February 12 , 2006
Prayer That Can Change Your Life—Part 3
"A Response to the Provision of God"
Matthew 6:11
Praise and Intercession
"This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.'"
—Matthew 6:9-10
1. All prayer begins with sincerity.
2. A prayer of praise begins and ends by focusing on God.
3. A prayer of praise contains both praise and thanksgiving.
- Praise is a response to the greatness of God.
- Thanksgiving is a response to the goodness of God.
4. A prayer of praise recognizes the attributes of God.
5. Intercessory prayer begins by seeking the will of God.
6. Intercessory prayer seeks to know the heart of God.
7. Intercessory prayer involves compassion toward people.
Supplication
Give us today our daily bread.
—Matthew 6:11
1. Supplication is a response to the provision of God.
2. Supplication recognizes God as the provider of all things.
3. The secret of supplication is child-like faith.
4. The church is the weakest when it has lost sight of God as her provider.
A Concert of Prayer
Practicing what we have learned in a crucial time!
Prayer Focus #1: Praise and thanksgiving
Begin by recalling the attributes of God; then give God praise and thanks for the incredible ways He has blessed our church.
Attributes of God: Holy, all-knowing, all-powerful, Savior, Master, loving, kind, good, rich, the God who heals, the God who provides, faithful, gracious, merciful, unchangeable, jealous, etc.
Ideas for thanksgiving: Facilities, land, workers, financial provision, Elders, staff, growth, worship ministry, youth ministry, children's ministry, greeting ministry, serving ministries of all kinds, women's ministry, men's ministry, small group ministries, space in the dance studio, etc.
Prayer Focus #2: Intercession
Prayer for our President and national leaders. Pray for our State and City leaders. Pray for our Elders here at Grace. Pray for our property development team. Pray for our church to always stay focused on God's purposes and God's mission. Pray for greater church unity.
Pray for those who need Christ as Savior. Pray for those who need spiritual, physical and mental healing.
Our prayer partners are available for you to go to and have them pray for you, or with you, over your concerns.
Prayer Focus #3: Supplication
Ask God to meet our needs as a church: raise up leaders, teachers, children's workers, youth leaders; servants for all ministries. Ask God to guide in the search for future staff.
Ask God to bless the marriages of our church. Ask God to strengthen the families of our church. Pray for God to raise up pastors and missionaries from our church. Ask God to use our church to plant a new church. Ask God to multiply the small groups in our church. Ask God to multiply the prayer ministries of our church. Ask God to bring revival to our church and community.
Ask God to meet our needs financially. Ask God for more space to expand the ministry. Ask God to provide for us the land He desires. Ask God to complete the sale of our property.
More prayer concerns (space for your prayer needs):
God Our Provider
Personal and Small Group Study
Getting Started: Read How To Pray by R.A. Torrey, Chapters 7-9.
Talk about the things you have learned together as a group.
- Share a time when you experienced God's provision because of prayer.
- What have you asked God for in the past that now you are glad He didn't give you?
Digging Deeper: Read Matthew 6:5-11 and 6:25-34
- What are the key elements you learn about prayer in verses 5-11?
- Why does God ask us to pray for things He already knows we need?
- When we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," what are we actually asking God to do? What things would you also include under the category of daily bread?
- Why are some of your prayer requests not answered? Look at James 4:2-3.
- Can a Christian pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," without praying, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven"? Why or why not? What is the connection between asking God for provision and desiring God's will to be accomplished?
- What is the relationship between the fruit of Christian character and receiving answers to prayer? Look at John 15:16.
Applying It To My Life
- What attitude does it take to exercise prayer correctly? (See John 15:7). How can you personally help your church grow in corporate prayer? In what ways does a church need to pray for daily bread?
- What risk do we run in our society by being able to meet most of our own needs? What is the difference between a need and a want? What provision do you need from God? How is learning to be content in all circumstances connected with praying for daily bread?