Conversations With God

Learning to be led by God’s spirit is a wonderful, unfolding process as we walk with Him. We are learn to listen to the spirit, to recognize the difference between our own thoughts, the thoughts of the enemy, and the Holy Spirit. Our Lord may speak words that affirm His word, confirm His truth, or even something that is completely unexpected. He may suddenly drop a thought, a name, or even give a picture of someone we do not even know who needs intercession.

Such communications from the Lord are easier to recognize when they are clearly not anything we would think or say. God also speaks a word of correction, a refining of our understanding when we are seeking to know Him. He often reveals the next step in something we’re doing in which He is invested. He provides discernment on how to pray. He is in relationship with us, so why wouldn’t He talk to us in our hearts?

Father God is definitely a talker, a spiritual communicator . to those who love Him and His ways He also has a sense of humor and can gently tease us. Once when admiring His incredible creation in nature, I impulsivelyt said to the Lord, “You are so creative!” He humorously replied, “I know!” Some people might think this is irreverent but is not humor a part of intimate relationships?

We should become comfortable enough in God’s presence within us to receive all aspects of His personality. Where do you think we got our healthy sense of humor? We can even have a good laugh with the Lord at some of our foolishness! And when we tell the Lord how much we love Him, He never tires of hearing it and often whispers back, “I love you too.” How wonderfully incredible that God, the Lord of the universe and saviour of all, would pay any attention to us, let alone have conversations with us!

God’s conversation is never boring, but ours sure can be! We repeat ourselves, surely telling Him things He already knows. How compassionate and patient our Lord is with us as we learn to converse with Him. He does not demand a certain specific format or words to pray, as religion may teach, but accepts any heartfelt communication we share with Him. Just as we do with a little child learning to hear and to speak, He is patient with His children learning to converse with Him.

When we feel His urging in our hearts to act for others on such spiritual communication from Him, we know it is God’s burden we feel for that situation. He is more than able to provide the perfect word when we are led to share with another:

“Like apples of gold in settings of silver, is a word spoken at the proper time.” Proverbs 25:11 NASB

How we long to always have just such a perfect Word that encourages and edifies others. How precious it is when He grants such words to comfort another’s heart as well as our own. When the spirit is leading the words we share, it is powerful in a way that goes beyond just bringing out a few seemingly relevant scriptures. It’s God’s word and His word never returns void. In this way we are establishing an intimate relationship with God.

“For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.” Isaiah 55:11-12 BSB

We are on the path to have His word in us that has power to change, that prospers where He sends it. So many believers still need to know God really loves them and does not desire to be seen as a distant, unrelatable Lord. He created us for companionship, and, as the Great Giver, delights in giving us an understanding of His ways. The deepest rest of all comes when we know we are always safe in His love. Such words from Father God and His Son, our Lord Jesus the Christ, are of the greatest value!

No human can promise us that, nor are humans able to fulfill this throughout our lives and beyond. He truly is a Friend at all times, laying down His life for us.

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:13-15 ESV

He is always and forever with us, His people, teaching, directing, and giving us wisdom. We need to learn to hear directly from God, to know His voice. Of course, it is wise to hold a healthy skepticism about what we may think we are hearing from God, particularly when it matches a strong desire of our own hearts. When we say that God told us something, it is not to be said lightly and certainly not as a justification for our own will.

God gets credited with many a decision based on our own desires rather than His. Our Father knows what is in our hearts about these matters. We have even seen this in great ministries where leaders state God told them to raise funds for a specific work of ministry or to build a bigger, better building, only to watch as it fails to produce fruit and dies. When we hear from the Lord about such important things, we do well to wait and rest until confirmation.

God may confirm His word within us through the inner witness of His still small voice. He provides an assurance of His will over time as affirmed by scripture. He may aprovide a word of confirmation from a brother or sister in Christ. This checks whether we have zeal, rather than the holy spirit, leading us. We have ideas and plans, but we learn to hold them loosely until God lets us know they are His ideas rather than ours.

As our walk with the Lord deepens, we further learn that feeling peace is not the definitive sign that God is leading us in a matter. We do recognize His rest coming from following the path of life He has ordained for us, but we humans may also feel peace in avoiding His will. When we do not want to face something He wants for us, a human desire to avoid the difficult, the controversial, the unexpected, and the loss of our will and ways, we feel a temporary peace that is deceptive.

It is not a peaceful process to face upsetting things or difficult, but necessary, changes. Our human, fleshly avoidance of what God has been leading us to do or not do keeps the fear of change alive. Only God and His ways bring lasting peace in a matter. A momentary relief is not the rest and peace He affirms. There will be a continual nudge from God, an awareness that this peace is not His deep, lasting rest as well as continuing difficulties in those circumstances.

God has many ways to have conversations with His own. He may speak to us in song, in nature, in so very many other ways. After all, He is very creative! Then He gives us true and lasting rest in our spirits, as well as guidance in how to proceed in each circumstance we have submitted to Him.

“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand.” John 10:27-28 BSB

God is always present, willing to strengthen us while we go through the many challenges of life in this world. We are learning to put ourselves in His hands, to rest in Him. When we are seeking specific answers, our brothers and sisters in Christ often have a word of wisdom or guidance that is just what we need, exactly an answer to our prayers. They may not even realize it as we are communicating. It may even come in written form, or as a message heard in former times.

As we mature, we recognize His voice with more certainty, just as a child knows the voice of his or her parents. He is most gracious to the sincere heart that truly desires to be led by Him. He wants us to hear Him! We also ask others to pray for God’s will for ourselves and others. As we continue to present our heart’s motivations to the Lord, He purifies them so that we learn not to ask amiss. We become less susceptible to hearing what we want to hear. Prayer is effective!

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16 KJV

Much repetition of our scriptural knowledge is not the key. A heart of wisdom is the critical thing.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16 ESV

All prayer is a conversation with God as we grow in the assurance that He is listening. We have Him within and He is all wisdom, ever increasing His peace and presence in us, His temples. We continually direct our hearts toward the Lord while going about our day. It may not be visible to others, but how lovely and wonderful it is to God. There is nothing that pleases the Lord more than keeping our hearts focused upon Him, with a song of thankfulness that continually flows out to Him presence. This brings rest and peace regardless of outer circumstances. When David had adversity with Abimelech, he said:

“I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1b

As intercessors, we bring all burdens to Him and He directs our prayers. In praying for others, God honors the intent of our hearts. It does not matter if we prayed the right way, with specific formalized words or phrases, as many inspired spiritual writers offer. Prayer is from the heart, regardless of the position of our bodies. What matters is that we pray sincerely in spirit and in truth.

Scripture is truth we can stand upon, guiding our prayers according to His will. He looks at our hearts to know what our motives are as we talk with Him. But we can make prayer into works by claiming the scriptures or reciting rote prayers when separated from a heart of faith led by the spirit. God certainly hears all prayers and understands if we don’t know another way to have a conversation with Him. But sometimes, in our desperation, we fall into demanding healing, blessing, or needs to be met. Desperation is not faith.

We quote scripture as if we must remind God what He promised. I know—I’ve done it! And seemingly unanswered prayers are most difficult, even painful, to comprehend. We know He can do all things, including —or most especially—what is impossible for us. We may batter the ears of God with a prayer that He has no plans to answer with a yes. But over time, God is able to teach us to pray more effectively, to pray that effectual fervent prayer of the righteous from a pure heart.

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16 NIV

We are learning how to pray more powerfully, with greater strength, as the holy spirit guides. Jesus knows all hearts and His prayers were always effective. Further, He says that this type of prayer, an effective and fervent one from the heart of the righteous, is most valuable. These prayers are effective as they come from a pure heart of love centered on His will. When we ask, He is faithful to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

For our prayers to be even more effective, however, God may reveal a specific understanding of the root of a situation. When we only pray for what we see, we are not getting to the root. It’s like trying to cut off the tops of those weeds in our gardens—they will only grow back. How many prayers have we prayed to ask God to change something external, rather than the heart of the matter? He trusts at least some of His servants to handle in love what He chooses to reveal about the root of a matter in another’s troubles.

God hears and understands, and will cause growth in our conversations with Him when we do not yet see lasting change from prayers. God gets down to the root, the underlying cause of the situation. He shows how to pray for what is driving the situation to continue. He also shows when His answer is different, or even a refusal to grant our requests. His spiritual power removes the root so these weeds can never spring up again in the garden of our hearts.

Rather than assuming all adversity is the devil and railing against that, God identifies festering wounds, the slings and arrows of this life that have pierced our hearts and become infected. God also identifies wrong motives so that we do not pray amiss. He is more than able to grant full deliverance, a change that is lasting for us and in us, as well as through us for others. For this reason, we come into His rest again and again, learning to pause, to take more time to seek a spiritual understanding of His will at the beginning of our prayers.

When the Lord says no or not now to our prayer requests, when we find ourselves in God’s waiting room, we pray for ourselves and others to have the strength to endure it. We ask there to be surrender to what is, accepting this answer as we seek what God’s purpose in the matter. He has promised to always hear our prayers, with the apostle John witnessing the prayers of the saints will be released.

“Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

And He came and took the scroll from the right hand of the One seated on the throne. When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb.

Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” Revelation 5: 6-8 BSB

God always hears even our murmers of disbelief, but His purpose remains firm. He hears all of our conversations with Him as well as things we may say about Him in our thoughts or in our conversations with others.

“Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.” Malachi 3:16 KJV

This same book of remembrance is what John saw in Revelation. God remembers and is faithful.

The Lord also knows when our thoughts show that we do not believe what He has said to us. Consider the Old Testament account of Sarai laughed at having a baby in her old age:

“Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, ‘After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?’ And the Lord said unto Abraham, ‘Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?’ Is any thing too hard for the Lord?

At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, ‘I laughed not’; for she was afraid. And he said, ‘Nay; but thou didst laugh.’” Genesis 8:12-16 KJV

Nothing is indeed too hard for the Lord and it is never too late in God’s kingdom for His promises to come true, even when we laugh at the very idea He is telling us.

When God reveals secrets to us, especially about others, we hold them close to our hearts lest we . tell someone something they are not at all prepared to hear. The heart must be ready and willing to hear from God. God may even give us specific guidance that is not to be shared with the person requesting prayer. We amay be allowed to share, to plant a seed, without observing any receptivity in the hearer.

Some crops take longer to germinate from seed than others. Then we need to get out of the way so God can feed and water this word. We may only be the planter, not the reaper. It takes God’s timing for many things to be effective in this walk with Him. We all need to have ears to hear. Our most powerful prayers come inbedded in praise and thanksgiving for Who He is. It is always a powerful prayer to praise Him in all things. The apostle Paul says to pray about everything:

“Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God.

And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].” Philippians 4:6-7 AMP

Here’s another key to the process of entering into His rest: everything means everything! From the smallest thing to the most important, from minor issues to potential disasters, we have the privilege of bringing every matter, every decision to Him. He is not going to say to us, His precious children, not to bother Him with the small stuff! His directive to us is as above and it matters not if others think we are strange to pray about everything.

Praying with thanksgiving in our hearts is most pleasing to the Lord, showing our trust in His faithfulness. We thank Him for Who He is before we have the answers we seek. God never tires of hearing from us, even about the same old issues. We learn to acknowledge that He knows best and will do His will for the good of us and on behalf of others. We can even (gasp!) be silent in His presence.

This demonstrates our trust in our heavenly Father. We always thank the Lord in advance for His faithfulness. We build up our most holy faith by calling to remembrance all that He has given and done for us, recalling all His benefits! There is power in rehearsing the many blessings He has provided, the multitude of answered prayers we have received. But even thankfulness in our hearts must at times be worked out in us by the Lord.

At the beginning of most trials God allows to come our way, it is not easy to be grateful in it. We do not have to be thankful for it, but thankful in it. We thank the Lord, praising Him in the situation, as a demonstration of our trust in His will and His way to resolve it for our good. We are showing our God that we trust Him for answers and that we believe His plan is working things for our good before it is visible, known to us.

As we gain more of God’s spiritual thinking and purpose, we actually may become grateful for difficult things that happened, but that surely is easier in hindsight!.How many of us testify that the worst thing that happened to us is the same thing that brought us closer to Him? The most crushing event of my early spiritual walk was when, after many earnest prayers of faith for his healling, my brother died in 1984. That same event opened my eyes to a different way of understanding His love and mercy.

The growth, strength, and blessing from times of adversity are easier to see after the fact, to recognize benefits from awful, most painful situationa of pain and loss. The Lord enables us to see how these very events bring about change for the good in us and in those around us. He does not waste anything that we encounter in our walk with Him. Endings are new beginnings in God. Yes, it is difficult to embrace pain, but God even enables that. Listen to Paul’s testimony:

“So to keep me from becoming conceited [about the abundance of revelation], I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.’

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 BSB

We may not embrace those times we are called to be in God’s school of pain, but with spiritual eyes to see and spiritual ears to hear, we become most thankful that we have these experiences. The lesson has been learned that when we are afflicted, we most need the Lord and learn most about Him. God is a master at changing our perspective as we allow Him to do so.

God may package His will in a way we may not recognize. The key is to keep our eyes upon Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. The hymn “Turn your eyes upon Jesus”, a well-known Christian song sung by many artists and worshipers through the years, says this well:

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in his wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of his glory and grace.”

(Helen H. Lemmel)

We turn our focus, our vision, our eyes to Him in praise and worship, not to get, but to give glory and honor to Him. We desire above all to know His purpose , to have His wisdom and understanding in all matters. We eventually learn to pray to hear from God more often than for Him to hear us. After all, God knows everything we are going to say to Him anyway. In Isaiah 58, God chastises His people about the wrong attitudes in their hearts specifically when praying and fasting:

“Cry aloud, do not hold back! Raise your voice like a ram’s horn. Declare to My people their transgression and to the house of Jacob their sins. For day after day they seek Me and delight to know My ways, like a nation that does what is right and does not forsake the justice of their God. They ask Me for righteous judgments; they delight in the nearness of God.

[then they say] ‘Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?’ Behold, on the day of your fast, you do as you please, and you oppress all your workers. You fast with contention and strife to strike viciously with your fist. You cannot fast as you do today and have your voice be heard on high.” Isaiah 58:1-3 BSB

Can you see that God is talking about prayer and fasting by His people, those of us who seek Him and delight in knowing His ways? Sinners surely do not do these things. This is His people whom He does not recognize nor respond to their prayers. Such religious efforts are far from Him and His great heart of love because they are full of wrong motives. God goes on to chastise them for letting everyone know that they are fasting and in intercession.

The attitudes in their hearts hinder their intercession as they want to have others know what they are doing, the sacrifices they are making. They seek a recognition and reward from man, not the pleasure of the Lord. Their purpose is not to hear from God in the matter, but to be heard in order to oppress, cause contention and strife, to strike others down Their focus is on self-gain, on punishment for others’ wickedness, not on the Lord.

Prayers directed at judgment and condemnation of other from self-righteous hearts are not pleasing to God. Isaiah goes on to share what pleases God in fasting and prayer intercession:

“Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke?

Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” Isaiah 58:6-7 BSB

A godly fast is focused on freeing those in bondage to wickedness, breaking the prison chains of others, freeing the oppressed, caring for those in need, asking and waiting to see God work change for others and self in the sufferings of this world. When we see the naked, without godly righteousness to clothe them, we are to clothe them with our intercession. We are not to pray with hardened hearts while appearing holy.

God cares about where our requests come from internally as we come to Him. When God chooses not to reveal His purpose to us as we pray, we may be led to intercede in tongues with words that cannot be uttered:

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see? But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 2:22-27 BSB

Jesus taught us to pray this way:

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.

But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours. When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.

But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that your fasting will not be obvious to men, but only to your unseen Father. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6: 1-16 BSB

When we pray God’s way, our reward is from Him, not other humans. Jesus is teaching principles of prayer, not a repetitive formula we must use exactly every time we enter into prayer. Yes, we may pray many a formula prayer, designed and shared by someone else when we don’t know yet how else to pray. He is also compassionate when we don’t know what to pray other than “Help, God!”

I have used many a formula prayer and found it impactful, particularly in prayers for our son. Finding specific prayers that others in similar circumstances have learned to pray can be inspiring and powerful. All of these are helpful and are heard by our Lord, but as we grow, our prayers become conversations with God. We learn to get to know and be comfortable with our Lord. Our prayers become heart-to-heart conversations with Father God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Words are not always necessary in the most intimate relationships, where both parties are well connected and at home with each other. We surely want an intimate relationship with Him! Our words are not the critical part to God. He already knows it all anyway and discerns our hearts when we do not.

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:13 BSB

God is able to give rest to an intercessor or burden bearer despite the direness of any circumstance in life. There may be times when God makes it clear that He heard our prayers the first time, and that we don’t need to repeat our prayers over and over. One example is a repetitive prayer I said during the 2020 worldwide pandemic. My mental health training business suffered along with the rest of the world’s businesses when people had to be isolated. Most of us felt helpless about many things during that time.

God gave me this business, it was not my idea. I knew whether this business succeeded or failed was in His hands but I was anxious, not at peace about it. For the first few months of no revenue and mounting debt, I prayed over and over: “God, this is Your business.” After a while, God softly spoke: “I know it is My business.” Well, of course, He knew that, but did I, really?! If I believed that, why was I continually reminding Him of it?

After that, I felt the deep assurance I was heard by the Father, able to thank Him for whatever the outcome. He gave me rest in His direction, survive or fail. It was up to Him and I could finally . surrender the outcome. In that peace, God provided much supernatural assistance such that the business survived and began to prosper again, with all debt paid over time. My God-given business lasted until God decreed this phase of my calling in Him was done.

All things are in His hands and are done according to His purpose, whether we can believe that all of the time or not. He is a faithful God who preserves His calling and purpose for us, sustaining all provision when it is in His will. Even when we pray continually for someone with whom we have agreed to intercede, He may release us from this prayer. It seems like what we should do is continue to pray until resolution, right?

Yet God may release us from regular intercession to let us know we have been heard and it is now in His hands. Then we need not ask again. This takes the holy spirit leading us, for sure! We even have times when we are not led to pray, even when many are praying about it. It may not be on our particular list for intercession. It certainly is unprofitable when it just feels like we should pray, as a duty, not heart-felt by the spirit. Occasionally I’ve been surprised by feeling no unction to pray about a worldly situation, perhaps because so many others are already doing so.

Evidence of change is not required as we are led by the spirit to keep praying or to stop. We thank the Lord whether answers are yet seen. Some people have been praying the same prayer about someone or something for most of their lives. God has never told them to stop, as some prayers take a lifetime or beyond to be fulfilled. We are also led to know when the Lord is saying “It is enough.” Such prayers are but for a time, a season, even a moment in Him.

Yes, there is intercession that requires repeatedly asking, seeking, and knocking until there is a breakthrough. The prayers for His will to be done in our earth is one of them. We are doing battle with those unknown spiritual forces that rule the earth and its ways, including spiritual wickedness in high places. We may prefer answers that are given in just a moment, but scriptures reveal the many times saints battled while waiting for God to send His messengers, His angels, to intercede.

Here’s the point for our conversations with God. He knows the period of time for each prayer and intercession. The key for us is that prayer comes from a heart of faith in those who love Him. This brings true rest to the people of God.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4 ESV

God is the only One we can talk to about everything. Oh, the secrets God keeps for each of us! Even in consistent prayer about heavy burdens and critical matters, He is able to lead us into His rest, a rest like we have never known. We are learning that all things are in His hands.

God will keep refining and purging us, swallowing up the old with the new, including our conversations with Him, until we shine forth as pure gold. He rested from His works on the seventh day, so we are to rest as He did. What a provision He has made for us to pursue in this life and the life to come!