How do we develop godly habits? | Pathways to God's presence
Welcome back! We cover much in our Pathways to God’s presence series today. We invite you to grow into the moment by moment surrender to God’s will and whisper as, together, we practice the presence of God today.
Stephanie says, “There is a virtuous cycle between what we believe and who we become. We develop this strategy of turning belief into identity through habits of spiritual disciplines.”
You are invited to watch Stephanie teach this lesson live on YouTube at
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After establishing the dangers we face as we walk the pathways towards God – namely, the flesh, the world and the devil –, Stephanie takes us on a trip through the French language to experience spiritual disciplines as holy clothing to be worn daily. Then, we dive into the three aspects of prayer, Bible intake and worship we will cover today. They include,
CONFESSION AS PRAYER: Confession is the path to freedom. Confession is not groveling before an angry God. It focuses on removing sin from self. It is an essential pathway to humility, self-knowledge. Honestly assess your heart before the Lord, daily, or more. Whenever you feel that little twinge of the heart, this little prick from the Holy Spirit who kindly informs you that you have need for forgiveness. He knows, and he lets you know. not to condemn you, but to bring you to freedom through releasing the burden for Him to carry and cancel. The habit of confession is powerful. It is the gateway to true, lasting freedom.
MEDITATION AS BIBLE INTAKE: When we meditate upon Scripture, we practice the presence of God. We enter His presence, we remain and dwell there. It is a good foundation for a good day, and little by little the daily puzzle pieces of Christ-centered meditation color our lives with freedom, gratitude and no small measure of humility and patience.
EVANGELISM AS WORSHIP: Pondering Scripture is a form of worship, too, in the sense that we are preaching the Word of Truth to our own hearts. It is a form of evangelism! And evangelism, which is the sharing of the truth of Scripture, is a powerful and effective form of worship.
Confession in prayer. Meditation of Scripture. Evangelization as worship. They are all encapsulated in the dedication of the temple by Solomon, and they are rooted in the presence of God whose glory has come to dwell in our hearts and lives through the HS.
Jesus has clothed you with garments of salvation, and equipped you with everything you need to walk the pathways to His presence. You are dedicated for holy use, set apart as a vessel created to honor your Lord and King.
We are all priests and priestesses to God, in Christ. He has dressed you with the habit befitting your priestly set-apart position: “the victor will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels” (Revelation 3:5, HCSB). You are dressed in Christ with white robes of purity, victory, and eternal life. Your robe is your habit.
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Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog
You are invited to join us on the Gospel Spice Prayer Bible Study, titled "The heart behind prayer" starting September 20, 2025! Details and registration here: https://www.gospelspice.com/prayer
There are a few things in our Christian life that we know we should do more, or at least better – and prayer just might top the list. Prayer is a mystery. Why would a conversation with a human have any influence on God’s eternal, sovereign plan? It defies logic, and beckons love. How can God, the Almighty Lord of Hosts, be this close, this personal? It defies understanding, and beckons involvement.
But, lack of time, inspiration, and discipline, combined with the ruthless tyranny of our busy lives, push prayer to the periphery, to the “one day I’ll get to it” pile. And yet, we can excel at what we endeavor to undertake. So, why isn’t prayer more of a spiritual priority? Could we develop a mindset around prayer that made it attractive, inspiring, even maybe delightful? What if we attuned our spiritual ears to listen to God, and our spiritual eyes to see His provision?
As an unassuming student, I’m going to humbly offer to share the little I have learned from others about the joy of prayer. I will give us theology, practical tips, and useful resources, sharing what works for me as we, together, learn to pray.
If you find prayer intimidating, or if your lack of prayer makes you feel guilty or “less than,” then this is the place for you! If you have been a student of prayer for many years, this is the place for you too! If you have breath in your lungs, then prayer can become one of the deepest joys of your day. Don’t miss out!
A PERSPECTIVE ABOUT PRAYER
To pray is to believe that God not only hears, but that He responds. It is to stand in the gap for a broken world, wielding the authority of Christ, empowered by the Spirit, and trusting in the goodness of the Father. The question is not whether prayer works, but whether we are willing to pray the kinds of prayers that invite God’s Kingdom into the darkest places of the earth—and of our own hearts.
We may never fully understand the mechanics of prayer, or how it intersects with God's sovereignty, but we are not called to understand everything. We are called to be faithful. And faithfulness means showing up—in prayer, in persistence, in expectation.
So today, let us pray not only for the comfort of our hearts, but for the transformation of the world. Let us take our place as image-bearers, co-laborers, and co-heirs. Let us believe that God is still listening—and still acting. Because He is.
There’s only one way to find out what might happen when we truly pray like this.
Let’s begin.
THE MINDSET BEHIND THIS COURSE
Before we begin, let me tell you the obvious: I don’t really know how to pray. I’m a humble student and absolute beginner at the holy endeavor that is prayer. So, this course isn’t really about what I’ve learned, or any wisdom I might have gathered. But, I’ve sat at the feet of many prayer warriors over the decades, through books and teachings.
So, I’ll share what I learned from them. Humility is going to be our primary heart posture! With each lesson, I will offer a few thoughts, practices, and ideas – with much humility, and not taking myself too seriously. I will also share her favorite books and resources about prayer. FInally, I will introduce you to some of the most influential prayer warriors of our history as the Body of Christ.
Most importantly, I will invite YOU to pray! Learning to pray comes from praying. Our humble ambition is to inspire you to pray, and to give you a few tips on how to do that. Then, it’s up to you! Prayer is a lifelong endeavor. Let’s make it delightful together!
So, let’s get started.
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