Cleansing the heart

Experiencing Listening Experiencing Listening PrayerPrayer


Purpose: Cleansing the heart in preparation to hear God

This session we will explore two major areas that make our hearts unclean: Denying our sins Giving in to fear

We will learn how to cleanse our heart by

confessing our sin and trusting God rather than

giving in to fear.

Create in me a clean heart O GodCreate in me a clean heart O God

Create in me a clean heart O GodCreate in me a clean heart O God

How do I know your still small voice How do I know your still small voice in the midst of all that is in the midst of all that is

going on within me?going on within me?

How do I know your still small voice How do I know your still small voice in the midst of all that is in the midst of all that is

going on within me?going on within me?

How God’s words in listening prayer can become polluted in our spirit: 13Who is wise and understanding among you?

Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. - James 3:13-15

How God’s words in listening prayer can become polluted in our spirit: 16For where you have envy and selfish

ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

James 3:16-17

Have you ever found yourself Have you ever found yourself hiding from God?hiding from God?

Have you ever found yourself Have you ever found yourself hiding from God?hiding from God?

Why are we so resistant to telling GodWhy are we so resistant to telling God that we are wrong?that we are wrong?

Why are we so resistant to telling GodWhy are we so resistant to telling God that we are wrong?that we are wrong?

I am truly sorry Lord:1 Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

Psalm 51:1-2

I Am Truly Sorry Lord:

3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.

Psalm 51:3-4

You are the only one Lord that can get me clean again:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Psalm 51:10-12

Is it possible that we fill our lives to Is it possible that we fill our lives to overflowing with worldly stuff sooverflowing with worldly stuff so

that we can avoid being that we can avoid being alone with God?alone with God?

Is it possible that we fill our lives to Is it possible that we fill our lives to overflowing with worldly stuff sooverflowing with worldly stuff so

that we can avoid being that we can avoid being alone with God?alone with God?

Why are we so prone to move away fromWhy are we so prone to move away from God rather than to move toward God?God rather than to move toward God?

Why are we so prone to move away fromWhy are we so prone to move away from God rather than to move toward God?God rather than to move toward God?

Prone to wander Lord I feel It, prone to leave the Lord I love

1What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. – James 4:1-3

Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the Lord I love4You adulterous people, don't you know that

friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?

James 4:4-5

Heart barrier to listening prayer that this session addresses: We hide from God because we are embarrassed

about our sin. We think that we have to clean up our act ourselves for a few days before we can approach God in prayer. So the net result is that we are constantly putting off a relationship with God until we get ourselves straightened out.

Prayer time: Confess that you sometimes try to hide from the

Lord because you are ashamed of your sin.

Ask for the Lord’s forgiveness, and ask the Lord to give you a clean heart.



How do I move toward GodHow do I move toward Godrather than away rather than away

from God?from God?

How do I move toward GodHow do I move toward Godrather than away rather than away

from God?from God?

Come near to God, and He willCome near to God, and He will come near to you.come near to you.

James 4:7-10 James 4:7-10

Come near to God, and He willCome near to God, and He will come near to you.come near to you.

James 4:7-10 James 4:7-10

I long to be in a close personal relationship with you O Lord:

Dear Lord,

It is my desire to seek you with all of my heart. I pray that you would help me overcome all the resistance of my heart to drawing close to you through your mighty power. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

Submit yourselves then to GodSubmit yourselves then to God

Submit yourselves then to GodSubmit yourselves then to God

Prayer of surrender to God:Dear Lord,

I surrender the leadership of my life into your care. I ask you to take control of my life, and to give me your guidance, wisdom, and direction that I so desperately need. I confess my stubbornness of heart and my desire to do things my way rather than your way. Help me Lord to learn how to follow your guidance and to hear your voice so that I may follow you. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

Resist the devil, Resist the devil, And he will flee from you.And he will flee from you.

Resist the devil, Resist the devil, And he will flee from you.And he will flee from you.

In prayer, declare victory over Satan’s ability to lie to you:In prayer, declare victory over Satan’s ability to lie to you:

Thank you God for the victory that Jesus won for us through his death and resurrection. I receive what you have done for me, and I resist all of Satan’s schemes and plans in the name of Jesus.

In prayer, declare victory over Satan’s ability to lie to you:

I plead the blood of Jesus over this time of prayer and command that only your Holy Spirit shall come close and prosper. Thank you Lord that through Jesus I can have victory over all of Satan’s lies. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

Wash your hands you sinners,Wash your hands you sinners, and purify your hearts and purify your hearts

you double-minded.you double-minded.

Wash your hands you sinners,Wash your hands you sinners, and purify your hearts and purify your hearts

you double-minded.you double-minded.

Search me O God and know my heart:

I ask you to search my heart O God and to reveal to me anything that I have done by thought, word, or deed that has been displeasing in your sight.

Search me O God and know my heart:

I repent of my sin, and confess that it is against you, and you only that I have sinned. Thank you for the forgiveness that Jesus won for me on the cross. I receive his forgiveness and my desire is to serve you with all of my heart. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

Grieve, mourn, and wail. Grieve, mourn, and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and Change your laughter to mourning and

your joy to gloom.your joy to gloom.

Grieve, mourn, and wail. Grieve, mourn, and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and Change your laughter to mourning and

your joy to gloom.your joy to gloom.

I am sorry that I have grieved You O Lord:

Dear Lord,

I am truly sorry for my sin, and I am grieved for the way that my sin grieves the Holy Spirit O Lord.

I apologize to you O Lord from the bottom of my heart. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

Humble yourselves before the Lord Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up.and He will lift you up.

Humble yourselves before the Lord Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up.and He will lift you up.

To God be the glory:

Dear Lord,

It is my desire to live for your glory O Lord rather than to live for my own. I pray that Jesus would increase in my life, and that I would decrease. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen



Will you show me Lord which wayWill you show me Lord which way You want me to go?You want me to go?

Will you show me Lord which wayWill you show me Lord which way You want me to go?You want me to go?

I don’t want to take this wrong path Lord:

Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge,

But trusted in the abundance of his riches, and was strong in his evil desire.

Psalm 52:7

Our lack of trust hinders our ability to receive the Lord’s discernment in prayer

5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

How do you trust God in the midst How do you trust God in the midst of an uncertain future?of an uncertain future?

How do you trust God in the midst How do you trust God in the midst of an uncertain future?of an uncertain future?

The Lord is my shepherdThe Lord is my shepherdThe Lord is my shepherdThe Lord is my shepherd

I shall not wantI shall not wantI shall not wantI shall not want

He maketh me to lie He maketh me to lie down in green pasturesdown in green pastures

He maketh me to lie He maketh me to lie down in green pasturesdown in green pastures

He leadeth me beside the still watersHe leadeth me beside the still watersHe leadeth me beside the still watersHe leadeth me beside the still waters

He restoreth my soulHe restoreth my soulHe restoreth my soulHe restoreth my soul

He leadeth me in the paths of He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name sakerighteousness for his name sakeHe leadeth me in the paths of He leadeth me in the paths of

righteousness for his name sakerighteousness for his name sake

Yea though I walk through the Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of deathvalley of the shadow of death

Yea though I walk through the Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of deathvalley of the shadow of death

I will fear no evilI will fear no evilI will fear no evilI will fear no evil

For thou art with meFor thou art with meFor thou art with meFor thou art with me

Thy rod and thy staff they comfort meThy rod and thy staff they comfort meThy rod and thy staff they comfort meThy rod and thy staff they comfort me

Thou preparest a table before meThou preparest a table before mein the presence of mine enemiesin the presence of mine enemiesThou preparest a table before meThou preparest a table before mein the presence of mine enemiesin the presence of mine enemies

Thou anoinest my head with oilThou anoinest my head with oilThou anoinest my head with oilThou anoinest my head with oil

My cup runneth overMy cup runneth overMy cup runneth overMy cup runneth over

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life me all the days of my life

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life me all the days of my life

And I will dwell in the houseAnd I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.of the Lord forever.

And I will dwell in the houseAnd I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.of the Lord forever.

Heart barrier to approaching God in listening prayer: We are afraid of what will happen to us if we

really trust God. We are afraid that we will lose our financial security if we radically trust God. We become crippled with fear and are afraid of seeking God’s direction for our lives for fear of what the consequences might be if we truly yield to the Lord’s leadership.

Prayer Time: Dear Lord,

I know that you have not given us a spirit of fear, but instead you give us your power, your love, and a sound mind. I lay my fears down at the foot of the cross and come what may, I trust you.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

Spiritual

Cleansing the heart