In church life, there seems to be two groups of people. There’s the group who seem to hear from God really easily… God’s speaking about this; God’s speaking about that. It’s like God is speaking every day! Then there’s another group who struggle to hear God’s voice. They heard God speak five years ago and there’s been silence ever since.  Which group do you fall into?  Is there anything we can do to help those who struggle to hear God’s voice? On this episode, we talk about hearing God’s voice for those it find it difficult and we have the perfect guest to learn from. Ps. Pernille Liland is a prophet, teacher, author, business leader, wife and mother from Denmark. She has many years of ministry experience and prophetic expertise to share. Pernille distinguishes between two types of experiences - a distinct voice that interrupts or overrides your thoughts that appears to come on God’s initiative, and a second type of experience that occurs when we take the initiative. We do this by creating space to connect with God by actively engaging with the Spirit through our imagination. During the process, we take time to wait on the Spirit and develop our spiritual senses, including hearing, smell, taste, touch and feeling. We become aware of our thoughts, meditate on Jesus and allow the Spirit to take it from there.  Some of us may have questions about using our imagination in the process of hearing God, but all this means is that we are engaging the Spirit in the realm of our minds. Where our spirit meets with God, revelation comes. Pernille takes time to break down the process simply and clearly, making it accessible to everyone. She reiterates how personal God is and how the gift of the Spirit is for everyone, not just a prophet, priest, pastor or pope. We can all hear the Spirit for ourselves! Reference Gregory A. Boyd, Seeing Is Believing: Experience Jesus through Imaginative Prayer. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2004. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Pernille   Pernille has been preaching and prophesying in Northern Europe for 25 years. She has been involved with the planting of several local churches and a bible school. She leads the Danish/ Nordic Prophetic Apostolic Network, runs the Danish School “Prophets In Training”, serves on the “European Council of Prophets” and the “Global Council of Prophets”. And just this month, here and her husband Andreas, launched a new church in the city of Sorø, Denmark.       Photo by MART PRODUCTION from Pexels

God Conversations with Tania Harris

(065) For Those who Find it Hard to Hear God’s Voice – Pernille Liland

God is speaking to Muslims all over the Middle East and he’s doing it through dreams of Jesus! You may have heard the stories. In a vision, Jesus appears in a robe of blazing white. The dreamer is filled with a deep sense of love and is drawn to follow him. Missiologists tell us that between 1 in 2 and 1 in 3 Muslims have become Christians because of a dream. The Spirit is at work drawing people to himself and it’s all happening while they are sleeping! In today’s podcast, we have two special guests all the way from Texas, USA. Tom and JoAnn Doyle have been reaching out to the people of the Middle East for 20 years. Their ministry inspires the church to share the good news with Jews and Muslims in Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria and the Palestinian territories of Israel. On the show, you will hear some of the incredible stories coming of the Middle East. Many of them are hard to believe! Tom and JoAnn tell of how a dream of Jesus often marks the beginning of a journey for Muslims to discover more about the man they call Issa. For Muslims, Jesus is an important prophet, but not the Son of God. They also believe the Bible has been corrupted. But when they experience the love of Jesus for themselves, these arguments are instantly dashed and they become motivated to find out more. One woman had been having dreams of Jesus for 30 years and was waiting for someone to tell her what they mean. She finally received answers when she met Tom at a petrol station and prayed a prayer of submission to Jesus. Another woman said “I have never felt so safe with a man in my life as I have in dreams of Jesus. He loved me like a father.” This episode will not only inspire you to worship the God who is constantly reaching out to people, but to become like him in connecting with Muslims in your own neighbourhood. A great way to start the conversation is, “Have you ever had a dream of Jesus?"! Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Tom and JoAnn Doyle Tom Doyle fell in love with the Middle East on his first Bible tour of the Holy Land.  In 1995 he became an official tour guide for the state of Israel and developed a passion for ministering to the Israeli people, Arabs and Jews alike. He and his wife, JoAnn, felt a call from God to full-time ministry there in 2001. In 2017, the Doyles launched Uncharted Ministries, which seeks to inspire the church to reach Jews and Muslims in the Middle East and uncharted territories around the world.  They serve in Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria and Palestinian territories of Israel and often lead groups to the Middle East through their Lands of the Bible tours. Tom is a master storyteller with several books highlighting God’s miraculous work among the Muslim people. His best-known books are Dreams and Visions, Killing Christians and Standing in the Fire. Learn more about their ministry at https://unchartedministries.com    Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash

(064) Dreams of Jesus in the Muslim World – Tom and JoAnn Doyle

"My Mum was clinically dead for 8 minutes. She saw a beautiful light and moved towards it, but then she heard a voice say, 'you don’t have access here.'" "An inmate who was deaf in one ear prayed for his friend who was blind in one eye and they were both healed." How is God real for us? Stories like these reveal the reality of God and his heart for people. But how does this work for us? I can still remember how at 21, I sat on a beach in New Zealand reflecting on my life up until that point. I believed in God, Jesus and the Bible, but God wasn’t real to me - I couldn’t put my finger on a single incident where I’d experienced the reality of God in tangible ways. Thankfully, since then I’ve witnessed God in action and it’s changed my life. But I’ve also watched as others have lost their faith, particularly as they’ve moved from childhood into adulthood. How do we help people experience the reality of God? In this episode we’re talking with a man who's made it his life mission to make God real for people. Pastor Andrea di Meglio is a pastor, itinerant speaker and film-maker who oversees several ministries focussing on the supernatural in his hometown in Bern, Switzerland and beyond. Andrea and his team have made two life-changing documentaries about the reality of God. The first, Christ in You, depicts ordinary people experiencing signs and wonders and healing on the streets. The second, The Voice, looks at how to hear God’s voice for others, including those who don’t know God. Both films are full of inspiring stories and interviews with world leaders like Bill Johnson, Heidi Baker and Randy Clark. Andrea also shares the story behind the movies and their unlikely beginnings in a Filipino prison. His own journey began as a child being raised in a home where unusual and frightening spiritual happenings were part of the norm. He tells the story of his Mum, who began her spiritual search after a near death experience and dabbled in witchcraft and New Age practises before she found the source of light in Jesus. Andrea also shares how to experience God’s reality in your own life and in the lives of others. You’ll be encouraged to seek after the God who continues to show himself powerfully to those who seek him! You can find out more about Andrea’s ministry at https://andreadimeglio.com. The Film: Christ In You - The Voice The voice of God changes everything! This documentary features a captivating exploration of the power of prophecy. It shows ordinary Christians, who set an example by partnering with the Holy Spirit and releasing God’s perspective wherever they go. Amazing interviews with Bill Johnson, Kris Vallotton, Lisa Bevere, John Bevere, Graham Cooke, Bob Hazlett, Raniero Cantalamessa and more provide wisdom in navigating towards a prophetic lifestyle. Check the films out here: https://www.christinyoumovie.com Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! Andrea di Meglio is an author, filmmaker, leader and itinerant revivalist. He is on pastoral staff within his local church, the Vineyard Bern, where he has served since August 2012 and leads, coordinates and oversees several ministries related to the supernatural. He is passionate about equipping the Body of Christ to live supernaturally. Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

(063) Making God Real – with Andrea di Meglio

“Everybody’s looking for something,” the Eurythmics once sang. Augustine referred to a “god-shaped hole” within each one of us that longs to be fulfilled. There seems to be a universal human need to find meaning and purpose in our lives. But where do we find it? During the time of the first Christmas, people were searching too. The wise men, King Herod, Simeon and Anna were all “looking for something” around the time Jesus was born. As we celebrate the festive season, this podcast reflects on the journey of each of the Christmas characters to see if they found what they were looking for. Their stories give us insight into our own. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! Photo by Jonathan Meyer

(062) Christmas – Three Men and a Baby

"The root of disappointment is misplaced expectations. The question is, what should our expectations of God be?" - Lynn Moresi What does God promise when we sign up to follow Jesus? I still remember as a young woman dreaming of the future. We had such expectations for "greatness." God was going to give us the desires of our heart. He was going to make all our dreams come to pass. The future was guaranteed and it was bright. But, then the future hit and it was full of disappointment. Death, sickness, loss, divorce. We felt attacked, let down and betrayed. Did God fail us? Or was our disappointment due to misplaced expectations about what God had promised in the first place? On the show this week, Rev Dr Lynn Moresi from Melbourne Australia joins me to talk about disappointment and what God is saying in the midst of it. Lynn is a preacher, prophet, lecturer and someone who knows how to hear God’s voice. She is also a biblical scholar who has experienced all the joys and disappointments of life and has thought about these questions for a long time. We talk about: Lynn’s journey hearing from God and some of the God conversations that have defined her life and ministry Why we are often disappointed by the challenges of life and how they begin with misguided expectations The “abundant life” (John 10:10) Jesus promised and what it actually means. We compare the meaning of "success" in our current culture compared to the meaning of success in God's kingdom. Some great advice for those who are going through a time of disappointment. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!   Dr. Lynn Moresi is a popular itinerate minister and bible college lecturer with a prophetic edge that opens ministry moments in people’s lives. Lynn has the unique ability to combine strong biblical teaching with relevant personal stories that ensure her messages are always challenging and engaging. Her meetings are characterized by fun, laughter and a deep awareness of God’s presence where people are encouraged to engage personally with the Spirit. She is based out of CityLife Church where she pioneered the "School of Ministry” internship program, and travels regularly to teach and minister in seminaries and churches both here in Australia and overseas. She is married and has two adult children. Image by Lisa Runnels

(061) A Conversation with God about Disappointment

Recently I completed my PhD in practical theology, examining the theology and practice of hearing God’s voice. Since then, people have asked me about my thesis and what I’ve learnt from it. As with all PhDs, it’s a long and sometimes complex read, so instead of you having to fossick through 80,000 words, we’re bringing you the highlights! In this podcast, I look at three surprising theological insights from my PhD on hearing God’s voice. I first of all introduce the thesis itself including its general approach and methodology. The research involved approximately 100 people from three different Pentecostal churches on their hearing God experiences. A major focus was on experiences that occurred directly, without the mediation of other people or objects such as books, sermons or nature. These are the experiences that tend to cause the most problems in the church, but can also be the most life-changing! Here are the three major insights from the thesis that stood out from the many discoveries I made: 1. The Neglect of Revelatory Experiences in the Protestant Academy and its Place in Catholicism One of the most surprising insights I discovered in my research was the neglect of the topic of hearing God’s voice in the Protestant academy. While, there’s plenty of related material available (such as the gift of prophecy, tongues and Spirit baptism and hermeneutics (the effect of revelatory experiences on Biblical interpretation)), there’s very little on the experience of hearing from God through experiences like dreams, visions and voices (also called “auditions”/“locutions”). In fact, it took four years of reading before I finally found a theologian whose work aligned with the experiences of participants in the study! Even more strangely, this theologian hailed from the Catholic tradition. This unexpected discovery only makes sense when you realise that Protestantism originally rejected revelatory experiences in their debates with the Catholics back at the Reformation in the 16th Century. This way of thinking has formed a trajectory that has shaped scholarly and popular works ever since. 2. The Central Place of Revelatory Experiences in the New Covenant and Discipleship The second insight in my research was the central role hearing from God plays in discipleship. Often in churches today, we see hearing God’s voice as kind of an “optional extra” to the Christian experience. But when we understand that the primary feature of the New Covenant was the ability for every person to hear God’s voice in the same manner as the Old Covenant prophets (Acts 2:16,17) and how Jesus described the role of the Spirit as a continuation of his ministry (John 16:7), we see how important hearing from God is for discipleship. Like the disciples of Jesus’ day, we recognise God’s voice and follow (John 10:27). This connection between Jesus’ ministry and the Spirit’s outpouring at Pentecost is missing in both the academic and popular literature (read any book on hearing God’s voice and see if you can find it). That means we don’t always link our Spirit experiences to the work of sanctification and mission. The Spirit speaks today to lead us to the cross, to crucify our old selves and make us into new creations. That means I’m more likely to hear God speak about forgiving my father than showing me the new red sports car I’ve been dreaming of. Hearing from God will always lead us down the path of discipleship and make us more like Jesus. 3. The Unnecessary Conflict Between the Scriptures and Spirit The final insight in my research provides an explanation for the conflict that people often see between the Bible and ongoing experiences of hearing God’s voice. This conflict is so significant that many churches around the world reject extra-biblical Spirit-encounters altogether (a position known as “Cessationism”). This was the position of the church I grew up in. In order to protect the uniqueness of the Bible,

(060) Three Surprising Insights from my PhD on Hearing God’s Voice

"This is a season of divine paradox. It looks like everything is 'Stop, stop!' but in God everything is 'Start, start.'” (Ps. Vicki Simpson) What is God saying in the midst of this pandemic? It’s been nearly six months since we first heard about the Coronavirus. But during times like these - disasters, big world events our thoughts turn to heaven. God what are you doing? We know that God is not the cause of the pandemic, but we also know God is brilliant at using difficult times like these for his purposes.  On the show we talk to someone who is well-qualified to know what God is saying. Vicki Simpson is an Aussie-Italian prophet, from Sydney, Australia. She is an ordained minister with the C3 movement and is nationally and internationally recognised as a dynamic prophet and preacher who brings breakthrough and releases faith wherever she goes. Sought after by ministers in local churches and conferences across the globe, Vicki also consults in her capacity as a prophet with church leadership teams, businesses and boards. We talk about: Vicki's story and how she was called into her current ministry What a prophet is and how they operate in the church of today What God is saying personally and corporately to the church during this pandemic. You can find out more about Vicki’s ministry here. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! Photo by Anna Shvets

(059) What God is Saying during the COVID Pandemic with Vicki Simpson

“There are places in my heart that I am still hiding from God.” (Andy Wallis) Why are we afraid to hear from God? I suspect it is because we fear what God might say. Most of the time we ask God to speak, we steer the conversation towards the things we need in life: Should I take this job; should I buy this house; should I marry this person? God is interested in these questions, but he is looking for more. His heart is for intimate relationship. That means he is likely to speak about the areas of our heart that we would rather not talk about. This is what it means to get up close and personal with the Holy Spirit. In this episode of God Conversations with Tania Harris, we talk about how God speaks to us about the issues of the heart and how we can overcome the fear of what God might say. Pastor Andy Wallis is our guest and he is well-equipped to talk about this topic. Andy is an Australian, but has been ministering in Denmark for the past 15 years and is currently resettling back in his home country with his wife Hannah and their five children. He is a powerful speaker, worship leader and recording artist whose heart burns to equip local churches in the miraculous ministry of the Holy Spirit. He is also a man who hears from God and is passionate about helping others to hear from God for themselves. We love his ministry because he operates out of a spirit of humility and self-awareness. His ministry is authentic and powerful because he has done the healing work behind the scenes. On the show, we talk about how God speaks to us about our identity. The Holy Spirit is described as a counsellor (John 14:26). Listening to him can be like going to counselling - it can be intimidating at times! But his words have the power to change us from the inside out. God's promise is for healing, wholeness and freedom. Then, it is out of our renewed identity that our behaviour is transformed and we are mobilised into God’s purpose for our lives. It's not the other way around! This is a deeply personal episode that focuses on being instead of doing. You will be encouraged to go further on your own journey with the Holy Spirit as you listen. You can find out more about Andy’s ministry here. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! Photo by Nik Shuliahin

(058) Up Close and Personal with the Holy Spirit

We know that God can speak in dreams, but it can be a challenge to know what God is saying. How do we know if a dream is from God? What do the symbols in our dreams mean?   This episode on the podcast gives us an opportunity to learn from the dreams of others. Our host Tania Harris draws on the dreams of five different individuals to provide pastoral guidelines and advice that will help you interpret your own dreams; a woman dreams of a snake stealing a gold chain; a man dreams of his surf rope getting stuck on a microwave that is sunken beneath the waves; a teenager dreams of being chased by a monster. The message of these dreams were significant, but they all required interpretation in order to be understood. Not every one of our dreams are from God, but even the dreams that are not provide us with helpful insights into what is happening beneath the surface of our lives. Learn from the dreams of others in order to understand your own! Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!

(057) Working with Your Dreams: Some Pastoral Advice

Our podcast this week is an encore episode from a couple of years ago. Back then it was terror attacks in Paris and Beirut, a devastating earthquake in Nepal, and the Syrian crisis spilling millions of desperate refugees into Europe. Today it's a virus that threatens the health of millions and the stability of economies all over the world. As Christians, how do we respond when we hear the nightly news? How do we relate from the positions of our comfy lounge-room chairs when we hear about the latest virus statistics? What is God saying to us in the midst of global chaos? On this podcast, be encouraged as we learn from the God Conversations of the early church and how we can apply it to our own global crisis today. Just before Christmas in 2015, I spoke with John Peachey from Rhema's Morning Show in New Zealand. In this podcast, we talk about some of these important issues by looking at what God has already said. The first century church faced threats of persecution in their day not by terrorists, but by a brutal Roman empire. God's words came then in the form of a series of symbolic visions via the Apostle John - a message that is still relevant to us in our time. You may never read the book of Revelation in the same way! Our conversation also brings it back to the state of our own hearts and what our response should be, even in the relative safety of the West. We pray it brings you hope and inspiration as well as some tangible strategies to how to respond when you hear the latest news. Here’s Hearing God’s voice in the Global Chaos! Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! Comments What has your response been the turmoil in our world today? We'd love to hear your thoughts here:

(027) Hearing God in the Global Chaos (Encore)

Nightmares are common to us all. By definition, they are vivid and frightening dreams that have no resolution. You may see yourself being attacked by a fiendish character or find yourself in a death-defying situation. The experience can feel so real that your body has a physical reaction to it and you wake up sweating and traumatised. When children experience nightmares, they often dream about monsters or ghosts. Sometimes nightmares are recurring and cause serious problems with your sleep health. That's why it's important we talk about them.  In this episode of God Conversations with Tania Harris, we talk about where nightmares come from and how to deal with them. We know that God can often speak in dreams, but it's important to distinguish God-dreams from nightmares. Knowing where they come from helps to determine the most appropriate response. We discuss three possible sources: Nightmares from God Nightmares from the Spirit Realm Nightmares from ourselves In the podcast we look at a number of different real life scenarios to illustrate how to deal with each type of nightmare. A nightmare from God may be a warning that calls for preventative action. A nightmare that originates in the Spirit realm apart from God will call for prayer. A nightmare that comes from ourselves will require personal reflection and counselling. This podcast will help you understand the nature of nightmares and how best to respond to them in your own life. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!

(056) How to Deal with Nightmares

If I were to ask you, what was the one thing that was stopping you from being successful in your life, what would you say? Often we point to some sort of obstacle in our circumstances - a lack of money, a bad job or a poor turn of luck. But the truth is, the things in our lives that most thwart our progress are the obstacles inside of us. When we change us, we change our world. On this episode, we’re talking about “Growing Pains” - how God speaks to us to change us from the inside out. When we choose to listen to the voice of God, he will call us to grow and change. God starts from the outside in. He calls us to become more like him. And as we do, we will become more fully ourselves.  Unfortunately that process isn’t easy. The greatest obstacles to our success lie within ourselves - feelings of inadequacy, a love of comfort and fears of failure. These are the growing pains each one of us will experience as God speaks and calls us to grow.  But there’s also greater pain that comes when we ignore what he is saying to us. It’s the pain of no growth at all.  On the show, we talk about how God leads us to grow and the process he takes us through. We encourage you to respond to what the Spirit is speaking to you about as you listen. When we follow his lead, we will see how he changes us from the inside out. The result will be the success and empowerment we all long for. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!

(055) Growing Pains – How God Speaks to Change us from the Inside Out

We know that God is able to speak to us by his Spirit, but does God speak to those who don’t know him? You may have heard the incredible stories coming out of the Middle East where Jesus has been reported to be appearing to Muslims in dreams. Thousands of lives have been transformed as a result. Some missiologists say that around ¼-⅓ of Christians in the Middle East follow Jesus today because they've seen him in a dream or vision. But does that happen in other parts of the world as well? Does God speak to non-Christians everywhere? This episode was recorded live at two "Awaken Your Dreams" events that were hosted by a local church for the community in New Zealand. Both events were sellouts! On the podcast, we share some of the testimonies that came from the events, as well as some of the biblical precedents for God speaking in dreams to those who don't know him. A quick overview of church history reveals a God who is ever reaching out to people, speaking to them in whatever ways he will be heard. Attending to the dreams of others not only provides insights into what is going on subconsciously in their lives, but opens up the opportunity to see where God may be speaking to them.     Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!   Interested in hosting an Awaken Your Dreams Community Event at your church or organisation? Learn more about it here.  

(054) “Jesus Spoke to me in a Dream.” Does God Speak to those who don’t know him?

Unforgiveness stops us from hearing God’s voice almost more than any other area. When we bear unforgiveness in our heart, we can’t get through to God and we won’t be able to hear him. Jesus spoke about unforgiveness many times. He said that if you’re coming to meet with God and you have an issue with someone, first be reconciled to them, then come to him (Matthew 5:23-24). In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus talked about asking God for forgiveness when we have forgiven others who have sinned against us (Matthew 6:12).  At the same time, forgiveness is one of the most difficult challenges of living in a fallen and broken world. On the podcast, we look at how to forgive by sharing some stories of those who have forgiven under the most difficult circumstances you can imagine. We also look at what God does when we forgive, how forgiveness does not equate with condoning evil and what God does to bring justice on our behalf. The show begins with the story of an incredible Iranian woman who was seriously wronged. The Story of Ameneh Bahrami In 2004, Ameneh Bahrami was returning home from work, when a man named Majid Movahedi threw a bucketful of acid into her face, leaving her blinded and horribly disfigured. Bahrami had repeatedly turned down Movahedi's proposals of marriage which included promises to kill her unless she consented. Instead of carrying out that threat, Movahedi decided that if he couldn't have her, then he would make sure that no other man would want her. So he made sure of it by throwing acid own her face to permanently disfigure her. The Iranian courts determined on a fine and prison sentence for Movahedi. But Ameneh insisted that she was entitled by law to retribution because, in it was "only in this way that he could understand her pain. Four years later she won her case. On 14 May 2011, Bahrami's wish was to be carried out. Movahedi was taken to Tehran's Judiciary Hospital. There, under full anaesthetic, he would have drops of acid put into each of his eyes that would render him blind. The day arrived. Movahedi was prepared by the nurses. But in the final minutes - just as the doctor asked Amenah what she wanted to do, she decided not to do it, saying instead: ”I forgive him, I forgive him.”  Back then, the story hit the international news. All sorts of opinions were given. Some said forgiving the perpetrator was a beautiful gesture - an act of incredible grace and kindness. Others said, no, she shouldn’t have forgiven him - it was right that he experience what she had. Her forgiveness him meant that justice wasn’t really done. What do you think about Ameneh’s story? Forgiveness and Justice The podcast goes on to discuss what forgiveness is and what it isn’t. I share a story of a woman from Rwanda who forgave and adopted her son’s killer during the time of the genocide and what happened in her country afterwards as a result of her actions. We also talk about two young men, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumarun who were convicted of smuggling in Bali and the meaning of restorative justice in contrast to retribution. May we learn the power of forgiveness!  Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy… Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us (Matthew 6:9,12 (NLT)). Listen to the podcast: Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!

(053) Unforgiveness: How to Overcome one of the Biggest Obstacles to Hearing God

At God Conversations, our emphasis is on how to recognise God's voice when he speaks back. However, this podcast is all about the other side of the conversation - how do we pray and how do we get better at prayer? We talk about what prayer is, what it does and most importantly, how we build the kind of relationship that invites two-way communication with God. What have your experiences with prayer been like? As a young girl, I would visit my friend’s place and there we would always say grace before meals. My childhood friend prayed the prayer her dad taught her - it took me years to work out what was being said; "forwhatforout about to receive… make us truly thankful, Amen.” When I finally worked out what it meant ("for what we are about to receive"), I thought it was a little odd to ask God to make us thankful - couldn’t I make myself thankful? In the church I grew up in, prayer was a very solemn experience - heads were bowed and everybody sat in a tightly crouched position. It was very quiet – there were lots of awkward silences and people would often speak with a kind of King James English. Prayer was a serious activity that required deep reverence. When I moved churches at 21, it was a bit of a shock to the system. In my new church, prayer was LOUD. People would often shout and prayer felt like a football match with regular waves of noise that built to a high-pitched crescendo. Instead of sitting down with our heads hunched over, we stood up. Hands were raised high in the air and everyone prayed at the same time. At first I found it intimidating - both because they were so emotionally expressive and because they prayed for so long... It made me want to run out of the door but I was impressed by their passion and enthusiasm. A few years ago, I visited a Benedictine monastery in Europe and it felt like I was stepping back in time. Prayer took place at five set times each day, with the first at 4am (we didn’t attend that one). All the prayers were spoken or sung in Latin using traditional Gregorian chants. I couldn’t understand what they were saying and I wondered if they got bored repeating the same words day after day, week after week.  What is your experience of prayer? What should our experiences of prayer be like? So, what is prayer? We often associate prayer with asking God for things, but it is much broader than that. Essentially prayer is communication between ourselves and God. We speak to him and he speaks back. Prayer then, is the substance of a relationship. You cannot have relationship without communication. At its core, prayer is about our relationship with God. That means the way we view our relationship with God will impact our ideas about prayer. Conversation happens in the context of relationship. To understand prayer, we really need to ask, what kind of relationship do I have with God? That is not always easy to answer. How do you describe a relationship with an invisible deity? I believe that’s part of the reason why the Scriptures use a lot of metaphors in their stories. Metaphors are a tangible way to describe a relationship with a God who is unseen.  For example, there’s the imagery of bride to groom. We are the bride, God is the groom. God is the King and we are his servants. God is the parent and we are his children. God is the shepherd and we are the sheep. Each type of relationship will see prayer in a different way. The nature of our relationship with God will shape our conversation with him. So, using the metaphor of bride to groom (eg. Rev. 19:6-9), prayer will likely be intimate, full of love with elements of surrender and self-sacrifice. It may have romantic or adoring feelings attached to it. In contrast, the metaphor of servant to king (eg. Revelation 19:16) will have a different emphasis. In prayer, there may be a recognition of lordship and authority. Instructions, commands and submission will be key parts of the conversation.

(052) How to Get Better at Prayer

Fascinating interviews, teaching tips and inspirational God-stories.

hubhopper

God Conversations with Tania Harris

hubhopper