Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (Jeremiah 23:29)
Praying is leaning into Jesus and listening to his voice. But prayer is also kneeling before Jesus and worshipping in the splendor of his holiness. By prayer we can draw closer to God, coming to know the deep things of His heart. But by prayer we are also broken apart, being conformed to his image. By his voice he shapes our many thoughts and desires according to his very own. But by his voice he also shakes the many things that entangle our feet and harden our hearts.
Every time God speaks he accomplishes one of two things in us and for us:
1. God's word comes like a fire and purifies our hearts. All the impurities rise to the surface when we are in the presence of God. When he speaks, he purifies and cleanses. He doesn't condemn us in his presence, but he does convict us. Nothing can separate our thoughts from his, our affections from his, our flesh from his Holy Spirit, like hearing his voice. God's voice comes loud and clear and exposes the lies we've believed, the sins we've covered and the other voices we've admired. It is good to be in prayer and to listen for his voice, because his words purify.
2. God's word comes like a hammer and softens our hearts. There are many things that harden our hearts from hearing God's voice. But his word comes and breaks down the hardness of our hearts and softens it, so that we can be ever more sensitive to his leading, his impulse, and his presence. There is nothing that compares to hearing and recognizing the voice of God speaking to your soul. It fills you with awe, joy, love, thankfulness and adoration. Additionally, there are many things that battle over the territory of our heart. But God's voice comes to crush and strip all our enemies of their power. Nothing can stand against the power of the voice of God.
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