Drawing-near, conversational-prayer is where we can “be led by the Spirit as [mature] sons of God” into sanctification/holiness

 

 

 

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Drawing-near, conversational-prayer, not bible-study, is the key to starting the whole “personal holiness” ball rolling, and the Spirit of holiness (a), the Holy Spirit (b) takes it from there! It’s like a quarterback handing off the ball to his running back. Hogging the ball with “might and power” self-determination to zealously do the “works of righteousness” for God is nothing more than more Law!  Biblical prayer is all about surrendering-control! Renner.org recognizes proseuche conversational-prayer “demands surrender, consecration (holiness means ‘set apart’ sanctification or consecration), and thanksgiving from us.”  Isn’t it strange that although you find this practice of worshipful, thankful, patiently-waiting, watchful, listening, dialogue of proseuche conversational-prayer a dominant reason that started revivals and actually the dominant practice during revivals – and subsequent holiness throughout the area, you see very little of it in the modern Church today!  If there is any prayer, it’s a 5 minute ritualistic reciting of the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ as if it was something other than the model of how to pray that it actually is – and many Catholics still use the repetition of rosary beads, but in either case completely ignoring Christ’s warning to “not-in-possibility babble repetitiously as the pagans do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words” per Matthew 6:7!  <Notes> a) Romans 1:4, b) use only 3 times in the OT [Psalms 51:11, 63:10-11] but 95 times in the NT – this explains Zechariah 4:6’s “not by might nor power but by My Spirit” emphasis of the New Covenant.

 

As we’ve seen all along, “proseuche conversational-prayer” is the only thing we really can “do” and that’s just to get “the ball rolling” towards “genuinely, experientially, relationally epiginosko knowing God’s will by the means of all Spirit-kind of wisdom and understanding” that leads to “walking in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work” (a). Just as Paul proseuchomai conversationally-prays, so should we in order to be “empowered through His Spirit in our inner being so that . . .we may be definitively/wholly pleroo filled-to-completeness with [the content of] the pleroma abundant-completeness of God” (b).  No amount of “working for righteousness” (c) will work to “be holy and blameless before Him” (d), “be holy without blameless” (e) and “above reproach before Him” (f), “calling us . . . in holiness” (g) for “you shall be holy for I am holy” (h) or “you must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (i).  None of our “might and power” will work as Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, “To this end we ongoingly proseuchomai conversationally-pray always for you, that our God may MAKE you worthy of His calling and may definitively/wholly pleroo fill-to-completion every one [of your] delights/petitions of/belonging-to goodness and/coupled [singular] work of [singular] trusting-relying-faith by the means of His dunamis enabling-power, [in a manner so] that the name/authority of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, kata down-from/according-to the unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Holiness comes from unconditional grace not by works lest anybody boast (j)!  Praise the Lord! <Notes> a) Colossians 1:9-10, b) Ephesians 3:16-19, c) Romans 4:6; Titus 3:5, d) Ephesians 1:4, e) Ephesians 5:27, f) Colossians 1:22, g) 1 Thessalonians 4:7, h) 1 Peter 1:16 citing Leviticus 11:44, i) Matthew 5:48, j) Ephesians 2:9; Romans 3:27, 4:2.

 

Peter and Jude understood this link between the “self-control” needed for holiness and “proseuche conversational-prayer” too!  Peter says:  “Now that the end has already [with ongoing effects] eggizo ‘drawn extremely close-beside’ [I strongly urge you to] definitively/wholly be sophroneo self-controlled and/coupled nepho sober-minded (b) eis ‘towards and reaching the goal of’ proseuche conversational-prayer” (c). Jude also understood how we can “be definitively/wholly tereo ‘carefully watch/observe to safely-guard, care-for/attend-to, firmly-hold/stand-in/maintain-a-present-state’ yourself in The Unconditional-Love of/belonging-to God” so as to not be “worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.” How?  The present participles following indicate how most likely sequentially: “routinely be building up yourselves in the most holy Trusting-Relying-Faith of yours, [by] routinely proseuchomai conversationally-praying by-the-means-of the Holy Spirit, [by] routinely prosdechomai ‘expectantly waiting to interactively welcome’ for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to zoe genuine-life everlasting (d). <Notes> a) sophroneo means “safety-minded, safe as to what regulates life like our diaphragm, also derived from phroneo, controls our ability to breathe which controls our heartbeat and thus our life.  It also means to have a sober outlook that reflects true balance, truly moderate, controlled to blend the extremities of truth on both side of a matter,” b) nepho:  not intoxicated or drunk, temperate, self-controlled, clear-minded, rational, c) 1 Peter 4:7, d) Jude 1:19-21.

 

The key to spiritual warfare isn’t learning more of the bible to quote back to Satan and his demons, but that’s what so many churches teach. Jesus said NOTHING but this kind of proseuche conversational-prayer would drive out some kinds of demons for healing, not even fasting (a).  James 5:13-18 says proseuche conversational-prayer is the solution to making it through troubles, even sickness!  Paul says in Ephesians 6:17-18, the “sword of the Spirit” to swing against the enemy isn’t bible verses, what churches says is “the Word of God” – but that’s not even what logos means in the NT as Logos Word of God shows!  Instead “the sword” “is presently/ongoing [singular] directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema word of/belonging-to God,” and Paul tells you exactly how to get this – not through readying, studying, and memorizing the gramma writings in the logos messages of the bible, and certainly not the OT graphe scripture collection of gramma writings, but “dia thru-the-realizing-channel-of pas all-kinds-of proseuche conversational-prayer and/coupled deesis supplication-prayer.”  That’s because rhema words are directly-spoken and listened to be heard, not read!

 

<Notes> a) Mark 9:29 – “and fasting” was added in later by Catholic monks who practiced this OT “tradition of the elders” that is not even specified in OT Law – see Conversational-Prayer – BT4 on fasting but see also Net Bible note.  When Paul’s team appointed elders in every church in Acts 14:23 they did so with proseuchomai conversationally-praying.”  The addition of “and fasting” is not found even in textual variants nor is it warranted because in 3 of the 4 other uses of that form in Acts 1:24 choosing of the 12^th apostles above, Acts 6:6 laying hands on the 7 chosen deacons above, and Acts 21:5 departing of Paul bellows, there is no implication of fasting.  However, the common rabbinical phrase “fasting and prayer” is found in Acts 13:3 of the early church of Antioch prophets and teachers gathered together to leitourgeo liturgical-worship-serve the Lord and/coupled fasting.  While doing so the Holy Spirit told them to set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.  Then after again ‘fasting and praying’ they laid their hands on them [likely for anointing, blessing, and ordination] they sent the off.  Clearly the limited use of leitourgeo liturgical-worship-serving indicates that these Christians were Jewish still following many of the OT “traditions of the elders” like fasting.  As the church became more Gentile you see this fade away until the Catholic Church resurrected many of them after 200 AD.

 

Now let’s see how Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:18 to get “the sword of the Spirit that is presently/ongoing [singular] directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema word of/belonging-to God”: by “routinely be proseuchomai conversationally-praying in pas all-kinds-of kairos ‘suitable, right, seasonable, opportune seasons/occassions’ by-the-means-of [singular] Spirit and/coupled eis ‘toward and reaching the goal of’ this, be routinely agrupneo vigilantly-watching by-the-means-of all proskarteresis devoted-relational-perseverance and/coupled deesis supplication-prayer for all the saints.”  Again, it doesn’t come from bible-study!

 

Can you see that even our proseuche conversational-prayer is to be empowered by the Spirit of holiness as a persevering routine lifestyle habit?  And we saw in 1 Corinthians 14:14-16 that “proseuchomai conversationally-praying (and even singing) by-the-means-of The [Holy] Spirit” is likely proseuchomai conversationally-praying in tongues! And when our “minds are unproductive,” when “we don’t dei behoove what to proseuchomai conversationally-pray for as we ought,” then “the Spirit Himself intercedes for us by the means of inexpressible/unspeakable groanings/sighs” per Romans 8:26.  See also The Grace-Gifts of Tongues & Interpretation and Conversational-Prayer – BT22.

 

If we want sanctification/holiness we have to be enmpowered by the Spirit of holiness!  Paul said “for as many as are presently/ongoingly ago ‘led or driven’ by-the-means-of [singular] Spirit of God, these presently/ongoingly are huios ‘matured-sons that can receive their inheritance’ of/belonging-to God” (a). Paul strongly-urges us “to presently/ongoingly peripateo ‘‘walk-all-around or live’ by-the-means-of [singular] Spirit” (b) even routinely (c), and because we already “presently/ongoingly zoa genuine-live by-the-means-of [singular] Spirit, we should also presently/ongoingly stoicheo ‘to walk in a line, in strict accordance to a particular pace or cadence, thus to keep in step’ by-the-means-of [singular] Spirit” (d).  Church growth doesn’t come from evangelism programs, but: “the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria . . . multiplied” exactly because it had “by-the-means of the paraklesis ‘exhortation from an urging by someone close-beside, thus motivation, inspiration, encouragement, comfort, counsel, or instruction’ of the Holy Spirit” and thus “it continually had peace, was routinely built up and/coupled poreuomai journeying-about in the fear/reverential-awe of the Lord” (e).  Let’s not get ‘the cart before the horses’ as many churches do!   <Notes> a) Romans 8:14, b) Galatians 5:16, c) Romans 8:4, d) Galatians 5:25, e) Acts 9:31.

 

This goes way beyond reading, studying, and memorizing commandments from the bible, for “sin, seizing opportunities through the commandments, deceives you and through the commandments will kill you” (a). If you follow human teachers, sooner or later, you will be deceived, for “evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived, but as for you, continue in what you have manthano ‘learned the facts through experiential, reflective knowledge’ and have firmly had trusting-relying-faith in, having already [with ongoingly effects] eido mentally ‘seen’ to perceive/know from [plural] whom you learned it” (b).  In context Paul isn’t telling Timothy to follow synagogue rabbis who taught OT scriptures or the Law, who were “always routinely manthano learning but never able to arrive at a genuine, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of The Truth” (c).  The “whom” is plural, which could include in context his mother Eunice and maybe even his grandmother Lois (d), which were the prophetic portions of the “sacred gramma writings, [specifically] the ones that were able to make him wise for salvation dia thru-the-realizing-channel-of trusting-relying-faith in Christ Jesus” (e).  But it could have the all the reinforcement by Paul since Timothy was his pastor-in-training who he is always writing to in order to instruct him.  All this may be true, but Paul’s use of eido is a word most common to personal prophetic vision acquired from direct contact with the Lord! <Notes> a) Romans 7:11, b) 2 Timothy 3:14, c) 2 Timothy 3:7, d) 2 Timothy 1:5, e) 2 Timothy 3:15.

 

Eido perception-knowledge is the same way all Christians “manthano learned Christ . . . as you were taught by-the-means-of Him, as The Truth is IN Jesus” (a). That’s exactly why the completely-different-in-kind New Covenant Way of the “yada/ginosko knowledge of God” is “absolutely not in possibility or in fact [such] that each one be teaching his neighbor or his brethren,” as was required under the old covenant to disseminate the gramma writings and the gnosis informational-knowledge about God and His will down from the greatest to the least, from Moses all the way down to the household servants and Gentile converts.  Instead God promises it will be now by “eido mentally ‘seeing’ to perceive/know Yahweh – from the least of them to the greatest” (b)!  <Notes> a) Ephesians 4:20-21, b) Jeremiah 31:34 cited in Hebrews 8:11, cf. Hebrews 10:16-17.

 

Jesus explains clearly what “learning Christ” means:  “Take My yoke (a) and/coupled manthano learn from Me” (b), thus “Everyone who has already manthano learned from the Father comes to Me” (c).  This means the Spirit was teaching!  Learning from God comes from prophesy, which is hearing the directly-spoken prophetic rhema word of the Lord (d).  John warned his readers about teachers who would end up deceiving them, saying instead “you’all have been anointed by the Holy One, and so you’all already [with ongoing effects] eido mentally ‘seen’ to perceive/know all-things . . . The anointing that you already have received from God presently/ongoingly meno ‘abides, remains, lives’ IN you (e), and so you have absolutely-in-fact-NO need that ANYONE should teach you, . . . His anointing actually, presently/ongoingly teaches you ALL things, . . . therefore, just as it has already taught you, presently/ongoing meno ‘abide, remain, live’ in Him” (f). <Notes> a) connecting rod for training animals, b) Matthew 11:29, c) John 6:45, d) 1 Corinthians 14:31, e) a reference to the Holy Spirit, f) 1 John 2:20-27.

 

Despite what Paul and other church leaders have pressed, we are only supposed on have “One Teacher.”  Jesus made that crystal clear in Matthew 23:8 saying “One is presently/ongoing The Teacher of/belonging-to you” – see Teach One Another – BT10, so “that you’all in-possibility-NOT might not be called rabbi,” “which means teacher” (a).  Just as the Spirit led people to come to Christ (b), now that Christ is in heaven, Jesus has given us the promised grace-gift of the Father (c) of “another Parakletos “helper, advocate, counselor, teacher, comforter’ to be with [and especially IN] you forever” (d).  Now for us, the Spirit is still the “One Teacher” to “guide you into ALL The Truth” (e), “who will teach you ALL things” (f). Christians sure go to a lot of trouble finding their favorite teachers to follow, when they could just develop a deep enough proseuche conversational-prayer life to actually akouo listen/hear-to-understand/know the “One Teacher” who will always tell you exactly what you need to hear! <Notes> a) John 1:3, b) John 6:45, c) John 14:16, cf. Matthew 7:11; Luke 11:13; Ephesians 1:17, d) John 14:16-17, 26, 15:26, 16:7; 1 John 2:1, e) John 16:13, f) John 14:26.

 

Drawing-near to God is a Hebrew idiom for “seeking, inquiring of, calling on, hearing, delighting in, and ministering to” God through “reverential, trusting, heart-felt, listening, attentive, proseuche conversational-prayer” as we see in:  1 Samuel 14:37; the way to minister to God per Ezekiel 43:19; prayer in the house of God more important than foolish sacrifices per Ecclesiastes 5:1; more important than lip-service and blindly following man-taught commandments per Isaiah 29:13; important to actually hear the Lord per Isaiah 34:1 and 48:16, which is what God’s zeteo diligently-seeking and delighting people do per Isaiah 58:2; but rebellious people won’t listen or have trusting-relying-faith either per Zephaniah 3:1; Psalms 145:18 promises “The Lord is near to all who call on Him” and people experienced this per Lamentations 3:57.

 

In proseuche conversational-prayer James 4:6-8 strongly-urges us to eggizo ‘draw extremely close-beside’ God” by “definitively/wholly hupotasso ‘voluntarily submitting, yielding or falling in line behind a commander’ to God” in order for “God to eggizo ‘draw extremely close-beside’ to you” in order to receive “the present/ongoing giving of unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace from Him to those who are lowly/humble.”  This is how we definitively/wholly anthistemi ‘stand against or opposed to, to resist’ the devil kai and/thus he shall indeed flee from you.”  Otherwise, “God anthistemi ‘stand against or opposed to, to resist’ the proud/arrogant.” It all belongs together in the Greek – I’ve heard some strange doctrines from people pulling verses out of context!

 

Likewise Hebrews 11:6 says: “Without trusting-relying-faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would proserchomai draw near to God must have trusting-relying-faith that He is presently/ongoingly exists and/coupled is presently/ongoingly a Rewarder to those who zeteo diligently-seek Him” – yet another Hebrew idiom for worshipful prayer!   Hebrews 4:15 says, “Because we have a high priest that can sympathize with our weaknesses, having been tempted in every respect but without sin, let us then confidently proserchomai draw near to the throne of unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace.”  Bible verses from the 97.4% of the OT that is Law-based – see Logos Word of God – BT5a – sure won’t help us with holiness, as Hebrews 7:19, 25 says:  “The Law made nothing perfect, but we have been given a better hope through which we presently/ongoingly eggizo ‘draw extremely close-beside’ to God.”  Hebrews 10:21-22 says “Since having a great priest over the house of God we should presently/ongoingly proserchomai draw near with a sincere-truthful heart by the means of the full assurance of trusting-relying-faith.” Hebrews 7:24-25, since Christ “holds His priesthood permanently . . . He is able to save to the uttermost those who presently/ongoingly proserchomai draw near to God through Him, since Christ lives forever to make intercession for them.”

 

Can you see how “devoted, heart-felt, humble seeking, drawing near, attentive-listening in reverential awe, calling on, and delighting in the Lord” are all one-in-the-same “proseuche conversational-prayer” and this does indeed require trusting-relying-faith that God is there to be found and that it’s worth the time and effort to daily practice this habit, especially have you want any hope of sanctification/holiness?

 

Metamorphic transformation won’t come reading the bible, let alone the books of Moses!  Paul warns Jewish-Christians in 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 that if they even read the Law of Moses (a), like Jews who atenizo ‘fixed their eyes on or gazing at’ Moses’ face that shown from directly meeting God, than now Jewish-Christians reading Moses will have their hearts be hardened just like the Jews’ were. Metamorphoo ‘metamorphic transformation’ (b) instead comes from kataoptanomai ‘fixing that eyes on or gazing with wide-open eyes [in amazement] as looking in a mirror’ the glory of the Lord [Jesus], who is the Spirit,” not by reading the old covenant of Moses!  Hebrews 12:2 says we should be aphorao ‘turning the eyes away from something toward fixing the eyes on another to observe, perceive-know, or discern it’ eis ‘toward and reaching the goal of’ Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our trusting-relying-faith.” This is where our focused-gaze should be, not on ancient biblical writings, and so watchful proseuche conversational-prayer is a great way to practice this! <Notes> a) technically the first 5 books of the OT, but 97.4% of the OT contains the conditions of obedience for God’s conditional-favor – see Logos Word of God – BT5a, b) Romans 12:2 – it’s highly questionable that Paul meant for “the renewing of the mind” by having your head buried in the bible, and certainly NOT the OT graphe scripture.  Paul’s writings consistently speak of the Holy Spirit renewing the mind through genuine, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge through koinonia intimate-fellowship, not be acquiring gnosis informational-knowledge from books!

 

So much of sin comes from our knee-jerk reactions to “the cares/anxieties of the world.”  Proseuche conversational-prayer is where we can not only cast our anxieties to His personal care by “being still/quiet,” and then desperately cry out, call upon, ask, entreat, beg, plead, require, and even demand for the presence of God Himself, drawing near to God, learning to delight in Him alone, not just bringing our petitions “before God” but asking “for God” Himself, knowing that IN Him, BY Him, and WITH Him all our personal needs are met. This is where healing and strength against temptation is acquired – not by quoting scripture, but by feeding off every directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema word that comes from the mouth of God, so the Lord becomes our daily bread! Christ’s directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema word is Spirit and zoe genuine-life. Having such a resounding “Yes” within you gives you the strength to say “No” to the distractions of the world, the flesh, and the devil!  Prayer is where we can ask for the ability to forgive others in order to receive our healing and be set free from stronghold bondages in our lives. This is where we learn the gospel logos message of The Truth, who is Christ, who sets us free from every captivity to be able to live righteous and holy lives in an unholy world.

 

Good works?  As the nature or fruit of the Holy Spirit works in us more and more “both to desire and to do His good pleasure,” we experience how “easy Christ’s yoke is and how light His burden is,” and we will naturally find ourselves worshiping and praising the Lord more and more as we experience His awesome wonder. Sharing Christ will also be natural, from the overflow of the Spirit’s unconditional-love and joy in us.  These are certainly the “good works” we were created for!

 

This is where we open ourselves up to experience the grace-gifts, signs, and wonders of the Holy Spirit. This is how we can receive and practice tongues to build ourselves up in our trusting-relying-faith, praising and thanking God by the Spirit – see also Conversational-Prayer – BT22.  This is where we can patiently watch for dreams, visions, and prophecy, in order to be led by the Spirit, keep in step with the Spirit, and walk by the Spirit All this and much more happens when we are devoted to patiently waiting, watching, listening, worshipful, conversational-prayer.

 

This is what it means to be a disciple of Christ, a follower of the living person of Christ, not others or even the writings about Him. This is when we can learn to be humble, lowly, and “all ears” teachable like trusting, boldly-confident, relentless little children and the other Least Among You so that we can receive more unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace to be lifted up, strengthened, and renewed to walk, run, and even fly.  We will learn like little children do – directly from their parents by what they see and hear!