2025-06-29: Spiritually Formed: Prayer

Introduction

There are certain dates and events that are etched in our minds. For me, one is Sunday, December 10, 2017. It was the first sermon I preached in Hume, even before I’d been hired here. After the service, there was a congregational meeting and a vote was taken on whether or not I would be hired.

Side note: You really should try preaching a sermon right before a group of people votes whether or not to give you a job… it’s not stressful at all…

Anyway, they took the vote, and more people voted yes than no, so I was offered a job. But here is the really memorable part of that day… After the vote, as I was talking with people, one individual asked me this:

Are you going to help us grow?

Now, I can’t tell you exactly how I answered, and I can’t totally tell you whether they meant numerical growth as a church family, or personal spiritual growth, or both. But I can tell you this. Even from that first Sunday I preached here I have had TWO primary goals in my preaching.

That I would clearly proclaim the good new of Jesus.

That you would not simply hear a good sermon, but that my words would - in some way - help you to grow.

Getting a “Nice Sermon” or “I enjoyed your message” is alright I guess, but here’s the comments I love the most -

“Your message caused me to rethink this…”

“Your message encouraged me with…”

“Your message challenged me to…”

Or even…

“Here’s where I think you are wrong…”

Because all of those, even when we disagree, mean the words I speak are actually making a difference. And from each of those, we are invited into deeper discussion, deeper study, deeper transformation.

That’s what this series is about. Not just information -but formation. We are talking about what it means to be spiritually formed. To be shaped, not by the chaos and anxiety of the world, but by the grace and presence of God.

One of the ways that transformation happens is prayer. Richard Foster says

“Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us.”

I don’t think we always think about prayer as a practice that CHANGES us.

I think we can treat prayer like a spiritual suggestion box. We drop in our requests and hope God gets back to us soon. And sometimes, if we are really honest, our prayers are less about praying and more about WORRYING IN THE DIRECTION OF GOD. But what if prayer is less about getting God to move, and more about letting God move us?

Because while it’s true that prayer can calm anxiety and bring peace, it also does something deeper: Prayer forms us. It changes the way we think. It reshapes what we value. It aligns our hearts with God’s purposes.

I know that prayer can feel intimidating. Maybe awkward. Maybe you’ve tried and it feels like nothing happened. But what if we’ve misunderstood what prayer really is?

What if prayer isn’t something you have to master? But something you’re invited into?

If you’ve got a Bible, open up to Luke 11. Here, and a parallel passage in Matthew 6, Jesus shows us some really vital things about not only how to pray, but about the kind of relationship with God that prayer is meant to form.

The context is important: Jesus has just been praying. The assumption I think you can make is that his disciples have been watching Him. And they ask him a question…

Luke 11:1 ESV

“Lord, teach us to pray…”

These were men who grew up praying. They knew the Psalms, they had prayed in the synagogue, but there was something about the way Jesus prayed that was different. It wasn’t just routine. It was real. Personal. Powerful.

And look at how Jesus responds:

Luke 11:2–4 ESV

And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”

This prayer isn’t about getting God’s attention, it’s about aligning ourselves with God’s kingdom. Do you know what we are affirming when we pray this prayer?

God is our father and we are his children

He is unlike any other.

His reign is the one we seek.

His provision is what we trust in.

His mercy and grace transforms us into people of mercy and grace.

We need him to lead us and guide us EVERY. DAY.

In prayer, our wills are brought into alignment with God’s Will.

Prayer isn’t something we just do before meals or when things go wrong. Prayer is how we abide in Christ.

Flip a few pages to the right to John 15.

The setting here is the shortly before Jesus goes to the cross. He’s gathered with His disciples. It’s before his betrayal, suffering, and death, and instead of panicking or withdrawing, He teaches. He gives them his final words of instruction, comfort, and encouragement.

And right at the heart of it, Jesus gives a powerful image of what life with Him is meant to look like: a vine and branches. In this moment - when everything around them is about to fall apart - He invites them, and us, to do one thing:

Abide.

John 15:4–5 ESV

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

What does it mean to abide?

It means to stay.

To remain.

To root yourself in the presence of God.

He goes on and says in the very next verse:

John 15:6 ESV

If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

Recently, I pruned a bunch of my tomato plants. Once branches were disconnected from the plant - even though they looked green and alive for a little while - it didn’t take long for them to wither. At first glance, they still looked like they had life in them. But cut off from the source, they were done. No more growth. Just slow decay.

Jesus is making the same point here. A branch doesn’t try harder to bear fruit. It doesn’t strain or force growth. All it has to do is stay connected. Fruit is the natural result of abiding.

When we try to grow without staying rooted in Jesus, we end up exhausted, dried out, and fruitless. We might look okay on the outside for a while—we might keep showing up, going through the motions, but eventually, we start to feel the disconnection.

But Jesus says: Stay with me. Remain in me. Abide in me. Because that’s where transformation happens.

Remember what I said in the beginning, that quote from Foster on prayer being the central avenue God uses to transform us? What if one of the reasons we sometimes struggle with our spiritual formation, feeling stagnant or stuck, isn’t because we aren’t trying hard enough… It’s because we aren’t abiding deeply enough.

So if prayer is how we abide—how do we actually do that?

Because let’s be honest: most of us don’t need to be told to pray. We need help knowing how to pray in a way that keeps us connected. In a way that forms us. In a way that feels more like relationship and less like empty ritual.

Let me give you four simple, practical ways to abide through prayer:

1. Make Prayer a Rhythm, Not a Rescue Plan

So often, prayer becomes the 9-1-1 of our spiritual life. We hit a crisis and finally drop to our knees. And while God absolutely hears those prayers, He invites us to something more regular. More relational.

Luke 5:16 ESV

But he [Jesus] would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

Not in panic—but in rhythm.

Rhythm isn’t about control. It’s about consistency. And when we consistently show up, the Spirit meets us there - sometimes quietly, sometimes powerfully. But always faithfully.

So instead of thinking of rhythm as something that limits the Spirit, think of it as something that welcomes Him.

Start with something simple: a time and place you show up to daily. You can begin with just five minutes. But make it consistent. Talk to God. Sit in silence. Read a Psalm out loud. You’re not performing… you’re practicing presence.

2. Pray Honestly, Not Impressively

You don’t have to “sound holy” for God to hear you. You don’t need big words or poetic language. In fact, some of the best prayers in the Bible are just a few raw, honest words:

“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.”

“Have mercy on me, a sinner.”

“Not my will, but Yours be done.”

So take the pressure off. Say what’s real. Tell God what you’re thinking… even if it’s messy. Actually, especially if it’s messy.

3. Let Prayer Be a Two-Way Conversation

We often treat prayer like a voicemail—we talk at God and then hang up. But part of abiding is learning to listen. To sit still. To be quiet long enough to remember you’re not alone.

God speaks through Scripture. Through His Spirit. Through stillness.

Try this: after praying, just sit. Breathe deeply. Reflect on a single verse. Ask God to shape your heart, not just your circumstances.

4. Pray Scripture When You Don’t Know What to Say

There will be times in your life when you don’t have the words. You feel stuck, uncertain, weary, or overwhelmed. And in those moments, prayer can feel difficult - like you're grasping for something to say but coming up empty.

That’s when Scripture becomes a gift. You don’t have to find the perfect words—you can borrow them. You can pray the words of Scripture.

When you pray Scripture, you are anchoring your heart to truth. You’re not starting from scratch. You’re entering a conversation God has already begun. The Bible doesn’t just speak to you, it can give voice for you.

When you don’t know what to say, let God’s Word say it with you and for you.

Start with the Psalms. Start with the Gospels. Start with any verse tand let it guide your prayer. This isn’t about reciting magic words. It’s about aligning your heart with God’s heart by praying His Word back to Him.

Because abiding doesn’t mean always having the right words. It means being willing to stay close, and Scripture helps us do that.

So let me circle back to that question I was asked on my very first Sunday here:

“Are you going to help us grow?”

I hope the answer you’ve seen over the years is yes. But not because I’ve given you impressive sermons or clever points. I hope the answer is yes because I’ve tried to point you to Jesus. And because I’ve invited you, again and again, to stay connected to Him.

Growth doesn’t come from hype or hustle. It comes from abiding.

So here’s my challenge to you this week: Don’t try to do more. Try to abide in Jesus.

Don’t pressure yourself to perform, just practice presence. Make room. Create a rhythm. Be honest. Listen. And when you run out of words, borrow God's.

Because fruit doesn’t come from trying harder. It comes from staying connected.

Abide in Him. And He will abide in you.

Let’s sing.