Spiritual Disciplines Course

Spiritual Disciplines Course.

Lesson Three : The Discipline Of Prayer (CSG facilitator and leader’s copy)

WELCOME SECTION: Warmly welcome all the people and introduce yourselves

(20 mins) if there are newcomers.

Ask each person to share back on the verse they should have

Meditated on during the last week. What did the Lord say ?

(those who were not there are forgiven!!!)

WORSHIP SECTION : The worship leader should select songs about praying

(30 mins) to the Lord………..

Suggested songs: We are a people of power, Father Bring

Together, Father we ask of You, I will

Come and Bow Down

Allow for the operation of the gifts (prophecy, new song etc.)

WORD SECTION : The facilitator should take the group through the attached

(60 mins) Lesson. Get different people to read through the sections

and any Bible Verses. Stop to discuss as prompted allowing

everyone to get involved (drawing in the quieter ones). If

the discussion is going off track bring it back to the main

topic. Be conscious of the time and pace yourself.

If there are any practical excercises take time to discuss the

Lessons learnt in conjuction with the lesson theme and don’t

allow too much wasted time.

At the end explain how they can use the Lord’s prayer

As a ‘template’ (guideline) to write out their own prayer..

(Eg.. God, You are my Father. You provide for me your child

And give me a purpose, an inheritance to claim…etc.)

WORKS SECTION : Pray outwards for unsaved friends , for your neighbourhoods

(10 mins) to have revival, for Singapore as a whole and even for our

missions work in China etc..and other pressing prayerneeds

such as the sick and troubled. Pray also for any events

coming up.

Close with offering and benediction. Go and eat…..

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Spiritual Disciplines Course.

Lesson Three: Introduction to the Discipline of Prayer (CSG Members copy)

Ask a different person to read each of the following paragraphs stopping after each one to go round the group for each to share one thought after the reading..let discussion flow…

# Prayer is the chief point of contact in a living relationship with God. It is the communion of our whole being with God.It is not only one way communication, and it is also not simply talking. Prayer involves talking, listening, and sometimes just enjoying the company of God without words. Richard Foster says that, "Real prayer is life creating and life changing.", It is, "the central avenue God uses to transform us." We begin to see things as God sees them as we change through our prayers. Sometimes our inability to pray is a resistance to change. (Read John 15:4)

# Prayer is something we learn to do. We cannot simply become "giants of prayer" overnight. We need to practice, train, spend time and effort, and we will develop a deep life of intimacy in prayer with God. Remember Jesus had to teach His disciples to pray (Luke 11:1). Even though they had probably prayed all their lives, their was something different about the way Jesus prayed. So don't be scared to experiment, even if it seems as if you "fail".

# When we pray for others, we need to first get in contact with God, so that His life and power can flow through us. "We begin praying for others by first quieting our fleshly activity and listening to the silent thunder of the Lord of hosts...Listening to God is the necessary prelude to intercession." The Holy Spirit will guide us as to what we should pray. It is not only for the big things we must pray, but also the little things. (Read Matthew 26:39)

# Sometimes we feel we don't have enough faith to pray for others, or we feel afraid. If you feel the Spirit is guiding you to pray for someone, do it. The simple act of praying shows faith.

(Read James 5:16-18)

# We need compassion when we pray for others. "We do not pray for people as 'things', but as 'persons' whom we love" or who God loves through us. (Read Matthew 9:36)

# We mustn't make prayer too complicated. We should always bear in mind the Biblical analogy that we are God's children, and He is our Parent. Our communication should be open, honest, and built on trust. We should never be afraid of laughter, and joy in our prayers. We need also to remember to pray with confidence. When a child goes to it's parents for lunch, they never fear they will not receive (except in unusual circumstances, which can't really be compared to our Heavenly Parent). (Read Matthew 19:14)

# We must not wait until we feel like praying, but like everything else we must do so that we feel like doing (imagine if we only worked when we felt like it, we'd never get anything done). As we 'exercise', the 'blood' begins to flow, the 'muscles' begin to loosen up, and we begin to feel like praying. (Read Ephesians 6:18)

# Prayer should not be seen as taking up valuable time, it should enfold our time, and our work. Pray and action should be interwoven. (‘If we’re too busy to pray we’re too busy’). (Read Mark 1:35 – Jesus made time to pray as He knew without it His work would be ineffective)

HOMEWORK: Use the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) to write out your own prayer.

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