Page 10 - The Importance of Prayer Student Textbook

Look back at the diagram of the 7 realities of Experiencing God. You can see that when God speaks it
almost always leads us to a crisis of belief. The reason why it does so is that God is calling us to God size
assignments. (See Moses at the burning bush, and Jeremiah chapter 1) Now for us to go on and
experience God we must adjust our lives to His words. Most Bible teachers approach the scriptures as a
teaching exercise. Once Knowledge is imparted, we move on to the next thing we want our pupils to
learn. Most teaching does not have the connotation of obedience in order to move onto God’s agenda.
Experiencing God points out that we will never experience the fullness of what God wants to do until we
are willing to adjust to His will and His assignments. Then we can experience the fullness of knowing
God.

What then is prayer supposed to accomplish? Is prayer primarily given to us in order to supply our
wants, our needs, and our desires. Or is prayer primarily given to us as a tool to bring us to Himself
which in turn moves us onto His agenda? God says in His word, draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh
unto you. (James 4:8) The answer to the above questions will determine whether our theology is
primarily man centered or God centered. Please notice that I have chosen to use the word primarily
because you can find verses that points to prayers that are asking for our needs. For example, we are
told to pray for God to give us our daily bread. (Matthew 6:11) But notice the verse that proceeds verse
11. Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day
our daily bread. Notice that this prayer is first an attempt to move the believer off a self-center life of
st
prayer and onto a God centered theology. The 1 focus is upon the will of God. Another passage of
scripture that is often miss interpreted because the focus of our theology is man centered instead of
God centered is Psalm 37:4. Delight thyself also in the LORD: and He shall give thee the desires of thine
heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. How do you
interpret this passage? Is this verse teaching us that if we delight ourselves in God, He will give us
whatever we desire? Or do we interpret this passage this way? As we delight in who God is and seek His
will and agenda, He gives us the very desires that begin to burn in our hearts. Those desires to be on a
mission with God may lead us to some very uncomfortable places. I believe this second interpretation is
the correct interpretation of this verse. And as you begin to pray as Christ did, not my will but thine be
done, He almost always begins to move you into very difficult assignments. (Luke 22:42)

Vance Pitman writes in Unburdened Stop Living For Jesus So Jesus Can Live Thru You
looks at the life of Christ. Vance describes his personal struggle of trying to find
intimacy with Christ. He once approached the Christian life from a basis of needing
to do things, in order to receive the approval of Christ. For example, Matthew 1:28-
30 says; Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take My Yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and
you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. He asked
this question, seriously? Rest? Easy? Light? Those words do not describe most
Christians who are struggling to live out their Christian faith. John 8:32 tells us that,
You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. The reason that most
Christians view the Christian life as a struggle is because they have not been set free
from their self-efforts. Notice Galatians 2:20; I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Notice the words, Christ liveth in me.
Most people do not realize if we are to live a victorious Christian life, it is out of the overflow of Christ
living in me, not out of my self-efforts. Let’s take a closer look at the life of Christ to discover this truth.

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