Receiving - the key to transformation through Listening Prayer Ministry

Scripture clearly points out the need for truth to enter our hearts if it is to accomplish the Holy Spirit’s goal – our lives transformed into the image of Christ.

It’s easy for us to assume we know something if we understand it but unless it penetrates the heart, unless we receive it there, it ultimately does little good. What is in our heart reveals what we truly believe (Rom.10:10).

The parable of the sower (Matt.13) describes four soils; the receptivity of four hearts to the word of the Lord. Fruit was only born by the heart that deeply received the seed. The other hearts had become dull (Matt.13:23,15).

The Lord has made it clear to us that really receiving what He gives us is critical in Listening Prayer Ministry – as in all of life! If we are to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matt.4:4); when we are exhorted to “listen that you may live” (Is.55:3), then we need to really “get” what He has for us!

For the LPM facilitator to be sensitive to the degree of receptivity in the heart of the person receiving ministry and then be able to help them open their hearts to take in what the Father is giving, is an aspect that most facilitators initially are not adept in, probably because it is not their own practice – yet receiving from Him is the goal of LPM!

An effective way for us to receive what He speaks into our hearts is to declare the truth (Ps.92:2) and rejoice in it (Ps.119:162) – audibly, earnestly and often repeatedly – until it resonates deeply with a heartfelt “amen!”

The whole focus of the powerful “Tending Your Heart” tool in the Facilitator's Binder, is receiving what the Father has in exchange for those things that have hindered intimacy with Him – keeping the heart filled with the fresh words or pictures we receive from Him so we are not so vulnerable to the deception of the enemy or the pull of the flesh – empowering us to overcome and increasingly enjoy our relationship with Him.

Guarding our hearts by receiving.
The enemy’s focus is to prevent intimacy (heart to heart connection) between us and the Father, and his attack is consistently directed towards denigrating the character of God and our identity as His beloved children. We see the enemy’s same strategy targeted toward Jesus in the New Testament which highlights the necessity of receiving heart assurance from the Father so we too can withstand the inevitable assaults.

At Jesus’ baptism in Luke 3 the Father speaks: “This is My beloved Son in who I am well pleased”. He declares Jesus’ true identity and His heart towards His Son. Then He led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted. Note how the enemy, right from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, wasted no time in calling into question the very identity of Jesus declared by the Father – twice! “If you are the Son of God…turn these stones into bread…. If you are the Son of God…throw yourself down” (Lu.4:3,9). Jesus, however, was prepared to resist the enemy and gave him no access to His heart because He had already received from the Father and was secure in His identity!

Notice how Jesus’ confessions of His Sonship evoked the enemy’s fury expressed by the religious leaders and cementing their resolve to destroy Him.

Even on the cross the enemy was relentless in calling into question who He was as a Son and questioning the love of the Father. Lu.23:35 (rulers) “Let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.” Lu.23:37 (soldiers) “if You are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” Matt.27:40 “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” Matt.27:43 “He trusts in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He takes pleasure in Him, for He said ‘I am the Son of God’”
Even when Jesus asked His own disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” only Peter, at that time, received clarity through revelation: “You are the Christ the Son of the living God (Matt.16:16).”

Jesus Himself had to be constantly receiving the Father’s affection, encouragement and identity to remain unshaken. No wonder He would get away by Himself to be alone with the Father so He could receive all His heart needed to be secure in Himself and in the love and delight of the Father. “I was daily His delight” (Prov.8:30). “For the joy set before Him He endured…” (Heb.12). “The joy of the Lord” over Him was His strength (Neh.8:10).

How much more do our hearts need to receive constant reassurance of our Father’s affection and of our true identity in Christ if we are to withstand the enemy’s “heart attacks” and enjoy intimacy with God.

We never grow beyond this. He shows us that in human relationships. After 40 years Diane still needs to hear my heart tell her that I love her.

Receiving from God as our Source
Not only did Jesus need to receive truth but comfort in His pain and aloneness. With the death of John, His cousin, he withdrew “to a lonely place by Himself” (Matt.14:13). Surrounded by the pressing needs of the pursuing multitudes, He had to find replenishment and encouragement. “He sent the multitudes away” and “went up to the mountain by Himself to pray” (v.23).

He knew how to find comfort and replenishment in communion with His Father and receive not only everything His own heart needed, but an overflow to pour out to all who came to Him. How else could He have poured out so much and yet still found such an abundance of supply that He could invite others to share the feast and rest He received from His Father and ours? “He who comes to Me shall not hunger” (Jn.6:35). “If any man is thirsty let him come to Me and drink” (Jn.7:37). “Come to Me all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest” (Matt.11:29).

Jesus models how we too can draw from our Father as our Source, cast our care upon Him and receive an exchange that fills our hearts to overflowing.