Explore new horizons of a living faith
These pages are designed to aid study or investigation for Christian discipleship through individual Bible study, Cell groups, Home groups, or meeting one to one. The questions could be used alone allowing each person to use their own Bible.
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 2 Cor 5:17
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Introduction
Prayer is talking to God. Whatever we say God hears us. Whatever we speak to God, He takes as prayer to Him. In this sense there is nothing simpler than prayer.
Just as learning to talk takes effort and practice for a child, so starting to pray takes practice and effort. When we pray we don’t get the immediate response we would get from a person. It could feel awkward. We need practice to overcome this awkwardness. We need practice praying silently to God in our heart. We also need practice when praying out loud with other people listening.
Bible Zone
Jesus taught much about prayer, and many passages of the Bible contain prayers. Here we look at some of Jesus’ teaching.
- Jesus prays - Prayer is for everyone.
- God encourages prayer - God our Father sees our need and desires us to ask..
- How do we pray? - Meet God, present Him with needs.
- Perseverence - Jesus tells us we need to pray and not give up.
- Condition to prayer - The Lord won’t listen to those who have broken trust.
Though Jesus is God, He too prayed to His Father. Here is an example of Jesus praying when His friend died.
- What confidence does Jesus have that His Father will hear Him?
- How much does Jesus seem to pray?
John 11:41-44 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, thank you for hearing me.42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me."43 Then Jesus shouted, "Lazarus, come out!"44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a head cloth. Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him go!"
Since prayer does not come naturally, the Lord encourages us with the results He gives to us. Have a look at Matthew 7,
- With what attitude does God give His gifts?
- What is the condition to the promise?
- What good things could you pray for, and keep praying for from now?
Matthew 7:9-11 9 "You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not!11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.
Jesus gave us a way of praying. There are two parts to it. First encounter God as He is (More). Second ask God to meet our needs (More).
Start off with the words as they are. As you become more comfortable then you can develop it. Each phrase can be used as a prompt to develop your own prayer.
- Who are you praying to?
- How does that influence the rest of how you approach God?
- What range of needs are presented?
- Do you feel comfortable asking for these?
Matthew 6: 9 Pray like this:
- Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
- Consider what you know about God.
- Tell Him how you think and feel about who He is.
- 10 May your Kingdom come soon.
- Thinking about who He is, go on to think about how He wants the world to be. Pray that He would work to change the world that way.
- May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
- Thinking about the difference between how God does things, and how people do things, pray for God’s will to be done, God’s way.
- 11 Give us today the food we need,*
- Each day we have needs. Pray that God would provide for what you need at this time.
- 12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
- Review the last day, considering how you have fallen short of God’s love and goodness. Ask God to forgive you.
- Consider whom you might be angry with, or hurt over. Ask God to help you to forgive them.
- 13 And don't let us yield to temptation,* but rescue us from the evil one.*
- We live in a spiritual battle, ask God for protection from spiritual attacks.
Prayer can be very perplexing. There are times when we pray and there is an immediate response; at other times it seems that there is no response. Have a look at Matthew 7
- With what attitude does God invite prayer?
- Over what variety of needs should we pray?
- Consider your circumstances. For what could you be praying?
Matthew 7:7-8 7 "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Prayer is a part of a relationship of trust with God. If that relationship is broken, then it is clearly going to have an impact on the Father’s attitude to our prayers.
- What do the writers say would hinder prayer?
- How do these conditions affect intimate relationships generally?
- What else could affect our relationship with God?
Psalm 66: 18 18 If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
Matthew 6:14 "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Page appears in Bible Explorer titled -Basics of prayer
HOW CAN I PRAY?
