Beyond the Veil

One of my greatest passions in life is making disciples of Jesus. For years, I poured my life into people—meeting with them, mentoring them, and doing my best to model a life of faith. There was fruit, yes, but it often felt like it barely scratched the surface of what Scripture promises is possible.

One day, frustrated and seeking answers, I asked God, “Why aren’t the people I am discipling experiencing the fullness You speak about in Your Word?”

The Spirit whispered back:

“Because you’re talking to them about Me, but you are not teaching them to talk to Me. If you want them to grow in intimacy with Me, teach them to pray.”

That single sentence rearranged my priorities. I realized that the fastest way for someone to grow deeper with God is not just through information about Him, but conversation with Him.

Imagine walking with Jesus in the flesh. You watch Him heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, and cleanse lepers. Crowds press through narrow streets just to brush the edge of His robe. On a hillside, thousands hang on His every word.

If it were me, I would probably ask Him, “Lord, can You teach me to preach like that? To heal the sick? To move in that kind of power?”

But the disciples did not ask for that. The only recorded request they made with a desire to be taught was:

“Lord, teach us to pray.”

I believe they knew something we often forget—every public display of power in Jesus’ life was rooted in His private life of prayer. His authority flowed from intimacy.

They recognized: If we want to walk as He walked, we must talk with the One He talked with.

Here is what is striking—the disciples were not prayerless men. As Jewish boys, they grew up reciting the Shema (Deut. 6:4–9) before they could even write their own names. They had been surrounded by prayers their whole lives.

And yet… what they saw in Jesus was different. They had never heard anyone pray the way He prayed.

I can relate.

Growing up, I prayed before dinner. On Sundays, I heard five-minute prayers asking God to comfort the sick. As a teenager, I prayed alone—usually a mix of asking for needs and begging forgiveness for sins.

Then I met people whose prayers carried a different atmosphere. They did not grovel; they gazed. They did not beg for God’s attention; they prayed as though they already had it. When they prayed, things happened—hearts shifted, chains broke, and the darkness did not just fade, it fled.

That is when I realized—prayer was an overfamiliar word that I knew nothing about. I knew how to pray about God, but I did not know how to pray to God. I did not know how to hear from Him and speak what He was saying.

Fortunately, rather than run to a ministry leader behind a pulpit I finally asked: “Holy Spirit, teach me to pray.”

It was as if the heavens roared with delight as the Spirit responded with excitement:

“Finally! I’ve been waiting twenty-eight years for you to ask!”

Jesus Himself said:

“It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.” — John 6:45 NIV

In His last evening with His disciples, Jesus made a bold promise saying, “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you” (Jn. 14:26).

This promise was a fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy, “None of them will have to teach their friends or family, saying, ‘Come and know YAHWEH intimately!’ No, from the least to the greatest, they will all know me intimately,” YAHWEH declares” (Jer. 31:34 TPT).

Many Christians have no idea that the Author of the Bible has made His home inside of them. And, as a result, there is an anointing within them—ready to teach them.

I have discovered that discipleship is primarily about discipling others to be discipled by the Holy Spirit… not by an individual vessel named me. The Holy Spirit is the only One who never leaves us. He alone can transform and change us into the image of the One who made us.

From Religious Routines to Spirit-Led Conversation

We cannot learn to pray without learning to lean into and interact with the anointing within us. We do not need a Master’s in Divinity to be a child of intimacy.

The invitation is simple—silence the noise, shut the door, and seek God with your whole heart (Matt. 6:6). Do this, and the Spirit within will school your soul in the language of prayer.

One of the best pieces of advice God ever gave me was this:

“Do not go to people to learn what can only be taught by God.”

This book is not here to condemn or criticize where you are—it is here to invite you deeper on your pilgrimage with Jesus. Like me, you might already be thankful for how far God’s brought you, but still find yourself saying, “Lord, I want more.”

That’s the heart of a true disciple—always hungry, always humble, always learning.

Here is the thing—we cannot truly learn from the Spirit until we admit how much we still do not know. Our strong opinions, preferences, and preconceived notions must be laid down. Sometimes, we have to unlearn old patterns of prayer to make room for the Spirit’s way.

The journey begins with a simple request—the same one that changed the disciples’ lives:

“Holy Spirit, teach me to pray.”

If you’re ready, pray this with me:

Teach Me to Pray Listening Guide: Hearing from God, Not Just Talking to God

After reading and praying, pause. Take a deep breath. Quiet your mind. This is your moment to listen, not just speak.

1. Be Still

Set aside distractions and still your soul. Invite the Holy Spirit to speak as you reflect on His invitation to a deeper life of prayer. Close your eyes, take a slow breath in and out, and let this simple prayer rise from your heart:

Inhale: “Holy Spirit, teach me…”

Exhale: “…to know You and follow You.”

Linger here for a few moments. Then, begin asking the Holy Spirit the questions below. Listen for what God desires to reveal to you, and take time to journal the whispers, impressions, or Scriptures that come.

2. The Invitation to Prayer

Ask God: “What old patterns of prayer do I need to lay down so I can step into Spirit-led conversation with You?”

3. Learning from Jesus’ Example

Ask God: “When I look at the prayer life of Jesus, what do You want me to notice, imitate, or hunger for in my own life?”

4. The Teacher Within

Ask God: “Where have I been relying on others to teach me what only You, Holy Spirit, can reveal?”

5. Respond in Faith

Obedience turns insight into intimacy. Step forward in trust to live out what God shows you.

Ask God: Who in my life is God asking me to disciple—not by giving them more information, but by pointing them to the Holy Spirit as their Teacher?

Remember: Prayer is a two-way conversation. Talking opens your heart; listening and obeying opens your life to God’s Kingdom breaking through in and around you.