The Men of Iron Minute

by Chad Zueck | Director of Content Creation

Tilt the World Toward Heaven, Part #3

Last MOI Minute of the week, we are still titling the world towards Heaven with kataphatic prayer. Kataphatic prayer? It’s like stepping onto the battlefield at Gettysburg or Antietam, using every tool—words, images, and senses—to craft a connection with what occurred. Think of it as warrior-style prayer, a hands-on and real faith rather than staged and vague. Apophatic prayer involves centering, silence, and solitude, and kataphatic prayer introduces objects to help tilt your world toward Heaven.

Kataphatic prayer is getting down and dirty with faith. It’s feeling the ground beneath your feet, tasting the sweetness of answered prayers, hearing the thunder of faith in action.

King David poured his heart out to God with raw emotion, like a fearless warrior facing his battles head-on. Check Psalm 25:1-2 and feel David’s raw prayer power. And Jesus? He didn’t sugarcoat the truth. He spoke in stories that hit home, making faith real for everyday folks. Dive into Matthew 13:3-9 and get a taste of Jesus’ power-packed parables.

“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” Matthew 13:9, NIV 2011

Imagine prayer as an honest conversation with God, where we use every sense to connect. It’s like a strategic battle plan, every move drawing us closer to victory. These are common prayer weapons for kataphatic prayer: music, candles, nature, scripture, images, and stillness/silence.

So, brothers, buckle up for this prayer adventure! Let’s tap into our warrior spirits, engage every sense, and build a warrior’s bond with God. Let’s paint our prayers, sing our strength, and declare our faith before the Almighty, who hears every battle cry of our hearts.

That’s the heart of kataphatic prayer, where we use every tool to connect with God. In the brilliance of Oswald Chambers, “Prayer is not getting things from God, that is the most initial stage; prayer is getting into perfect communion with God; I tell Him what I know He knows so that I may get to know it as He does.”

Ready to power up your prayers? Let’s charge ahead!

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