MINI-COURSE: Perspectives on Prayer and Praying with Phil Miglioratti (Video Series)

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Dr. Jonathan Armstrong interviews Phil Miglioratti

Phil Miglioratti is dedicated to promoting prayer movements across the country. As a part of this work, he has worked with various groups, including Church Prayer Leaders Network, the National Pastors’ Prayer Network, and Pray.Network. He also serves as National Facilitator for Mission America Coalition. In addition, he is the author of “Mobilizing Men to Pray,” a chapter in Fight On Your Knees (NavPress, 2002). This interview was originally published on October 21, 2019. Video • Transcript

Dr. Roberto Miranda Interviews Phil Miglioratti (1/6)

Dr. Miranda introduces Phil Miglioratti, who recently came to Boston to minister at a conference for the New England Southern Baptist Convention. Phil shares how he sets up resources for pastors in conjunction with the National Pastor's Prayer Network and The 6:4 Fellowship. These organizations have originated from the exhortation in Acts 6:4, calling ministers to attend to the ministry of prayer and the word. Phil also works with the Mission America Coalition, a ministry that hosted the City Impact Round Table event here in Boston, a few years ago. Phil elaborates concerning the different protocols that prayer requires in diverse settings. In describing the difference between individual versus corporate prayer, Roberto affirms, "It is a dance and it's an art." Phil expounds, "Prayer is one of the few things in the church that we just assume that everyone knows how to do .... well that's wonderful, but it doesn't mean that a person knows how to pray."

Dr. Roberto Miranda Interviews Phil Miglioratti (2/6

Roberto engages this segment by his assertion, "There is a Spirit call to prayer ... but then at the same time, there are a lot of things that we need to learn ... to bring that gift into full expression." He distinguishes between the charismatic/pentecostal approach to prayer and the more evangelical approach to prayer, which can sometimes leads to alienation. Phil references the scripture that encourages us to "prefer one another," and states, "More and more that gap is being bridged ... how can the Church be unified if we can't even pray together?" Roberto asks Phil to define true, authentic, biblical anointed prayer. Phil unfolds the concept of making prayer your life breath. Prayer is the breathing out of our needs and the breathing in of God's response to us. Phil continues by sharing the concept of "Praying Backwards." Roberto observes, "I see that as prayer disperses itself more and more through our life, it really stops being that devotional moment only, ... but suffuses every moment of your life."

Dr. Roberto Miranda Interviews Phil Miglioratti (3/6)

Phil explains, "Prayer is like the breathing in and out of listening to God and talking to God...Prayer is talking to God in the mode of listening to God, so that we know what to talk to Him about." Phil challenges believers, "Don't you want to go beyond just praying for sick people? ...We're not asking enough questions when we pray." Roberto affirms, "Prayer is not a monologue; it's a dialogue. It's two-way communication." Phil elaborates, "It's not only a dialogue, but we are being invited into the Trialogue, which is the communion that's been going on between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit ... Come into this conversation and be a part of it." If we begin to think this way, we will be much less likely to pull our list out and say, "OK God, it's my turn to pray." Prayer starts with God and we are invited into it. Phil describes how he used to sing with his eyes open and pray with his eyes closed. Now, he sings with his eyes closed, and prays with his eyes open."

Dr. Roberto Miranda Interviews Phil Miglioratti (4/6)

Roberto entertains discussion about prayer engaging the authority of the believer and the power that we have as Christians to affect the environment that we inhabit, the Church, and to affect God Himself and His heart. Roberto questions Phil, "Do you think we can change the will of God?" The biblical illustration is raised of Moses, who heard God say that He wanted to destroy the children of Israel because of their disobedience. Moses interceded for his people, and God changed His mind. The question is posed, "Is God simply being rhetorical here, or can we really change God's mind, plans and actions? Phil responds that he approaches this question in a couple of different ways and expands on both the prescriptive and descriptive part of God's will. He introduces a term that we don't use much anymore, which is "conscriptive." Phil explains its meaning as God giving us His mind, "the mind of Christ," so that we can pray with importunity the very heart of God himself. Roberto states, "We always underestimate the complexity of God's dealings with His people and humankind as a whole ... He always seems to be about more than we give Him credit for in these processes." Phil quotes Walter Wink, "History belongs to the intercessors."

Dr. Roberto Miranda Interviews Phil Miglioratti (5/6)

Phil shares about the legacy of prayer that he prays will outlive his life. Roberto poses the question, "How do you see prayer and spiritual warfare?" Phil elaborates concerning the "rhema word," the word that God gives you in a specific moment for that situation. He describes the kind of prayer that really results in evangelism..."Prayer that never leads to someone doing evangelism means the club just stays the club and no one gets added." Roberto engages dialogue about Joshua and the first prayer walk around Jericho. Phil responds, "We need more Joshuas, who know where the battle is... if we had a more listening posture, I think we'd have a lot more Jericho situations than we're seeing." Roberto likens the mind of modern Western culture to be as impenetrable as the huge walls of Jericho. Both Roberto and Phil agree that apologetics is not going to break down these walls. The new strategies must come from God, who is infinitely creative.

Dr. Roberto Miranda Interviews Phil Miglioratti (6/6)

Roberto ponders the scripture from Psalm 32 about God's generic promise, "I will enable you to understand," and from this understanding, comes the specific promise, "Then, I shall teach you the way that you shall walk." Roberto declares that prayer is the instrument through which this becomes possible ... the "download of God's 21st century strategies into us." Phil maintains, "If we understand prayer from a different perspective, not only will we be less bored with it, but I think God will be less bored with it." Roberto asks Phil a vital question, "What word of advice would you have for busy pastors whose congregations have a "busy" mentality and measure pastoral productivity by how many hours the pastor spends counseling and administering the church, rather than taking a day a week to pray and make prayer a part of one's work as well?" Phil responds, "Do it, don't talk about it ... do it first, before you tell people they have to do it." Roberto summarizes, "If I come out with any insight, it's how complex prayer is. We should not oversimplify or impoverish this very rich relationship between us as believers and this generous God that deigns to come down in the place of prayer and share His heart with us ,,,and then sends us lovingly into the world to carry out His desires."

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