establishing the foundation
TRANSCRIPT
Experiencing Listening Prayer
Experiencing Listening Prayer
Experiencing Listening Prayer
The overall purpose for this session is:
Establishing the foundation – which is the resurrected Jesus
I don’t want to miss God
I don’t want to miss God
John 5:31-3531 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not
valid. 32There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid.
33 “You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. 35John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.
John 5:36-3836 “I have testimony weightier than that of John.
For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me. 37And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.
John 5:39-4239You diligently study the Scriptures because
you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40yet you refuse to come to me to have life. 41 “I do not accept praise from men, 42but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts.
John 5:43-4443I have come in my Father’s name, and you do
not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?”
How this Scripture passage relates to listening prayer:
This Scripture passage teaches us that it is possible to be a diligent student of the Scriptures and still miss God. These religious leaders missed God because they could not hear God’s voice. If they had been able to hear God’s voice, they would have known that Jesus was the Messiah that the Scriptures had prophesied about.
How this passage relates to listening prayer
The reasons Jesus gave for why they could not hear from God were that they did not have the love of God in their hearts and that they cared more about what people thought than what God thought.
I believe that Jesus isthe son of God
I believe that Jesus isthe son of God
How does what you believe about Jesus impact listening to God?
“You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.”
John 5:37-38
Is something more than being intellectually gifted needed to really know God?
“You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”
John 5:39
What God thinksabout me
matters most
What God thinksabout me
matters most
Are there other factors that impact Listening Prayer?
“I do not accept praise from men, but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?”
John 5:41-42, 44
Discussion Questions:
What is the role of the mind in growing closer to God?
Have you ever experienced your ability to reason and to think as being a tremendous asset in helping you draw closer to God? Have you ever considered that your intellect may have limited your desire to draw close to God?
Discussion questions: Has your desire to pursue a personal
relationship with God ever been influenced negatively by what other people will think if you pursued this relationship with all of your heart? Is it possible that you have missed God at times because of this concern?
Heart Barrier To Listening Prayer That This Session Addresses:
Caring more about what people think, rather than what God thinks
Prayer Time:
Tell the Lord that you want to care more about what He thinks rather than what other people think.
Spend time being quiet before the Lord.
Experiencing Listening Prayer
Experiencing Listening Prayer
What is the primary motivation for pursuing
listening prayer?
What is the primary motivation for pursuing
listening prayer?
Love Is What MotivatesListening Prayer
Love Is What MotivatesListening Prayer
I Corinthians 13:1-21If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels,
but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
I Corinthians 13:3-63If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender
my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
I Corinthians 13:7-107It always protects, always trusts, always hopes,
always perseveres.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
I Corinthians 13:11-1211When I was a child, I talked like a child, I
thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
I Corinthians 13:13
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
How does this passage relate to listening prayer?
This passage highlights the fact that when God does deep spiritual things in our lives that the fruit of this will be greater love for Him and for people. If drawing close to God through experiencing listening prayer makes us prideful toward others than something is terribly wrong. Our motivation for learning to listen to God according to 1 Corinthians 13 is to help us be more loving.
How does this passage relate to listening prayer?
This passage of Scripture helps us to make sure that our motivation to hear His voice is pure. This passage is meant to serve as a corrective and to get us back on track so that we will draw attention to God rather than to ourselves with whatever the Lord does through us in experiencing listening prayer.
Discussion Questions: In your opinion, is love for God and love for
people really all that important as it relates to hearing from God?
Are you a natural show off? Is it possible that seeking attention for yourself rather drawing attention to God may be an issue in your spiritual walk?
Discussion Questions: Are you competitive to the point where it
might carry over into your spiritual walk?
When you hear all of this does it feel like condemnation to you or does it help you refocus and get back on track?
Heart barriers that this section addresses:
The desire to be better than other people
The desire to steal God’s glory for yourself
The crippling effect of the absence of love in our hearts
Prayer Time:
Express your desire for His love to fill your heart toward Him and toward people.
Repent of any ways that you are trying to bring glory to yourself rather than to the Lord.
Spend time in silence and let the Lord love you.
Experiencing Listening Prayer
Experiencing Listening Prayer
God Raised Jesus From The Dead
God Raised Jesus From The Dead
Is It Really All That Important To Believe That God Raised Jesus From The Dead?
That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
How does believing in the resurrection of Jesus relate to listening prayer?
And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
How does believing in the resurrection of Jesus relate to listening prayer?
Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Romans 8:9b-14
Acts 2:22-2322 “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of
Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.”
Acts 2:24-2524 “But God raised him from the dead, freeing him
from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25David said about him: I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Acts 2:26-28 26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue
rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.
Acts 2:29-31Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the
patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay.
Acts 2:32-3532God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all
witnesses of the fact. 33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand 35until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”
Acts 2:36-3836"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this:
God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
38Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Is Jesus the Lord, a Liar, a Lunatic,or a legend?
Is Jesus the Lord, a Liar, a Lunatic,or a legend?
Discussion Questions: Has anyone in the group ever undertaken a
serious study about whether the resurrection of Jesus was historical or merely a legend?
Have you ever struggled with doubt about whether God raised Jesus from the dead? Are you struggling now?
Discussion Questions: How did this upfront presentation on the
necessity of the resurrection come across to you? Did you feel challenged to explore the resurrection of Jesus further or did you feel like the views in this presentation were narrow minded?
Discussion Questions: Do you agree that God raising Jesus from the dead is
the most important prerequisite to hearing from God? If someone didn’t presently believe in the
resurrection of Jesus and was here today, do you think that they would feel excited to begin their study to see whether the resurrection of Jesus really happened or do you feel like they might consider discontinuing seeking God in this way?
And Thomas said to Jesus,“My Lord and my God.”
And Thomas said to Jesus,“My Lord and my God.”
Heart barriers that this section addresses:
Not believing that God raised Jesus from the dead
Wanting to believe that God raised Jesus from the dead but feeling overwhelmed by doubt about whether the resurrection actually happened
Prayer time: If there are doubts in your life, ask for the
Lord to lead you into faith. Ask the Lord to lead you to people or
resources where your intellect and your faith can connect.
If you have doubt but want to believe you might pray, “Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief.”
Prayer time: Spend some time telling the Lord that you
trust Him and express gratitude that He raised Jesus from the dead.
Be still in God’s presence and listen.
Lord I believe,help Thou my unbelief.
Lord I believe,help Thou my unbelief.