Embracing Prayer: A Child's Confidence in God
Summary
In our journey of faith, prayer often stands as a cornerstone, yet many of us find it confusing and intimidating. We may feel unsure about what to say, how to say it, or even if our prayers are effective. Today, I want to take the worry out of prayer and help you approach it with confidence. In Luke 11, Jesus' disciples asked Him to teach them to pray, and He began with the words, "Our Father." This was revolutionary because it introduced a personal, intimate relationship with God, akin to that of a child with a loving parent. Prayer is not about eloquence or the right words; it's about a relationship. God is not an impersonal force but a caring Father who desires a close, consistent, and loving relationship with us.
Understanding God as our Father changes everything. Unlike earthly fathers, who may be flawed, God is perfect, always loving, and always understanding. He is a caring, close, consistent, and capable Father. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, gives us five reasons to pray with confidence. First, God promises to answer if we keep asking. Prayer is about persistence, and God encourages us to keep asking, seeking, and knocking. Second, God will never give us anything unhelpful. We can ask for anything, and God will sort out what is truly beneficial for us. Third, God will never give us anything harmful. He knows what is best for us and will protect us from harm. Fourth, God will only give us what is best for us. He is not a vending machine or a genie; He is our loving Father who desires the best for us. Lastly, God wants us to give to others what we want to receive. This is the essence of the Golden Rule and is deeply connected to prayer. When we pray for others, we should pray for them as we would want others to pray for us.
Prayer is not about our worthiness or our ability to articulate the perfect words. It's about approaching God with the confidence of a child speaking to a loving parent. Let us embrace this relationship and pray with the assurance that God hears us, loves us, and desires the best for us.
Key Takeaways:
- Prayer as Relationship: Prayer is not about the right words but about a relationship with God as our Father. This intimate relationship allows us to approach God with the confidence of a child speaking to a loving parent. Understanding this changes how we pray and removes the fear and insecurity often associated with prayer. [02:28]
- Persistence in Prayer: Jesus teaches us to keep asking, seeking, and knocking. This persistence is not about wearing God down but about drawing closer to Him. Whether we are near or distant, God invites us to approach Him, and the act of asking brings us closer to Him. [12:44]
- God's Goodness in Answering Prayer: God will never give us anything unhelpful or harmful. We can pray with confidence, knowing that God will sort out what is best for us. This understanding relieves the pressure of having to censor our prayers or worry about whether our requests are appropriate. [18:38]
- God's Best for Us: God is not a vending machine or a genie; He is our loving Father who desires the best for us. He will only give us what is best, and this assurance allows us to pray with confidence, knowing that God’s answers are rooted in His perfect love and wisdom. [23:10]
- Praying for Others: The Golden Rule is deeply connected to prayer. When we pray for others, we should pray for them as we would want others to pray for us. This selfless approach to prayer aligns us with God’s heart and opens the door for our own breakthroughs. [26:57]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:09] - The Power of Prayer
- [00:25] - Confusion and Insecurity in Prayer
- [01:07] - Jesus Teaches Us to Pray
- [01:23] - Calling God "Our Father"
- [02:13] - Prayer as Relationship
- [03:32] - The Name God Chose: Father
- [04:50] - Abba: A Term of Endearment
- [05:37] - God as the Perfect Father
- [07:08] - Five Reasons to Pray with Confidence
- [08:59] - Ask, Seek, Knock
- [10:09] - God Gives Good Gifts
- [11:45] - God Promises to Answer
- [16:22] - God Will Never Give Unhelpful Gifts
- [20:03] - God Will Never Give Harmful Gifts
- [21:24] - God Gives What's Best
- [24:49] - The Golden Rule and Prayer
- [27:11] - Praying for Others and Breakthroughs
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Luke 11:1-2 - "One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.' He said to them, 'When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come."'"
2. Matthew 7:7-12 - "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
Observation Questions:
1. What does Jesus teach about the nature of God when He instructs His disciples to begin their prayers with "Our Father"? [01:23]
2. How does Jesus describe the persistence required in prayer in Matthew 7:7-8? What are the three actions He mentions? [08:59]
3. According to the sermon, what are the characteristics of God as a Father that differentiate Him from earthly fathers? [06:10]
4. What humorous examples does Jesus use to illustrate God's goodness in answering prayers? [17:17]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does understanding God as a perfect Father change the way believers approach prayer? [06:10]
2. In what ways does the persistence in asking, seeking, and knocking reflect a believer's relationship with God? [09:14]
3. How does the assurance that God will not give anything harmful or unhelpful affect a believer's confidence in prayer? [20:03]
4. How is the Golden Rule connected to prayer, and what does it suggest about the nature of intercessory prayer? [24:49]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current prayer life. Do you approach God with the confidence of a child speaking to a loving parent? If not, what changes can you make to embrace this relationship? [02:28]
2. Think of a situation where you have been persistent in prayer. How did this persistence affect your relationship with God? [09:36]
3. Are there any requests you have hesitated to bring to God because you were unsure if they were appropriate? How does knowing that God will sort out what is best for you change your approach? [18:38]
4. Identify a person in your life for whom you can pray using the Golden Rule. What specific prayers can you offer for them that you would want for yourself? [24:49]
5. How can you remind yourself daily of God's perfect love and wisdom when you face doubts or insecurities in prayer? [23:10]
6. Consider a time when you felt distant from God. How did you seek Him, and what steps can you take to draw closer to Him now? [13:56]
7. What practical steps can you take this week to treat others the way God treats you, especially in your prayer life? [26:29]
Devotional
Day 1: Prayer as a Relationship with God
Prayer is not about the right words or eloquence; it is about cultivating a relationship with God as our Father. This understanding transforms prayer from a ritual into a personal conversation with a loving parent. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He began with "Our Father," emphasizing the intimate and personal nature of this relationship. Unlike earthly fathers, God is perfect, always loving, and understanding. This perspective removes the fear and insecurity often associated with prayer, allowing us to approach God with the confidence of a child speaking to a loving parent. [02:28]
"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'" (Romans 8:15, ESV)
Reflection: How can you deepen your relationship with God today by approaching Him as your loving Father in prayer?
Day 2: Persistence in Prayer
Jesus encourages us to keep asking, seeking, and knocking in our prayers. This persistence is not about wearing God down but about drawing closer to Him. God invites us to approach Him, whether we feel near or distant, and the act of asking brings us closer to Him. Persistence in prayer is a demonstration of faith and trust in God's timing and wisdom. It is an opportunity to align our hearts with His and to grow in our relationship with Him. [12:44]
"And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart." (Luke 18:1, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area in your life where you need to persist in prayer, trusting in God's timing and wisdom?
Day 3: God's Goodness in Answering Prayer
God promises that He will never give us anything unhelpful or harmful. We can pray with confidence, knowing that God will sort out what is best for us. This understanding relieves the pressure of having to censor our prayers or worry about whether our requests are appropriate. God, in His perfect love and wisdom, knows what is best for us and will protect us from harm. This assurance allows us to approach Him with trust and openness, knowing that He desires our good. [18:38]
"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:13, ESV)
Reflection: Is there a request you have been hesitant to bring to God? How can you trust in His goodness and wisdom as you present it to Him today?
Day 4: God's Best for Us
God is not a vending machine or a genie; He is our loving Father who desires the best for us. He will only give us what is best, and this assurance allows us to pray with confidence, knowing that God’s answers are rooted in His perfect love and wisdom. This perspective shifts our focus from what we want to what God knows is best for us, encouraging us to trust in His plans and purposes. [23:10]
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, ESV)
Reflection: How can you align your prayers with the belief that God desires the best for you, even if His answers differ from your expectations?
Day 5: Praying for Others
The Golden Rule is deeply connected to prayer. When we pray for others, we should pray for them as we would want others to pray for us. This selfless approach to prayer aligns us with God’s heart and opens the door for our own breakthroughs. Praying for others with empathy and love reflects the heart of God and fosters a spirit of unity and compassion within the community of believers. [26:57]
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (James 5:16, ESV)
Reflection: Who is someone in your life that you can pray for today, asking for God's best in their life as you would want others to pray for you?
Quotes
Now we don’t realize how shocking that statement was because up to this time in history nobody called God Father they called him a lot of other things but Jesus said "I’m here to tell you that when you pray you are to call God father." And he says 'If you understand this it's going to change the way you pray you're going to pray much more confidently you're not going to worry you're not going to be so insecure about it what Jesus is saying is prayer is not about words listen to me it doesn't matter what words you say you don't have to be eloquent. [00:88:08]
Prayer is not about your words it's about a relationship and it's a very special kind of relationship like a father to a child it's to be intimate it's to be loving it's to be casual uh it's to be no barriers a little child doesn't walk into the presence of her father and wonder about how do I say this a little child just walks in and says it in the best language they've got at that particular age and stage of life and God is saying here prayer is not about words it's about a relationship. [00:140:00]
God is not some impersonal force may the force be with you, god is not some psychological or philosophical term the the unmoved mover the the ground of all of our beings all of these phrases the omnipotent omnisient unfeilling power impersonal force no he says to pray you got to realize God is your father now if you're going to be confident in your prayer listen to me you got to use the name that God has chosen for himself and God chose the name father. [00:184:40]
God is a caring father he will never stop loving you he doesn't have bad days or good days he is unconditionally loving toward you god is a caring father god is a is a a close father some of you had distant dads and you didn't see him very God is with you all the time he's paying attention to you all the time he has the ability to watch every move in your life he knows every hair on your head the Bible says they're numbered by God he's caring he's close he's He's consistent he's consistent he's always the same he's not one way this way and another way another he is capable. [00:432:24]
Ask and it will be given to you seek and you will find knock and the door will be open to you this is a promise now by the way uh the verbs there ask seek and knock they're actually present participles jesus is actually saying there keep on asking keep on seeking keep on knocking don't just knock one time if if I told you go over to that house and knock on the door and when you open it up uh when the door opens they're going to give you a million dollars you wouldn't walk up and go and walk away no if you knew a million dollars behind that you'd start knocking and you'd keep knocking and you'd keep knocking until the door opened so God says "Keep on asking keep on seeking keep on knocking be persistent in your prayer for anyone who asks will receive that's a promise anyone who seeks will find and everyone who knocks the door will be opened. [00:540:839]
God will never give me anything that's unhelpful now this is going to help you build confidence because you don't often know what to pray you go I don't know if this is good for me or not god will never give me anything that's unhelpful he will not give you everything you want because not everything you want would be helpful and in verse n he says "If your child remember this a father daughter father-son relationship if your child asked you for some bread to eat would any of you fathers give her a stone instead?" The obvious is of course not of course God would not do that to you and you wouldn't do it to your child. [00:980:48]
God will never give me anything that could harm me now he's taking it a deeper step not just something that's unhelpful but God says "I'm not I would never give you anything that would harm you or hurt you." As I said if I I pray you know can I drink this poison no the parents say "No no you can't." In verse 10 he says,"If your child asked for some fish hey dad can I have some fish sticks can I get a McDonald's fish sandwich would you put a snake on their plate that's humor that's exaggeration there." And no parent no loving parent would do that what's he saying here a snake's a little different than a rock a snake can be dangerous in fact sometimes a snake could be deadly sometimes you might ask for something that's actually dangerous in your life or you might ask for something that would actually be deadly and incredibly destructive in your life god says "It doesn't matter just go ahead and ask because I will never give you anything that's deadly or destructive i'll figure it out i'll sort it out i'll I'll sort it out you don't have to worry i I will take care of it i'm never going to give you anything that hurt you." [00:1200:48]
God will only give me what's best for me he says that in the next verse God will only give me what's best for me that gives me a lot of confidence when I pray and in verse 11 he says this um now since even you as a sinful imperfect parent know how to give good gifts to your children how much more does your perfect good and perfect father in heaven give only gifts that are good to those who ask him now this gives me a lot of confidence in praying too in the first place you need to understand God is not a slot machine where you put in the prayer and you pull the lever and you get whatever the slot slot machine gives you a slot machine gives you can give you bad stuff or a vending machine even better illustration you put money in a vending machine pull the lever and and you're going to get stuff that has carcinogens in it and stuff that could harm you god is not a vending machine. [00:1280:52]
God is not your genie god is not your vending machine god is not your servant you are God's servant he said "Well well then why should I even ask?" Because he is your father he's not your vending machine but he is your father and he loves you more than you even love yourself and God says "I am your loving heavenly father and I'm waiting to answer your prayers and I'm wanting to answer your prayers." So why are you all nervous about praying he's just your father in heaven you don't have to say fancy words god I need this that's a good enough prayer and God will will sort it all out and I will never give you he says "What's what's not best for you?" [00:1395:039]
God wants me to give to others what I want to get god wants me to give to others what I want to get myself now this is the golden rule do unto others as you would have them do unto you and many people know that golden rule but they don't realize it's actually connected to prayer verse 12 so in every situation always do to others what you would want them to do for you this sums up all the commands and all the teachings in the Bible now what that doesn't sound like it has anything to do with prayer but it does why have you ever had been asked by somebody would you pray for me probably and you go okay they asked me to pray for them what do I pray i have no idea what to pray when somebody comes up to me and I get asked all the time "Pastor Rick will you pray for me?" I'm going "I don't know what to pray for them." What do you pray for somebody when they ask you to pray for them here's what you do you pray whatever you would like people to pray for you that's it that's it would you like to have safety and security and success in your life yes then pray for safety and security and success in other people's life. [00:1477:44]
God says the way I treat you as my loving child I'm your heavenly father that's the way I expect you to treat everybody else god wants you to treat other people the way he treats you and when you pray for other people what do you pray you pray what you'd like to have prayed for you then you know instantly what to pray for people what would I like to have in that situation guy says to you "My wife just walked out on me what would you want people to pray for you?" Well you pray that for others see how simple this is and and and and God wants you to treat others the way he treats you when you pray now why is this important because God doesn't want you to be selfish. [00:1582:08]
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