Groundwork || Prayer
Our problem probably isn’t that we don’t believe in prayer. Our problem is that our lives often reveal that we don’t believe in prayer nearly as much as we say we do.
Prayerlessness is often practical pride.
Prayer is putting our knees in the dirt and admitting that we cannot produce spiritual growth on our own.
1- LOOK AT JESUS — JESUS LIVED A LIFE OF PRAYER
If Jesus refused to live His earthly life disconnected from communion with the Father, what makes us think we can?
Prayer isn’t primarily about saying impressive things to God. Prayer is being with God.
2. PRAYER IS DEPENDENCE — PRAYERLESSNESS IS SELF-RELIANCE
Every time I refuse to pray, I am tempted to live as though my resources are enough.
The goal isn’t to become a man who can handle life without God. The goal is to become a man who increasingly realizes he doesn’t want to do anything without God.
3. PRAYER IS PART OF HOW WE FIGHT
Satan’s strategy isn’t to get you to outright reject God. He just has to get him to attempt to live without consciously depending upon God.
Prayer keeps us awake to the battle and dependent upon the One who actually has the power to win it.
4. WHAT SHOULD A MAN ACTUALLY PRAY ABOUT?
Don’t pray less about circumstances, but Pray more about transformation.
5. LEARNING DIFFERENT RHYTHMS OF PRAYER
There is set-apart prayer, where we intentionally withdraw like Jesus did and give God our undivided attention.
There is intercessory prayer, where we carry other people before God.
There is Scripture-fed prayer, where instead of constantly trying to figure out what to say, we allow God’s Word to give language to our prayers. Read a Psalm and pray its ideas back to God. Read something about God’s character and worship Him for it. Read a command and ask Him to help you obey it. Read a promise and thank Him for it.
And then there is praying as you go. “God, give me wisdom before I walk into this meeting.” “Help me respond well to my wife.” “Guard my mind right now.”
6. PRAYER ALSO MEANS LEARNING TO BE QUIET
We have trained ourselves to reach for our phones in the very moments that could have become prayer.
7. PRAYER DOESN’T JUST CHANGE THINGS. PRAYER CHANGES US.
Prayer isn’t just one of the ways God changes our circumstances. Prayer is one of the ways God changes us.
CHALLENGE FOR THE Discipline of Prayer-
15 MINS – 5 Mins (Read/Pray Scripture) 5 Mins (Gratitude +Intercession – Thankyou +Help) 5 Mins Confess + Ask+ Respond.