Embracing Surrender: The Transformative Power of Prayer

 

Summary

Taking a deep breath, I reflect on the journey of learning to swim as a metaphor for surrendering to God in prayer. Just as learning to swim requires letting go of the pool's edge and trusting the instructor, prayer invites us to let go of our control and trust in God's will. Many of us have been praying the same way since childhood, but Jesus calls us to mature in our prayers, to pray grown-up prayers that align our will with God's.

The disciples, despite their lifelong practice of prayer, realized they needed to learn how to pray like Jesus. They asked Him to teach them, and He responded by emphasizing the importance of understanding why we pray. Prayer is not about informing God of our needs, as He already knows them. Instead, it is about aligning our hearts with His will. Jesus instructs us to find a quiet place, free from distractions, and to address God as our Father, recognizing His greatness and our dependence on Him.

The essence of prayer is captured in the phrase, "Your kingdom come, your will be done." This is a call to surrender our desires and plans to God's greater purpose. It challenges us to trust Him fully, even when it feels like letting go of the side of the pool. True depth in faith comes not from knowledge but from surrendering to God's will.

Jesus also teaches us to pray for provision, pardon, and protection. We declare our dependence on God for our daily needs, acknowledging that everything we have is a gift from Him. We seek forgiveness for our sins, committing to forgive others as we have been forgiven. This act of forgiveness is crucial, as it frees us from the bondage of bitterness and resentment.

Finally, we ask for protection from temptation, recognizing our vulnerability and need for God's guidance. This prayer is an invitation to experience life in a new way, a way that is marked by surrender, dependence, and forgiveness. It is a call to live a life that reflects the love and grace of God.

Key Takeaways:

1. Surrender in Prayer: True prayer requires surrendering our will to God's will. It is not about informing God of our needs but aligning our hearts with His purpose. This surrender opens us to a world of experiences and blessings we would otherwise miss. [07:40]

2. Dependence on God: We must recognize our dependence on God for everything, even in a culture of excess. By acknowledging Him as our provider, we remain humble and grateful, avoiding the pitfalls of entitlement and ingratitude. [12:27]

3. Forgiveness as a Reflection of God's Grace: Forgiving others is not optional for followers of Christ. It is a reflection of the forgiveness we have received from God. Holding onto grudges only harms us and hinders our relationship with God. [19:10]

4. Prayer as a Path to Freedom: By forgiving others, we free ourselves from the chains of bitterness and resentment. This act of surrender protects us from allowing past hurts to control our future, leading to a life of peace and freedom. [22:44]

5. The Purpose of Prayer: Prayer is not a tool for manipulating God but a means of transforming us. It works in us to align our hearts with God's will, leading to a deeper, more authentic relationship with Him and others. [28:22]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Learning to Swim and Surrender
- [01:39] - The Importance of Grown-Up Prayers
- [02:25] - Disciples' Request: Teach Us to Pray
- [03:52] - Jesus' Instructions on Prayer
- [05:30] - Finding a Quiet Place to Pray
- [06:51] - Addressing God as Father
- [07:40] - Thy Will Be Done
- [09:38] - Aligning Our Will with God's
- [11:11] - Provision: Daily Dependence on God
- [17:08] - Pardon: Forgiving as We Are Forgiven
- [22:44] - Protection: Freedom Through Forgiveness
- [28:22] - The Transformative Power of Prayer
- [33:18] - Lead Us Not Into Temptation
- [33:43] - Conclusion and Next Steps

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 6:9-13 (The Lord's Prayer)
2. Proverbs 30:8-9 (Prayer for daily provision)
3. Ephesians 4:32 (Forgiving as God forgave us)

---

Observation Questions:

1. What does Jesus emphasize about the nature of God when He instructs us to begin our prayers with "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name"? [06:51]

2. How does the sermon describe the disciples' realization about their own prayers after hearing Jesus pray? [02:25]

3. What are the three specific things Jesus asks us to pray for, and how do they relate to the concept of surrender? [11:11]

4. According to the sermon, what is the significance of the phrase "Your kingdom come, your will be done"? [07:40]

---

Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the metaphor of learning to swim relate to the concept of surrender in prayer, as discussed in the sermon? [01:05]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our prayers might not have matured since childhood, and what does it mean to pray "grown-up prayers"? [01:56]

3. How does the sermon explain the relationship between forgiveness and our own need for forgiveness from God? [17:52]

4. What does the sermon suggest about the role of prayer in aligning our will with God's will, and how might this change our approach to prayer? [09:38]

---

Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you struggled to let go of control in your life. How might the metaphor of letting go of the pool's edge help you in surrendering to God's will in prayer? [01:05]

2. Consider your current prayer habits. In what ways do they reflect a childlike approach, and how can you begin to incorporate more "grown-up prayers" that align with God's will? [01:56]

3. Identify an area in your life where you find it difficult to trust God fully. How can you practice surrendering this area to Him in prayer this week? [08:19]

4. Think of someone you have struggled to forgive. How can the understanding that forgiveness is a reflection of God's grace help you take steps toward forgiving them? [18:22]

5. In what ways do you recognize your dependence on God for daily provision, and how can you cultivate a heart of gratitude and humility in a culture of excess? [12:27]

6. Reflect on a past hurt that still affects you. How can surrendering this hurt to God in prayer lead to freedom from bitterness and resentment? [22:44]

7. How can you make prayer a transformative practice in your life, focusing on aligning your heart with God's will rather than simply presenting your needs and desires? [28:22]

Devotional

Day 1: Surrendering Control in Prayer
Prayer is an invitation to let go of our control and trust in God's will. Just as learning to swim requires releasing the pool's edge, true prayer involves surrendering our desires and aligning our hearts with God's purpose. This act of surrender opens us to experiences and blessings we might otherwise miss. Jesus teaches us that prayer is not about informing God of our needs, as He already knows them, but about aligning our hearts with His will. By praying "Your kingdom come, your will be done," we are challenged to trust God fully, even when it feels like letting go of the side of the pool. [07:40]

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: Recognizing Our Dependence on God
In a culture of excess, it is easy to forget our dependence on God for everything. By acknowledging Him as our provider, we remain humble and grateful, avoiding the pitfalls of entitlement and ingratitude. Jesus teaches us to pray for our daily needs, recognizing that everything we have is a gift from God. This dependence keeps us grounded and reminds us of our need for His provision in every aspect of our lives. [12:27]

Deuteronomy 8:17-18 (ESV): "Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day."

Reflection: In what ways have you been relying on your own strength rather than acknowledging your dependence on God? How can you practice gratitude for His provision today?


Day 3: Forgiveness as a Reflection of God's Grace
Forgiving others is not optional for followers of Christ; it is a reflection of the forgiveness we have received from God. Holding onto grudges only harms us and hinders our relationship with God. Jesus teaches us to seek forgiveness for our sins and to forgive others as we have been forgiven. This act of forgiveness is crucial, as it frees us from the bondage of bitterness and resentment, allowing us to experience the fullness of God's grace. [19:10]

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: Freedom Through Forgiveness
By forgiving others, we free ourselves from the chains of bitterness and resentment. This act of surrender protects us from allowing past hurts to control our future, leading to a life of peace and freedom. Jesus teaches us that forgiveness is not just for the benefit of others but for our own spiritual well-being. By letting go of grudges, we open ourselves to the transformative power of God's love and grace, experiencing life in a new way. [22:44]

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: What past hurt are you holding onto that is preventing you from experiencing peace and freedom? How can you begin to release this hurt to God today?


Day 5: The Transformative Power of Prayer
Prayer is not a tool for manipulating God but a means of transforming us. It works in us to align our hearts with God's will, leading to a deeper, more authentic relationship with Him and others. Jesus teaches us that the purpose of prayer is to transform our hearts, not to change God's mind. By engaging in prayer, we invite God to work in us, shaping us into the people He created us to be. [28:22]

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV): "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

Reflection: How has your understanding of prayer changed over time? What steps can you take to deepen your prayer life and allow God to transform you?

Quotes



Those of us who eventually learned to swim eventually let go of the side of the pool, we surrendered to a trusted adult, and in doing so and we probably haven't thought about this, in doing so, we were introduced to a world we would have never known or experienced otherwise, a world I would have watched other people enjoy from a safe distance, wakeboarding, surfing, skiing, canoeing, whitewater rafting, scuba diving, high diving, maybe cliff diving, not to mention living without the fear of water. [00:59:29]

The purpose of prayer we talked about this last time is to align our wills with God's will, the purpose of prayer is to surrender our will not impose it. And this becomes even more evident in what follows. So in part one I challenged you to begin your prayers this week this way, I said, begin by declaring his greatness and then surrender your will. Declare His greatness, hallowed be your name, and surrender your will. [09:29:24]

And Jesus says, when we pray, we are to pause and we are to declare our dependence on Him for everything, every day, every single thing lest we forget. Now, this is such a big deal in a culture where we get in trouble because of our excess rather than our privation, right? I mean, in a culture of excess which is the culture we live in, we just take things for granted, right? We expect things, we feel entitled to things, consequently we become ungrateful for things. [13:18:29]

Forgive me, here's what Jesus is teaching, heavenly Father forgive me in the same way and to the same degree that I have forgiven the people who have wronged me. And again, the assumption is surrender. It's like God says, you need forgiveness from me? Yes, I need forgiveness from you. So does that mean you're surrendered to me? Or what do you mean? I mean, are you asking something from me that you're unwilling to extend to others? [17:46:03]

We forgive because we've been? Forgiven. The Apostle Paul comes along later and he reverses the order of things, here's what he writes, he says to Christians, 1st century Christians, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other." Why? You don't even know my story, you don't know what she said about me, you don't know what He did to me. "Forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you." [18:28:40]

When you forgive, come on, when you forgive you are doing for them what your Father in heaven did for you. As Philip Yancey famously wrote, "God announced forgive ahead of time." And we should do the same. To refuse to forgive while asking to be forgiven, do you know what it makes us? It makes us one of those folks that Jesus talked about at the beginning of this little lesson, it makes us a hypocrite, a pretender, a user, a consumer. [20:51:50]

Surrendering to Jesus in this way, it ensures that we don't surrender to bitterness, resentment, anger, revenge, those are not good masters, those are not good lords they do not deserve your loyalty. They'll extend the reach end of your enemy right into your future, right into future generations, right? Now, again, you know people, this isn't new for us. You know people who had every reason in the world to hang onto their hurt, to embrace their resentment, to hold a grudge, to extract revenge, right? [22:48:44]

And when you do, when you do you know this, you've seen this in other people, when you do, you will be introduced to a world, to a peace, to a freedom, you will be introduced to a world you will never know otherwise. So back to the question we asked last week, does prayer work? Well, the Jesus' way of praying works. It works on us, it works in us, it works to free us, but at times, yeah, it's just so uncomfortable. [28:00:83]

I had to learn the hard way that when I focus, when I focus on the work that God is yet to complete in me, I am far less concerned with the work He has yet to complete in you. In other words, if I allow myself or I should say, when I allow myself to get stuck in my prayers of God I'm not sure I can let this go, God I'm not sure I can cancel that debt, in that moment, I'm reminded that I have focused more of my attention on what they have done and where they stand with me, than where I stand with my heavenly Father. [29:48:09]

When I see me as I truly am, I am better positioned to love you in spite of our differences, and in spite of what you've done to me. I won't judge you, I'll just serve you. I'll pray more like a tax collector than a religious leader. God have mercy on me, a sinner. That's the prayer, and that's the posture that Jesus commended. This is where the Jesus prayer takes us and leaves us surrendered, dependent, forgiven. [31:03:66]

So I want you to find a place, I want you to choose a time, I want you to get alone, and I recommend that you choose the same place in the same time, I want you to make this a priority and I want you to begin your day this way, pray your way to surrender. Well, pray like this because, "This then, is how you should pray. 'My Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.'" You're the great God who is infinite and because you've allowed me to call you Father, you're intimate. [31:59:19]

This then is how you should pray, declare your dependence on God for your provision lest you forget. "Give us, give me today my daily bread." Even though I have more bread than I need, and more bread than I should eat, I am not gonna forget that every single morsel of food, every beat of my heart is a gift from you. "Give me neither poverty nor riches, but only give me what you know I can handle, otherwise I might have too much and I might say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I might become poor and steal and so dishonor the name of my God." [32:49:21]

Chatbot

  • I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Mar 15, 2021. Do you have any questions about it?

Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?