Words are the sound of thoughts.  For most people, they are the reality of sound- waves in ears, also their own.  Words have sound nuances – whisper words, fighting words, love words, hate words.  Words are given to humans to convey their inner being and make it public. 

Words are power.  Words are the instrument of lies, but also the instrument of truth.  We can persuade, stir up, encourage, and uplift – all with words. Words set to music are one of the dominant and ruling phenomena of all times.

Think deeper and bigger – words that bring life, words that speak death – the power of the tongue.

Think higher and more – words that create, words that save – Creation words and Cross words.

There was a man – the Word. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.  (John 1)

It is from that Man, God Himself, that we must learn about words.  Here on earth, He was schooled in words, just like any Jewish boy.

There was no nation that ever had a higher ideal of prayer than the Jews. No religion placed prayer higher on the priority scale than the Jews.  Prayer was greater than all good works.  The Rabbis taught: “He who prays within his house surrounds it with a wall stronger than iron.”  Their only regret was that it was not possible to pray all day long.

In this atmosphere of words of prayer and teaching, Jesus comes with a revolutionary, completely new teaching.  It is meaningful to take note of the old Dutch word for revolution – “hemelbestormer” (heaven stormer).  How fitting is this word in our discussion of Jesus’ teaching about words.

In the highly-structured presentation of the Gospel of Matthew, we find a core-important question early in Jesus’ relationship with His disciples.  They hear Him teach.  The Sermon on the Mount draws the crowds.  He teaches with authority, unlike anything they were accustomed to.  They see the miracles of healing and his lack of fear with regard to the religious leaders.  Then they see Jesus withdraw.  Something in the authority and teaching of His thoughts resonates with them.  They feel the void within themselves, their own lack of power.

Naturally, they had prayed as they were taught.  Three times a day, at dawn and dusk and in the middle, in public or wherever they found themselves, just like the rest of their nation.  Yet they realized Jesus had something they could not comprehend – heaven had come to them in words.  His alone-time resonated in His together-time.

They ask the all-important question: Lord, teach us to pray. Teach us to storm heaven for the power and truth we see in this Rabbi of ours.

On that day, Jesus began a school of prayer for time and eternity.  He Himself said, heaven and earth will pass away, but His Words will never pass away (Matthew 24:35).  Jesus’ school of prayer is eternal and living, ready for us to enroll in today and undergo the training necessary to equip us for “greater works”. (John 14:12)

Speaking of revolutionary, heaven-storming words – in the first line of the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples, the preconceived ideas of ages crumble.  The holy Yahweh is Father.  Not just Father in the formal sense as expressed in the many versions of this most well-known prayer – the Creator God of heaven and earth is Daddy.

Prayer in privacy?  How can that be?  It is important that the church leaders see people praying.  They must be able to control the lowly with the Law.  Time and space are of critical importance – aren’t they?  We go to the Temple at the hour of prayer just as Peter and John did after Pentecost (Acts 3:1).

Jesus taught the Samaritan woman that time and space no longer matter. Jerusalem is replaced. The New Jerusalem is in the hearts of people who choose to worship in spirit and truth.  Spirit and truth are not about greater efforts or more seriousness.  God is spirit, therefore we pray with the reborn spirit within us, taught by the Holy Spirit to pray in truth.  Truth can and will always be only one thing – Jesus Himself.  He is the Truth – our measure of morality to always know what is right.

In the school of prayer, one thing is clear – talk priority determines life. Talking with God is more important than talking to people and about people.  Talking with God determines our talk with people.

Shall we not believe God’s own words? Everything you ask.  The very first requirement for effective prayer is fullness of trust.  We approach God with full assurance of faith. (Hebrews 10:22)  We cannot afford to miss the completeness of the promise through “double-mindedness”. (James 1:8)

Jesus did not teach His disciples to preach.  Preaching and talking can only be sourced in prayer (the two-way conversation with God).  God’s hallmark, His distinguishing characteristic from all other gods, is that He speaks.  He is not mute and lifeless like the idols of the world.

Therefore My people shall know My name;
Therefore they shall know in that day
That I am He who speaks:
‘Behold, it is I.  (Isaiah 52:6)

If we believe that God is who He says He is, we will first talk to Him about everything and everyone that affect our lives, every aspect of every circumstance.  He determines and makes things happen.

For the Lord of hosts has purposed,
And who will annul it?
His hand is stretched out,
And who will turn it back?  (Isaiah 14:27)

This God, ruler over all powers, is our Daddy and He is more willing to answer our prayer than we are to pray.

Selah – stop and think carefully about this.

[Recommended reading: Andrew Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer. All his works are freely available online.]