Embracing Surrender: The Key to Effective Prayer
Summary
### Summary
In today's sermon, we delved into the importance of surrender in our prayer lives, drawing parallels between learning to swim and learning to pray. Just as swimming requires trust and surrender to an instructor, effective prayer requires surrender to God's will. Many of us were never formally taught how to pray, leading to feelings of awkwardness and confusion. This can sometimes result in frustration or even a crisis of faith. Jesus teaches us that the essence of prayer is not about imposing our will on God but surrendering our will to His.
We explored the Lord's Prayer, focusing on the phrase "Your kingdom come, Your will be done," which emphasizes the need for surrender. This surrender is crucial for unlocking a deeper, more fulfilling spiritual life. We also discussed the "give me" aspects of prayer, starting with "Give us today our daily bread." This request for provision reminds us of our daily dependence on God, much like the Israelites depended on manna in the wilderness. Despite living in a culture of excess, we must remember that our ultimate provider is God.
The second "give me" we examined was "Give me pardon," where Jesus teaches us to ask for forgiveness as we forgive others. This reciprocal nature of forgiveness highlights the importance of not being hypocritical in our spiritual lives. Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation; it is about letting go of the right to retaliate and not allowing bitterness to control us.
In conclusion, the key to a powerful prayer life is surrender. By surrendering our will, seeking daily provision, and offering forgiveness, we align ourselves with God's will and open up to a deeper, more meaningful relationship with Him.
### Key Takeaways
1. Surrender is Essential in Prayer: Just as learning to swim requires trust and surrender to an instructor, effective prayer requires surrender to God's will. This surrender is not natural and can feel awkward, but it is essential for a fulfilling spiritual life. Surrendering our will to God opens up a new world of spiritual experiences and growth. [39:03]
2. Daily Dependence on God: The request for "daily bread" in the Lord's Prayer reminds us of our daily dependence on God. Despite living in a culture of excess, we must remember that God is our ultimate provider. This daily dependence helps us stay grounded and grateful, recognizing that many things we depend on are beyond our control. [56:12]
3. Forgiveness and Hypocrisy: Jesus teaches us to ask for forgiveness as we forgive others. This reciprocal nature of forgiveness is crucial for avoiding hypocrisy in our spiritual lives. Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation; it is about letting go of the right to retaliate and not allowing bitterness to control us. [51:02]
4. The Danger of Excess: Living in a culture of excess can lead us to take things for granted and feel entitled. This entitlement can cause us to stop depending on God and diminish our faith. Praying for daily provision helps us stay humble and dependent on God, recognizing that we need Him for everything. [01:00:35]
5. The Power of Surrender in Forgiveness: Surrendering to God in the area of forgiveness protects us from allowing those who have hurt us to control us. It ensures that we do not surrender to bitterness, resentment, or anger. Forgiveness frees us from the control of negative emotions and aligns us with God's will. [01:11:42]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[33:33] - Building Remodel Update
[34:38] - Introduction to the Sermon
[35:00] - Vacation and COVID Experience
[36:07] - Learning to Swim
[37:37] - Series Introduction: Say Your Prayers
[39:03] - The Importance of Surrender in Prayer
[40:02] - Trust and Surrender in Learning to Swim
[41:41] - The New World of Surrender
[44:07] - Recap of Last Week's Message
[46:31] - Addressing God as Father
[47:19] - Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done
[54:21] - Give Me Provision: Daily Bread
[56:12] - The Lesson of Manna
[59:08] - Dependence on God for Everything
[01:07:17] - Give Me Pardon: Forgiveness
[01:11:42] - The Power of Surrender in Forgiveness
[01:15:45] - Lead Us Not Into Temptation Preview
[01:17:05] - Closing Prayer and Announcements
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV)
> "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. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'"
2. Proverbs 30:8-9 (NIV)
> "Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God."
3. Romans 5:8 (NIV)
> "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Jesus emphasize about the nature of God in the opening of the Lord's Prayer? (Matthew 6:9-10)
2. How does the request for "daily bread" in the Lord's Prayer relate to the Israelites' experience with manna in the wilderness? (Matthew 6:11, [56:12])
3. What is the significance of asking for forgiveness in the same manner that we forgive others? (Matthew 6:12, [07:17])
4. According to Proverbs 30:8-9, what are the potential spiritual dangers of having too much or too little?
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is surrendering to God's will a crucial aspect of effective prayer, as discussed in the sermon? ([39:03])
2. How does the concept of daily dependence on God challenge our modern culture of excess? ([01:00:35])
3. What does the reciprocal nature of forgiveness teach us about our relationship with God and others? ([07:17])
4. How does the story of the Israelites and manna illustrate the importance of trusting God for daily provision? ([56:12])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you struggled to surrender your will to God. What steps can you take to practice surrender in your prayer life this week? ([39:03])
2. In what ways can you remind yourself of your daily dependence on God, especially in a culture that promotes self-sufficiency and excess? ([01:00:35])
3. Think of someone you need to forgive. How can you take a step towards forgiveness this week, even if reconciliation is not possible? ([07:17])
4. How can you incorporate the principle of "daily bread" into your prayers and daily life, focusing on today's needs rather than future anxieties? ([01:03:50])
5. Identify an area in your life where you feel entitled or take things for granted. How can you cultivate a heart of gratitude and dependence on God in that area? ([01:01:03])
6. How can you ensure that your prayers are not just about asking for things but also about aligning your will with God's will? ([47:19])
7. What practical steps can you take to avoid the dangers of excess and maintain a humble dependence on God for your needs? ([01:00:35])
Devotional
Day 1: Trusting God in Prayer
Effective prayer requires surrender to God's will, much like learning to swim requires trust and surrender to an instructor. This surrender is not natural and can feel awkward, but it is essential for a fulfilling spiritual life. Surrendering our will to God opens up a new world of spiritual experiences and growth. When we let go of our need to control and trust in God's plan, we find peace and a deeper connection with Him. This act of surrender is a daily practice, requiring us to continually place our trust in God's hands.
In our prayer lives, we often approach God with a list of requests, hoping to bend His will to ours. However, true prayer is about aligning our desires with God's will. Jesus teaches us this in the Lord's Prayer, particularly in the phrase "Your kingdom come, Your will be done." By surrendering our will to God, we open ourselves to His guidance and wisdom, allowing Him to lead us on the path He has set for us. [39:03]
Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV): "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Day 2: Daily Dependence on God
The request for "daily bread" in the Lord's Prayer reminds us of our daily dependence on God. Despite living in a culture of excess, we must remember that God is our ultimate provider. This daily dependence helps us stay grounded and grateful, recognizing that many things we depend on are beyond our control. Just as the Israelites depended on manna in the wilderness, we too must rely on God for our daily needs.
In a world where self-sufficiency is often celebrated, it can be challenging to acknowledge our dependence on God. However, recognizing our need for Him is crucial for a healthy spiritual life. By asking for our "daily bread," we are reminded to trust in God's provision and to be thankful for His blessings. This practice helps us cultivate a heart of gratitude and humility, acknowledging that everything we have comes from Him. [56:12]
Deuteronomy 8:3 (ESV): "And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord."
Reflection: In what ways can you practice daily dependence on God, especially in areas where you tend to rely on your own strength or resources?
Day 3: The Reciprocal Nature of Forgiveness
Jesus teaches us to ask for forgiveness as we forgive others. This reciprocal nature of forgiveness is crucial for avoiding hypocrisy in our spiritual lives. Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation; it is about letting go of the right to retaliate and not allowing bitterness to control us. When we forgive others, we reflect God's grace and mercy, and we free ourselves from the burden of resentment.
Forgiveness is a powerful act that can transform our hearts and relationships. It requires humility and a willingness to let go of our desire for revenge. By forgiving others, we align ourselves with God's will and open ourselves to His healing and peace. This practice also helps us to receive God's forgiveness more fully, as we recognize our own need for His grace. [51:02]
Colossians 3:13 (ESV): "Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."
Reflection: Think of someone in your life you need to forgive. Can you ask God to help you begin to extend His love and forgiveness to them today?
Day 4: The Danger of Excess
Living in a culture of excess can lead us to take things for granted and feel entitled. This entitlement can cause us to stop depending on God and diminish our faith. Praying for daily provision helps us stay humble and dependent on God, recognizing that we need Him for everything. By focusing on our daily needs rather than our wants, we cultivate a heart of gratitude and contentment.
Excess can create a false sense of security, leading us to believe that we are self-sufficient. However, true security comes from trusting in God's provision. By praying for our "daily bread," we remind ourselves of our dependence on Him and our need for His guidance and support. This practice helps us to stay grounded and to appreciate the blessings we receive each day. [01:00:35]
Proverbs 30:8-9 (ESV): "Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God."
Reflection: How can you shift your focus from material excess to spiritual dependence on God? What practical steps can you take to cultivate gratitude and contentment in your daily life?
Day 5: The Power of Surrender in Forgiveness
Surrendering to God in the area of forgiveness protects us from allowing those who have hurt us to control us. It ensures that we do not surrender to bitterness, resentment, or anger. Forgiveness frees us from the control of negative emotions and aligns us with God's will. By choosing to forgive, we release the hold that past hurts have on us and open ourselves to God's healing and peace.
Forgiveness is a powerful act of surrender that requires us to trust in God's justice and mercy. It is not about condoning the actions of those who have hurt us, but about releasing our right to seek revenge. By forgiving, we allow God to work in our hearts and to bring about healing and restoration. This act of surrender helps us to grow in our faith and to experience the fullness of God's love. [01:11:42]
Ephesians 4:31-32 (ESV): "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."
Reflection: Is there someone you need to forgive in order to free yourself from bitterness and resentment? How can you begin the process of surrendering this hurt to God and allowing His healing to take place?
Quotes
1. "Prayer can feel clunky. Prayer can feel awkward. Prayer can feel like, is this thing even working? And so it's been a confusing thing for us, but what's even worse when we don't really understand prayer, how to pray when we don't understand the wind, the what, the where, the how, the purpose of prayer at best, it leads to that confusion. It leads to that clunkiness. It leads to a frustration in life. And at worst though, it can actually lead to people giving up on faith." [38:16] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "To learn how to swim, we have to be willing to trust. To learn how to swim, we have to be willing to trust, to surrender. We have to learn to surrender to that instructor that what that instructor is telling us is true. We've got to learn to surrender that whoever's teaching us, maybe it's a parent or an older brother or older sister or a good friend or whatever. But if we resist and we don't surrender, surrender to that person trying to teach us how to swim, we will never learn how to swim." [40:02] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "When we learn to swim, and I did, I did learn to swim. I'm not like an Olympic swimmer. Or anything like that. But my brother, one time when we were on a vacation, we were at a holiday in Holodom, which was a big deal when I was a kid. And he taught me how to swim in a swimming pool at this, at this holiday, the end. Eventually, when we learn to let go of the side of the pool and surrender to that trusted person, what actually happens then as we surrender that and trust someone that what they're telling us is true and that the way to do this is actually correct. When you learn how to swim, it opens up a whole new world that otherwise you would never, ever, ever experience." [40:56] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "The purpose of prayer is to surrender our will not to impose it. The purpose of prayer is to surrender our will not to impose our will. And here, here's the thing. It's at that point, let's just be honest. We're amongst friends and let's just be honest. We need to be real about this stuff. It's at that point that somebody would say, okay, God, I'm out. That's not really what I want. I want my will. Let me out of the pool." [48:12] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Surrendering to God, this idea of going to God and saying, God's your will be done. Not my will be done is so unnatural because it's, it feels too open ended to us because we're saying yes to something before we even know what the answer is. And I want God to do what I want him to do. And so I'm afraid of what God may require of me if I actually go to him and say, God, your will be done. What if he wants something too big? What if he asked me to do something I'm not sure about?" [49:11] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "If you were to talk to a guy like Peter, Peter, the rock, one of Jesus' main disciples, it was always Peter, James and John, Peter, James and John. They talk about if you would talk to Peter, who was this fisherman, this fisherman who decided to surrender it all and follow Jesus. If you were to talk to a guy like the apostle Paul, who was a tent making zealot who was a persecutor of Christians and an ultra religious guy who had this dramatic encounter with Jesus. If you talk to him about surrender, if you talk to the other disciples, you know, maybe James and John and all the other boys, if you talk to the Mary's and you talk to the Martha's and you talk to those people who surrendered and gave everything to Jesus, listen, if you were to talk to some of your friends that you're going, you know, they're into this thing a whole lot more than I am. And I can tell they're a whole lot more surrendered and maybe you wouldn't have put it that way before, but now you're realizing that's what it is. If you were to say, if you were to talk to them the thing I know you would hear the thing I know that would come out of their mouths is they would tell you that surrendering, surrendering to God, your will be done." [50:11] (67 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "If you're a Christian and you want deep faith again, I think that's a really, really good thing. But the thing I would argue with you is having deep faith has very little to about what you know, it has everything to do with S U R R E N D E R. It has to do with surrender deep. You want to be deep surrender. You can fill your head full of information until you surrender to God with that information. There's no depth there. There's knowledge there. It's surrendering and praying. Even before we know what it is, it's surrendering and praying, saying, God, thy will be done. I don't even know what the issue is yet, but God, I want what you want. I want your will to be done here." [51:53] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "God, don't make me either poor or rich. You ever prayed that? Don't make me rich, God. I don't think anybody's ever prayed that. Maybe you have, I don't know. God, don't make me either poor or rich, but give me only the bread I need each day. And he says, why? Here's why. If you don't, I might have too much. And then he might say, I don't know you. I might say, who is the Lord? Again, I just feel like this is not a very American thing to pray, because what do we all know? We all want to be rich. Have the big house, have all the cars, have all these things. He's saying, no. He's saying, hey, don't make me too poor. Don't make me too rich. But you ever think about how it could change us spiritually if we truly did pray that?" [01:04:56] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation. Because we say forgiveness and think, oh man, this person that's hurt me, this person that's wronged me, this person that's done it, I gotta go and just be best buddies with them and pretend it's all okay and do all that. No, no, no, no, no. That's not what forgiveness is. Forgiveness is giving up the right to retaliate. Forgiveness is giving up the right to say, you know what, I'm gonna hold, no, I'm not gonna hold on to that anymore. I'm letting that go. Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation. think you have to understand, biblically speaking, reconciliation of a relationship is great. It really is. I would go as far as to say that reconciliation is the ideal. When it can happen. It can't always happen. Because both people have to be willing. And if you're willing and they're not, you can't make it happen. And you can't have a false reconciliation. But you can. But you still have the ability to choose to forgive." [01:12:08] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Does God answer prayer? My response, praying like this does. Praying the way Jesus taught us to pray does. 100%. We start by being relational. We address the uncreated creator, perfect and holy. We address him relationally as Father. We recenter ourselves and refocus on who it is we're actually talking to, and then we surrender. Everything that's gonna come, we surrender. kingdom come, your will be Surrender to God to give. Say, God, give me today what I need today. With my health, with the doctor, with my husband, with my wife, with my job, with my challenge, with my success, give me today what I need today. For today, your daily provision. Surrender to God your wrongs." [01:13:55] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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