.
      • Philippians 4:6
      • Ephesians 6:18
  • So, let’s think of some of the generic qualities of prayer.
    • It involves at least two, sometimes more, beings (a human and God)
    • It should be thought of as communication
      • Face to face
      • Look up to look into the face of God
    • It is ideally dialogical (consider example of Bartimaeaus again.
      • His supplication - Lord have mercy.
      • Jesus’ response - what do you want me to do for you?
      • His response - I want to see.
• What part of communication in the form of a dialogue doesn’t fit with your NORMAL experience of prayer? Listening?
  • What if Paul used these two words side by side, in this order, to say “Go ahead, make your prayers! Ask away. But then listen to God’s response.”
    • Think of proseuchē as listening to God, being alert, watchful.
      • Colossians 4:2 “Continue steadfastly in prayer (proseuchē), being watchful (γρηγορέω - grēgoreō) in it (in prayer) with thanksgiving (eucharistia - the 4th of the 4 words Paul uses in 1 Tim 2:1).
      • Revelation 3:2-3 “Wake up (grēgoreō)... Remember, then, what you received and heard. 
    • Listening for God and listening to God are like remaining alert, awake, being watchful, attentive.
  • How do we listen in prayer? Actively, not passively.
    • My experience of being still and knowing that God is God. (see Ps 46:10)
      • Listening by God’s Word
        • To recognize God’s voice (Jn 10:14-16)
        • To meditate (soaking in God’s word shapes us from the inside out)
        • To atune our ears to LISTEN
      • Listening to the Spirit
        • Impressions
        • Thoughts
        • The still small voice (1 Kings 19:12) (The Spirit speaking in my spirit).
      • Listening to God speak through others.
• What are we listening for?
  • For God’s will
    • Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done
    • God’s irrefutable promises
  • For God’s heart
    • What God wants θέλω (thelō), though God won’t deny human will (1 Tim 2:4)
    • What God desires, even in the face of a blind obedience or rigid adherence to the law (Mt 9:9-13)
  • To atune our will and heart to His for the sake of being ready to make intercession for others.
    • Wanting what God wants
    • Look up.