Prayer life from an ex-charismatic

[Augustinian]

Hello,

Fairly new here and also fairly young in my christian walk. I got saved at a pentecostal church several years ago and got very involved in the charismatic movement. I remember during those times i used to be able to pray for long periods of time- and i enjoyed prayer because i felt like God spoke directly to me. Obviously the Lord graciously changed my deceptive way of thinking and now i am presbyterian. Ive become an avid reader since then and read alot but struggle with prayer. I sometimes feel like its hard to pray now since i guess it feels like a one way conversation, and i have a hard time finding it as enjoyable. How do i pray more? Do you struggle with this?

 

[Jerusalem Blade]

Hello Gino,

You said you felt like God spoke directly to you. How was that? He spoke audibly? or by impressions? A "sense" of Him communing with you?

Because God speaks to us by His word — it is His love letter to us, His guiding of us. How deeply are you in the word of God, especially in the Psalms (called the prayer book of the Bible), as well Proverbs, and all the rest? The Holy Spirit brings the word of Scripture to our minds and hearts and we need.

 

[Augustinian]

Hello Gino,

You said you felt like God spoke directly to you. How was that? He spoke audibly? or by impressions? A "sense" of Him communing with you?

Because God speaks to us by His word — it is His love letter to us, His guiding of us. How deeply are you in the word of God, especially in the Psalms (called the prayer book of the Bible), as well Proverbs, and all the rest? The Holy Spirit brings the word of Scripture to our minds and hearts and we need.

I appreciate youre response. I understand God speaks through his word. I know he is not silent when i open up His living word. Its more so i am having a difficult time finding a new way to pray? A more biblical way?

 

[TheInquirer]

You can pray with your Bible open, reading God’s voice to you and then responding back in prayer with thanks, praise, confession, requests etc.

 

[alexanderjames]

As Steve asked, it may be helpful to give an idea of what previous notions you held with regards to hearing God in prayer.

The aspect of communion in prayer is not to be thrown out once we become reformed, but it is to be sought all the more. Just because we don’t believe God chooses to speak to us by a voice in our mind or heart (or whatever it is you used to believe) does not mean that He does not desire for us to have genuine communion with Him - Father Son and Holy Spirit.

This communion takes the form of meditation upon the Scriptures, making our requests known to Him, praise and thankfulness, waiting upon Him, humbling and submitting ourselves, mourning over sin and evil, seeking earnestly His face, pleading and exercising faith in His promises, interceding for others, enjoying His presence, and more. Even when we might feel and see nothing at all, we are called to be still and know that He is God, and to trust in Him (see Isaiah 50:10, Psalm 46:10).

We must move away from the (rather modern western) idea of prayer as a kind of transactional business process. Study the word of God for biblical patterns of prayer and the teaching of how we are to pray. There are plenty of good Puritan works on prayer too. We must ask with the disciples, “Lord, teach us to pray”.


There are members on the Board who have given testimony of lives of prayer that I dream of. I hope they will provide some input here.

 

[Augustinian]

As Steve asked, it may be helpful to give an idea of what previous notions you held with regards to hearing God in prayer.

The aspect of communion in prayer is not to be thrown out once we become reformed, but it is to be sought all the more. Just because we don’t believe God chooses to speak to us by a voice in our mind or heart (or whatever it is you used to believe) does not mean that He does not desire for us to have genuine communion with Him - Father Son and Holy Spirit.

This communion takes the form of meditation upon the Scriptures, making our requests known to Him, praise and thankfulness, waiting upon Him, humbling and submitting ourselves, mourning over sin and evil, seeking earnestly His face, pleading and exercising faith in His promises, interceding for others, enjoying His presence, and more. Even when we might feel and see nothing at all, we are called to be still and know that He is God, and to trust in Him (see Isaiah 50:10, Psalm 46:10).

We must move away from the (rather modern western) idea of prayer as a kind of transactional business process. Study the word of God for biblical patterns of prayer and the teaching of how we are to pray. There are plenty of good Puritan works on prayer too. We must ask with the disciples, “Lord, teach us to pray”.


There are members on the Board who have given testimony of lives of prayer that I dream of. I hope they will provide some input here.

As Steve asked, it may be helpful to give an idea of what previous notions you held with regards to hearing God in prayer.

The aspect of communion in prayer is not to be thrown out once we become reformed, but it is to be sought all the more. Just because we don’t believe God chooses to speak to us by a voice in our mind or heart (or whatever it is you used to believe) does not mean that He does not desire for us to have genuine communion with Him - Father Son and Holy Spirit.

This communion takes the form of meditation upon the Scriptures, making our requests known to Him, praise and thankfulness, waiting upon Him, humbling and submitting ourselves, mourning over sin and evil, seeking earnestly His face, pleading and exercising faith in His promises, interceding for others, enjoying His presence, and more. Even when we might feel and see nothing at all, we are called to be still and know that He is God, and to trust in Him (see Isaiah 50:10, Psalm 46:10).

We must move away from the (rather modern western) idea of prayer as a kind of transactional business process. Study the word of God for biblical patterns of prayer and the teaching of how we are to pray. There are plenty of good Puritan works on prayer too. We must ask with the disciples, “Lord, teach us to pray”.


There are members on the Board who have given testimony of lives of prayer that I dream of. I hope they will provide some input here.

I apologize for not answering steves question. How did i feel God spoke to me in prayer? The answer is all of the above. Whether it was impressions, dreams, the sunday service, "audibly", etc. The basic concept of pentecostal churches is the faith=reality formula. Basically the most genuine way to get to know God for them is outside of scripture bc this shows a relationship with him. And if we seek him and ask for something with faith he will give it to us... so for example we were taught if we asked God to speak to us we should expect him to answer. Whatever was the first thing that came to our minds in that moment... must be God. We even had altar calls to "hear God speak".

 

[Poimen]

Hello,

Fairly new here and also fairly young in my christian walk. I got saved at a pentecostal church several years ago and got very involved in the charismatic movement. I remember during those times i used to be able to pray for long periods of time- and i enjoyed prayer because i felt like God spoke directly to me. Obviously the Lord graciously changed my deceptive way of thinking and now i am presbyterian. Ive become an avid reader since then and read alot but struggle with prayer. I sometimes feel like its hard to pray now since i guess it feels like a one way conversation, and i have a hard time finding it as enjoyable. How do i pray more? Do you struggle with this?

I have not been able to place or properly cite the quote but others have said that Luther wrote something along the lines that prayer is the most difficult labour of all. Regardless of the origin of the phrase, I have found this to be true in my life. And you will find more anecdotal confirmation here: https://www.puritanboard.com/threads/have-you-ever-found-prayer-difficult.105033/

Prayer is labour and therefore I do not think it always meant to be "enjoyable." Consider the many lamentations that the saints have lifted up as scripture records (let alone which church history reveals) which contain very little joy at all. I dare say that if all the prayers of God's people were categorised in a ledger, the grief side would overwhelm the joy side, even as we journey through this vale of tears.

Observe that prayer must include repentance of particular sins. I assume that you have repented of your "deceptive way of thinking" but if not that could certainly be a barrier to a blessing in your prayers (Psalm 66:18). Even if you have repented, it may be that certain patterns of thinking from your previous convictions and experience still need to be mortified.

I often find that thanksgiving and joy comes after prayer or in the realization of answered prayer. These are not necessarily grand moments of extraordinary revelation, but in the smaller and quiet things of life. This, however, requires that we observe and meditate on providence which means that our prayer life must be informed by our faith life and more often than not it is something revealed directly from my reading in scripture or a sermon. And we may rightly conclude at that moment that God has communicated with us, just not at the time we spoke to him. Indeed, how often are we told to in the scriptures to "wait" upon our God?

 

[JvMill]

Keller’s book on prayer has been helpful for me, as he shows the reality of communion in prayer and yet stays away from the charismatic notions of listening to God and hearing Him in prayer.

I’m with you brother, that was my background and it has not been the easiest shift to make. God is gracious with our weaknesses.

 

[Jerusalem Blade]

Gino, this is a recipe for deception: "if we asked God to speak to us we should expect him to answer. Whatever was the first thing that came to our minds in that moment... must be God." I suppose you know that the "fiery darts of the wicked [one]" (Eph 6:16) may well be lies and counterfeits whispered to your mind.

You said, re what you were taught, "Basically the most genuine way to get to know God for them is outside of scripture bc this shows a relationship with him." In truth, this shows an ignorance of Scripture, and is a falsehood.

In John 6:63 NKJV, Jesus says, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life."

It is by knowing His word that we learn to know Him, His heart, His mind, what grieves Him, what delights Him. The Holy Spirit regularly reminds us of Jesus' sayings: "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 14:26 KJV). [emphasis added]

Here's a help in prayer I wrote out for souls in my church (and for myself!)

HELP IN PRAYER

It is vital for us to have the blessings of a consistent prayer life, a “beach-head” against the forces of the world, the flesh, and the devil. I myself sometimes find that I have no “ease” or “sense of spiritual reality” in my praying—so I rely at such times solely on the word of God, on His promises—as therein reality is made known, and I can function in productive prayer simply by sheer faith in His word. A few such promises:

Matt 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.
John 6:37 the one who comes to Me I will in no wise cast out
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you
Matt 28:20 I am with you always, even unto the end of the world
Heb 13:5 I will never leave you, nor forsake you
Isa 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
1 Pet 5:7 Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you
Isa 54:10 my kindness shall not depart from thee…neither the covenant of my peace
Jer 31:3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee
Isa 66:2 on this one will I look: who is poor and of a contrite spirit, who trembles at My word
Isa 57:15 … to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones
Prov 15:8, 29 the prayer of the upright is His delight…He hears the prayer of the righteous
Psalm 143:8 Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust; cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my soul unto thee.
1 Pet 3:12 the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Psalm 73:26, 23 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever…I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand
John 8:12 I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
2 Cor 12:9 My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
Phil 4:6, 7 Be careful / anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Isa 26:3, 4 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusts in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength
Prov 23:15 My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine (cf v. 24)

And when this happens (as it does on occasion) it may be well with us:

Isa 50:10 Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.

 

[Jeri Tanner]

Hello,

Fairly new here and also fairly young in my christian walk. I got saved at a pentecostal church several years ago and got very involved in the charismatic movement. I remember during those times i used to be able to pray for long periods of time- and i enjoyed prayer because i felt like God spoke directly to me. Obviously the Lord graciously changed my deceptive way of thinking and now i am presbyterian. Ive become an avid reader since then and read alot but struggle with prayer. I sometimes feel like its hard to pray now since i guess it feels like a one way conversation, and i have a hard time finding it as enjoyable. How do i pray more? Do you struggle with this?

I can absolutely relate to this Gino, as my background was charismatic as well. At some point I began to use the Lord’s prayer as a help in secret prayer (adapting and enlarging upon the petitions) and it proved fruitful, especially in first table petitions. I suggest singing through the Psalter in your private and family worship and see how the Lord will enlarge your heart for prayer for his cause.