evan 670 quiet talks on prayer
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Liberty Theological Seminary
Reflection on
Quiet Talks on Prayer
A PaperSubmitted to Kennedy Adarkwa, Ph.D.
n Partial !ulfillment
"f the Re#uirement$ for the cour$eStrategic Prayer and Spiritual %arfare
&'A( )*+
y
a$kin, Deborah -.D / 012321)4
05 6anuary 0+20
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(TR"D78T"(
S. D. 9ordon :2345;251)< wa$ a producti=e author who penned twenty;fi=e
book$. Quiet Talks on Prayer wa$ the fir$t book of a twenty;two book $erie$. t wa$
publi$hed in 25+2 and $old more than 4++,+++ copie$ o=er the ne>t forty year$.2Though
9ordon ne=er recei=ed an academic degree, he wa$ a much lo=ed and re$pected $peaker
and mi$$ionary who tra=eled all o=er America, &urope, and A$ia. ?e wa$ born in
Philadelphia and $er=ed a$ the A$$i$tant Secretary of the Philadelphia @oung -en$
8hri$tian A$$ociation from 233B to 233). !rom 233) to 2354, 9ordon $er=ed a$ State
Secretary for the @-8A in "hio.0
n Quiet Talks on Prayer, 9ordon pre$ented a per$ua$i=e ca$e on the importance of
prayer and the per$e=erance one $hould practice in prayer. The author$ intended
audience i$ any 8hri$tian who i$ $eeking way$ to impro=e hi$ relation$hip with 9od.
Since thi$ book wa$ written in the early 25++$, it can be difficult to gra$p $ome of hi$
analogie$. "ne mu$t be mea$ured in reading thi$ book and will ha=e to become
accu$tomed to 9ordon$ $ynta> and =ocabulary. Quiet Talksi$ not a book that one can
read #uickly or with ea$e. De$pite the$e difficultie$, one will garner a wealth of
information on how to e$tabli$h a deeper prayer life. Thi$ reflection will gi=e a $ection;
by;$ection $ummary, followed by an e=aluation and criti#ue of the book, and conclude
with a per$onal application ac#uired from the content$ of the book.
S7--AR@ "! ""K
Quiet Talks on Prayeri$ di=ided into four part$ with each $ection containing
$e=eral $hort chapter$. Part one i$ entitled The Meaning and Mission of Prayer. 9ordon
$tated in chapter one, CThere i$ one inlet of power in the life anybody$ life any kind
1 Dan Aug$burger, CS D 9ordon Talk Euiet$...,F Path 0 Prayer,http/GGwww.path0prayer.comGarticle.phpH
idI0*):acce$$ed 6anuary 03, 0+20
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of power/ Ju$t one inlet the ?oly Spirit.F1?e further di$cu$$ed the fi=e outlet$ of the
Spirit$ power in one$ life/ 2< through one$ life 9od$ power $hould flow out of the
per$on who allow$ the ?oly Spirit to take control, 0< through one$ lip, 1< through one$
$er=ice, B< through one$ money, and 4< through one$ prayer$.B9ordon $pecified, CThe
greate$t thing anyone can do for 9od and for man i$ to pray. t i$ not the only thing. ut it
i$ the chief thing.F4 ?e e$tabli$hed that $ince man battle$ the $pirit world, he need$ a
$piritual weapon. 9ordon then went on to e>plain that, C(ow prayer i$ a $pirit
force...!urther, $pirit being$ are not limited by material ob$truction$Prayer ha$ the$e
#ualitie$ of $pirit being$ of not being limited by $pace, or by material ob$tacle$.F )n
chapter three, The Earth the Battlefield in Prayer,9ordon detailed why prayer i$ =ital in
battling Satan and hi$ demon$. 8hapter four di$cu$$ed whether or not prayer influence$
9od. 9ordon a$$erted, Ct :prayer< doe$ not influence ?i$ purpo$e. t doe$ influence ?i$
action%hen we learn ?i$ purpo$e and make them our prayer$ we are gi=ing ?im the
opportunity to act.F*
Section two entitledHindrances to Prayercon$i$ted of three chapter$/ Why the
Results Fail, Why the Results are Delayed, and The Great utside Hindrance!7$ing
$cripture$ from $aiah and P$alm$, 9ordon re=ealed that, CSin cut$ the wire it run$ the
me$$age into the ground.F3?e al$o $aid that 9od doe$ not u$ually an$wer $elfi$h prayer$.
9ordon maintained that one$ moti=e$ and $in$ can and do encumber one$ prayer$.5n
chapter $i>, 9ordon ga=e the e>planation a$ to why re$ult$ are po$tponed or denied by
3S. D. 9ordon, Quiet Talks n Prayer:Shippen$burg/ De$tiny mage Publi$her$, 0++1
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9od. ?e a$$erted that rea$on$ are due to 9od$ kindne$$ or for a greater purpo$e. -an
doe$ not alway$ $ee from the $ame =antage point a$ 9od. Therefore, man need$ to tru$t
9od. 9ordon u$ed ?annah a$ a proof of thi$ po$ition. ?e $tated ?annah$ Can$wer wa$
delayed that more might be gi=en and gotten.F2+Another rea$on that prayer$ may be
hindered i$ due to Satan and hi$ demon$. Daniel$ con=er$ation with an angel de$cribing
hi$ battle with the prince of Per$ia :a demonic $piritual being< re$ulting in hi$ delay in
re$ponding to Daniel$ prayer demon$trated the need to be per$i$tent in prayer while one
wait$.22
The third $ection titledHo" to Praycontained fi=e chapter$/ The #Ho"$ of
Relationshi%, The #Ho"$ of Method, The &istening 'ide of Prayer, 'o(ething )*out
God+s Will in onnection "ith Prayer, andMay We Pray "ith )ssurance for the
on-ersion of ur &o-ed nes.n order to ha=e effecti=e prayer a relation$hip with the
!ather i$ =ital. Thi$ cannot be accompli$hed without $pending time in the %ord and
operating on faith. C8learly the only ba$i$ of $uch a relation$hip to 9od i$ 6e$u$.F20
9ordon highlighted $e=eral $cripture$ $uch a$ -atthew 23/25;0+, -ark 22/00;0B, 6ohn
24/*, and 6ohn 2)/01;0B to empha$iMe the 8hri$tian$ relation$hip with 8hri$t. The$e
=er$e$ dealt with 6e$u$ pre$ence when two or more pray, faith in 9od, abiding in 8hri$t,
and 6e$u$ choo$ing and appointing the belie=er.219ordon a$$erted that tho$e abo=e;
mentioned =er$e$ pro=e Cthere i$ no limitation a$ to who $hall a$k, nor the kind of thing
to be a$ked for. There are three limitation$ impo$ed/ the prayer i$ to be through 6e$u$ the
per$on praying i$ to be in fulle$t $ympathy with ?im and thi$ per$on i$ to ha=e faith.F2B
n di$cu$$ing the method of praying 9ordon maintained that i$ it nece$$ary to make
10 bid.. )5.
11 bid.. 3B.
12 bid.. 5B.
13 bid.. 5B;5*.
14 bid.. 5*.
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9od$ purpo$e one$ prayer.24?e ga=e $i> $ugge$tion$ on how to pray/ 2< unhurried daily
time when one i$ fre$h and alert, 0< ha=ing a place where one pray$, 1< gi=e the ible it$
place in prayer, B< allow the Spirit to teach one how to pray, 4< pray in 6e$u$ name, and
)< pray with faith.2)9ordon empha$iMed the need to li$ten to 9od a$ part of one$ prayer
time. n order to accompli$h thi$ one mu$t $tudy the ible for the purpo$e of knowing
9od.2*9ordon ga=e $e=eral $ugge$tion$ of how to read the ible including a plan called
wide reading that he defined a$ CRapid reading through regardle$$ of =er$e, chapter, or
book di=i$ion$. Reading it a$ a narrati=e, a $tory.F23n chapter ele=en the point i$ made
that the purpo$e of prayer i$ to accompli$h 9od$ will in one$ life. C?e :9od< recogniMe$
?i$ own purpo$e and plan$ being repeated in thi$ man down on the earth by ?i$ own
Spirit.F25!inally, 9ordon addre$$ed the need and a$$urance that one can pray for a lo$t
lo=ed one or friend. ?e $aid, CThe heart of 9od hunger$ to redeem the world.F0+
The final $ection of the book wa$ called/esus+ Ha*its of Prayer. t wa$ compo$ed
of fi=e chapter$ which detailed how and where 8hri$t prayed. 9ordon de$cribed the way
8hri$t prayed, hi$ need for prayer, hi$ lo=e of prayer and the power ?e recei=ed through
prayer. ?e detailed 8hri$t$ e>perience$ a$ told in the go$pel account$. La$tly he ended by
pre$enting a compo$ite picture of how 8hri$t practiced prayer/ 2< time of prayer, 0tremely
attracti=e to me $ince it will increa$e appreciation and under$tanding of the $cripture. ?e
$aid that we $hould read it a$ a narrati=e.01Thi$ i$ an e>cellent method of reading the
ible. 9ordon empha$iMed that one i$ to read rapidly page;by;page and not to $pend time
trying to under$tand e=erything. The point of wide reading i$ to enable the reader to fit
the part$ of the $cripture together. Thi$ type of reading allow$ one to gra$p the big picture
22 'trong0s E1hausti-e oncordance of the Bi*le, $.=. CLe>icon
Re$ult$,Fhttp/GGwww.blueletterbible.orgGlangGle>iconGle>icon.cfmHStrong$I911+)NtIK6':acce$$ed
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of the ible. %ide reading i$ done daily and deliberately. Thi$ type of reading allow$ u$
to remain in 8hri$t and to know ?i$ will and truth$. %e cannot pray 9od$ purpo$e if we
are pulling $cripture$ out of conte>t and applying tho$e $cripture$ to our de$ire$ and
want$. %e mu$t under$tand becoming one with 8hri$t i$ the only way to accompli$h and
know 9od$ purpo$e.
9ordon$ $ection called The Birth%lace of Faith i$ the fourth $trength on which will
re=iew. 9ordon $tated, CPrayer mu$t be in faith. ut plea$e note that faith here i$ not
belie=ing that 9od can, but that ?e willThen ri$ing and going about your dutie$,
$aying, that the thing i$ $ettled.F0B9ordon a$$ured u$ that one i$ unable to mechanically
in$i$t that he belie=e$ in$tead he gi=e$ four characteri$tic$ of faith. !ir$t, faith i$
intelligent. n order to be intelligent one mu$t di$co=er 9od$ will through ible reading
and prayer. Second, faith i$ obedient in that it fit$ 9od$ will into one$ life. Third, faith i$
e>pectant. Thi$ i$ demon$trated by looking for re$ult$. !ourth, faith i$ per$i$tent. t hang$
on de$pite delay$.04 felt that 9ordon =alidated the$e characteri$tic$ in the $cripture he
u$ed. &>ample$ of thi$ would include the earlier mentioned $tory of Daniel and the
prayer$ of 8hri$t that 9ordon elaborated upon. A$ 8hri$tian$, we can apply the action$ of
8hri$t to our li=e$ and di$co=er 9od$ purpo$e and therefore be confident that the !ather
heard our prayer$. Thi$ type of confidence grow$ one$ faith.
"ne of the mo$t compelling di$cu$$ion$ wa$ praying, CThy will be done.F0)"ne can only
pray tho$e four little word$ when he truly belie=e$ that 9od i$ on hi$ $ide. 9ordon
de$cribe$ 9od a$ good, pure, holy and lo=e.0*
would concur with thi$ a$$e$$ment of 9od
e$pecially in =iew of the $acrifice of ?i$ Son. Thi$ act $hould propel man to pray for
24 bid.. 22B.
25 bid.. 22B;224.
26 bid.. B1.
27 bid.
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9od$ will in hi$ life with tru$t. 9ordon al$o pointed out that when we pray tho$e word$,
we are $ubmitting to 9od$ purpo$e in our li=e$. Submitting our will to the !ather$ will
i$ the real battlefield that each of u$ mu$t face. %e can either $ubmit to the good and
perfect will of 9od or allow Satan$ will to be accompli$hed in our li=e$.03
Regrettably, did ha=e one #ue$tionable area with 9ordon. ?e implied that when we pray
for the lo$t that =ictory i$ definite. n 8hapter 20, 9ordon a$$ured u$ that $ince man i$
bound together with lo=e and concern for other$ that mean$ we ha=e the re$pon$ibility to
reach the lo$t.05 find no fault with thi$ $tatement. %e are called to pray 9od$ will and
we know that 9od de$ire$ that no man $hould be lo$t. 9ordon ad=ocated method$ of
praying for the lo$t u$ing $cripture a$ a guide. Again, the$e recommendation$ are
e>cellent. ?owe=er, he make$ an o=erconfident $tatement with which ha=e a difficulty.
C%ithout any doubt we may a$$ure the con=er$ion of the$e laid upon our heart$ by $uch
praying.F1+%hile would lo=e to belie=e thi$ a$$ertion becau$e it bring$ me comfort
e$pecially in regard to lo$t lo=ed one$, am afraid that thi$ cannot be =alidated in
$cripture. belie=e that we are called to pray without cea$ing for the lo$t. ?owe=er, al$o
know that 9od ha$ gi=en man a free will. -y prayer$ are unable to force another to
$urrender to 9od. Throughout the $cripture we are told of people who reJected 9od and
?i$ plan for their li=e$. "ne incident that am reminded of i$ when Paul preached to
King Agrippa in Act$ 0). Agrippa told Paul that he had almo$t per$uaded him to become
a 8hri$tian. Paul wa$ a man of prayer. ?e de=oted hi$ life to preaching the go$pel and
$haring the $al=ation of 8hri$t howe=er, Agrippa did not choo$e $al=ation in $pite of
Paul$ prayer$ and te$timony.
P&RS"(AL APPL8AT"(
28 bid.. B*.
29 bid.. 2B+.
30 bid.. 2B0.
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Quiet Talks on Prayerbrought my attention to the need for prayer in my life to be a$
natural a$ breathing. want to be more de=oted in my prayer$ e$pecially in regard to
praying 9od$ will. Thi$ i$ an area with which $truggle. Due to tragedie$ in my life, my
ability to tru$t wa$ hindered. continued praying but often felt like wa$ 9od$
$tepdaughter. would pray with con=iction for other$ but lacked that confidence
concerning my own life and need$. -y faith wa$ $hattered and had to rebuild it. Thi$
ha$ been a long proce$$. try to $ay daily, C lo=e and tru$t 9od.F 9ordon$ $ection$ on
9od$ lo=e once again reminded me to pray with $urene$$ and $ay, CLord, not my will but
@our will be done.F ha=e $tarted to end all my prayer$ with that $tatement and
wondrou$ly find that mean itO Thi$ ha$ been difficult of me to do. @et after reading
9ordon$ book, find that de$ire to pray for the !ather$ will to be accompli$hed in my
life and with my family.
A $econd application that ha=e been moti=ated to do i$ to accompli$h 9ordon$
wide reading of the $cripture. %hen wa$ in the $e=enth grade, decided to read through
Hurl*uts+ 'tory of the Bi*le!Thi$ i$ rather lengthy book that i$ a narrati=e account of the
$cripture. A$ a twel=e;year;old child, thi$ helped me with the under$tanding of the te>t of
the ible. %e are fortunate today becau$e there i$ a plethora of ible tran$lation$ that are
much ea$ier to comprehend. am going to practice 9ordon$ $ugge$tion of wide reading
with a $et time each day. Right now, my plan i$ to $et a$ide a thirty;minute block of time
after eat my lunch. 7$ually, the hou$e i$ #uiet and thi$ will allow me uninterrupted time
to read the $cripture. think that it will put my mind more in line with the mind of 8hri$t.
8"(8L7S"(
9ordon$ book wa$ difficult for me to read at fir$t. found 9ordon$ $ynta>
awkward and will admit that if thi$ had not been re#uired reading would ha=e put the
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book back on a $helf. ?owe=er, am glad that per$e=ered through tho$e fir$t chapter$
becau$e 9ordon$ =iew on prayer ha$ been in$piring and challenging. Thi$ i$ a book that
if read thoughtfully will radically change $ome of your practice$ on prayer. belie=e that
any 8hri$tian would enhance hi$ prayer life if he read and followed $ome of the
application$ that 9ordon pre$ent$ in Quiet Talks on Prayer!
L"9RA?@
Aug$burger, Dan. CS D 9ordon Talk Euiet$F Path 0 Prayer.
http/GGwww.path0prayer.comGarticle.phpHidI0*):acce$$ed 6anuary 03, 0+20
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9ordon, S. D. Quiet Talks n Prayer. Shippen$burg/ De$tiny mage Publi$her$, 0++1.
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