P.R.A.Y.: Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield — Immersive Prayer Weekend

A four-part rhythm for approaching God is set alongside the ancient temple’s imagery to guide prayer into a practical, embodied practice. Beginning with a deliberate clearing of distractions, the sequence—Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield—follows the movement from the outer court to the holy place: vocal gratitude opens access; honest confession acknowledges the gravity of sin; confident petitions bring needs before a throne of grace; and receptive silence invites direction and obedience. The Old Testament sacrificial system is used not to glorify ritual but to expose human heart-urgency and to point to Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice that removes the barrier to God. With the curtain torn, access is personal and immediate: people are encouraged to come with confidence because Jesus’ work changed the way Heaven and earth relate.

Practical exercises underscore each step. A “brain dump” removes mundane anxieties to sharpen focus for worship. Visual memory aids—scrolling through photos—become prompts for specific thanksgiving. Private written confession and then symbolic disposal of those slips dramatize repentance and release. Written petitions are collected and promised to the prayer team; congregants are urged to record precise requests and to ask boldly, believing that unanswered needs sometimes result from unasked prayers. Finally, a period of quiet listening trains discernment: ordinary thoughts, convictions to act, or unexpected urgings can be taken as the Spirit’s promptings and must be met with immediate obedience.

The teaching calls for a church defined more by a shared identity as children of God than by political or cultural divisions. Public repentance is paired with a plea for mutual love that transcends ideological entrenchment. The approach is pastoral and pastoral-intense—firm about holiness, yet lavish in grace—inviting both brokenness and bold expectation. The closing charge is simple: enter God’s presence with reverence and freedom, bring real needs, be willing to change, and trust that the God who tore the curtain will both hear and act.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Praise clears the way to God Praise is not merely polite preface but the reorientation that dismantles self-preoccupation and awakens awe. By naming God’s character and remembering his faithfulness, the heart’s posture changes from entitlement to dependence, making subsequent confession and petition more truthful and focused. This discipline trains the soul to see problems in the light of God’s sovereignty rather than personal panic. [04:20]
• 2. Repentance exposes and releases bondage True repentance names the specific ways one has traded holiness for comfort and power; it is more than guilt—it is a reordering of desire. The ancient sacrifices framed how serious sin is, and Christ’s sacrifice both condemns it and frees the repentant from identification with it. Writing and physically discarding confessions is a pastoral act that both acknowledges culpability and accepts divine forgiveness. [19:21]
• 3. Ask boldly; expect courageous faith Approaching the throne of grace is both humble and audacious because Jesus removed the barrier once and for all. Petition should be concrete, recorded, and held with the confidence that asking aligns the heart with God’s purposes and opens doors that silence leaves shut. Persistent, specific requests often reveal readiness and openness to receive what God wills to give. [32:48]
• 4. Yield promptly to God’s promptings Listening is not passive: the torn curtain invites ordinary believers into ongoing intercession and direction. A thought that bears unexpected weight, a strange conviction, or a sudden urgency can be the Spirit’s voice; the faithful response is immediate obedience. Yielded action is the test of authentic prayer—words become power when paired with doing. [43:44]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:25] - From talking about prayer to praying
• [01:29] - Introducing P.R.A.Y. (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield)
• [02:20] - Temple imagery and Hebrews
• [03:14] - Walking the temple courts
• [04:20] - Clearing distractions (brain dump)
• [07:03] - Sacrifice of praise
• [15:20] - Using photos for gratitude
• [19:21] - Repentance and the sacrificial system
• [26:06] - Christ’s one-time perfect sacrifice
• [32:48] - Asking with confidence
• [43:44] - Yielding and hearing God
• [49:35] - Wailing walls and prayer team
• [54:38] - Closing blessing and commission

1. The sermon describes the Old Testament temple as a "copy and a shadow of what is in heaven." [02:20] What does this suggest about the relationship between earthly structures and heavenly realities?
2. The sermon mentions that praise "dismantles self-preoccupation and awakens awe." [04:20] How does focusing on God's character and faithfulness shift our perspective from our own concerns?
3. The sermon highlights that true repentance is "a reordering of desire." [19:21] How does this differ from simply feeling guilty about past actions?
4. The sermon states that approaching the throne of grace is "both humble and audacious because Jesus removed the barrier once and for all." [32:48] What does it mean to approach God with both humility and boldness?

1. The sermon uses the imagery of the temple courts to illustrate the steps of prayer: outer court (praise), place of sacrifice (repentance), inner courts (asking), and the veil (yielding). [03:14] How does this progression help us understand the flow of a meaningful prayer life?
2. The sermon emphasizes that Jesus' sacrifice "removes the barrier to God" [00:25] and that the curtain in the temple was torn. [33:59] What does this signify about our access to God today compared to the Old Testament era?
3. The sermon suggests that "unanswered needs sometimes result from unasked prayers." [32:48] Why might a lack of asking prevent us from receiving what God desires to give us?
4. The sermon describes yielding as listening for "a thought that bears unexpected weight, a strange conviction, or a sudden urgency" [44:11] as potential promptings from the Spirit. How can we learn to discern these promptings from our own thoughts or emotions?

1. The sermon encourages a "brain dump" to clear distractions before prayer. [04:20] What are some common distractions that pull your focus away from God, and what is one practical step you can take this week to minimize them before you pray?
2. The sermon suggests using photos on your phone as prompts for thanksgiving. [15:20] What is one specific photo you could look at this week that would remind you of God's goodness, and how can you express your gratitude for it?
3. The sermon describes repentance as naming specific ways we have "traded holiness for comfort and power." [19:21] What is one area in your life where you might be compromising holiness for comfort or perceived power, and what is a concrete step you can take to turn from that?
4. The sermon urges us to "ask boldly" and record our requests. [32:48] What is one specific, bold request you can write down and bring before God this week, believing that He can and will act?
5. The sermon emphasizes that yielding involves "immediate obedience" to the Spirit's promptings. [43:44] What is a conviction or urge you have felt recently that you believe might be from the Holy Spirit, and how can you commit to acting on it this week?
6. The sermon calls for a church defined by our identity as children of God, transcending political or cultural divisions. [28:08] In what specific way can you actively seek to build bridges and foster unity with someone who holds different political or cultural views this week?
7. The sermon concludes by encouraging us to enter God's presence with "reverence and freedom, bring real needs, be willing to change, and trust that the God who tore the curtain will both hear and act." [54:38] What is one "real need" you can bring to God with both reverence and freedom this week, trusting in His power to act?