PRAYER-LIFE(c) - The Real Deal

I would recommend that you get a ‘journal’ and keep notes on what is revealed to you as you read the following – it will help you as you step into

 

PRAYER

 LIFE©

 

I pray that you are led by the Holy Spirit into All of the truth that you need as you read the following.  I agree with the Living Word of God, that you will trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding about anything written here, and that the Lord God Almighty will direct your footsteps and enlighten the eyes of your understanding, in and through and by Jesus Christ. Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen =5=Grace.

 

PRAYER LIFE©

– WHAT?:

By Dr. Sharon E. Williams

 

Most of us have an understanding of prayer.  Which is - prayer is something special that we do . . . reaching out to God and as we mature reaching out for God.  While we ‘do’ pray and this is special to and for God, this doing is just a part of our new

prayer life(c).

 

Yes, prayer is life, and life is prayer.  You being aware of this depends solely upon three things. 

• Being Born Again – New Life in Christ
• God’s leading and
• Your yielding. 

If you are in a dynamic relationship with God, by and thru His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ (God with you, God within you, God through you, anointed one), and with the Holy Spirit – then these two keys,

• God’s leading and
• Your yielding,

are in you 24/7. (24 hours 7 days a week)

 

If you have answered the true call to you, and entered into new born again life through the living way, you are a child of God.  As children of God, we are blessed with a real relationship with our Abba/Daddy, 24/7.

 

This is our new framework and essence of living, not necessarily the kneeling, self focused and concerned function we have learned to do. 

 

While you may be at the place of kneeling and believe that this is all there is to prayer, this is not the complete or final truth of your new life in God.  Your new life is what I refer to as your prayer life© and has many ‘sides’ for you to learn about and grow into.  Just like a diamond is cut and shaped and reflects all types of light!!

 

This life, our lifeline so to speak, is in awareness and knowingness of being in His presence. 

And as we become more aware of this truth, we grow into who we really are (more like Him); in fact we are conformed to His image – you know, like a human baby is conformed to the image of the father/mother who became one and created life, becoming one.  Well the baby grows and learns and becomes - so do we in our new born again life. 

 

The birth of a baby in our earthly world – begins the babys life – breathing in the essence necessary to live on this earth.  Similarly, when you are born again you are spiritually birthed and your breath is one with God – God is the essence we need 24/7 as we live on this earth – We are no longer of this earth.  Once we are born again we have grown into our spiritual life – made possible by the obedience of Jesus to death and the resurrection of Christ to new life – the first born from and through the dead.

 

We live, move and have our being in God in our new life and we learn and grow.

 

In other words, we feed on the truth of the Living Word, as milk first, and then as bread and meat.  As we do, we grow into the image of who we are spiritually – God’s child, Christ-like.

 

While our previous understanding of prayer is only a part of what is important; our acceptance of new life and remaining teachable to what the Holy Spirit teaches us and leads us into, and brings to our remembrance, these are the keys we really need to live abundantly in our new life in Christ. 

 

First and foremost it is who we are AND WHOSE WE ARE that is so very vital to us. Then what we do through who we are comes clearly into focus.  It is in our new prayer life© that we find out who we are, and whose we are -- confirmation. 

 

Jesus’ prayer for us was that we would be ONE even as He and Father God are one in John Chapter 17.  This one-ness is not obtained through or by actions, but by birth, and by new life - by becoming a child again, a spiritual child of God.

 

Prayer, then, is the breathing of new life in and the activation of manifested growth in our new life, even as we still live in these earthen vessels, our earth suits as I call them.

 

Prayer Life© is not difficult; it is as normal in our new spiritual life as breathing in physical life for a new baby.  You do need to be conscious that the foundation of your new life is prayer-life©. 

 

Being in Communion with God, the Almighty, Creator Father, God the Holy Spirit Anointed Guide, Mother and, God the Living Word, Savior, Brother Son.  Prayer Life© is our learning and growing and is being aware that we are in the new life-presence 24/7.

 

Prayer Life© is being intimate and one - with our Lord God, our Savior, our Brother, our bridegroom, our Comforter, Leader and Guider - GOD; these are all parts of our new life – and parts of who we are.  These facets along with finding out whose we are, partaking of His divine nature - prayer - calling those things that are not as though they are, and those things that are as though they are not - these are some of the many sides of this prayer life© we are all living. 

 

In our new prayer life©, we are called and placed in our new life according to God’s purposed calling and our choice.  We will go on into deeper areas of prayer - intercession, spiritual warfare, true authority; and based on our callings/gifts, some of us will go onto teaching, preaching, healing, prophetic speaking, and apostle-hood. 

 

These are areas of maturity in the course of God’s calling.  We do all have a beginning as with our first birth; and the first thing we get to do in our new life is breath, cry, feed, grow and learn.   Let’s take a look at the old testament example of Prayer-Life© through David.

                                                          Prayer-Life 1 David’s

                                                                  Prayer Life

 

David is shown to have a relationship with God that was so real that it brought him victory in the face of defeat and transformed his life. 

 

In fact from his choice to be IN relationship with God, we get a clear example of what the Prayer-Life© (as I call it) is.  Communing 24/7 with our Abba/Daddy/God is possible ONLY in your new life in Him and He in you. 

 

Outside of this intimate communing, there is only the IF place.  You know, IF it be your will, can you do this or that, please?  It’s like talking to a stone wall and wishing your answer would appear, somehow.

 

Now, Prayer-Life© is what God has always purposed for us, it is our new life in Him, taken to the next level of relationship, after new birth and milk time.  Like when you are ready to really learn and grow.  God is always with us and never leaves us. 

 

He does give us the choice, each and every day 24/7, to commune with Him, as in talk with, shout with, laugh, with, cry with, sing with, stomp with, jump with, leap with, holler with, and just be still with, breathing in, breathing out. 

 

Prayer is more than what we do at any specific time.  Prayer is more than the words we use during this time, or the thoughts we think or the feelings we feel.  Prayer is the life we now live in these earthen vessels; it is our spiritual breathing, our spiritual speaking, our spiritual laughing, crying, shouting, our spiritual  being. 

 

While we do pray, that is one of the parts of our New Prayer-Life.  As we learn of the liberty we now have in Christ, and the ability to walk in God, with God, and through God, we begin to see the fullness of Prayer-Life, the connectedness of Prayer-Life to who we are and whose we are.

 

David may not have recognized that his psalms/songs were to be God’s example of both relationship and prayer.  Then again, maybe he did, and that is why he had them written down.

 

Read Psalms 1 – 41 and be prayerfully submitted to receiving all that your Abba/ Daddy, God has for you, through your Abba/ Mommie Holy Spirit, by your Abba/ Brother Jesus Christ. 

 

David was honest about where he was; he prayed always in the humbling of his soul, his heart before God, the Lord His Shepherd.   Let’s look at the Psalm he wrote after the whole scenario with Bathsheba and the loss of their son.  After The Prophet Nathan came to him, led him to God’s view of his actions and David’s true repentance - the Lord forgave David.

 

Psalms 51 KJV

¹ Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness: according unto the

  multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

² Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

⁴ Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou  

   mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

⁵ Behold, I was shapened in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

⁶ Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt

  make me to know wisdom.

⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than

  snow.

⁸ Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may

  rejoice.

⁹ Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

¹¹ Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

¹² Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

¹³ Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto

    thee.

¹⁴ Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my    

   tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

¹⁵ O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

¹⁶ For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt

   offering.

¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God,

   thou wilt not despise.

¹⁸ Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹ Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt   

   offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine

   altar.

Let’s read this in another version:   Psalm 51 Amplified Bible Version

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David; when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had sinned with Bathsheba.

   ¹HAVE MERCY upon me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to the multitude of Your tender mercy and loving-kindness blot out my transgressions.

    ²Wash me thoroughly [and repeatedly] from my iniquity and guilt and cleanse me and make me wholly pure from my sin!

    ³For I am conscious of my transgressions and I acknowledge them; my sin is ever before me.

    ⁴Against You, You only, have I sinned and done that which is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified in Your sentence and faultless in Your judgment.^(A)

    ⁵Behold, I was brought forth in [a state of] iniquity; my mother was sinful who conceived me [and I too am sinful].^(B)

    ⁶Behold, You desire truth in the inner being; make me therefore to know wisdom in my inmost heart.

    ⁷Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean [ceremonially]; wash me, and I shall [in reality] be whiter than snow.

    ⁸Make me to hear joy and gladness and be satisfied; let the bones which You have broken rejoice.

    ⁹Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my guilt and iniquities.

    ¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.

    ¹¹Cast me not away from Your presence and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

    ¹²Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit.

    ¹³Then will I teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted and return to You.

    ¹⁴Deliver me from bloodguiltiness and death, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness (Your rightness and Your justice).

    ¹⁵O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise.

    ¹⁶For You delight not in sacrifice, or else would I give it; You find no pleasure in burnt offering.^(C)

    ¹⁷My sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart [broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.

    ¹⁸Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

    ¹⁹Then will You delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, justice, and right, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then bullocks will be offered upon Your altar.

Cross References:

• Psalm 51:4 : Rom 3:4
• Psalm 51:5 : John 3:6; Rom 5:12; Eph 2:3
• Psalm 51:16 : I Sam 15:22

 

And one more version:

Psalm 51 The Message Copyright © Eugene H. Peterson

^{1 -3}Generous in love—God, give grace! Huge in mercy—wipe out   

    my bad record.
    Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry.
    I know how bad I've been; my sins are staring me down.

^{4 -6} You're the One I've violated, and you've seen it all, seen the full extent of    

      my evil.
      You have all the facts before you; whatever you decide about me is fair.
      I've been out of step with you for a long time, in the wrong since before

      I  was born.
      What you're after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive

      A new, true life.

^{7 -15} Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean, scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life.  Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing.  Don't look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health.  God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.  Don't throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile,  put a fresh wind in my sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home.  Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I'll sing anthems to your life-giving ways. Unbutton my lips, dear God; I'll let loose with your praise. 

^{16 -17}Going through the motions doesn't please you, a flawless performance is

      nothing to you.  I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered.     

      Heart-shattered lives ready for love don't for a moment escape God's  notice.

^{18 -19}Make Zion the place you delight in, repair Jerusalem's broken-down

      walls. Then you'll get real worship from us, acts of worship small and

      large, Including all the bulls they can heave onto your altar!

 

(I recommend that you write down what the Holy Spirit reveals to you after each verse – and with all translations)

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David did not play any games with God.  He didn’t ‘perform’ for God, trying to be good.  No.  David was honest, and this Psalm shows us how real his relationship with God was.

 

Even tho’ David appears to have forgotten about his relationship with God when he ‘transgressed against God’ seeking to ‘have and get to keep’ Bathsheba, when the prophet Nathan, woke David up to what had been done from God’s perspective – and David received this truth, God was able to make and set David free.

 

David didn’t ask for special treatment because he was a king, he didn’t try to excuse his actions or blame someone else for what he had chosen to do.  He faced all the good, the bad and the very ugly, and was brought to his knees as he realized that it all was about more than his ‘mis-deeds’ or sins – it was about being able to go to the One who was and is Merciful, full of grace, forgiveness – God, our Abba/Daddy – and acknowledge the truth, and the need for grace and mercy.

 

With this in mind, let’s look at some of the other Psalms that David wrote.

                                                      Psalms 31 KJV

¹ In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.

 ² Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.

 ³ For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.

 ⁴ Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.

 ⁵ Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

 ⁶ I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.

 ⁷ I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;

 ⁸ And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.

 ⁹ Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.

 ¹⁰ For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.

 ¹¹ I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.

 ¹² I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.

 ¹³ For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.

 ¹⁴ But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God

 ¹⁵ My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

 ¹⁶ Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.

 ¹⁷ Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.

 ¹⁸ Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

 ¹⁹ Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

 ²⁰ Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

 ²¹ Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.

 ²² For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.

 ²³ O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.

 ²⁴ Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

 

And next:

Psalms 54

¹ Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.

 ² Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.

 ³ For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.

  ⁴ Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.

 ⁵ He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.

 ⁶ I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good.

 ⁷ For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies 

 

The following scriptures clearly show our place through the Spirit as far as prayer life goes.

 

Romans 8:15 - For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

 

Galatians 4:6 - And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father

 

Remember Jesus said in John 15:4-13:

⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

⁵ I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

⁶ If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

⁷ If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

⁸ Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.  

⁹ As the Father hath LOVED me, so have I LOVED you: continue ye in my LOVE.

¹⁰ If ye KEEP my commandments, ye shall ABIDE in my LOVE; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

¹¹ These things have I spoken unto you, that my JOY might remain in you, and that your JOY might be full.

¹² THIS IS MY COMMANDMENT, THAT YE LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS I    

   HAVE LOVED YOU.

¹³ GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.   {Emphasis from writer Dr.S.E.Williams)

 

Continuing on with more Key Scriptures:

 

John 14:16 - And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

John 14:26 - But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you

 

John 15:26 - But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:7 - Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you

Key to abiding in Jesus and living the ‘prayer-life’ is receiving the Comforter, the Spirit of truth who always comes From the Father. 

 

Remember the scripture

 

John 14:14-17

 

¹⁴ If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

¹⁵ If ye love me, keep my commandments.

¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

¹⁷ Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.  

{Emphasis from writer Dr.S.E.Williams)

 

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Ask any thing in Jesus’ name and He will do it – why?  Because we have been given another comforter to abide, live with us forever.  The Spirit of Truth, whom we know (as new born again children of God), for the Spirit dwells always with us and will be IN us. 

 

God, who knew the beginning from the end, knew we would need to be born again, and ask/receive the gift/comforter - the Holy Spirit, to dwell WITH US and IN us, forever. 

 

We are living diamonds – valuable to God and to all those around us and with us.  God is soooooooooooo Good!

 

And let’s check out this scripture:

 

Romans 8:26

 

26-      Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  {Emphasis from writer Dr.S.E.Williams)

 

Why the Spirit gift, the comforter – because we have infirmities – as in issues as in s.i.n. (which I believe the Spirit led me to Souls In Need) - factors and we won’t ‘know’ or be aware of ‘what we should pray for.  And we won’t know how to – but the Spirit within us makes intercession for us with birth groans that cannot be uttered and are not –it is the crying/wailing of our hearts!!!

 

God has covered us with His Word, both the Living Word, Jesus Christ, and the written Word, and the third witness is the Spirit within us who comforts us, and leads us into all truth, and prays/makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be spoken.

 

These scriptures are not just word pictures, or ‘nice’ things to read.  These scriptures present our new life reality and invite us to choose life and enter in – through the door. The Way, the Truth, the Life is ours now, by our choice 24/7.  We feed our souls based on the Way.

 

Finally let’s look at the key Word for this part of our new life journey our Prayer-Life(c): 

 

                                                       Proverbs 3:5-6                                                                                         

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own                                  understanding.

⁶ IN ALL thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

 ⁷ Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

(Emphasis Dr. S.E.W.)

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Notice verse 6 did not say in all your good ways, it says ALL YOUR WAYS – good, bad, ugly – God knows all so why do you think you need to separate the bad or ugly ways and hide them?  

We need to humbly come to the Lord God with our good, bad and ugly junk/trash, acknowledging God in all of our ways, as inviting Him to come in and clean up – yes, and ask for His help – as He is the only one who can lead and teach us into Being FREE!

Also consider this in acknowledging God in all our ways, David in Psalm 51, states it simply ‘ against you and you only have I done this . . .’  hmmm – is it possible that when we try to ‘be like god’ leaning to our own understanding of God’s truth, we like David are behaving ‘against’ God only.  Meditate on this, in Jesus.

 

Prayer-Life© becomes the connection/connector to the TRUTH, the LIFE, the LIGHT and the WAY – JESUS!!!

 

Amen!