Deep Dive In Faith
Journey with us as we explore the multifaceted world of Christianity through engaging discussions on contemporary news, powerful sermon insights, and compelling stories of faith. From breaking down biblical teachings to examining how Christianity intersects with modern life, Deep Dive in Faith offers thoughtful conversations that both challenge and inspire believers seeking a deeper understanding of their spiritual walk. We are proud supporters of destiny rescue, A organisation saving children lives from sex trafficking. Donate and help rescue more children > https://www.destinyrescue.org.au/donate/
Deep Dive In Faith
Aligning with God's Will Through Prayer
Have you ever questioned whether there's a right or wrong way to pray? Join us on a transformative journey with insights from the Grace Ambassadors as we unravel the true essence of prayer. This episode promises to shift your perspective from seeing prayer as a formulaic task to embracing it as an alignment with God's will. Through the lens of Paul's unanswered prayers and stories of grace, we explore how prayer transcends merely dictating outcomes and instead becomes a source of strength rooted in divine connection. We delve into the significance of grounding our prayers in Scripture, avoiding hypocrisy, and understanding God's character to enhance our communication with the divine.
Reframe your understanding of prayer as an opportunity to connect authentically with God rather than a burdensome obligation. Discover how prayer is an invitation to engage in a heartfelt dialogue, where the emphasis is on authenticity over perfection. Inspired by Job's example, we discuss maintaining a balance between familiarity and reverence, leading to a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God. This episode encourages you to release the pressure of perfectionism and find comfort in simply showing up, trusting that God welcomes our genuine hearts just as they are. Embrace the joy of being present with God and let this conversation guide you to a richer prayer life.
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Ever feel like, when it comes to prayer, you're just kind of fumbling around in the dark.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Like there's some secret formula everybody else seems to know, but you just haven't quite figured it out.
Speaker 2:Right, you're definitely not alone. Nope, we are diving into Grace Ambassador's. Take on prayer today.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:And, honestly, it's way deeper than I expected.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it is fascinating.
Speaker 2:It is, isn't it yeah?
Speaker 1:Even the disciples who walked with Jesus literally asked him to teach them.
Speaker 2:Teach them how to pray, how to pray.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it makes you realize, prayer isn't just this.
Speaker 2:Oh man, we're just born knowing.
Speaker 1:We're born knowing how to do it, how to do Right.
Speaker 2:It's true. It's like if those guys needed a tutorial.
Speaker 1:Right. What hope do we have?
Speaker 2:exactly, but here's where it gets really interesting. Okay, grace ambassadors suggests that there's actually a way to pray wrong they do like you can do it wrong yeah, and their example isn't about some rigid posture or specific words it's about hypocrisy and vain repetition stuff. Jesus himself called out. Oh okay, it's about hypocrisy and vain repetition stuff. Jesus himself called out.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay.
Speaker 2:It's about grasping God's nature, yeah, not just rattling off requests like a divine vending machine.
Speaker 1:So it's not like God's up there keeping score.
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:Like, oh, you messed up that prayer. Minus five points, Not at all Okay good.
Speaker 2:It's the heart behind the prayer, right Grace Ambassadors argues. It's about engaging with God's will.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Understanding that that's where the true power lies.
Speaker 1:So I guess the question then is, how do we do that, how do we pray in a way that's actually engaging God's will?
Speaker 2:Yeah, and they use the Lord's prayer to illustrate this.
Speaker 1:It's not just Give me this, give me that.
Speaker 2:Give me this, give me that, yeah, but your kingdom come, your will be done.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Aligning ourselves with God's bigger picture.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Not just our immediate wants.
Speaker 1:And that's honestly. I think that's where most of us get stuck To forget.
Speaker 2:There's a grand design when you're stressed about bills or whatever. Absolutely Right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and this leads to another point that Grace Ambassadors makes how prayer functions differently under grace, right? Okay, I'll admit.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Grace is one of those words that just makes my brain freeze up a little bit.
Speaker 2:I understand.
Speaker 1:Theologians love it.
Speaker 2:They do.
Speaker 1:But what does it actually mean for our everyday praying?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so think of it like this yeah. Under grace. Our connection with God isn't based on how well we pray. Okay, it's secure because of what Christ already did.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:We're encouraged to pray, yeah, but our salvation isn't on the line.
Speaker 1:Okay, if we stumble through it, that's a huge relief, I know Right, seriously.
Speaker 2:It takes pressure off. It makes prayer feel more like a conversation than a performance review.
Speaker 1:Yes, like I don't have to be perfect to come to God.
Speaker 2:Exactly.
Speaker 1:And to illustrate this, grace ambassadors use the story of Paul's thorn in the flesh.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:He prayed for it to be removed, but instead was told God's grace was enough.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:Wait. So even Paul, the super devoted apostle, had prayers that seemingly went unanswered.
Speaker 2:They did.
Speaker 1:That's kind of comforting actually.
Speaker 2:It is. Yeah, it highlights that prayer isn't about dictating outcomes. Right, sometimes God's provision is strength to endure, not the removal of the difficulty.
Speaker 1:Which, honestly, is way more applicable to my life right now than I care to admit.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:But it is a good reminder that maybe God's no is actually a different kind of yes. Yeah, that we just don't see yet.
Speaker 2:We don't see yet.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:That's a powerful way to put it.
Speaker 1:And it leads to another key point that Grace Ambassadors makes Learning to pray well requires studying the Bible.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Not just having good intentions.
Speaker 2:Not just good intentions.
Speaker 1:So no more winging it.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:Got to hit the books if we want to talk to God effectively.
Speaker 2:Think of it less like textbooks and more like understanding the language. Okay, the more we know about God's character and promises through scripture, the more our prayers align with his heart. Oh, we're speaking his language, so to speak.
Speaker 1:So it's less about rote memorization.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:More about getting to know the author of the story Precisely OK.
Speaker 2:And this is where Grace Ambassadors gets really interesting. Ok, because they argue how we pray should actually evolve.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:As God reveals more of himself throughout history.
Speaker 1:So we're not meant to stay stuck praying the same way our whole lives. Exactly, okay.
Speaker 2:Our understanding of prayer should mature.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Along with our understanding of God.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:They use the Lord's Prayer as an example. It was perfect for the disciples then yeah but we have to consider the context of god's dealings with us now that's a nuance I've never considered.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's like we need to avoid taking a verse out of context and slapping it onto our lives without understanding the bigger picture. So if we're not supposed to pray the lord's prayer verbatim, right, how should we be praying? Under grace?
Speaker 2:Well Grace Ambassadors provide several key points.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:First acknowledge who God is and what he's doing.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:We need to ground our prayers in Scripture, not just our current emotions.
Speaker 1:So before we even start asking for things, we need to get our theology straight.
Speaker 2:Right, we need to be praying to the right God, not some caricature we've invented in our heads. Right, we need to be praying to the right. God, okay, not some caricature we've invented in our heads.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:And then we need to understand what God provides and requires of us.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:They use the example of forgiveness.
Speaker 1:You mean the whole. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Part, exactly, okay.
Speaker 2:Grace Ambassadors. Argues our actions, impact our prayers. Oh, argues our actions impact our prayers. Oh, okay, god has requirements, not in a transactional way, but because alignment with his will is where we find true power.
Speaker 1:This is starting to feel less intimidating and more like okay, here are the tools. Let's build something amazing. Exactly. It's not just mindless wishing Right, it's partnership with God.
Speaker 2:That's the beauty of it.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And that leads to another fascinating point.
Speaker 1:Exactly.
Speaker 2:It's not just mindless wishing Right, it's partnership with God.
Speaker 1:That's the beauty of it yeah, and that leads to another fascinating point yeah, the idea that God leads us, okay, and this should inform how we pray. Okay, I'm all for being led.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But isn't that what got Adam and Eve in trouble?
Speaker 2:Good point.
Speaker 1:Yeah, grace, ambassadors, uses the, lead us not into temptation line from the lord's prayer.
Speaker 2:Okay, they ask what if god does lead us into testing, not to make us fail?
Speaker 1:yeah but to refine our faith whoa right, that's deep it is it challenges that whole prosperity gospel thing where god's just supposed to make us comfy all the time exactly, exactly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we need to understand God works in the tough stuff too.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Our prayers should reflect willingness to follow his lead.
Speaker 1:Okay, even when it's hard, so to pray well.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:We need to be students of the Bible.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Students of God's character.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:And students of our own hearts.
Speaker 2:You got it, and Grace Ambassadors reminds us it's a journey.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Not a destination. Right, we'll mess up Pray wrong Sure, but that's part of the learning process.
Speaker 1:Like Paul, even the greats had those moments.
Speaker 2:They did.
Speaker 1:It's encouraging, honestly.
Speaker 2:It is.
Speaker 1:So we're not striving for prayer perfection.
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:But for authenticity.
Speaker 2:Exactly For a willingness to keep learning, yeah, and growing closer to God through it all.
Speaker 1:This is mind-blowing stuff.
Speaker 2:I know right.
Speaker 1:We're going to take a quick pause here, but when we come back we'll continue our deep dive into the world of prayer, exploring more practical tips and those theological insights that Grace Ambassadors offers. Right, stay with us. All right, we're back, still unpacking this whole prayer thing, with Grace Ambassadors as our guide.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And, honestly, the more we dig in, the more I realize how much. I don't know Right, but one thing I'm still wrestling with is how prayer works under grace.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:It's freeing to know it's not about earning points.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But it also makes me wonder, like, what's the point then? Yeah, if it doesn't change, god's mind about saving me.
Speaker 2:Why bother? That's a really common struggle, yeah, and grace ambassadors tackles it head-on. Okay, they say under grace, we have this incredible freedom in our relationship with god. Okay, we're not groveling for approval, right, we're communing with him from a place of already being loved, yeah, and accepted so it's less about begging and more about relationship exactly, okay, imagine approaching your best friend. Yeah, not to manipulate them uh-huh but simply to share your heart, right knowing they love you regardless yeah that's the kind of peace and liberation grace brings to prayer okay, yeah, that makes sense.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but honestly, sometimes that freedom makes me feel less motivated to pray.
Speaker 2:Really.
Speaker 1:Not more.
Speaker 2:Oh it's like.
Speaker 1:If it's not about getting God to do what I want, right, what's the point?
Speaker 2:Grace Ambassadors addresses this tendency too. They say it's easy to slip into thinking prayer is pointless.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:If it doesn't change God's mind.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:But that's where we need a perspective shift.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Prayer isn't about bending God's will. It's about aligning ourselves with it.
Speaker 1:So it's more about becoming Exactly, precisely.
Speaker 2:Okay. Prayer is about allowing God to shape us into the people he created us to be.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:That's where the true power lies.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Not in changing God Right, but in being changed by him.
Speaker 1:That's deep, yeah, and it makes a lot of sense. Good, but how do we practically align our prayers with God's will?
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:It's not like he sends us a daily memo outlining his plans.
Speaker 2:Well Grace Ambassadors suggests it comes down to two things.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Inversing ourselves in scripture.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:And two things Okay.
Speaker 1:Embracing ourselves in scripture, okay and developing a deep understanding of God's character.
Speaker 2:So back to those books again. Think of it less like homework, okay and more like getting to know your best friend. Even better, right. The more time we spend in the word yeah, the more we grasp God's heart, his desires, his ways. That understanding informs our prayers.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Making them less about demanding and more about partnering with him.
Speaker 1:I love that analogy.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Prayer as partnership. Exactly but if it's a conversation and not just me rattling off my wish list. That means I need to learn how to listen to that Absolutely.
Speaker 2:Grace Ambassadors offers a great example from the Old Testament, great the story of Job.
Speaker 1:The guy who lost everything but still trusted God.
Speaker 2:Exactly yeah. Job's prayers weren't just complaints or demands. He genuinely wanted to understand God's ways, even when life was brutal and confusing.
Speaker 1:That's a powerful model for us.
Speaker 2:It is.
Speaker 1:It's easy to throw a tantrum at God when things go wrong.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:But Job shows us a different way he does yeah.
Speaker 2:Grace Ambassadors emphasizes approaching prayer with humility.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Willingness to learn and a heart open to God's guidance.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Even if it's not what we expect.
Speaker 1:Less demanding, more seeking.
Speaker 2:I can get behind that.
Speaker 1:But we talked earlier about how prayer under grace should evolve as our understanding of God grows.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:How does that play into this whole listening thing?
Speaker 2:It's a beautiful connection actually, ok, as we mature in our faith.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Our prayers should reflect that growth.
Speaker 1:Uh huh.
Speaker 2:The things we prioritize, the way we approach God. Yeah, it all should shift.
Speaker 1:So it's OK if my prayers today look different from my prayers five years ago.
Speaker 2:Not just okay, it's essential. Just like our relationship with a friend deepens over time, so should our relationship with God. The things we talk about, the way we communicate, it all becomes more nuanced.
Speaker 1:I never thought of it that way, but it makes sense.
Speaker 2:It does.
Speaker 1:So, while we need to maintain reverence, we don't have to be scared to be real with God, to bring our whole selves to the conversation.
Speaker 2:Exactly, and that's what Grace Ambassadors highlights next. The balance between freedom and respect.
Speaker 1:Okay, walk me through that Sure, Because I'll admit sometimes that freedom under grace makes me feel a little too casual in my prayers.
Speaker 2:I think we've all been there.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But Grace Ambassadors reminds us that prayer is still a sacred act, a holy conversation.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:We can be honest and authentic.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Without becoming flippant or disrespectful.
Speaker 1:So it's about finding that sweet spot, yes, between familiarity and awe.
Speaker 2:You nailed it. Okay, we can be relaxed, yeah, knowing we're loved and accepted.
Speaker 1:Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:But never forgetting who we're talking to Right, the creator of the universe.
Speaker 1:That's a good point.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:It's easy to lose sight of the majesty of God when we're focused on our own little problems. Right but how do we cultivate that balance in our everyday prayers?
Speaker 2:Well Grace Ambassadors offers some great practical tips for that, which we'll dive into after a quick break.
Speaker 1:Okay, sounds good. All right, we're back and my head is spinning with all these amazing insights about prayer.
Speaker 2:I know Right.
Speaker 1:It's like we've upgraded from Prayer 101 to some serious masterclass level stuff.
Speaker 2:It is.
Speaker 1:But Grace Ambassadors keeps reminding us that prayer isn't about mastery Right, it's about relationship.
Speaker 2:It is.
Speaker 1:It's about drawing closer to God, not impressing him with our technique.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so true Right.
Speaker 1:But speaking of technique, you mentioned some practical tips.
Speaker 2:I did.
Speaker 1:For finding that balance between freedom and reverence in our prayers. I'm all ears because honestly, I need all the help I can get.
Speaker 2:Okay. Well, one thing Grace Ambassadors emphasizes is understanding the difference between positional truth and practical experience.
Speaker 1:Okay, those sound like theological terms.
Speaker 2:They do.
Speaker 1:Can you break it down for me?
Speaker 2:Absolutely Okay those sound like theological terms, they do. Can you break it down? For me, absolutely Okay. Positional truth is all about our secure standing before God, based on what Christ already did.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:It's that rock solid foundation of our salvation. Okay, the fact that we're loved and accepted, regardless of how well we pray.
Speaker 1:So it's who we are in Christ.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Not what we do.
Speaker 2:Exactly. But then there's practical experience, okay, which is our day-to-day walk with God. That includes the struggles, the victories, the joys and the sorrows, right, the messy reality of living out our faith in a broken world.
Speaker 1:So positional truth is the unchanging foundation.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:And practical experience is the ever-shifting landscape of our lives. You got it Okay.
Speaker 2:And Grace Ambassadors argues. We need to keep both in mind when we pray.
Speaker 1:Okay, why.
Speaker 2:Because it helps us avoid those extremes we talked about earlier.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Thinking our prayers earn us God's favor.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Or feeling like prayer is pointless because it doesn't change our salvation.
Speaker 1:So we don't have to pray out of fear or obligation, right, but we also shouldn't become apathetic.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:Prayer doesn't matter.
Speaker 2:Exactly. Our prayers don't change our position in Christ, but they can have a powerful impact on our day-to-day experience.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:They help us align our hearts with God's will.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Grow in understanding and find strength for the journey.
Speaker 1:So prayer is less about getting God to change his mind and more about allowing him to change ours.
Speaker 2:That's a great way to put it Okay, and one practical tip they offer for this kind of transformative prayer is praying scripture.
Speaker 1:Okay, so I'm not just reading the Bible, right, I'm praying it. How does that work?
Speaker 2:It's simple but powerful. Okay, take a passage that resonates with you, maybe a psalm praising God's faithfulness yeah, and use those words as a springboard for your own prayer.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:You're borrowing God's language to express your heart back to him.
Speaker 1:That's beautiful.
Speaker 2:It is.
Speaker 1:It's like we're tuning our hearts to the same frequency as God's.
Speaker 2:Exactly, wow, and you can pray scripture for anything.
Speaker 1:Oh okay.
Speaker 2:Wisdom, strength, guidance, forgiveness, the needs of others. It's an incredible way to align our prayers with God's heart.
Speaker 1:That's a game changer.
Speaker 2:It is.
Speaker 1:And speaking of specific needs.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Grace Ambassadors also talks about being specific in our prayers.
Speaker 2:They do.
Speaker 1:I'm so guilty of just praying in generalities. Yeah, god bless everyone.
Speaker 2:We all do it.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But think about how much more meaningful it is to pray for your friend's specific struggle Right, or for a particular challenge you're facing. By being specific, yeah, we're not only giving God more to work with, but we're also engaging our own hearts more fully in the prayer.
Speaker 1:It's like, instead of sending a vague text message, we're having a real face-to-face conversation with God and sharing the details that matter.
Speaker 2:Yes, and you know what else? When we're specific, we're more likely to notice God's answers.
Speaker 1:Oh.
Speaker 2:Even those subtle ways he shows up in our lives.
Speaker 1:That's a great point. It is it helps us cultivate gratitude.
Speaker 2:It does.
Speaker 1:Recognizing even the smallest blessings. But what about the biggest struggle of all Distractions? Oh yeah, I swear my mind has a mind of its own when I try to pray.
Speaker 2:Oh, trust me, You're not alone.
Speaker 1:Okay, good.
Speaker 2:Grace Ambassadors acknowledges how hard it is to quiet our minds in this noisy world. For sure, but they do offer some helpful tips.
Speaker 1:Okay, lay them on me.
Speaker 2:First, create a space where you can be alone with God, even if it's just a corner of your room, and make prayer a regular part of your day, not just something you squeeze in when you remember.
Speaker 1:So it's about being intentional.
Speaker 2:Yes, creating a rhythm for prayer Exactly and when those distractions inevitably pop up.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Gently redirect your focus back to God.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Maybe try focusing on a specific attribute of his, like his love or faithfulness.
Speaker 1:So it's like mental weightlifting.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Training our minds to stay focused on him.
Speaker 2:It takes practice.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But over time those distracting thoughts lose their power, ok, and you find yourself more easily drawn into God's presence.
Speaker 1:This is all so encouraging.
Speaker 2:Good.
Speaker 1:It feels less like I'm doing prayer wrong.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:And more like OK, I've got tools now, yeah, keep growing.
Speaker 2:Exactly Because, ultimately, prayer is a gift, a privilege. Yeah, it's about connecting with the God who loves us more than we can imagine it is, and allowing that love to transform us from the inside out.
Speaker 1:It's been an incredible journey, hasn't it?
Speaker 2:But it has.
Speaker 1:I feel like we've peeled back layers of misunderstanding and discovered something beautiful and life-giving. I agree discovered something beautiful and life-giving.
Speaker 2:I agree, yeah. And as we wrap up this deep dive, remember Grace Ambassador's final point.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Prayer is not a burden. Okay, it's an invitation.
Speaker 1:Okay, it's God saying come, let's talk, yeah, let's share your heart and let me fill you with mine. But let's ditch the pressure to be perfect, yes, and embrace the joy of simply being present with God.
Speaker 2:Yes, messy and imperfect as we are, amen and if you ever, of simply being present with God.
Speaker 1:Yes, Messy and imperfect as we are.
Speaker 2:Amen.
Speaker 1:And if you ever find yourself lost or confused, set go the disciples prayer.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Lord, teach me to pray.
Speaker 2:He'll never turn away a heart that's seeking him.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you for joining us on the deep dive.
Speaker 2:Until next time, keep seeking, keep exploring and keep diving deep.