We Need to Talk

// INTRODUCTION

Pray over Aaron Aguilera

Series Introduction: Spiritual Habits

As we step into a new school year, it’s important that we are setup with right expectations and habits.

If our habits and expectations don’t line up, we will end up burnt out

How Habits are Formed - The Habit Loop <image>

Reminder (Cue)

Routine

Reward

Tonight is about good communication (prayer)

VIDEO “What is prayer?”

What are the reasons to pray?

Before a meal <image>

Before bed <image>

Sickness <image>

Before a test <image>

1. PRAY TO COMMUNICATE

We Need to Talk: in a relationship, these words usually aren’t what you want to hear. But that doesn’t need to be the case.

“We need to talk,” should be the cry of every person’s relationship with God. There should not a day that goes by that we don’t communicate with our Heavenly Father.

Define: Prayer is communicating with God

Different ways to communicate (Good & Bad)

Prayer from Entitlement

This is prayer that is prayed more of a command than a request

Matthew 6:5 ESV

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Matthew 6:5

Entitled people make themselves the focus

Their prayers are spoken out loud to others with the hopes of receiving pity

Prayer from Humility

This is prayer that is prayed as a request

2 Chronicles 7:14–15 ESV

14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.

, tells us that IF we humble ourselves and repent, that God will hear our prayers.

2 Chron 7:14

, tells us that we can call upon Him and pray to Him, and He hears us. Then it goes on to say, when we seek God with a whole heart we will find Him.

this promise comes right after God tells us that He has a plan for our lives

Matthew

Matthew 6:9 ESV

9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Prayer from a Genuine Heart

, Jesus shows us that prayer with prideful motives will not be heard by God.

Instead we are instructed to go to a secret place and pray to God there

While alone with God, don’t try and impress him with great words, just be straight with God

shows us that God already knows your needs before you ask

Matthew 6:10 ESV

10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Matt

The heart here is, God’s Will, not my will

2. PRAY GOD’S WILL OVER YOUR LIFE

As Christians, we are “christ-followers” - therefore our goal is to do as Jesus did.

Jesus goal = to do the Father’s will

John 8:28 ESV

28 So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.

What is God’s Will For Your Life?

School Year

Have you asked God what His plans for this school year are?

Have you asked God to see your school how He sees it?

Family Life

Do you see & love your family the way God does?

Dysfunctional Families:

says, to pray for those that persecute you

Many times the dysfunction in a family is because there is brokenness and pain involved. The seeds of pain and brokenness produce a harvest of pain and brokenness, UNLESS it is dealt with and given the chance to heal.

^ that in mind, pray for your family to experience healing

Work Life

Have you asked God to bless your job and give you favor there?

Understanding God’s Will is Not Always a YES

“God Answers Prayers” <image>

3. PRAY TO BE UNSHAKEN & UNAFRAID

At Fortress, our mission is to build students that are unshaken in their faith and unafraid to show it

Next week we will talk about the unshaken faith, but this week, let’s talk about being unafraid.

Prayer For My Anxiety

The Lord has been showing me the crazy amounts of fear and anxiety that we are all experiencing in our daily lives.

Anxiety: state of mind where one is concerned about something or someone. This may be of genuine concern or obsessions that originate from a distorted perspective.

We all have moments and situations in our life that will bring stress...

, tells us that we will have trouble in this world

Our Response to the stress is what I want to focus on.

Distracted Warriors

Distraction in my life - I get busy doing but I’m not accomplishing God’s Will for my life.

“What the devil can’t defeat he distracts.”

When the issues of life don’t take us out, the devil will pile things on so we get distracted by it all.

If I’m worried and anxious about all the issues in my life, guess what? I’m not praying for others, I’m not interceding, I’m not leading my family, I’m not growing my relationship with God.

Relationship with God goes 2-way to 1-way

Anxious Communication

Have you ever talked to someone that was anxious?

When someone is anxious, it’s very hard to communicate with them or have any kind of depth to a conversation.

Apply that to your prayer life with God

are your prayers to God birthed out of anxiety

are your prayers to God birthed out of fear

Overcoming Anxiety in Our Prayers

Philippians 4:6–7 ESV

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Background:

Author: Paul

Location: Prison

Theme: Rejoicing & Fullness of Joy

Response to Anxiety

Paul says the response to anxiety is prayer and supplication (petition) in everything.

CLOSING

Jesus Prayers

Jesus did not need to pray because He was weak but because He was strong, and the source of His strength was His relationship with God His Father. Jesus knew that pressure and busyness should drive us towards prayer, not from prayer.

We don’t know exactly what Jesus prayed for, but as much as anything, Jesus used this time of prayer for that close, intimate communion with God the Father that He longed for, which nourished and strengthened His soul. We can also surmise that Jesus prayed for Himself. He prayed for His disciples. He prayed for those He met and ministered to the previous night. He prayed for those He would meet and minister to that coming day.  

Ways to Pray

Ephesians 6:18 AMP

18 Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).

“…with all manner of prayer...”

verbally

in song

write it out

Because prayer is personal communication, there’s more than one way to make it happen.

Huddle Breakouts

Focus: Reflection on our personal prayer lives, and setting a vision for what we want our prayer life to be like.

Before we throw our dart of habit, we want to make sure we aiming at the right target.