Prayer is Two Way Communication

When we discussed about prayer, it seems most people teaches prayer as you are communicating to God, and in turn as you read the Bible, God communicates with you.  I think this is the very basic form of communication with God when in comes to Christianity.

There is nothing wrong with such teaching, but as we grow older and more mature in our spiritual walk with the LORD, we discover that prayer is actually a two way communication.  As we talk and share to God our worship and concerns, the Holy Spirit who is in us in turn speaks to our heart, if we are able to really quiet ourselves before Him.

Prayer is actually listening rather than speaking.  It is very important for us Christians to learn how to discern and listen to the Holy Spirit who speaks directly to us.  There is always a thin line when we talk about this matter.  The question that pops to our mind, how will I know if what I am thinking of is what God wants rather than my own personal want?  The right question should be, are we really filling our minds with the Word of God or not?  In order to be able to discern the will of God, first and foremost is to have a right relationship with Him.

It is really quieting before the Lord.  This is another wrong concept of quiet time.  Most of the time quiet time is doing prayer and reading the Bible.  Though this is right in one sense, but the most important which we often neglect was actually, practically "quiet or being still or ssshhh" before the LORD in order to listen.  Sadly most of the time we are so much in a hurry in our quiet time that we missed out God speaking to us.

Prayer is actually being able to say what God wants rather than just praying about things we want.