Seeds # 2 (Organic Outreach 7)

Dating Stacey

Things started out like most relationships: Awkward.

Awkward

When do I make a “move”?

Should I try and kiss her?

Does she like me?

Do I like her?

Do I have something in my teeth?

The pressure seems huge and the feelings keep you extraordinarily self-aware and bring you doubt.

Over time, however, that awkwardness is overcome by feelings of familiarity and joy. You begin to ask for a kiss. You look forward to holding hands. You naturally find an intimacy and fall into it regularly.

Without intimacy, a relationship would die. If you want a relationship to survive, you must navigate the awkwardness and find familiarity.

The Mandate

A month or so ago I had you practice something that was awkward. I paired you up and had you pray for someone. At the end of our time, although awkward, we all felt like it was needed.

A couple weeks ago we explored how praying for others is essential to sharing the gospel of Christ. If we want to see others come to know Christ we must pray for them by name. We even took time during the service to pray for specific things and people.

In James it talks about the mandate to pray and connects us to the power that we tap into when we DO pray.

James 5:13–20 NIV

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. 19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Prayer doesn’t change God, prayer changes us. But we do believe that we enter into the presence of the living God when we pray. We also believe that God will do the impossible when we submit ourselves to Him and His will when we pray.

When we choose to pray WITH someone, we are bringing them with us into the presence of the living God. That is a powerful thing.

But how do we pray WITH someone, and when?

It should be easy

Ask them. Just ask them. Ask someone if you can pray for them, and if they say yes, ask them if you can right then and there!

Here are 7 things you can keep in mind:

Keep it brief

Use common language

Extend a hand if appropriate. Touch is powerful, make sure it is ok.

Pray for the person’s specific need or joy

Pray in the name of Jesus

Follow Up

Be sensitive to location and volume

A good blessing to memorize:

Numbers

Numbers 6:24–26 NIV

24 “ ‘ “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ’

Restaurant Prayers

Tell your waiter/waitress that you will be taking the time to pray when the food comes. Ask them if there is anything they’d like you to pray for when you do.

Praying With (5 minutes)

Exercise:

Get in groups of two or three. Ask what you can pray for and take a 5 minutes to pray for each other. If you finish praying with each other before the 5 minutes are up, pray for someone in your life who doesn’t know Jesus yet.

Prayer Requests and Praises (10 Minutes)

Who has a personal prayer request or praise. Ask someone to pray for them.