1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to the Untangling Prayer Podcast. I'm Rachel Wojo, 2 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:16,599 Speaker 1: and each week we unravel life's nons through prayer. Here 3 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: you'll find practical wisdom and prayer encouragement to guide you 4 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:25,439 Speaker 1: through life's hardest seasons. Join me as we untangle life's 5 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: messes together, one prayer at a time. Welcome to the 6 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: Untangling Prayer Podcast. I'm Rachel, and I'm grateful you're here 7 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 1: this week, especially as Easter reminds us that Jesus has 8 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 1: already won the battle for our hearts and he fills 9 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:49,239 Speaker 1: us with hope and reassurance. It's Easter week and if 10 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:52,879 Speaker 1: you tuned into last week's episode, we talked about praying 11 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: from victory and how the Resurrection can change our entire 12 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 1: posture when we come to God. But as I've read 13 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 1: the Resurrection story this week, there's a question from Luke 14 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:07,960 Speaker 1: twenty four that I've been pondering. Luke twenty four to 15 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: five says, the woman came to the tomb on Sunday 16 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: morning and they've got spices, they're ready to tend to 17 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: a dead body, and the angels stop them and say, 18 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: why do you look for the living among the dead, 19 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 1: And I stopped at that question this week because I 20 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:30,319 Speaker 1: wasn't just thinking about the women at the tomb. I 21 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: was thinking about myself and some of the places I've 22 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 1: been looking for life lately that have no life to give. 23 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 1: That's where we're going today, not just the Easter story, 24 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: but that question, the Angel's question, because I think it 25 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: might be one of the most important things we sit 26 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 1: with this Resurrection week. Before we dive in, I want 27 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 1: to tell you about my book, Desperate Prayers, Embracing the 28 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:02,279 Speaker 1: Power of Prayer and life Life's Darkest Moments. In case 29 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: you've not been around and you've been in a season 30 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 1: where prayer felt more like surviving than celebration. This book 31 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: was written from that place. It's available at Despertprayers dot 32 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 1: com or wherever you buy books. The link is in 33 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:22,800 Speaker 1: the show notes. And now this week's question in Hard Space, 34 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: our first segment is always a question, and so for 35 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 1: this week we're beginning with where have I been looking 36 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 1: for life and places that can't give it? I want 37 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:36,799 Speaker 1: to be honest with you because I could talk about 38 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 1: all the external stuff, the culture, social media, all the 39 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 1: places out there that promise life and deliver emptiness, addictions, 40 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,799 Speaker 1: those are real, but that's not where God has been 41 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 1: pressing on me. He's been pressing on the dead places 42 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: inside of my own heart, those hidden areas where negative 43 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:02,959 Speaker 1: self talk and untruth just rests right there. And sometimes 44 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:07,239 Speaker 1: we struggle to recognize that there is healing and growth 45 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: that needs to take place. And so I wanted to 46 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: help you identify some of the things that I've encountered 47 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:15,799 Speaker 1: in my own life. There are three patterns that I've 48 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 1: kind of found that are not from the Holy Spirit. 49 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 1: Thoughts that are not true, not honest, not of good report. 50 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 1: Things where I've been belittling myself, berating myself for speaking 51 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 1: words over my own life, that is not from a 52 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 1: heart that's fixed on Jesus. So we all do this, 53 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: don't we. We might not call it that, We might 54 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: not call it being harder on ourselves, or we might 55 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 1: call it holding ourselves to a higher standard. But if 56 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 1: we're honest, there's a difference between healthy conviction and the 57 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: kind of self talk that tears us apart on the inside. 58 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:57,119 Speaker 1: Jesus told us exactly what happens when we let go 59 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 1: unchecked out of the abundance of the heart. The mouth 60 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: speaks when our hearts are full of condemnation and criticism. 61 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: It doesn't stay in there. It eventually comes out. It 62 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: comes out in the words we speak to our families, 63 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 1: in how we pray, whether we pray at all, what's 64 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: living in our hearts flows out of our mouths. And 65 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:24,920 Speaker 1: as we stand at the tomb with our spices ready 66 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: to tend something dead, the Angel is stopping and saying, 67 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:33,560 Speaker 1: why are you here? Life is not here? Stop looking 68 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 1: in this place. So let me ask you where have 69 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: you been looking for life in dead places? And I'm 70 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 1: not talking just about eternal things. What have you been 71 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 1: saying to yourself when nobody else is listening? The running 72 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 1: commentary in your own head? Is it true? Is honest? 73 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 1: Is it a good report? Because Philippians four eight tells 74 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: us where life is found. Finally, brothers and sisters says, 75 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 1: whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever 76 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 1: is honest, pure lovely, whatever is admirable, anything that's excellent 77 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:15,239 Speaker 1: or praiseworthy. Think on these things. That's the living place. 78 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 1: That's where we're supposed to set up camp, not at 79 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: the tomb of our own failures, trying to anoint something 80 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 1: that God dealt with on the cross. Proverbs four twenty 81 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 1: three makes it very plain. Above all else, guard your heart, 82 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:34,040 Speaker 1: for everything you do flows from it, above all else, 83 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 1: not when you get around to it, or if it's convenient, 84 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: Because what flows from our hearts determines the words we speak, 85 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 1: the prayers we pray, the life that we live. Thanks 86 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: so much for listening to this segment of Questions in 87 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 1: Hard Spaces. We'll be right back after this brief word 88 00:05:57,200 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: from our sponsors. Thank you for tuning in to that 89 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 1: word from our sponsors. And now for this week's pray 90 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: More Worthy, Less Encouragement, And this is the segment of 91 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 1: the podcast where we focus on one prayer principle. The 92 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 1: principle for this week is the battle for your heart 93 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:22,920 Speaker 1: starts with what you let live there. I wanted to 94 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:26,160 Speaker 1: connect this back to prayer because here's what I've realized 95 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:31,279 Speaker 1: about myself. When my heart is full of those dead 96 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: places thought to sell us, thought self destruction, self criticism, 97 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 1: it poisons my prayer life. I don't want to talk 98 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: to God because I don't feel like I deserve to. 99 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 1: And I think many of us have been there, feeling 100 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 1: unworthy to approach God because of our inner struggles. But 101 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 1: I want to remind you that God's love is unconditional. 102 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,839 Speaker 1: His arms are open, and he longs to meet you 103 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:02,280 Speaker 1: in your brokenness, not to condemn, but to restore and renew. 104 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: So how do we stop looking for the living among 105 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: the dead? How do we guard our hearts and actually 106 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 1: start living in the place of Philippians for eight, rather 107 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 1: than in the tomb? Well, first we have to learn 108 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 1: to recognize the voice. Not every thought in our head 109 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: is ours, and not every thought in our head is 110 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: from God. There is a simple test. Does the thought 111 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 1: convict you and offer a way forward that's the Holy Spirit, 112 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 1: Or does it condemn you and leave you stuck? That's 113 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 1: not of God. Romans eight one says, there's therefore now 114 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. If 115 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 1: what your hearing is condemnation, it is not God's voice. 116 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 1: Walk away from that tomb. But secondly, replace the dead 117 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 1: with the living. And this is where Philippians four eight 118 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 1: gets practical, Because when we catch a thought that is 119 00:07:57,480 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 1: not true, that is not honest, that is not of 120 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: good report, we don't just try to stop thinking it. 121 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 1: We replace it with the truth. For me, I'm a 122 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: failure gets replaced with Ephesians two ten, I am God's 123 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 1: workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works. When I 124 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: can't do anything right, I replace that with Philippians four thirteen. 125 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. 126 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 1: So what's yours? What's the lie that plays in your head? 127 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 1: The scripture that speaks truth over it? It's not positive thinking. 128 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 1: It's letting the living word of God push out the 129 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:42,560 Speaker 1: dead words. And then, thirdly, guard the gate daily. We 130 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 1: went over that a guard doesn't just show up after 131 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 1: the enemy's already inside. The guard watches that the gate 132 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:52,320 Speaker 1: keeps the enemy from going in. And so we have 133 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 1: to ask ourselves what are we letting in? What are 134 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:58,199 Speaker 1: we listening to? What are we scrolling? What conversations are 135 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 1: we replaying in our heads at midnight? Guarding is a 136 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 1: daily choice and sometimes an early choice. Prayer is how 137 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:09,440 Speaker 1: we do it to every time you catch a dead 138 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:13,000 Speaker 1: thought and bring it to the Lord that is guarding. 139 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: Every time you say, Lord, that thought is not from 140 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:19,080 Speaker 1: you and I'm not keeping it. That is guarding. That 141 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:22,079 Speaker 1: is the battle, and it is a battle, but we 142 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:26,000 Speaker 1: fight from victory. The tomb is empty. The thing that 143 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 1: tried to steal your identity, your peace, your sense of worth. 144 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: It doesn't get the last word. Jesus does. So this Easter, 145 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:37,440 Speaker 1: I'm making a choice. I am walking away from the 146 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:40,320 Speaker 1: dead places in my own thinking, and I'm inviting you 147 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: to do the same. Guard what you let into your heart. 148 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:48,560 Speaker 1: Ask the Holy Spirit to fill the spaces that lies 149 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 1: have occupied. Because we don't have to live at the 150 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 1: tomb anymore. We're living in the presence of the living God. 151 00:09:55,400 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 1: The grave is empty, you know. For the our final 152 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:03,320 Speaker 1: segment each week, I usually share an answer prayer story, 153 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:06,280 Speaker 1: and this week I wanted to do something a little different. 154 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:09,720 Speaker 1: I wanted to share this story from a book that 155 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 1: I've been reading, a Retrospect by missionary Hudson Taylor, and 156 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 1: the entire book gave me so much to think about 157 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 1: when I read it this past fall, I've revisited again 158 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:26,880 Speaker 1: and again in regards to God's provision and his presence. 159 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 1: Here's the story. On January sixth one, solitary cash remained 160 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 1: the twentieth part of a penny in the joint possession 161 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:38,960 Speaker 1: of mister Juns and myself. Though we tried to look 162 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:42,839 Speaker 1: to God once again to manifest his gracious care enough 163 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:47,559 Speaker 1: provision was found in the house to supply a meager breakfast, 164 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 1: after which, having neither food for the rest of the 165 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:53,880 Speaker 1: day nor money to buy anything, we can only betake 166 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: ourselves to him who was able to supply all our need, 167 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 1: with the petition give us say our daily bread. After 168 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:06,440 Speaker 1: prayer and deliberation, we thought that perhaps we ought to 169 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 1: dispose of something we possessed in order to meet our 170 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:15,840 Speaker 1: immediate requirements. But on looking around, we saw nothing that 171 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:20,080 Speaker 1: we could well spare, and little that the Chinese would 172 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 1: purchase for ready money. Credit. To any extent we might 173 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: have had, could we conscientiously have availed ourselves of it, 174 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:33,080 Speaker 1: But this we felt to be unscriptural in itself, as 175 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:36,480 Speaker 1: well as inconsistent with the position we were in. We had 176 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 1: indeed one article, an iron stove, which we knew the 177 00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 1: Chinese would readily purchase, but we much regretted the necessity 178 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 1: of parting with it. At length, however, we set out 179 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 1: to the founders, and after a walk of some distance, 180 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:54,560 Speaker 1: came to the river, which we had intended to cross 181 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 1: by a floating bridge of boats. But here the lords 182 00:11:58,679 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 1: shut up our path. The bridge had been carried away 183 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:06,160 Speaker 1: during the preceding night, and the river was only passable 184 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:09,280 Speaker 1: by means of a fairy, the fair for which was 185 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 1: to cash each person. As we only possessed one cash, 186 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:18,080 Speaker 1: our course clearly was to turn and wait God's own 187 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:21,960 Speaker 1: interposition on our behalf. Upon reaching home we found that 188 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: missus Jones had gone with the children to dine at 189 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:29,960 Speaker 1: a friend's house in accordance with an invitation excepted some 190 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 1: days previously. Mister Jones, though himself included in the invitation, 191 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 1: refused now to go and leave me to fast alone. 192 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:42,200 Speaker 1: So we set to work and carefully searched the cupboards, 193 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:45,680 Speaker 1: and though there was nothing to eat, we found a 194 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:49,840 Speaker 1: small packet of cocoa, which, with a little hot water, 195 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 1: somewhat revived us. After this we again cried to the 196 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: Lord and our trouble, and the Lord heard and saved 197 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:01,080 Speaker 1: us of all our distresses. While we were still upon 198 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:06,959 Speaker 1: our knees, a letter from England containing a remittance. This 199 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 1: timely supply only met the immediate and urgent need of 200 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 1: the day, For in the assured confidence that God, whose 201 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:18,080 Speaker 1: we were and whom we served, would not put to 202 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:22,800 Speaker 1: shame those whose whole and only trust was in himself. 203 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 1: If today's conversation hit home with you. My book Desperate 204 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:32,480 Speaker 1: Prayers was written from seasons just like this one that 205 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 1: I and Hudson Taylor described today, seasons where the battle 206 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:40,080 Speaker 1: was as much internal as it was external, and you 207 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:43,319 Speaker 1: can find it at Desperate Prayers dot com or wherever 208 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:47,199 Speaker 1: you buy books. If this episode encouraged you, would you 209 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:50,680 Speaker 1: share it with someone who needs it. Sometimes the most 210 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 1: powerful thing we can do for someonet is let them 211 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 1: know they're not the only one fiting this fight. Thank 212 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 1: you for joining us on the Untangling Prayer Podcast this Easter. 213 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 1: When the Angel asks why do you look for the 214 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 1: living among the dead? I pray we all dare to 215 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 1: answer honestly and then walk away from the tomb and 216 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:18,680 Speaker 1: into the arms of a risen savior who has already 217 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 1: won the battle for our hearts. He sees you, he 218 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:27,320 Speaker 1: hears you, and he knows your need. Happy Easter friend, 219 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: Thanks for joining me on the Untangling Prayer Podcast. If 220 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 1: this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who 221 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 1: could use a little hope, and be sure to subscribe 222 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 1: for more. Until next time, keep seeking, keep trusting, and 223 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 1: keep praying.