Dake Bible Discussion Board ⇒ Theophostic Prayer

[Grandfather]

I've been hearing a good deal about Theophostic Prayer recently and as with most movements within Christian circles there are those that praise it and those that condemn it, while others simple acknowledge it and some seem to twist it.

So, I thought I would present it to the forum and maybe get some other viewpoints.

Here is a link http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/prayer ... rayer.aspx that was on the positive side.

[Ironman]

I've been hearing a good deal about Theophostic Prayer recently and as with most movements within Christian circles there are those that praise it and those that condemn it, while others simple acknowledge it and some seem to twist it.

So, I thought I would present it to the forum and maybe get some other viewpoints.

Here is a link http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/prayer ... rayer.aspx that was on the positive side.

G-Day Grand-dad.

I have never heard of the word or statement, The Theophostic!



How ever, the word, The-o-phil-o-sopih'ic is mentioned in the Websters Dictionary, a. combining or pertaining to the combination of theism and philosophy.

And; the'o-phile, n. [Gr. theos, a god, and philein, to love] one who loves or is loved by God.

Other than that, it's all double Dutch to me?

And, Sorry, I no longer follow links since my computer seriously crashed twice and at great expense to me after getting Trogans and Viruses that needed experts to clean out after following links to unknown sites? I was advised to stay away from unknown links!

[Justaned]

I've been hearing a good deal about Theophostic Prayer recently and as with most movements within Christian circles there are those that praise it and those that condemn it, while others simple acknowledge it and some seem to twist it.

So, I thought I would present it to the forum and maybe get some other viewpoints.

Here is a link http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/prayer ... rayer.aspx that was on the positive side.

Interesting article!
Two things I noticed. The author spent a lot of time setting the stage if you will before he got to what theophostic prayer really is. That always makes me suspect.

Kind of like going to see a horse to buy and before you are shown the horse you are wined and dined and after an hour presentation on the how great the horse is you are then shown the horse. When you actually see the horse sound judgment and reason are often lost or confused by expectation.

The other thing is while the article did a great job in articulating people's psychological pain and the cause of it. I saw very little difference between the psychologist that brings healing by getting the person to talk about it and this.

As I understand the article the defining factor in theophostic prayer is to get the person to think about the cause of their pain and then pray over that cause. I don't see a big difference between this and psychoanalysis where a person is brought to the point where they face their psychological demons (so to speak).

Does it work? I have no idea. Does it help people? There are reported favorable results.

I can see two ways it could become a negative. First if the person becomes dependent on their theophostic practitioner. Second and I believe I see this in many recovery groups there is no real recovery just a shifting of dependence from the problem to different problem.

[bibleman]

I've been hearing a good deal about Theophostic Prayer recently and as with most movements within Christian circles there are those that praise it and those that condemn it, while others simple acknowledge it and some seem to twist it.

So, I thought I would present it to the forum and maybe get some other viewpoints.

Here is a link http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/prayer ... rayer.aspx that was on the positive side.

Hi Grandfather,

On the surface it looks good. Recalling the memories that hurt us.... finding out why they hurt.... then applying the Truth of God's Word to those memories... and then allowing Jesus to heal us in the NOW of our lives so that the memories don't hurt anymore.

This comment was particularly helpful.

As one’s mind is renewed in the memory container the feelings and triggers start to subside and a deep abiding peace and freedom emerges in one’s present circumstances.

Getting our mind renewed is the key!

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

This is classic WOF theology!

[titus213]

I have a hard time picturing the apostle Paul following this kind of thing, even with his checkered past:

" Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3.13-14).

[Grandfather]

This is classic WOF theology!

I agree it is classic WOF theology, but it is not exclusive to WOF. Thanks for your input.

[Grandfather]

I have a hard time picturing the apostle Paul following this kind of thing, even with his checkered past:

" Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3.13-14).

In some ways I agree with you, however we must remember that not everything Jesus or Paul did is recorded. In addition we know that Paul spent a number of years in the wilderness before he launched into ministry, so who know what he dealt with and how he did it. Plus we know that Paul wrote Romans 12:1,2 which is at the heart of most good theophostic prayer. The concept of "renewal of your mind" is not simply a "painting over" or covering up the past, but a dismantling and a complete overhaul.

I believe for some in may happen in an instant, for others it may be a process over time.

Thanks for commenting.

[Justaned]

I've been hearing a good deal about Theophostic Prayer recently and as with most movements within Christian circles there are those that praise it and those that condemn it, while others simple acknowledge it and some seem to twist it.

So, I thought I would present it to the forum and maybe get some other viewpoints.

Here is a link http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/prayer ... rayer.aspx that was on the positive side.

Hi Grandfather,

On the surface it looks good. Recalling the memories that hurt us.... finding out why they hurt.... then applying the Truth of God's Word to those memories... and then allowing Jesus to heal us in the NOW of our lives so that the memories don't hurt anymore.

This comment was particularly helpful.

As one’s mind is renewed in the memory container the feelings and triggers start to subside and a deep abiding peace and freedom emerges in one’s present circumstances.

Getting our mind renewed is the key!

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

This is classic WOF theology!

What makes that classic WOF theology? The defining points of WOF theology that makes it different than other Christian theologies never mention theophostic prayer or a renewing of the mind that is not spoken of in Roman 12:1

So I would like to know why this is classic WOF theology?

[Grandfather]

So I would like to know why this is classic WOF theology?

Ed,

Since I agreed with Bibleman, I will venture an attempt to answer your question. I assumed the word "classic" to refer to traditionally accepted. As you know there is no codified theology for WOF so a more traditional use of term "classical" might not apply.

So, with that as back drop.... I have found that traditionally WOF tend to believe that a renewing of the mind begins with accepting what the Word of God says about who they are "in Christ" As seen in the statement that Joel Osteen says... This is my Bible... I am who it says I am and I can have what it says I can have....

Inherent in this is the passage of Romans 12:1,2 where people need to realize that that world has been molding their thought process and thinking patterns. It, the world uses every opportunity to get us to think "incorrectly". For example, maybe as a child a person was abused, mistreated, unloved, and as a result has a difficult time understanding they are valued. Because they think they are "unworthy" or of little value it begins to impact the way they act, they talk, etc. Simply telling someone this is not true, may not solve the problem (heal the wound in theophostic terms) but it is renewing the mind, the thinking process, that begins that healing. Literally a person must change the way they think. That is tradionally (hence classically) what I've seen in WOF circles.

[Grandfather]

BTW -- here is a link that addresses what it sees as the negative side of Theophostic prayer....http://so4j.com/top-ten-reasons-theopho ... -christian