The Power of Silence
Prayer AW Tozer • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 231 viewsNotes
Transcript
Handout
There are lessons that only can be learned by the noise and experience of what is going on around you.
There are lessons of eternity which will only be learned in silence..
Be still and know wrote one of the psalmists.
Most prayers are offered in the fashion of what we can get out of the prayer.
The prayer that will offer the most satisfaction is when we go to God to not ask anything, just to spend time with in conversation with Him.
These types of prayers can lead to a whole new and different level of experience with our Father.
People we look to as holy understood this principle.
David in wrote about being silent.
I was mute and silent;
I held my peace to no avail,
and my distress grew worse.
My heart became hot within me.
As I mused, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:
The modern prophets would learn well that the heart very seldom gets warm when the mouth is running.
The modern prophets would learn well that the heart very seldom gets warm when the mouth is running.
"No man is qualified to speak who has not first listened. “
We as a culture would do well if we would just sit and wait on the Lord.
Wait for His still small voice.
If we wait patiently and not in fear, it would cure a lot of the issues we have with apprehension and nervousness.
Exploring with Tozer
It is likely we don't know the value of silence before God for two reasons.
We fail to realize that God is still speaking today and that we need solitude to be able to hear Him.
In our business, we wouldn't be able to recognize the still small voice that is described by Elijah in
And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Even if we did, we might ask why me?
We have accepted the fallacy that activity, size, business, all make us and bring us closer to God.
All the electronics and things we have that sort of run our world, have their proper place.
If we take these things and allow God to use them as tools instead of us allowing them to be dictators of our lives, then we have them in perspective.
Be still and know
Without this silence and solitude, we will never really know the One who is answering our prayers.
We will be like the other nine lepers who were healed by Jesus and went on their way. There was only one who returned to praise and worship Him for what he had done.
If we focus on the "gets" in our prayers, then it is more likely we will see prayer not to be worth the time when our prayers are delayed, or we get a no answer.
Reflect and Apply
"Prayer among evangelical Christians is always in danger of degenerating into a glorified gold rush." How do we avoid this "get" mentality? How could we redesign our prayer life in such a way that God Himself is more of the focus? Begin with a day per week before the throne of grace with no petitions. Are there other suggestions?
"A closed mouth before God and a silent heart are indispensable for the reception of certain kinds of truth. No man is qualified to speak who has not first listened." Why is this silence before God necessary to every believer, as well as to the evangelist, the teacher of God's Word, and those who want to use their spiritual gifts to God's glory?
It might be "a wonderful revelation to some Christians if they were to get completely quiet for a short time, long enough, let us say, to get acquainted with their own souls, and to listen in silence for the deep voice of the eternal God." Was there a time in your walk with Christ that you heard the deep voice of the eternal God? If it is not happening now or very infrequently and you want to return to that happening once again, spend some time with a mentor to suggest some steps of grace in the right direction. Season your steps with much prayer and time in the Word of God and with repentance as necessary!