Each One Teach One Discipleship Lessons
Part Two:
FAITH THAT GROWS UP:
Growing in Your Faith in God
LESSON SIX:
The DISCIPLINE of PRAYER
Deut 4:7
What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near
us whenever we pray to him?
Prayer is not unique to Christianity. Moslems, Hindus, people of every kind of religion want to communicate
with their “gods.” What is unique is the kind of relationship we have with God:
Romans 8:15
For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of
sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
“ABBA” is an Aramaic word that implies the kind of relationship we
refer to when we use the word “Daddy”–not just the formal, biological
“Father,” but the intimate person whose lap we climb into as a small
child.
A small child doesn’t need to force himself to talk to a loving Daddy.
The minute Daddy walks in the door from work, the child drops what he
is doing and flings himself at Daddy in glee.
If prayer is communication with that kind of “Daddy,” why on earth
would we find discipline necessary for it?!
Because, unfortunately, most of us Christians haven’t yet become “like little children” enough in our
relationship with our Father. We have the head knowledge about Him. But we haven’t spent enough time with
Him to really feel that kind of intimacy. We are more like teen-agers, who often become so wrapped up in their
personal activities, friends, and emotions that they “tune out” their parents.
God is very patient. He usually does not intrude in our daily lives and demand attention. He may allow the
circumstances of our lives to “discipline” us to the point that we turn to Him. But He would certainly prefer that
we would discipline ourselves to develop an intimate relationship with Him, rather than rely on crisis after crisis
to “bring us to our knees.”
In this lesson, we will explore what the scriptures say about prayer. The first step in becoming disciplined in
any area is to be absolutely convinced of the NEED to grow in that area. Compare where you are now in your
prayer relationship to God to the goal described in the scriptures below.
***** The scriptures make it clear prayer is not an “option” but an absolute requirement of the Christian way
of life:
[Romans 12:12]
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, _________________ in prayer.
[Eph 6:18]
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with
____________________________________________________. With this in mind, be alert and always
keep on praying for all the saints.
[Colos 4:2]
Devote yourselves to prayer, being
__________________________________________________________.
[I Thes 5:17] Pray _________________________.
[I Tim 2:1-2]
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for
__________________– for kings and all those in ________________________, that we may live
peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
*** Regular private prayer is important, as Jesus’ example shows:
[Mark 1:35]
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a
_________________________________, where he prayed.
[Luke 5:16]
But Jesus often withdrew to _______________ places and prayed.
[Luke 6:12]
One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and ________________________________
praying to God.
***** Private prayer is important, but so is praying with others. God often responds with power when His
people pray in one accord:
[Acts 2:42]
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the _____________________, to the breaking
of bread and to prayer.
[Acts 4:31]
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was _________________. And they were all filled
with the Holy Spirit and ___________________________________ of God boldly.
[Acts 16:25-26]
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were
listening to them. Suddenly there was such a _____________________________ that the foundations of
the prison were __________________. At once all the prison doors ________________________, and
everybody’s _________________came loose.
***** There can be hindrances to God hearing our prayers:
[Proverbs 28:9]
If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are __________________________.
[I Peter 3:12]
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are
______________________________________, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
[Mark 11:25]
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, __________________ him, so that
your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. But if you
_____________________________________, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your
sins.
[Matthew 6:5-6]
And when you pray, do not be like the _______________, for they love to pray standing in the
synagogues and on the street corners to be ____________________________. I tell you the truth, they
have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to
your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done ____________, will reward you.
[Matthew 6:7]
And when you pray, do not keep on _________________________ like pagans, for they think they will
be heard because of their ____________________________.
[I Peter 3:7]
Husbands, in the same way be _________________________ as you live with your wives, and treat
them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing
will _____________________________________________.
***** The reward of faithful prayer is great:
[Philip 4:6-7]
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present
your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts
and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Have you felt a conviction of the need to improve in this area? If you are seeing clearly that you are falling
short, then the second step to becoming disciplined will be to commit yourself to developing a personal strategy
to break out of old habits of neglect of prayer.
No one can do this for you. But an excellent way to get started is to share your desire with at least one other
Christian. “Self-help” groups and the “buddy system” used by such organizations as Alcoholics Anonymous
really do work. And the principle is Biblical:
[James 5:16]
Therefore ______________ your sins to each other and ___________ for each other so that you may be
healed. The prayer of a _________________________ man is powerful and effective.
You can pray with each other and for each other, and encourage each other to grow up in Faith in God through
becoming disciplined in prayer.
In our next lesson we will consider…
THE DISCIPLINE OF STUDY
REVIEW:
1. Prayer is not “optional” for the Christian: It is required.
2. Personal, individual prayer is important.
3. Group prayer is important.
4. We need to recognize hindrances to prayer.
5. One reward of prayer is the peace of God.
6. Growing in Faith in God requires self-discipline in prayer.
MEMORY VERSES:
LESSON SIX MEMORY VERSE:
Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
LESSON FIVE MEMORY VERSE:
I Corinthians 9:27
I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
QUESTIONS:
1. What is prayer for, besides asking for things?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why do you think God encourages group prayer?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
3. If God knows our thoughts, why do we need to pray?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
4. Do you have trouble picturing God as “Daddy”? Why or why not?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
5. Describe two hindrances to prayer.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
6. Write Philippians 4:6-7 from memory:
Do not be anxious_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
7. Recite I Corinthians 9:27 from memory: (I beat my body…)