These
worksheets are for using in small groups in the church. Please feel
free to copy and paste them and use them in such groups.
A.
Introduction
Very often Christians in church', or when we gather as a group of Christians,
feel inadequate or unequal to praying out loud in the group. These notes
seek to help us overcome those feelings.
Exercise
1: List reasons you think people have for not praying out loud
in a church context:
..
..
..
.
Exercise
2: List things you think we need, therefore, to help us be
confident in praying out loud in a church context:
..
..
Exercise
3: List benefits you think there might be from being one of
a number of people praying out loud when the church is together:
..
..
..
B.
Being Aware of the Dynamics of Corporate Prayer
In
coming to God we can come:
- Spontaneously
- carefree
response to a rising within
- Purposefully,
an act of will
- a
decision to pray even when no one else is praying!
C.
Things we can do in Prayer
1.
Exalting
Exalt
the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy (Psa
99:5).
worship
= to bow down before and lift up - the ultimate expression of love for
God
2.
Praising
Praise
the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed
with splendor and majesty. (Psa 104:1)
praise
= to applaud someone for a quality they have, to
exalt the Lord for who He is
Exercise
4: List some thing you know about the Lord (i.e. praise fuel)
.
..
.
..
Exercise
5: Suggest some things
that happen when we PRAISE God:
..
..
3.
Thanking
I
thank and praise you, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom
and power Dan 2:23
thank
= show appreciation for something given or done
to
thank for something specific
Exercise
6: List some thing the Lord has done for you (i.e. thanks fuel)
.
..
.
..
Exercise
7: Suggest some things that happen when we PRAISE God:
..
..
4.
Asking
I
urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving
be made for everyone (1 Tim 2:1)
request
= asking someone to do something, to ask the Lord to move to do something
intercession
= pleading on behalf of someone else - not
so good to do in a public forum but it is good to do privately, bringing
specific needs of others to God
Exercise
8: Suggest some things for corporate requests:
..
..
..........
Additional
Notes in respect of Prayer Generally
Do
not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God,
which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your
minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:6,7)
What
is the fruit of asking shown here?
..
If
any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to
all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he
asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a
wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think
he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable
in all he does. (Jas 1:5-8)
How
are we told to pray here?
..
Keep
on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find;
keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you.
(Mt 7:7 Amp)
How
are we told to pray here? .
..
Then
Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always
pray and not give up. (Lk 18:1)
How
are we told to pray here?
With
..
D.
Conclusions
Prayer
is more often than not a commitment to do.
Prayer
can include:
When
we bring our concerns to the Lord He brings us peace.
We
need to pray in full assurance that we are heard
- confidently
- persistently
- with
perseverance
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