“PRAYER” SESSION 1:
Why Pray?
Read Chapters 1–2 of Intercessory Prayer before beginning this lesson.
WAITING ON THE LORD
We live in a culture that doesn’t wait well. We want what we want and we want it NOW. This, however, is a value of Western culture, not the Kingdom of God. One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is patience—remember? This lack of endurance is one the chief causes of defeat, especially in the place of prayer.
Do you find it hard to remain persistent in your prayer life? Do you have a “prayer life” at all? If you struggle with this, you’re in the majority. Most people struggle with maintaining a vibrant prayer life.
Why do think that is? Many Christians may not have a value for prayer because they don’t understand why it’s so important. Is a prayer-life important? Discuss this with your small group.
THE ORIGINS OF INTERCESSION
Our purpose in prayer is rooted in the Creation Mandate of Genesis 1 and 2. Prayer is one of the primary means by which we manage the world that God has entrusted us with. Remember that when God created the world, He gave us the authority to rule over it. This authority was handed over to Satan at the time of the Fall, and is only regained for humanity through the Incarnation. If you look at Scripture, you will realize that “God chose, from the time of Creation, to work on the earth through humans, not independent from them.” This means that God still chooses to work through the prayers of Believers to see His own Kingdom come and will be done in our own day and age.
Do you think that your prayer life has the power to change things? Or do you think that what is going to happen will happen, regardless of your prayers, or lack thereof?
Have you ever thought of prayer this way—as a means of partnering with God in ruling over Creation? Does this make you want to take your prayer life a little bit more seriously?
Read over the three Biblical accounts of fervent prayer in Chapter 2 of Intercessory Prayer. Discuss these accounts in your small group. What things stand out to you in each of these accounts? How do these stories affect the way that you think about prayer?