Learning To Speak "Kingdomese"

Andrew Murray has again spoken something vital for us to understand in his book, "With Christ In The School Of Prayer:"  He said, "My prayer depends on my life.  Whatever God's words are to me and in me will determine what my words will be to God and in God.  If I do what God says, God will do what I ask."

Murray says, "Those who study the deaf and mute tell us how much the power of speaking depends on that of hearing, and how the loss of hearing in children is followed by a loss of speaking, too."

I learned to speak by hearing the voice of my parents and siblings.  I learned to repeat after them and it wasn't very long until not only was I speaking the language of my family but I was speaking it with understanding.  I made the words that I heard, my words so that when I spoke to them they understood me and I understood them.

If we are going to be children of God's kingdom, we have to learn to speak "kingdomese."  Not only the words of the kingdom, but, as my dear wife pointed out, words with the accent as well.  And it must be with understanding and acceptance.

That only happens as we learn to listen to our Father.  His voice, speaking to us through the written word and in the life of His Son, carried to us by the Ruach ha' Kodesh (The Holy Spirit) in "rhema" teaches us how to speak the language and life of His kingdom.  Not only to speak it, but embrace it as our language and embrace all that that language expresses.

The reason so many of us struggle with this is we think this should come naturally.  No, no, it is foreign to us because the language of the flesh has gotten a head start.  I fear that much of what we call prayer in the church sounds like babel to God.  When we come to Christ, we must learn a new language and we can only learn it by listening and repeating what we hear.

We have to replace the language we are so familiar with with the one God meant for us to speak from the beginning.  It is the language the conveys His heart and His will and His love.  It is the only language that contains the power to accomplish His will.

Jesus said, "If you abide in me, and my words (language and the life that language implies) abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you."  (John 15:7).

Murray puts it this way:  "We must have the Word in us - taken up into our wills and lives - reproduced in our inner natures and conduct.  They must abide (dynamically live) in us...As the words of Christ enter deep into our hearts, becoming and influencing our lives, our words will enter His heart and influence Him."

I don't know about you but I want to hear my Father's voice and learn to speak His language.