A few times it has happened that my wife said to me, “Freddie, I want to tell you that…” (pause).
I waited patiently but she said nothing further. Then I smiled, amused, and said, “Aha, the Great Editor has come again with His snipping scissors and cut you off!”
Laughing, she nodded her head and we hugged one another, thanking God for stopping a statement that would not have been pleasing to Him.
(God says this to us): “He that sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of Him. They understood not that He spoke to them of the Father. Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father hath taught Me, I speak these things” (John 8:26b-28).
All that Jesus said, He never said; it was the Heavenly Father speaking through Him. Likewise, in our prayer, it is of primary importance that we only pray what the Heavenly Father tells us to. The prayerful reading of God’s Word gives us the very words of God to pray, the very promises of God to take hold of, the very will of God to be made our will in prayer. As we read His Word we find it voices His longings to us. Immediately in prayer we can voice those same longings, making them our longings too! When you realize this fact, don’t be too surprised if you find yourself reading the above verses and praying something like this:
Prayer (We say this to God): “Father, I talk too much, please edit my speaking. I now voluntarily limit myself to speak only that which You are speaking in me, to only give utterance to what the Holy Spirit is praying inside of me. I don’t want to do or speak anything of myself, but only do and speak what You want to do and speak through me, for me, with me and unto the Father’s glory!”
From Talking with God – Chapter 13