#006 – Communicating with God is such a vital part of living an abundant and fulfilling life! In this episode, Debora welcomes Rev. Annie Darden to join the show to share a wealth of information about prayer. If you have never prayed before, or if you have been praying for years, you will be blessed by this practical and relevant discussion about how to communicate with God.
Stay tuned for our next episode that will explore the topic - what is Sin?
#006 – Communicating with God is such a vital part of living an abundant and fulfilling life! In this episode, Debora welcomes Rev. Annie Darden to join the show to share a wealth of information about prayer. If you have never prayed before, or if you have been praying for years, you will be blessed by this practical and relevant discussion about how to communicate with God.
Stay tuned for our next episode that will explore the topic - what is Sin?
Announcer
Welcome to transformed by the word, a podcast about discovering how to live your life with gratifying purpose. God created you for a reason and the Bible contains the keys to unlock your transformed life. Now, here's your host, Debora Barr
Debora
Thanks for joining me for Episode Six of transformed by the word.
Today we are exploring the topic, communicating with God. Do you know that God wants to hear from you? We are talking about prayer. I've invited a special guest to the show today. Her name is Reverend Annie Darden, and she serves as an Associate Pastor at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden. She has been a mentor to me, and we've served together in ministry, She's the author of the Ephesians woman, which is a curriculum for women who have a passion to deepen their relationship with Christ. She loves the Lord with all of her heart and is definitely a woman of prayer. Stay tuned. We will be back in just a moment.
Debora
Reverend Anne I'm so delighted that you have decided to come on this show with us to share with our audience what you know about prayer. You have many years of experience in praying, and I'm so grateful to call you my friend and my mentor. And I'm grateful that you have come on the show today.
Rev. Annie Darden
But thank you, Debora. It's my pleasure and an honor to be able to speak not only to yourself, but to the entire audience that you have this morning and I pray that it will be a blessing.
Debora
What are some of the fundamental things about prayer that you would like to share with a person who might have maybe just recently surrendered their heart to the Lord and they really don't know what this thing called prayer? How do you eat Do prayer and what is prayer? Amen.
Rev. Annie Darden
Well, first of all, let me make everyone comfortable. If this is your, if you are new convert, and you're unsure about prayer is okay. We all had to learn how to pray. Even the disciples says, Lord, teach us how to pray. I remember teaching, even my children, my children, my grandchildren, even my great grandchildren, how to pray, they would watch me and even with some of my posturing before God, so it's a learned thing. Prayer can be learned can be taught, being around others who help those that you feel that you know that they have a relationship with God you can spend that time with them for is just talking Just like we are talking today, prayer is just communicating with God.
But I want you to know that it is a two-way street. Prayer is not only talking to God, but prayer is taking the time to hear from God. And I'm not talking necessarily hearing just by your ear, but we have to learn how to hear with our hearts. And so you when you talk to God, you just speaking from your heart, you're actually developing a relationship with God. God loves a relationship. He lost that intimacy with him. So as you're talking to God, you building that relationship, you build it, that concreteness with him.
Prayer is fellowship. You know, we come together, we fellowship we love to fellowship with one another. God loves fellowship, he loves to be able to commune with us, not us. Just talking to him, but also him listening to us. So as a new convert, we need to learn how to spend time alone with God that helped me to be able to spend some time alone with God is good to have others come together and pray. But God just like that intimacy, you remember the time and you just want that time with Joe, your friend, is just to be able to talk and learn about each other. That's what God hallelujah. That's what God is expecting from us.
And the last thing I want to say on that is the fact that when we pray if you don't know how to pray, even how to get started, pray the Word of God go to scriptures. Psalms 119 19 is a great scripture because it says, Lord, teach me teach me your word. Teach me your precepts. And so we can get to the Word of God. Pray the word God will acknowledge His Word. And once you pray, you will move from prayer to phrase. That's a great thing. Because we want to be able to give God Thanksgiving, but just not only for what he's done, but just for who he is. So I say to you new comfort, don't be fearful. Just be yourself. Talk to God, just like you would talk to your friend.
Debora
That is awesome.
Debora
I was reading the other day in Matthew chapter six, and Jesus is talking about prayer. He's talking about how to pray and how not to pray. in that passage, he was essentially rebuking the religious leaders of his day about praying, these flowing prayers to be seen by other people versus praying to be heard by God. Can you talk a little bit about that? Because I've seen people in church even that they pray and it's all of a show and How do you feel that God feels about prayer in that respect?
Rev. Annie Darden
God wants our heart. If our heart is not in the right place, they're real, not connected to God. It's not about self. And I believe Reverend Debora, that's the issue is sometimes we get into self and everything is pointed to what we want. And we do it x you know for fame and, and fortune as they would say, but God is not looking for that. He's looking at our heart is our heart, right with God. And so when we come before the altar of God, we come before him with a humbleness of spirit, not prideful, not here I am God. You know, you'll be glad that I'm here. You know, God wants the disciples to understand and we are disciples that God wants our heart and our mind and our spirit. So it. That's why it's called a personal relationship. That's why God want that intimacy. He wants our heart not to be seen by others, just between God and yourselves.
Debora
And if God already knows kind of what we need, which the Word of God always tells us that he already knows what we need before we even pray. So some people might wonder why even bother if God already knows why should I pray?
Rev. Annie Darden
Debora, that is a great, great question. Why should we pray? Well, I've come to learn in my own experience, and from the Word of God, that God wants us to pray is out of obedience to Him is to show obedience to Him to his words and his ways. And so when we when he says, to pray, he tells us To pray.
I remember in the Bible, and spending time with God. I think about Martha and Mary, sometimes he gets so busy in terms of distraction. But God is calling us to spend time. And so he had to rebuke Martha, when because she wanted Mary to help her, you know, prepare to serve. But Mary sat Hallelujah, at the feet of Jesus because she wanted to hear the voice of God. She wanted to hear what God wanted to tell her. If God comes into our presence today, while we're going to spend time doing everything else, other than being in the presence of God, and we know God is omnipresent, so he's always everywhere at the same time. So Mary was being obedient by Sitting at the feet of Jesus.
And so it makes me think about my own children. You know, spending time and having that intimacy and, and seeking God's will for prayer and spending time with prayer he wants that will be this when my children come over Debora is amazing that we sit around the table and we talk, we talk to each other. And yes, do we listen to each other? And that's the time of communicating and fellowshipping. And so God wants that. I mean, he couldn't Yes, he knows what's on our hearts. But when we come into His presence with thanksgiving, Hallelujah, it is that communing with him is that fellowship we have with him during this time, but this covid 19 pandemic, we missing each other? We normally get together in fellowship in classes on worship on Sunday, but we haven't seen each other for over five months. So can you imagine after five months, and when we do come back together Gather What a joy. So even in the presence of God when we don't come in the presence of God for you know, God misses that joy. But when we take the time on a daily basis, it's a daily things a daily walk in prayer with God, there is joy, joy in the Spirit of God is joined with us. So we want to why God want us to, to pray when he already knows because it's out of our obedience and our and our obedience to His we'll pass his will for us to be able to pray.
Debora
That's an amazing thing to think about that God actually enjoys being in our presence and that God actually enjoys hearing from us. That's astonishing. Yes,
Rev. Annie Darden
it is. And that's when we miss God misses that when we don't come into this person. You know how you felt when you first came into relationship. With Jesus, I mean, you couldn't get enough you. You're praying in the morning, you're praying at noon, you're praying at night, and you're always in the presence. But something happens along the way. And as Martha, we get distracted, and we allow our phones, the cell phones, the activities of the day, instead of getting up with a prayer on our lips, we reach for our cell phone. God this God wants to be the priority in our lives. Amen.
Debora
Yeah, that's really great. Do you have some favorite places that you pray I know for myself, I love walking in the woods. I like being outdoors. And I do my best communing with God out in nature. What are your favorite places to pray?
Rev. Annie Darden
Well, let me reach back just a little bit. when my children were small because they are, they are adults now. But when they were small, there was no place in the in the For me to go. And so the bathroom became that very special place of devotion, that sacred place for me with my Bible with my notebook with my pin. We didn't have cell phones back then. So we had to have all the tools right there. So that was a special, quiet place.
But now that all the children have grown up, when I get up in the mornings, I'm right there in my room. And so I have a special a special place in my bedroom, where I can lay before the Lord, not just you know, I can stand you can do have any pastor before the Lord. But for me, I love to kneel in, in a posture of being humble before God to give him homage. You know, when you think about kings, in back in the day and we do have kings and queens now, and they give homage they bow before the Lord, have found myself in my bedroom, just bowing hallelujah. before the Lord. So that's a special place for me just right there. But again, we know God is everywhere. So I can be my kitchen. I can be in my family room, wherever. But that's a special place right now that I have set aside. So when I get up, I'm right the hair before God.
Debora
Yeah, that's powerful because you're actually using your whole body in worship and in prayer to God showing him reverence as your Lord. Exactly,
Rev. Annie Darden
exactly.
Debora
How do you actually know that God hears us when we pray? We can't see God. So how do we know for sure that he hears us?
Rev. Annie Darden
Well, let's just go to the word on that. When we think about the Word of God, we can have in first John five verses 14 and 15. Let me just read that scripture. It says Now, this is the competence that we have in him that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of him.
So based on the Word of God, God's said, we have that we can have the confidence, we can have the faith, and we can have the trust that he does hear us. And I stand on that, I have to stand on that based on my faith, I came up with a formula for me, and that is to place my total trust. So t slash t minus S equal faith, so trust. So total trust, minus me, get me out of the picture equals faith, and my faith has to be based on the Word of God. So whatever I'm asking, now, let's just take a step back. We have to be living in a world according to God's word, that that's the key.
If we live in accordance to God's word, we can have that confidence, no matter what the enemy brings to us. And oh my goodness, when we stand on the Word of God, he is going to throw his fiery darts. But we can stand on the promises of God and we know God's promise never fails. And so that work in itself blesses me, even in Mark 11 22 through 24. It tells us to have faith in God. And if we no doubt in our heart, we can say to the mountain, whatever your mountain of sickness, mountain of distress mountain of being jobless during this time, whatever he said that if we can speak to the mountain to be removed and be cast into the sea, and we don't doubt in our hearts, we can have whatsoever we asked. So those two scriptures, we can know that God hears, but not only does he hear, He will answer
Debora
and what you said was key there that we have to be living in obedience to Him and in accordance with his will. We can't pray that God will help us with the numbers to win the lotto or something like that. We have to be praying in accordance with his will and when in accordance with his word. Exactly. Can you share with us time when you prayed for something that was absolutely impossible, and God came through for you?
Rev. Annie Darden
My my, let's see a couple of things I like to share. The first thing is during the time when my husband was sick, and didn't know at the time he was the condition that he was end would lead to death. And so of course, we prayed and We believe God Hear our prayer. But we have to realize God doesn't answer always the way we expect. And that's where the trust and the competence come in. And so, so he passed and saw the impossible thing for me at that time out, you know, looking at life. I didn't think I was going to make it. After 32 years of marriage, I didn't think I was going to make it there were times that I could barely just walk up the steps to go to my bedroom. It just seems so impossible. I was in a place that a place of numbness I could be I didn't feel anything. And so, but I had to get to a place I had to get to a place to my faith. I never lost faith, and I never lost trust. But it just looked impossible. And so when I sat prayed and asked God To strengthen me, and to comfort me, I'm telling you, it took me I'm not gonna say it was overnight, or even over a week. But I'm telling you and to your audience today, that what looks impossible, what look hopeless, what look when you are helpless. God has a way in his awesomeness, to be able to comfort us in a place where no man can comfort.
Even though we have friends and families that would give us great words. But God had to do what only He can do. And that was through prayer. And God has done that over the years and continue to do that. And secondly, let me just say just something most more recently, my son was in the head hip replacement, and so everything went very well. And then the medication that he took made him very sick until he had to end up in the hospital again. As when he was in the hospital that they found that also he had pneumonia. We were there all day at all dates that Saturday. And when we found out that he had pneumonia, the first day that came to the medical team, is that what he had COVID. Now we've been in the hospital day and people in and out. So soon as they said that he had they thought very sure that he had COVID everyday shut down and shut us in the room. They had to put on their gear. And so because of the country, how contagious this we know how contagious is viruses, but what I heard that word, and I was tired because we had been there all day, Deborah, I began to pray. And it seems like I went into a sleep because my body was just drained. But I was sleeping. I was asleep. And then but I was praying while I was thought I was sleep, to the point that I felt the presence of God so strong that I open my eyes because I felt somebody coming to the room. And when I opened my eyes There was nobody was doing my son. When God said he's a very present help in the time of trouble, I want your audience to know prayer is the key to our communicating with God that He will hear our prayers. And I prayed and I felt the presence of God right there in that room like never before. And right after that, the nurse came in and says the test was negative. Hallelujah. So what looked impossible, God just turn that thing around. And I praise God I take nothing over prayer.
Debora
Yes, that is amazing. God is So awesome.
Rev. Annie Darden
Yes. Amen.
Debora
Is there anything else that you would like to share with our audience, our listeners about prayer that you've learned over the years that we haven't already talked about?
Rev. Annie Darden
Yes. For me, Debora, I find out that praying in the morning, early in the morning, before our minds get cluttered with life and life situation and they will come every day. For me, in order to be able to handle what comes my way. I first begin with prayer, spending that time early in the morning, I also do a very special thing you know, before God before the priests would be begin to take on the assignment they were anointed. Even Paul and Barnabas and all the leaders they were anointed To do the work. And so rather than waiting to stand in a line, I enjoyed myself every morning preparing for the assignments, because we don't know what God's plan so I want to say to the audience early in the morning, if you can I know some of you have children and with this new process for school, I know it might be difficult. But when your eyes to buy when you can just spend the first five minutes, it doesn't take long to be the presence of God. So I say to you take the time, early in the morning, if you can, and if you can't, whatever the time, that's, that's special for you. But whatever you do spin time alone with God, it will make a difference in your life.
Debora
Amen. Amen. Thank you so much. You've been a blessing.
Rev. Annie Darden
Amen, when I said to the audience, thank you for listening, and I pray that God will continue to move you up from one level of grace to another through prayer.
Debora
We'll be right back
Debora
We have just heard a wealth of information about prayer. From Reverend Annie Darden, a woman who knows and loves the Lord with all of her heart. What she taught us is to spend time with God and speak to him from your heart. He really wants to hear from you. Developing a life of prayer will transform your life. Prayer changes us, and it helps to deepen our relationship with God and our dependence and our trust in Him.
Now, the most important prayer you can pray, concerns your eternal destiny. If you've never surrendered your life to Christ, you can do that right now. It is by faith that we believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and if you're ready to play your trust in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Won't you pray this very important prayer with me?
God, I confess that I'm a sinner, and I need Jesus in my life. I repent of my sins and I turn to you. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. He was buried, and rose from the dead. I accept this by faith and invite Jesus to be Lord of my life, to reign and rule in my heart. Thank you, Lord, for forgiving me and saving me. Amen. If you just prayed that prayer, you have eternal life.
If you just prayed that prayer for the first time, I really would love to hear from you. Please visit my website and TBTWpodcast.com. And click the link letting me know that you made a decision for Christ. Because I would love to follow up with you and to encourage you on your walk of faith. My prayer for you today is that you will take that step of faith and that you will begin to speak to God if you've never prayed before or never felt comfortable praying, just begin having a conversation with God. He wants to hear from you. And he loves you. Stay tuned for our next episode of transformed by the word where we will explore the topic. What is sin?
Announcer
Thank you for listening to transformed by the word with your host Debora Barr Be sure Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes or Google Play and connect with us at TBTWPodcast.com. Until next time, be blessed.