I am going to introduce you to two models of prayer that I am happy
for you to use. As an alternative to controlling situations and
people I introduce the "Job Interview Prayer." As a way of
affirming Biblical promises in listening prayer I introduce
"Confirming a Biblical Promise." In terms of prayers of
protection I suggest a format for one's morning prayer to pray
protection for oneself and others.
First, let me review the five practices in prayer to avoid - see Prayer
Guidelines. One is using prayer to control God. Two is using
prayer to control people. Three is using prayer to control
situations. Four is using prayer to harm or destroy people or
people's property. Five is prayer that focuses too much attention on
Satan, evil or the demonic.
Don't think of prayer as pleading with God to do something that we
want. Instead think of yourself as a partner - in cooperation with
God. As a partner with God in seeing His will be done on earth you
will pray in concert with His will by listening for His guidance and
waiting for His inspiration. Think of yourself as God's ambassador.
Do not use prayer to control other people. Instead of praying for
specific changes in a person's life or character pray more generally.
For details see DIFFICULT PEOPLE. God respects our freedom. We need
to do so as well.
Do not pray for specific outcomes in situations like a job interview,
a school test, a crucial game. Don't pray that the person will get
the job, ace the test or win the game. Instead pray for the state of
mind or attitude for the person in these situations. Then leave the
outcome to God. See "Job Interview Prayer."
The second general direction to avoid is using prayer to harm or
destroy people or property. Don't call down fire on psychics and palm
readers, for example. Remember what Jesus said about the wrong spirit
when the Sons of Thunder wanted to call down fire on some Samaritan
villages that rejected Jesus.
The third is prayer that focuses too much attention on Satan, evil or
the demonic. For example, I recommend against use of a prayer of
protection that names Satan or in which you bind evil forces. For a
suggested prayer of protection see: Morning Prayer and Listening Time.
Leanne Payne, Judson Cornwall and John Paul Jackson all have
warned against the prayer that focuses on Satan. Leanne Payne and
John Paul Jackson found that binding principalities and powers does
not provide protection - it attracts attack! Judson Cornwall learned
that interrupting a worship service to bind evil powers actually
attracted demons to the worship service - which loved the attention.
I recommend against prayers that use the concept of 'binding.' I
CONSIDER EVERY FORM OF PRAYER THAT BINDS SATAN OR PRINCIPALITIES OVER
TERRITORIES AS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. RUN AWAY
FROM PEOPLE THAT DO THAT. AVOID GROUPS THAT DO THAT. Details in the
PROTECTION seminar. Instead when one senses an evil spirit pray for
the opposite spirit. Focus on positive objectives.
The Job
Interview Prayer method will also work for
a school test, public speaking or athletic performance.
The idea of the prayer is to have the right attitude rather than
bring about the desired outcome. Having the right attitude or
spirit can't be wrong.
My philosophy is to avoid controlling God, people or situations in
prayer. I want prayer to respect rather than manipulate
people's free will; to honor that than try to control God and to let
God control the outcome of our obedience. We leave the results
to God.
First step is of the job interview prayer is to describe the attitude
that you want to have as you participate in this situation.
Second is to pray. Pray like this: "Father be with me in this
situation. Help me to have a positive attitude in this situation.
Help me to &ldots; (describe the attitude). By your Spirit help me to
picture myself in this situation in the right spirit."
Third: picture yourself in this situation managing this situation
with the attitude that you have defined.
Listening prayer Therapy brings a new approach to claiming Biblical
Promises. Rather than just assuming rights to any and every Biblical
promise, we ask God if this applies to us, in this situation, at this time.
To claim any Biblical promise without permission would be what Jesus
meant by testing God - Matthew 4:7. The devil gave him a two Biblical
promises: "He shall give his angels charge over you" -
Psalm 91:11 and " In their hands they shall bear you up, lest
you dash your foot against a stone" - Psalm 91:12.
If Jesus couldn't just claim those promises, and throw himself down
from the high point of the temple, then neither can we. We can't
presume that any promise applies to us in our present situation at
the present time. We can't 'write our own ticket with God', as some
have wrongly taught.
To avoid faith presumption we need humility before God. We can't
force God to do something because it is written. Who do we think we
are? We need to ask.
In the mouth of two or three witnesses a fact is established. God
calls His people to respond to His written word and His voice. We
read the Bible and we listen to his voice. It is in listening to
"his very word spoken to me" that written promises change
to living words meant for me personally.
As your personal coach in Listening Prayer, I would discuss a
particular promise with you. Does it apply? Do you fulfill the
conditions? If the written promise seems to apply then we seek a
confirmation through listening prayer. How do we do this? We put the
promise to God and ask Him: "Does this apply to me, now, in my
life?" Then we take time to listen.
God can confirm in many ways. For some people a voice is heard. Some
may receive an inner thought. Some may remember a Biblical verse -
but it comes from God personally to them. For some it may a song.
Some people have a significant inner feeling. Some people have a
sense of something.
It may take some interpretation, some discussion with your coach
(counsellor, therapist, spiritual director) to clarify this. My
question is always: "How does this feel?" The heart senses
'faith of the heart.' The heart receives faith assurance. It is
felt. If God is confirming the promise it will be `felt within.
With the confirmation received, we need to thank God. It may be wise
to take time to let the feeling of confirmation sink in. Picture what
God is saying. Give thanks.
When you pray for protection let your language and images to be
positive and focused on God. (Do not name Satan or try to bind Satan
or get demon focused.)
Example:
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, I sign
myself with the sign of the cross.
I remember that I am sealed into the New Covenant by the blood of the
lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.
I asked to be filled and protected with the glory light of heaven and
to radiate God's light in all I do and to all that I meet this day.
May I be so filled with God's holiness that heaven abides within me
and no sin, sickness, bitterness, doubt or fear finds any place to
lodge in me. May love, faith, humility, courage, wisdom, joy, peace
and righteousness, fill me and radiate through me so that God's
Kingdom comes around me today.
Signed, sealed and protected by God and hidden in Christ I know that
nothing can separate me from God's love, joy and peace this day. God
will never leave me and I will never leave him. I am His and He is
mine. He is my Father and I am His beloved. May He delight in me
while I delight in His presence all this day.
Pray for immediate family - those on your heart. Use a shortened
version of a prayer of protection, such as: "I ask (name) to be
signed, sealed and protected by God's presence so that nothing can
get through to hurt them in Jesus name."
A longer version of a prayer of protection would go like this: "I
sign (Name) with the sign of the cross, seal and cover them with the
blood of Jesus and surround them with God's glory light and presence
so nothing can get through to hurt them in Jesus' name. Amen."
Pray for immediate family - those on your heart. Use a shortened
version of a prayer of protection, such as: "I ask (name) to be
signed, sealed and protected by God's presence so that nothing can
get through to hurt them in Jesus name."
A longer version of a prayer of protection would go like this: "I
sign (Name) with the sign of the cross, seal and cover them with the
blood of Jesus and surround them with God's glory light and presence
so nothing can get through to hurt them in Jesus' name. Amen."
A new model of prayer is being revealed
to the Body of Christ. In the new way one does not pray whatever one
wishes. One prays God's will, lead by the Spirit.
Prayer is not to control or manipulate God. Therefore, you do not
pray at will. You do not pray your own will. Because the human soul,
including the will is fallen; is out of touch with God's Holy Spirit.
Prayer born out of the human will, apart from being lead by the
Spirit, is of the soul; is of the flesh. Jesus says that "Flesh
can give birth only to flesh"- John 3:6.
The cross must be applied. The human soul comes under the guidance
and control of the Holy Spirit. Our resources, plans and will become
subject to God.
Those that would be lead by God must learn to listen and submit to
what they hear. This new wisdom concludes that I will not pray what I
do not sense to be the will of God.
We learn to be still. "Be still and know that I am God" -
Psalm 46:10.
I still myself before praying. Some people are left wondering because
I said I was going to be pray and then silence. "Did you want me
to pray?" they ask.
How does this new model of prayer apply
to prayer for healing? For one thing it means we do not assume that
we know how to pray. All the arguments that God's will is to heal are
good and strong arguments. Of course God's very nature is life and
health and in His presence there will be no illness or disease. We
still need to listen. We listen of God to know how and if to pray. We
submit our wills to God. We don't presume - we ask.
Remember the voice of the Father to the disciples: "This is my
beloved Son. Listen to him." Mark 9:7, Matthew 17:5, Luke 9:35.
We don't assume we know how to pray. We listen.
In the old model prayer assailed heaven. We plead for what we want.
For example, when my mother was in intensive care we tried to unite
in prayer as a family and vision her well. We tried to get more
people praying. We wanted to get in the big names in prayer. But God
had been telling me for several days that mother was dying.
I remember the first time I went into the hospital and was headed
down the corridor to mother's room. Still down the hallway on
the way to the room, I felt deeply overwhelmed with grief based on a
deep knowing in my heart that mother was dying. This feeling was so
strong that I wanted a place to cry - to turn aside to grieve. Soon I
did see my mother in her room - in a coma. Ten days later she died.
God's message to my spirit was clear - I felt the grief -
mother is dying. My spirit knew that this was "sickness is unto
death." My head wanted otherwise. My local minister
had 'prophesied' that this was not sickness unto death. I still
participated in desperate prayer of the old model. This old
model prayer was an attempt to twist God's arm and avoid the loss of
mother. My head and my will were resisting what my spirit
already knew. Mother was dying.
God allowed us to struggle thus with the reality until, the night my
younger brother John and I abandoned the vigil at the hospital, she
died. That morning as we got the news two doves perched on the phone
line in front of the family home. My sister Janice heard heavenly
music that evening at her place. I believe God was saying to
me: "Be at peace. I am here. I am in this.
This is my will."
Death and grief is confusing and painful enough. My family and I
deepened the confusion by insisting that we could manipulate God in
prayer. By doing this we left family members in confusion. We
left questions in people's mind about whether God listens to prayer
(old model). Does God care? Martha, convinced by her visions
for mother, began to doubt that she heard from God. The old models of
prayer allowed for manipulating heaven; for prayers as pleading, for
attempting to control God. The new model involves closer communion
with God.
Isn't it time to apply the secret of prayer - of listening to God -
to prayers for healing - for listening to God.
Here is my guideline: Do not pray for healing until you have heard
from God. Listen. What is God's will? What word,
what scripture is God speaking to you? What do the visionaries
among you see?
This is not time to say waht you think God should be saying, or to
recite memorized promises. Really dig in a get a sense of what
God is saying (for the Sensors), get God's very word spoken to you
(for the audio prophetic listeners), catch God's vision so that you
can speak what God is doing. Remember Jesus who ONLY did what
he say the Father doing.
1. When praying for others for healing say something that
indicates an attitude of humility rather than arrogance in prayer.
You might say: " God can use me to bring healing to you.
However, it is not my prayer that is important but God at work. God
may use this time but remember that it is God at work. There is
nothing magic or special about what I pray. Pay attention to what God
is doing and let me know what you experience."
2. Listen before you pray. Wait upon God. Jesus said: "I
only do what I see the Father doing." Be the same.
3. Speak as God leads. As the words become clear in your mind -
pray them or speak them. If you see or sense something - pray or
speak that.
Often inner healing is a potential that can, with gentle leadership,
accompany physical healing. You will notice that when the person
realizes that they have been healed they become emotional. There may
be tears. Pay attention to this moment! They are being touched
personally and emotionally by what God is doing. Their heart is being
touched. This can be a moment for "evangelization
of the heart" as the Sandfords call it.
Your part is to get them to talk about it. Ask them what they are
feeling and what they are thinking. Your job is to get them to
articulate the truth - the new heart belief - that God is revealing
to them at this moment. You find out what the revealed truth is in
this positive emotion. You work to consolidate this truth, this
revelation, this rhema, in their heart. Consolidate this new belief
by getting it spoken and having them thank God for it.
Why does someone have tears when God heals them? Because they can let
go of their fear that God doesn't love them or want to heal them.
Look for them to say that they realize that God loves them or that
God really does want to heal them. You can reinforce that they are
loved and precious to God. This is good news - a mini-sermon -
brought on by God's presence and love revealed through physical
healing. Go ahead. Evangelize the heart
when it is ripe!
Times of emotion are times when our heart is open
One of the principles of Listening Prayer Therapy: Times of emotion
are times of heart openness and can be used as times of belief
consolidation or change. When the heart is open, in times of emotion,
messages are written deeply into the heart.
In the example of praying for healing, a person is emotional when
they sense God's healing touch. The Listening Prayer Therapist knows
that doubts about God's love can be dissolving at this time. It is an
important time to consolidate God's truth and truth about God. The
heart is open. TOP
A speaker from England taught the following a few years ago at an
Anglican Renewal Conference in Toronto. The congregation is at a
healing service. Those who want healing are asked to stand up and get
together with someone else who is standing. They are to pray for one
another. At the end of the service there will be an opportunity for
to go forward for more prayer.
Each person who prays for another is limited to one simple short
prayer. They are to bless what the Holy Spirit wants to do in that
person. That is all. "I bless what the Holy Spirit wants to do
in you, in Jesus name. Amen." Notice the humility in this simple
prayer. We are yielding to the Holy Spirit.
What happens with such a short simple prayer is that 50% of the
people prayed for receive healing.
Another result is that those who go forward for prayer after the
service are usually able to ask and receive prayer at greater depth
than usual. TOP
The technique is a method of praying for another who wants healing.
This involves engaging with the person who wants healing by opening
your heart to them as they share their need.
They are talking to you about their need. They share their need with
you. You ask them to state what they need from God. "I want to
be healed."
As a person who cares you feel for this person. As an as an
intercessor you may receive a burden to pray for this person. You
have engaged with the need, now engage with the answer.
Engage God by praising Him. Move into praise and worship.
Continue this until the burden lifts. One might call this "Praise
Intercession." TOP
God's life is constantly being poured out upon us. This life includes
God's healing. Like the sunshine, God's life and healing is always
being poured out upon us.
A flower concealed from the sunshine receives no sunlight. Our body
and spirit can be blocked from receiving God's light, life and
healing. Anxiety and tension becomes the block that shuts out God's
healing. Therefore anxiety and tension will produce illness in body,
soul and spirit.
The answer is peace - God's peace. God's peace heals us and makes us
strong because only the heart at rest can receive of His life-flow.
Peace allows us to receive God's life.
So I pray for the one who wants healing to receive God's peace. I
usually ask them to be still or to picture something that reminds
them of peace and let me do the praying. I pray that they would
receive God's peace. I paint the picture of the plant opening to sunshine.
People like this way of receiving healing because there is no
pressure, no expectations, no attempt to create faith - just entering
peace to receive. TOP
There is power in God's very word spoken to us. The spoken word is
God's word being spoken now. The spoken word is God's will here and
now. It is God's spoken word that is living and active and effective.
The way to hear God's word is similar to needing God's peace to
receive healing. We may need to have times of quiet and stillness so
that we can hear God's voice.
God also speaks through His written word. One may want to spend time
reading and mediating upon his written word.
To receive God's word on healing you may want to read scriptures
related to healing; read books written about healing and listen to
tapes about healing.
I believe God honours regular daily input. So I spend mornings
reading books like Andrew Murray' s "Divine Healing." I
looked up scriptures on healing. When a particular thought or verse
seemed powerful to me, I wrote it out in coloured felt pen on a blank
page and put it in a three ring binder.
Then each day I would review and meditate upon the words that I had
in my binder. The binder got quite full. I had almost 50 pages.
Flashback
It happened about five years after my life was committed to God. At
that time I was dealing with duodenal ulcers. I took medication for
this and had been told that I needed an operation. This was well
before much of my own inner healing and before I knew about
alternatives to medication. What I did each day was to read a chapter
of Andrew Murray's book "Divine Healing." Suddenly
one day I had such a strong sense of being healed. I received a deep
feeling of assurance that I was healed. And I was. All pain was gone.
I went off the medications.
But I was under a lot of stress - trying to complete my masters
thesis. Unwisely, I stopped that practice of daily reading Andrew
Murray's book on healing. Within a few weeks the pain was back.
My ulcer was back! I went back on medication.
I learned two things from this experience. First of all that God's
healing comes through when My mind and heart have become saturated
with His Word on healing. Second, that My faith can easily dwindle if
I fail to keep saturated. As faith dwindles my disease may return.
I need to feed the faith of my heart with the bread of God's Word
daily. I needed fresh manna everyday. Bread goes stale and
faith depends on fresh bread.
Outcome
During the summer as I waited on God, I changed: First of all, I
developed a hunger to hear from God.
Second, I found that my feelings were close to the surface. I was
closer to tears. I was touched more easily. On reflection I saw this
as good - that I had become more available for relationship with God
and others because my heart was open. Could this be the broken and
contrite heart that God does not despise?
Third, I found that I had a greater desire for this closeness to God
than for my healing. I was developing a hunger for God and this felt
good. I had found something more precious than healing.
Months later the healing did begin to come in an unexpected way. God
was in it. I am now regaining energy, lung capacity and my zest for
life! TOP
Graham Cooke wrote a prayer to establish his heart during a time of
pain, betrayal and brokenness. Completely removed from a place of
ministry to digging graves in Southampton, Graham struggled with
bitterness and despair.
God had him write out a prayer just like David the psalmist did. He
would describe what was happening and then what he wanted God to do
in his heart during this time. He asked God to use the trial to
chisel off his rough edges. He asked for wisdom, comfort and encouragement.
So write a prayer. Sorry. It is not that easy. Remember prayer is not
about controlling or manipulating God. How can you write a prayer
that does not force your will and desire on God?
The answer is listening to God and staying close to scripture. A
group can listen and share what they get. One can craft together the
words and images they you receive or that others have given to you.
That is where the crafting comes in. You write based on what you
hear. You craft your prayer.
The point is to be praying God's will. When we ask according to His
will we know that we receive what we ask for.
Graham uses the crafted prayer on a daily basis to sing, shout or say
his prayer. He prays nothing else but this prayer unless there is
added revelation. He now prays until something happens.
