YG 9/23 Lesson on Prayer

YOUTH GROUP LESSON ON PRAYER

Last week: Brian taught about how to study the Bible.

What did Brian say the Bible was for believers?

Gods word: God speaking to believers through the Bible.

If we know that the bible is Gods word, then what would you guys say prayer is?

Us talking directly to the Lord himself

Lesson Overview: Prayer is fundamental to the life of a believer. But how do you pray? Is God really listening? What should we say when we pray?

Bible: Matthew 6:9-13, John 1:12, 1 John 5:15

Bottom Line: God hears us when we pray.

Capture: Grab their attention with an illustration.

Illustration/Story: Have you ever had a friend who always looks at their phone when you’re trying to talk to them? It’s never fun to talk to someone who isn’t paying attention! You want to have someone’s full attention when you’re talking to them.

In the same way, so many people avoid talking to God because they feel like He isn’t listening. It’s easy to find ourselves comparing God to these friends who just can’t be bothered to really listen —

But I want you guys to know that it cant be further from the truth.

We all have someone in our lives that we trust more then anything, we go to them for support and advise. Sometimes we just go to them so we can talk and get some things off our chest. What I want you guys to learn tonight is that more than any person in your life, God listens when you talk to Him and that he wants you to bring everything to Him! 

Connect: Connect them to God’s word.

Tension Question: Have you ever avoided praying because you thought God wasn’t listening? Ill tell you that I definitely have.

Tonight, I want to show you Scripture that not only proves God is listening but also He really cares about what His children have to say.

Scripture: Romans 8: 16 — We are God’s children! Good parents listen to their children, and because we know God is a good Father, we know He listens to us!

Legacy Standard Bible CHAPTER 8

16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,

What does it mean that the Spirit Himself testifies to our spirit?

-The Holy Spirit is drawing us, he is giving us evidence that we are Children of God.

-Address those who feel the Spirit of God calling them. Encourage them to follow it and pray to the Lord.

Scripture John 1 12

Legacy Standard Bible CHAPTER 1

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

Who is the Him/He of this scripture?

Whose Name??

JESUS

For those of us who know Christ is Lord I want this to be encouraging to you. For those of you here who don't call Christ Lord, if you’re feeling a calling in your heart and soul. Take that very seriously, We just read in scripture that the Holy Spirit draws us to the Lord. If you feel this then your prayers are very important and we will go over how to approach the Lord alittle later on.

So now that we know that when we believe in Christ and call Him Lord, we have been adopted into his family. God is now our Heavenly Father.

I want to take a second here and talk about the difference between a Heavenly Father and a Earthly Father.

my relationship with my earthly father stopping me from talking to my Heavenly Father.

Now I’m going to go over a comparison of an Earthly Father and a Heavenly Father. I don't want you guys to go home and think that your parents are always falling short and they are bad parents. The purpose what I am about to say is to show how perfect and amazing our Heavenly Father is.

Again I am not saying that your parents are terrible and not to listen to them!

Earthly Father 

Imperfect: Is human and capable of making mistakes, poor decisions, and being unkind.

Presence: His presence is limited by time and space.

Love: May be conditional or limited by human understanding.

Guidance: Gives advice based on human experience and worldly wisdom.

Understanding: Limited in what they know and understand.

Source: Is a biological or paternal figure, not the Creator.

Heavenly Father (God) 

Perfection: Is perfect, infallible, and never makes mistakes or fails.

Presence: Is omnipresent, existing everywhere at all times.

Love: Offers unconditional and eternal love, not based on actions. ( proof = Jesus’ atonement for our sins)

Guidance: Provides divine wisdom through spiritual means, like prayer and scripture.

Understanding: Knows all, including our thoughts, hearts, and future.

Source: Is the Creator and the source of eternal truths.

Now that we can view the Heavenly Father correctly and we know that in Him all things are good and perfect. It changes the way we approach prayer.

We become God’s children when we accept Him into our lives, When we believe in His Son. This means we can trust that He wants us to talk to Him as our Father.

Collide: How do we apply this in our lives?

Scripture: 1 John 5:13 - 15 — The Scriptures make it clear that all we need to do is bring our requests to God. Our needs, desires, and questions — God cares about all of it.

Legacy Standard Bible CHAPTER 5

13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

14 And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

God knows what we need, yet He still loves for us to bring our needs before Him. We can bring anything before the Lord in prayer knowing that He listens without judgement. Whether you are in the hallways at school, alone in your room or getting ready for a game, He is listening!

You guys know that feeling of seeing someone you haven't in a long time? How you want to catch up on everything that you’ve missed or hear about the things in their life that is great or that they need help with. This is exactly how the Lord feels.

God wants to catch up, hear about what is going on in your life, and encourage you.

For those of us who are children of God, we are entitled to every benefit! Including the right to communicate with and have a meaningful relationship with Him. God does not love us from afar, we can feel His love up close when we pray and dive into His word.

So how do we talk to God and Jesus and be confident that He is listening! 

We see that prayer is so important to God in the Scripture— if prayer wasn’t important, Jesus wouldn’t have taken the time to teach us how to do it! And not only is prayer important — it’s simple. He wants us to share anything and everything with Him!

Jesus gave us the perfect example of praying to the Father and we see that in Matthew 6 9-13

Legacy Standard Bible CHAPTER 6

9 “Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father who is in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 ‘Your kingdom come.

Your will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread.

12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]

So we see the perfect example of how we can approach God and bring our needs to him.

Jesus starts off with calling to God appropriately - Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. He is calling him Lord and approaching him as the heavenly Father.

he continues with “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. ” - Jesus is saying to the Lord “ God whatever you have for my life, that is what I want to happen.”

“Give us this day our daily bread” in other words “God provide for me all things that I need.” He isn't saying God give me everything I want. He makes it clear that in our prayers we come to the Lord and ask for the things that we NEED. The true things that the Lord knows we need.

“‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

We ask Him to forgive us of our sins as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. We are called to forgive those who have sinned against us because the Lord has forgiven our sins against Him through Jesus.

“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” we ask the Lord to help us with our temptations and to guard us from the influence of the devil.

“For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” - Jesus brings it back to God. He is once again praising the Lord for who he is and giving all praise and glory to Him.

Now tonight when I close in prayer I want you guys to focus on the way that I am praying. How I am doing all the things that Jesus taught us but I am praying in my own way. This is the same way that you should be praying to the Lord.

For those of you who don't call Christ Lord but you feel that pull. Your sitting here tonight and in your heart and soul you feel the love of God calling to you. I want you to do two things.

Approach someone you know that is a follower of Christ and that you trust, whether that be a leader here or someone in your life and tell them that you feel God calling you and you want to believe in Him.

Tonight when you're about to go to bed, I want you to pray to the Lord and bring this to Him. Bring your doubts to Him, ask Him to help you believe in his Son.

Example of a prayer,

“God I come before you tonight because I feel your spirit calling me. I’m not sure what it is God, but I know that something is pulling me towards you and I dont know what to do. God I want to believe and I want to accept Christ into my heart, can you help me? i want to follow your Son and know Christ as my Lord. Help me to know you and your Son, Amen.”

If this is your prayers tonight then know that God is listening. Know that He is yearning for you to come to Him and that He will never deny those who are seeking him.

Alright so what do I want from you guys?

For those who believe in Christ, talk to Jesus. Tell Him about your worries and your fears. As you open your mouth and share what’s on your heart, know that you have a loving Father who is listening and cares about what you have to say.

For those who want to believe in Him and are seeking Him. Take this opportunity to approach God in the way that i shared earlier. I promise you that if you truly are seeking God/Christ that he will never turn you away and will always welcome you with open arms.