Prayer Isn’t About Being Good: Kyle Strobel on How to Escape Performative Prayer

Nov 26, 2025

Kyle Strobel, an associate professor at Talbot School of Theology and author, dives deep into the transformative nature of prayer. He challenges the misconception that prayer is about performance, encouraging authenticity instead. Kyle reveals how wandering thoughts can expose our true longings, viewing them as gifts rather than failures. The discussion touches on the dangers of performative prayer and the importance of bringing our true feelings to God. Ultimately, he emphasizes that real spiritual growth comes from vulnerability and trusting in God’s grace.

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INSIGHT

Prayer Is Honest, Not Performative

Prayer is not primarily a performance but a place to be honest before God.
Wandering thoughts in prayer reveal the heart's treasures and are gifts, not failures.

ADVICE

Pray From The Gospel, Not Self-Effort

Rest your prayer life on the gospel rather than on self-improvement before God.
Pray in Jesus' name by trusting his righteousness, not by polishing your performance first.

INSIGHT

God Reveals What Your Heart Loves

God's presence exposes subconscious theology and hidden loves when we draw near.
Revelation in prayer often unmasks self-deception rather than proving spiritual failure.

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Tired of fake prayer? Discover the real, raw heart of connecting with God beyond perfection or performance!

Want a deeper prayer life? We’re exploring how prayer is often misunderstood as a performance rather than an honest encounter with God. Josh Lewis welcomes Dr. Kyle Strobel, associate professor of spiritual theology at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University to explore spiritual formation, the messiness of prayer, and how Christian theology meets lived experience.

In this episode of Remnant Radio, Josh and Kyle navigate the tension between seeking God’s presence and living by faith even amid spiritual dryness. We’ll explore spiritual warfare and examine why our wandering minds in prayer are actually gifts, revealing the longings of our hearts. Their conversation bridges scholarly theology with down-to-earth practical wisdom, equipping you for a vibrant Christian life marked by honest prayer, theological depth, and spiritual growth.

0:00 – Introduction
5:24 – "Where Prayer Becomes Real" overview
7:23 – Common confusions about prayer
12:16 – The performance mindset
16:00 – How real honesty changes prayer
22:28 – Law vs. gospel distinction
26:20 – Prayers that avoid God
29:53 – Biblical examples: authenticity vs. performance
33:01 – The path for Christian growth
45:56 – Tension: desiring spiritual experiences and God’s sufficiency
54:09 – Seeking God’s face
59:05 – The “dark night of the soul,” longing for God, and spiritual formation
1:00:56 – Closing

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Hey Guys, Josh Lewis here. Have you ever wondered if the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit—like prophecy, healing, and tongues—really stopped after the apostles? Cessationists claim they vanished throughout church history, but that's a myth. In Remnant Radio’s new ebook, History of Spiritual Gifts: The Myth of Cessationism, I dive into church history to reveal the active use of spiritual gifts by early church fathers

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