Suited & booted - part 3

If you've not read part 1 or part 2, click on the relevant link.

We'll be looking at Ephesians 6, verses 16-18 for this final part. I've taken this portion from the KJV, and I'll explain why later.

"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"

We'll jump straight in to verse 16: The Shield of Faith - Faith is a shield, a defensive stratagem in our armour. The bible is quite plain when it says there will be things heading our way - it describes them as "fiery darts". The Greek, belē is the word for darts and means missile or arrow and comes from a root which also means javelin. Darts or javelins can be aimed at their target. Interestingly though, on a whim, I looked up "fiery" which means flaming, on fire, burning in the Greek concordance. Thayer, however, interestingly links this word with the heat of passions such as anger, being incensed or or being aflame with sexual desire. It's interesting that sometimes a simple action from someone can lead to some "fiery" thinking: sometimes we become inexplicably infuriated with something or someone. It's these little "missiles" that are actually quite dangerous. "Why did they do that? Don't they care? You aren't important to them....and after all you've done for them!" Or even, "Your God doesn't answer your prayers. He's not bothered with you - look how you behaved this morning...call yourself a Christian??"  It's these little darts of wrong thinking that are actually very dangerous. They set in and fester. We need to be using our shield of faith. "No! That person is a child of God, and I'm sure they didn't realise they hurt my feelings. I will choose to pray for them and show them extra love today."  And "My God supplies all my needs, I am a child of God, a joint heir with Christ. I am His beloved." This is how we use our shield of faith. We align our thinking with the Word, and stop the fiery darts dead in their tracks. Sometimes the missile will be our finances, or emotions, our health.....just use your shield of faith over all. Over all means over everything. Every time you deflect a missile with your faith shield, I reckon it bounces off and hits the enemy square in the head! Confessing, "By His stripes I am healed" and boom! he gets a whack in the head. (That's not scriptural by the way, that's just my own thoughts, but I love the idea and I hope it's true!)

You may say, My shield must be tiny though as I don't have much faith. Well I have fantastic news....it's God's armour and not yours so the shield is HUGE because God doesn't lack faith. He had so much faith He said Light Be and light was! He raised Jesus from the dead. So don't sweat if your own faith levels feel a bit low. You only need a tiny mustard seed of faith to move a mountain so it's always good news with God. And to prove that your shield is huge: the Greek word thyreon is the word for shield here in this verse and it's worth a mention as it means "gate or door" and is large enough to provide full protection as it's door-sized! Wow. A whole door for a shield. That means you don't have to keep moving your shield around your body - the shield just completely shields you. This isn't the only word for shield in Greek, there is another word for shield which is a small circular shield, but that isn't used here. I just love how every single word in the Bible is completely God-ordained.

v17 - The helmet of salvation.  Just when you thought you couldn't glean any more from a few verses in the Bible, the little nuggets just continue. Helmet in Greek is perikephalaian and means encirclement of the head. It's comprised of two words - peri means around, all over, through and kephale means head. The head part of the word means the "seat of the intellect which has been enlightened by the holy Spirit to comprehend all aspects of salvation."  WOW. And salvation is from a root word "sozo" in Greek which means, save, deliver, protect, make whole, heal, be whole, preserve, do well. All of that is encompassed in our salvation - deliverance, protection, healing, being whole and doing well. What a beautiful word. Many attacks come via the mind. It's a battleground and God has given us a helmet that goes all around, all over and through our head showing us that there isn't any area that He is leaving vulnerable, and that helmet is Salvation. We must know we are saved. We must know what that means. Sozo, is so much more than just having accepted Jesus and knowing our final destination is heaven. As wonderful as that is, we have more than just a spiritual salvation, but salvation on this earth in the form of protection, healing, wholeness, preservation and doing well. That's what God desires for you. But we must know it is ours or we'll be easily defeated.

I'm astounded when I hear people say that sickness is from God. No! That's a lie. If God's will is to make people sick, or to teach a lesson through sickness and illness then Jesus did not do the will of God on the earth as He healed ALL who came to Him. ALL. Sinners got healed. Everyone. I hear that people say that those who die early or young are because 'He needs them in heaven'.....NO. It just isn't so. Psalm 91 says "With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation". That's God talking. He satisfies us with long life and not only that, but salvation too. To live victoriously we must believe what God says. We may need to 'unlearn' some things that we've been taught. But the Bible is our authority. See what it says about who you are in Christ. It will bless your socks off to find out that you are a joint heir with Christ, that means that what He has, you have. Life, health, blessing, joy, victory, peace, wholeness. Get that helmet on, and when someone says something contrary to the Word of God about you, you will not be affected because you will know that you have SOZO!!

v 17 The Sword of the Spirit is explained for us. It is the Word of God. There are a number of references in the bible to the Word being a sword. This is our weapon. You might think a soldier needs more than one weapon, but this is a super-weapon. There's power in the Word of God. We need to use the Word of God - speak it, meditate on it, know it. Meditate means chew. Chew it over. Feed on it. Take it in, savour it. Don't rush through it.

The Greek for word is rhema, and it means spoken word. We are told to read our Bible, but seldom are we told to speak it out. It is powerful when it is spoken. God's words produce life. He spoke the universe into being. He speaks and it happens. Yet, we are made in His likeness and we also have the authority to use our words to change our surroundings. "Speak to the mountain" Jesus said. He spoke to the storm and it was calmed.  Words are much more powerful than we realise, in fact the Bible says death and life are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18 v 21). It's so important that we speak good words, and the right words because words can build up, or tear down. Be careful with your casual conversations. Today's vernacular is changing all the time, and we use words with little thought or respect. Things are hated in everyday speech (I hate that thing); we speak words of anti-faith all the time (I'm afraid I can't do that / I was scared to death / I'm sick of this). All these are so easily said, not really meant in a literal sense, but nevertheless those words are out there. Be watchful of what you speak over yourself and your children (He's a stupid boy/ she never learns / he's dead funny). You may say that I'm being over the top, taking it too far, but that's not what the Bible says.In fact it has plenty to say about our speech.
It's not the easiest thing to change your speech as everyone says these sorts of phrases and they are "normal". We don't want to come across as weird, but a simple adjustment by consciously choosing your wording will soon become your own norm . Just think how our lives would see a transformation if we started speaking life and good things into them instead of negative, fear-filled words! It's a challenge, but something to aim for and work on.
We need the Word of God. We need to be speaking God's word over our lives. Revelation 19 v 15 says "Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations". The sword here is the Word of God and the passage is talking of Jesus. Jesus uses the word of God and again, it is described as a sword. If it's good enough for Jesus, it's certainly good enough for me.


Now, in my preferred translation of the Bible, The Amplified, there's a full stop at the end of verse 17. However, in the KJV, the sentence continues into verse 18. I think the KJV is more accurately conveying the original as in the Greek, the linking-word dia is used which means "by" and the literal translation would be "by all prayer and supplication praying in every season in the Spirit and unto this very thing watching with all perseverance and with all supplication for the saints." Prayer is linked with the Word. We should be using the word and prayer in conjunction with each other.

In every season means always. So whatever season you're in - a good time, when all is good, finances are ok, health is good, family is doing well - pray. When times are tough, money is a bit tight, relationships are strained, got a niggly pain in your back - pray. When times are dire - everything's falling apart - pray. Pray pray pray. Just pray whenever and wherever. Pray for the saints, God's people. Pray for the church, far and wide. Pray.
Prayer wouldn't be here, linked in with the armour of God if it wasn't significant. It's vital. It's not an afterthought. The full defenses and armour of God include prayer and watchfulness. We must be praying for each other. In every one of Paul's epistles, he encourages the church to pray. Pray for him, pray for other churches, pray for each other. He always mentions that he has been praying for them, as an example of what we should be doing. We are all in this together, like a platoon of soldiers. We need to be looking out for and watching over each other. We're the body of Christ.

So let's sum up as it's been a mammouth study:

• We need the WHOLE armour of God
• It is God's armour - provided for us, by Him. We need it on
• The Belt of truth - know the truth, know what God says. Let the truth hold everything in place
• Breastplate of Righteousness - seek first God's righteousness and know in your heart that you are the righteousness of God in Christ
• Shod your feet - Be ready to go where God tells you to go, walk in the good news of the gospel everyday, knowing that wherever you step, you are the difference in that environment. You don't let the atmosphere control you or contaminate you, you are cleansed and blessed wherever you go, sharing the gospel with everyone you meet
• Shield of faith  - use your faith, exercise your faith, believe God, and walk boldly knowing that the shield of faith goes with you, covering you like a huge door
• Helmet of salvation  - let your Saviour and defender encircle your thoughts. Your head is protected around and throughout. You have salvation - and that encompasses not just spiritual life, but protection, health, wholenesss. You are a victor in Christ
• The Sword  - don't let your sword dangle idly by your side. Use the Word of God in all circumstances. This is our weapon, the word will change our circumstances if we speak it out. 
• Pray - whether things are good, bad or indifferent....PRAY. At all times. Pray for yourself, your family, and for your fellow believers. Pray for the lost. Just pray. 

I hope you've enjoyed this little study. The Word of God is alive, and studying it is so rewarding. It never gets old, or boring. I give thanks and praise to Jesus for giving us the Holy Spirit. Be blessed x

Suited & Booted - part 2

Now I had this backdrop (see part 1) I felt ready to delve into Ephesians 6. As I started studying, the notes and insights were amazing.  I have 7 pages of notes!  Here are some of the main points. Hope you enjoy.

Ephesians 6 v 11-18

Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil. 12 For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere. 13 Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place]. 14 Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God, 15 And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace. 16 Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one]. 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God. 18 Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).

It's a famous passage, I've read it millions of times, but I've not really studied it in depth and I've not heard anyone preach on it either, so it blessed my socks off to see some of the little gems in here.

We do have an enemy. There's no sugar-coating it. The bible's quite clear on the fact and if we don't believe it, we're already defeated. However, God hasn't left us helpless. He gave us His Jesus. But just believing in Christ and becoming a Christian doesn't mean life will suddenly automatically be all rosey and perfect. In fact, it's often the opposite: as soon as you get tuned into Christ, you get smacked with something to discourage you. It's all a strategy to throw you off course. But we don't have to be defeated.

Jesus said the even the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. The church (which is the body of Christ - the people, not a building), is powerful. I don't think we realise how powerful we are. But the gates of a fortress are a defensive structure. You don't attack with gates. You put gates up to keep attackers and unwanted people out. So the gates of hell (or the defences of hell) are no match for the church. If we look at this carefully, the church are the people that the defences of hell can not prevail against. Are we the ones who should be attacking? If you're not attacking in a football match, you're having to defend. Once you start attacking, the other team need to defend. Is the church living in a state of constant defence? Is that how we should be living?  In a football match, each player is suited up with certain protection - shin pads. In American football, they wear helmets too. Similarly in battle, the army are clad in their armour, with their weapons to protect them. So too God has supplied His church. And even better news - we don't have to find our own armour. It's God's armour we use. Just like a member of the British Army wouldn't fashion his own weapons and outfit, neither do we need to. He supplies it all. And we are told to put it on, so we need to know what it is. Note it also says to put on His complete armour? We need it all otherwise we'll be left vulnerable. We're even told why we need it - "to stand against all the strategies and deceits of the devil". There's that deceit again. God's armour will help to protect you against the deceit of the enemy. So let's jump right in and take a look at it.

v14  -The belt of truth  A belt holds everything up. It stops something falling down and holds things in place. Jesus said in John 8 v 32, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free". If you don't have the truth, and you don't know the truth, you are not free. John 1 v 17 says that "For while the Law was given through Moses, grace (unearned, undeserved favor and spiritual blessing) and truth came through Jesus Christ." So truth sets us free, and it came through Jesus. Unlike Eve, who wasn't fully acquainted with God's word, we can know the truth, and God says that having this truth holds everything up, like a belt. What is the truth? It's Jesus! It's the gospel, the good news that Jesus came to set us free by dying for us, and that He lives because He is risen from the grave.
But what are loins? It's quite an old-fashioned word and can refer to the part of the body under the ribs to the hips, but it can also mean the region of the sexual organs and when it's used in this context it refers to procreative power. The Greek word is osphus and means the hip or reproductive area. We can't produce anything good in our lives if it comes from deceit. We must be girded with truth. Another interesting point is that a belt goes all the way around something. The Greek used here is actually "being girded about". There's no area that shouldn't be upheld by the truth.

v14 - The Breastplate of integrity-   the KJV translates this as the breastplate of righteousness. The Greek word used is Dikaiosune which means righteousness or a condition acceptable to God. I do like this one. Breastplates are a defensive item of armour. They protect the heart and vital organs. We need to know in our hearts that we are righteous. If we know that we know that we know that we are the righteousness of God through Christ, then condemnation cannot set in and we can never be accused by the devil (he is the accuser of the brethren according to the bible) even when we slip up and make a mistake. Condemnation can take deep roots in us and lead to many other issues, such as guilt, fear, anxieties and even illness in our physical body. Condemnation is not good. We are forgiven by God because Jesus took all our sins at the cross. By believing on Him and His wonderful sacrifice, we become righteous through our faith in Him. It can't be earned, it has to be received. And because it can't be earned, and we receive it through faith, it can't be lost, and we can be of absolute peace in our standing with God. He's just amazing. He deserves all our praise.
The bible also tells us that where our treasure is, that is where our heart is also. In Matthew 6 v 33, Jesus tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. So our heart is also where we seek God, and His righteousness. So how do we do protect our heart with the breastplate of righteousness? We must ensure that our hearts are always seeking God first and foremost, seeking Him above all in the world. He is our treasure, and should be the treasure of our hearts. We must also know that we are the righteousness of God in Christ. Don't be condemned. Romans 8 v 1 says that "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ". If anyone condemns you, use your breastplate of righteousness and declare that you are the righteousness of God in Christ!

v15 - Shod your feet - this one is a gem isn't it? Shodding the feet is a rather strange term. In the Greek, it is defined as "bind under one's feet". The root of the word is from a word meaning "bond, tie, knit". In the culture of the day, feet got very dirty and dusty so shoes were removed and feet washed when entering a house. The action of washing someone's feet was looked upon as a very lowly job. The lowest of the low would be expected to wash feet. This is very interesting in the light of Jesus' willingness to wash His disciples' feet. The dust is also linked with flesh and sinful nature in the bible. The serpent from Genesis was cursed and doomed to eat dust. Man's fate was set to return to dust. Dust is a picture of the sinful nature of the world. So here in this verse we are told to cover or bind our feet with the preparation of the gospel. This means that our feet are never covered with the dust (or sin) of the world. They're ever ready to go  -  go wherever God takes us. We're not picking up the dust of the world, we are walking in the cleansing power of the gospel, taking the good news with us, and ever prepared to walk in paths that God has for us. How beautiful is that? We walk in the world, but we're not of the world. We look different in the world because of the gospel. Wherever we walk, our feet are perpetually clean, guided by the gospel, prepared for anything, and the dust or sin of the world has no power over us.

We'll take on the last three verses next time.

Suited and booted part 1

I'd love to share some of the insights that the Holy Spirit led me to study and delve into. He led me to an in depth study of Ephesians 6, but He gave me this backdrop at the beginning of my study.
I hope you enjoy.

When God made the earth, and everything in it, He pronounced it good. Genesis 1v 31 "Then God saw everything that He had made and indeed it was very good". In Genesis 3v1, the fall hadn't happened yet, we are told that "The serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field that the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman "Has God indeed said, 'you shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"

I felt Him say, "what is amiss in this passage?" Then I saw it. Man and woman were put in the Garden of Eden by God. However here in this passage, the serpent is in the Garden. I'm not sure why the serpent was a cunning creature. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. It can't be, as God made everything good. It may be that the quirk of this particular creature meant that Satan could use it in his plans more easily.
However, note that it says the serpent was a field animal. I looked up the word field in my concordance and lo and behold, it means....FIELD. An open expanse of land, a plain. Not really a Garden of Eden description is it? Why was the serpent in the garden where man and woman were if it was a field animal? Or perhaps Eve was in the field rather than the Garden? Either way, someone was not where they should have been.  God gave Adam & Eve authority and dominion over all the animals and everything He created. If we are not taking authority over what God gave us to take authority over, then something will sneak in, like the serpent did here.

From here we know that the serpent, via Satan, craftily made Eve question God's words. He made her doubt God's goodness. Is God holding out on you? Does He tell you not to eat the fruit because then you will be just like Him? (I'm paraphrasing a bit). It's this kind of subtle bending of the Word of God that is so very dangerous. Because Eve didn't know the truth of what God had actually said to her. She replied with this: "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden, but the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, God has said 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die'. "
However, God didn't say that. He said in Genesis 2 v 16-17 "...of every tree of the garden you may freely eat, but of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day you eat it you shall surely die." Eve misquoted and misrepresented God. She said that God said not to touch it even. He doesn't say that. She didn't know the truth of God's word, and this made her vulnerable. By believing that God said don't even touch it, she has left herself open to doubt. Doubt in God's goodness. Doubt in the very character of God. The serpent was able to say "You shall not surely die....you shall become like God". She's completely open to attack now and the attack is doubt. Doubt in God's whole character......If I touch it, will I die? Will I die if I eat it? Is God lying? Why can't I eat it? What is God keeping from me?

We all know what happened next.

This whole scenario has led to the world as we know it today. Creation fell and we now have a constant enemy. Just like the serpent in the Garden, he's cunning and will infiltrate your world in a myriad of subtle ways. One of the main ways he gains his foothold is to manipulate the truth of the word of God, and cause you to doubt who you are, what your authority is, and how good God is.

Our enemies today are not serpents. The enemies we face today that we wrestle with are "not flesh and blood" according to Ephesians 6 v 12. They are however, defeated by Jesus our Saviour. We stand as more than conquerors in Christ through the Cross. We do however, need to ensure that we don't fall into the trap that Eve did by not really knowing who God created us to be, and Who He is.

Next time, I will share some wonderful insights into how to live victoriously and how we can overcome in life.

How long do I need to pray for?

How long do I need to pray for?

The bible says to "Pray without ceasing". That is a mighty long prayer!

How do I do that???! Surely we can't pray 24/7?  I just want to know how long my prayer should be.

We'll come back to "praying without ceasing" in a moment.  First let's say we come to God in prayer over something. How long does my prayer need to be? Basically, it's however long you feel you need to pray for. That sounds a bit vague but it really is true. There's no set length for prayers. God's attention isn't caught when we say long, elaborate prayers that last an hour.

My early Christian experiences of prayer were a bit freaky. I've really had to un-learn a lot of things. Prayers were long, very very long. Prayer time was hours. Words were long and repetitive, and to be honest, it was all boring. Prayers were really not prayers. They were more of a contest to see who could be the most eloquent and quote the most scripture. And whilst there's nothing wrong with being eloquent and quoting scripture, if it's all for the purpose of impressing other people, then it's not really prayer. You know, sometimes, I just say to my husband, "It's been one of those days. The children were horrors and I was an even bigger horror. Rarrrrrrrrrr". When I "rarrrrrrr" that's the end of the talking. He'll give me a cuddle and there'll be quiet time. It's not long, it's not eloquent, but it's enough. Same with prayers. Your prayer may be two words or 2000 words - but even just your groan will reach up to His throne.

Saying that, there may be times when you're praying for something, but you don't feel you can let it go yet. There's more praying to do. Your prayer time may be longer over certain situations. Praying to be released from a habit or addiction, for example, may take more time than your morning prayers when you simply thank God for the day ahead, and give your cares about the coming day to Him.

But there really is no set limit or time period. James says that the earnest, heartfelt prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available, dynamic in its working. There is no mention of "5 hour prayer time makes power available" or "One hour long prayers 3 times a day cause prayers to be answered." Jesus is our example. When He gave us an example of how to pray (the Lord's prayer), it's not a long prayer. It's to the point and it's concise. Yet there are times when He goes away by Himself and spends longer periods of time in prayer. Let the Holy Spirit lead you. If you feel the need to spend longer in prayer over something, then do so.

Coming back to the "Praying without ceasing". Let's get the verse, and see what it says. It's from 1 Thessalonians 5, v 16-18. "Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

If we define prayer as communication with God, then this verse is really telling us how to live our everyday lives to the glory of Jesus.

• Rejoicing always - don't get negative or complain, but live with the joy of the Lord. 
• Pray without ceasing - keep an open line of communication with God. Talk to Him as often as you feel you need to, or can do. Not in a super-spiritual, away-with-the-fairies way, but by cultivating your relationship with Him, speak to Him throughout your day. 
• Give Him thanks for everything - no matter what your situation, give thanks. If it's good, give Him the glory. If times are tough, thank Him that He is with you, and that in Jesus you are an overcomer; you are more than a conqueror and that He is your Strong Tower.

Notice it is all about what comes out of our mouths. By cultivating a relationship with someone, you have to talk to them. If I only speak to my husband once a week, our relationship will break down. An intimate, loving relationship needs communication and God desires a close, loving intimate relationship with us.   Sometimes I have a moan to my husband and tell him all the stuff that's bothering me; sometimes I talk to him about what funny things have happened in my day; sometimes we have times where we tell each other how much we love each other; other times we sort through an issue; sometimes it's planning for the future. Sometimes they're long conversations, sometimes they're short. It's no different with God. He wants all those conversations with you. Start today and see your life transformed.

PRAYER

I've been feeling like I should share some of the things in my heart about prayer.

Prayer is a wonderful thing yet so misunderstood. It is over-spiritualised by many charismatics, and made over-religious by others. Yet it is simply one very beautiful thing: a conversation with our ever-loving God. That's it! It's a conversation.

Now the Bible does talk about different types of prayer (intercession, prayer of agreement etc), but let's not let this scare us off. In everyday life, we have different types of conversations don't we? We have nice, easy conversations over coffee with friends; we have formal conversations with colleagues; we have silly conversations with our children; we have serious conversations with our spouse about household matters.  So, don't let prayer be a scary concept, and think you need to have a set spiritual vocabulary, full of thy/thee/thine/knoweth/doeth....and all other words we would never use in any other setting. Just use your own words. Think of intercession etc as simply a different type of prayer conversation.

Just talk to God, the loving Father Who just wants to hear your voice, and craves your love and devotion. Tell Him your thoughts, your cares and your needs. Talk to Him about anything you like. That is prayer.


These everyday conversations mentioned above all have something in common. They're two-way. When you pray, don't forget to have a moment of quiet to let God respond. You may not hear anything and that's ok, it doesn't mean God hasn't heard, or isn't bothered. Sometimes, you might just have a quiet moment and you feel His presence or His love wash over you. That's lovely. When my husband says nothing, and just gives me a cuddle, that's better than any words. It's what I really need.

Jesus says that His sheep know His voice. He also said that He would send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit to us, Who would teach us all things.  I truly believe that God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit. It takes time, but if we want to hear Him, I believe we can hear God speak to us. But if you never give Him chance, you never will. Don't miss His peace and His loving presence as I believe this is often the means by which He answers us. We ask Him about something and we have a peace, confirming it's all good, or conversely, an absence of peace. But the Holy Spirit is our guide. The way He often guides us is that inner "gut feeling" or that easy positive feeling we have about something. That is God guiding you, answering you and leading you.

So don't be afraid to pray. Just as talking to your spouse or your children is a vital part of your relationship, so should prayer be. Prayer is simply talking to God. We can't have a relationship with someone we never speak to. So I encourage you, make prayer a daily thing.

If you're really struggling, can I suggest a simple prayer in the morning to start the day, along the lines of this:
"Lord, thank you for loving me. I give today to You, with all my cares and anxieties. Fill me with Your love and grace. I thank You that You are with me today, that You never leave me or forsake me."