Does the Bible teach us to dialogue with God?
THE GREAT DISCOVERY Before I discovered conversational prayer, my “conversations” with God were boring monologues. I spoke into a void without hope of a response. Believing I had to earn God’s special favor for Him to speak, my expectations to “hear” from Him were non-existent. In 2015, all that changed. I went through a life crisis, the specifics of which are not important. And it was not the first time God’s Holy Spirit did for me what I could not do for myself. What was different this time was the tool I was given to successfully navigate the storm. Called “two-way” or “conversational” prayer, it transformed my daily quiet times into richer and more rewarding times of intimacy with Christ. What previously was a chore is now a time I most look forward to every morning. This daily two-way dialogue with God is very special and exciting, and you can have it, too! INTIMACY REQUIRES TWO-WAY DIALOGUE We know that two-way communication is how people form intimate human relationships. Can we have this type of back-and-forth communication with the almighty God? Here is a transcript of my two-way dialogue with God about this question. “Father God, can we have two-way communication with you? And, do you want all your Christ-followers to have this, or is it like a spiritual gift, and only for those to whom the gift has been given?” “Child, I always communicate to those who follow me and my teachings. I am the Lord of the living, and those who are alive in Christ have the ability to hear from me. I want all my children to have an intimate relationship with me, and conversing with me is one powerful way of building that intimacy.” Perhaps you can accept that Christ wants to dialogue with you but are wondering if He even wants to converse with you. You believe He speaks to you in His Holy Words of the Bible, but can He put additional words in your heart? Here is the question and answer transcript regarding this question. “Lord, what do my fellow Christ-followers have to do to have the same experience I have with you during our times of two-way prayer?” “Child, people must believe that I am constantly communicating with them. This requires faith. Next, they have to practice listening. This requires having ears to hear, talking less, and waiting on me more.” Therefore, engaging in a back-and-forth dialogue with Christ requires faith, practice, and a willingness to wait on Christ. If all this is true, and there is a Biblical basis for this communication style, why aren’t most pastors teaching us about it? Here again is a transcript that might help. “Lord, why don’t your pastors and Christian leaders teach about this communication method with you?” “Child, most don’t practice it themselves. If they did, they would have deeper relationships with me, and you would see a lot less moral failure by those who claim to lead my people.” THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN There are three main reasons for the lack of information on conversational prayer. They seem to all be based on fear.
OVERCOMING THE FALSE BELIEF OF A SILENT GOD As you consider the God who made the universe, who gave us Jesus Christ as our Savior, and who gifted us with eternal life, do we really believe He does not want to have a dialogue with us? Now that you are thinking about it, does it make sense that the Holy Spirit can’t move inside you to deliver a message? OVERCOMING FALSE HUMILITY One of the main marks of a mature Christ-follower is humility. I know few Christ-followers who confidently claim God communicates directly with them other than through the Bible. When pressed, they often admit they have a sense of God impressing things on them through the power of the Holy Spirit but are reticent to claim hearing God’s voice. Firstly, they don’t hear an audible sound, and secondly, it sounds arrogant to claim special messages from the Godhead. Worrying about what others may think is a false humility that can be overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit. OVERCOMING FALSE BOUNDARIES Beyond God’s Word, most of us have impressions of what God may be saying to us as we listen to a sermon, participate in a Bible study, or spend quiet times of prayer and meditating on Scripture. However, producing a transcript of a conversation with Christ is not something most could fathom possible. It is a bridge too far to cross, so to speak. Essentially, it is a false boundary we have set for ourselves that can also be overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit. All three of these false beliefs can be overcome by understanding the Biblical foundation for conversational prayer. BIBLICAL FOUNDATION FOR CONVERSATIONAL PRAYER The following six reasons should help you rationalize trying two-way prayer for yourself. 1. The Nature of Prayer: Prayer is depicted as communication with God throughout the Bible. This includes not only speaking to God but also listening. The Psalms, for instance, are filled with prayers that involve questioning, listening, and responding to the perceived will of God (e.g., Psalm 27:8, "My heart says of you, 'Seek his face!' Your face, LORD, I will seek."). 2. Examples of Dialogue: The Bible contains numerous examples of individuals who engaged in conversational prayer with God. For example, Moses frequently spoke with God and received direct responses, as seen in Exodus 33:11, "The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend." This suggests an intimate, conversational style of communication. 3. The Prophets: The prophets in the Old Testament often had conversations with God, where God would give them messages, and they would respond, sometimes with questions or petitions. Jeremiah is a prime example, where he often "argued" with God in prayer (Jeremiah 12:1, for example). 4. Jesus' Example: Jesus' prayer life, as depicted in the Gospels, shows moments of deep, intimate dialogue with the Father. The Gethsemane prayers (e.g., Matthew 26:39) reveal a heartfelt conversation in which Jesus expressed His desires but ultimately submitted to the Father's will. Furthermore, John 17 presents Jesus' high priestly prayer, a profound conversation with the Father concerning Himself, His disciples, and all believers. 5. The Holy Spirit's Role: The New Testament teaches that it helps believers in their prayer life, interceding and guiding them in what to pray for (Romans 8:26-27). This suggests a dynamic relationship between God and the believer in prayer, which includes listening for the Spirit's guidance. 6. Early Church Practice: Acts and the Epistles suggest that the early Christians engaged in prayer as an interactive relationship with God, expecting and experiencing guidance through the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:2-3, where the Holy Spirit speaks to the church in Antioch during a time of worship and fasting). CONCLUSION Conversational prayer is scriptural because the Bible provides precedent and principles for engaging in dynamic, two-way communication with God. This form of prayer emphasizes a personal and intimate relationship with God, where believers are encouraged to speak openly while also making space to listen for His voice and guidance. It's a relational approach to prayer that mirrors the biblical examples of how God's people have communicated with Him throughout salvation history. “Lord, please whisper words you would have me hear, from you, in my heart.” “Child, I am continually bathing you with messages of my unconditional love for you. I have chosen you. Rejoice and be glad!” Two-way dialogue with Christ reflects a deep and intimate relationship with Him. Prayer is about presenting requests or engaging in monologues and listening for God's guidance, instruction, and responses. This approach to prayer is indeed supported by scriptural principles and examples, demonstrating that prayer can encompass rich dialogue and not just monologues. May you explore conversational prayer with Christ. For a great book explaining this process, I’ll point you to my mentor, Buddy Westbrook, and his seminal work: “Come talk with me” Enjoy your quiet times, and may conversational prayer enrich them as it has done mine. Your aspiring servant, Daniel M. March 24, 2024 POSTSCRIPT: Dear friends, if this transparent “Conversations with Christ” blesses you, please go to www.SOLIDpastors.org, where you will find these posted, and a repository of all, in English and Spanish. If you ever want to chat, you can reach me at [email protected]. May Christ bless you richly as you have your own intimate conversations with Christ. Comments are closed.
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