Prayer

Skeleton discussion lesson on prayer:

1. What does it mean to pray to you personally?
2. What was your last prayer?
3. What are some sort of prayer answers do we get for prayer?
4. Why do prayers become ineffective?
5. Who are your prayer warriors in bible or your fellow brothers and sisters?

Prayer: Various for individual, unique and special like all relationships, spiritual hunger is met, changes our lives and situations. ACTS: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication.

Answers in prayers can be Yes, no and wait. He hears and answers all prayers just maybe not the answers we want to hear because he can not act in a way that is inconsistent to his character. Discuss what are some Yes, no's and wait answers.

Prayers become ineffective when things in our life separate us from God, choosing to reject God's truth or help, knowingly rebelling against God. Having the wrong motives of what we ask.

Some prayer warriors in the bible, moses, david, daniel+friends, micah, prophets, samuel, Paul and ultimately Jesus.

Example prayers Daniel 9:4-19, 2 Samuel 7:18-29, Matthew 6:9-13

Specific examples:
1. Jehosophat:
Prayer type - 2 Chronicles 20:1-14 War raging in the land
Answered Prayer - 2 Chronicles 20:20-30
What type of prayers do you see in these verses?

2. Shadrah, Mesach, Abednego
Prayer type - Daniel 3:17-18
Answered prayer - Daniel 3:26-27
Prayed no matter circumstance, food matter, forced to worship idol and gold -> fire furnace, outlawed prayer but still prayed -> lions den. He stood strong for conviction in God and continued to trust in God

3. Paul
Prayer type - ephesians 3:14-21

Prayer is not a set of rules or repetitions, it is unique communication and relationship to everyone, it is being real to God and opening up our hearts for him to speak as well as for us to share our thoughts and feelings.

Extra verses: Eph 2:18, Mtt 18:19-20