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Praying Like Never Before - Part 2: Common Hindrances to Prayer · Couples’ Journey Podcast Channel

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  Imagine if overcoming obstacles in your prayer life could transform your relationship
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  with God. How would that change your faith journey?
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  Hey everyone, welcome back to the Couples Journey blog series podcast.
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  We're on part two of the series, Praying Like Never Before.
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  Today, we're exploring hindrances to prayer as we reflect on key insights from Ray and Annie.
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  They draw from Bill Kine's enlightening article, Growing in Prayer,
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  Part 1, hindrances in prayer, highlighting the barriers many face in their communication
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  with God and how we can push through those challenges together. Here's part two.
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  One of the key biblical principles we've learned in the study course,
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  true life journey, discipleship, and mission is the importance of growing in prayer and faith.
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  As part of the resources curated by the C.S. Lewis Institute,
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  we revisited an insightful article by Bill Kynes titled, Growing in Prayer,
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  Part 1, Hindrances in Prayer.
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  Reflecting on these resources was a meaningful reminder to pause,
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  meditate, and reassess our communication with God.
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  Taking the time to step back and re-evaluate helps us gain a broader perspective,
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  discovering truths that truly impact our hearts and minds.
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  The hindrances Bill outlined were eye-opening for us. They encouraged us to
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  become more intentional and disciplined in our prayer lives.
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  He identified four main obstacles that hinder our prayer. One,
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  the world that shapes us.
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  2. The flesh we indulge. 3. The devil who deceives. 4.
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  The challenge of faith. First, the world that shapes us.
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  Living in today's noisy, chaotic culture makes it difficult to find moments of quietness.
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  Often, the only time we experience peace and disconnection is during sleep.
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  And even then, many of us reach for our phones first thing in the morning.
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  We're guilty of this, too.
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  It wasn't until we experienced the consequences of losing sight of God's word
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  and quiet time that we realized we needed to make bold changes,
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  particularly in how we manage technology and choose our focus in the mornings.
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  Bill's words resonated deeply. To pray faithfully, you must be willing to swim
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  against the cultural stream.
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  Choosing to prioritize silence and prayer in a culture that thrives on noise
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  is an act of intentionality and obedience.
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  Second, the flesh we indulge, regardless of our upbringing or spiritual maturity.
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  Maintaining consistency in prayer requires discipline.
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  The flesh, with its natural tendencies, fights against humility and dependence on God.
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  Because all we like sheep have gone astray, as noted in Isaiah 53 verse 6.
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  We can fall into the trap of disregarding God's authority.
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  This leads us to neglect prayer or see it as optional rather than essential.
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  Bill explains, the flesh is our self-centered, self-exalting pride that deludes
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  us into thinking we are self-created and self-sufficient.
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  And the word reminds us, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,
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  as noted in Matthew 26 verse 41.
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  Overcoming these weaknesses requires humility, acknowledging our limitations,
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  and humbly submitting ourselves under God's authority.
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  Prayer becomes our ongoing conversation of dependence, asking for His help,
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  guidance, and strength.
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  Third, the deceiver, the devil who deceives. We've seen how the enemy seeks
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  to disrupt our prayer life.
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  Even during prayer, sudden thoughts or distractions can invade our minds,
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  pulling us away from communion with God.
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  For me, Annie, I learned to pause, rebuke, and ask for the Holy Spirit to set
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  my heart back on him. While on my, Ray.
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  And there are times when temptation affects my focus.
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  But by God's grace, I recognize the conviction of the Holy Spirit and respond accordingly.
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  We've come to understand that the enemy's strategy isn't always obvious.
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  But God's grace sustains us.
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  Samuel Chadwick wisely said, The one concern of the devil is to keep the saints away from praying.
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  Our response, guided by conviction and grace, helps us stay rooted in God's
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  presence rather than falling into Satan's trap.
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  Fourth, the challenge in faith.
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  Sometimes, the greatest barrier to prayer is a lack of genuine faith.
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  We can become materialistic, seeking tangible evidence instead of trusting in what we can't see.
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  This attitude shifts our focus from God's work to our limited understanding,
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  trying to overthink and analyze instead of cultivating a relationship rooted in trust.
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  As we shared yesterday, prayer is the foundation of our relationship with God.
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  It reveals how deeply our marriage is anchored in Him.
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  Without a desire to be corrected by the Holy Spirit or to seek ongoing communion
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  despite many temptations, we miss out on spiritual growth.
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  Prayer isn't just about requests. It's about transformation.
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  It's the heartbeat of a thriving relationship with Christ.
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  It's never too late to grow in prayer. It begins with decisions,
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  choosing to embark on a journey of restoration, renewal, and intentional communion with God.
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  We pray that the truths we've shared encourage many couples to see the vital
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  connection between prayer and living a victorious, Christ-centered life and marriage.
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  By following this channel, leaving comments, and sharing episodes with your family and friends.
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  You're helping us in our mission to transform marriages today.
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  Your support encourages more couples to seek God's guidance and grow stronger together.
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  Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we can make a difference.
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  Here's the final part of today's episode.
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  Thank you for joining us in this crucial discussion on the hindrances to prayer.
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  We hope Ray and Annie's reflections inspire you to confront these obstacles
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  and reignite your prayer life.
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  Stay tuned for tomorrow's part three, where we'll uncover practical solutions
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  to these challenges and continue our journey towards a deeper connection with God through prayer.
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  Until then, keep reflecting, keep praying, and may you find strength in your faith.