Transformative Prayer: Worship, Scripture, and Spirit Guidance
Summary
### Summary
Today, we delved into the essence of prayer, focusing on three key aspects: worship-based, scripture-fed, and spirit-led prayer. We began by emphasizing the importance of starting our prayers with worship. This approach shifts our focus from our problems to God's greatness. By acknowledging His sovereignty and power, we build our faith and set the right tone for our prayers. We looked at Psalm 51 as a model for worship-based prayer, where we start by praising God for His mercy and goodness. This sets the stage for a deeper, more meaningful prayer experience.
Next, we explored the concept of scripture-fed prayer. Using Acts 4 as an example, we saw how the early Christians used scripture to guide their prayers. They didn't just present their needs to God; they allowed His Word to shape their requests and responses. This method ensures that our prayers are aligned with God's will and grounded in His promises. We practiced this by reading Psalm 51 and letting its words guide our prayers, asking God to cleanse us from our sins and help us live in a way that pleases Him.
The third aspect we discussed was spirit-led prayer. This involves being open to the Holy Spirit's guidance during our prayer time. We shared stories of how God can bring people or situations to our minds, prompting us to pray for them. This kind of prayer requires sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and a willingness to act on His promptings, even if they seem unusual or unexpected. We highlighted the story of Smith Wigglesworth, who was known for his radical obedience to the Holy Spirit, and how his ministry bore incredible fruit because of it.
We also touched on the importance of having a community that supports and encourages us in prayer. Just as Peter and John returned to their own people after facing persecution, we need friends who will lead us back to God in prayer rather than just sympathizing with our struggles. This kind of community helps us stay focused on God and His purposes, even in difficult times.
Finally, we practiced what we preached by engaging in a time of worship-based, scripture-fed, and spirit-led prayer. We read through Psalm 51, pausing to worship, respond, and make requests based on the scripture. We also took time to listen for the Holy Spirit's guidance, praying for those He brought to our minds. This practical exercise helped us experience the power and effectiveness of this model of prayer.
### Key Takeaways
1. Worship-Based Prayer: Starting our prayers with worship shifts our focus from our problems to God's greatness. By acknowledging His sovereignty and power, we build our faith and set the right tone for our prayers. This approach helps us see our issues in the light of God's ability to handle them, making our prayers more effective and faith-filled. [01:10:29]
2. Scripture-Fed Prayer: Using scripture to guide our prayers ensures that they are aligned with God's will and grounded in His promises. This method not only enriches our prayer life but also deepens our understanding of God's Word. By allowing scripture to shape our requests and responses, we pray more effectively and in accordance with God's will. [01:17:25]
3. Spirit-Led Prayer: Being open to the Holy Spirit's guidance during prayer can lead to powerful and unexpected outcomes. This requires sensitivity to the Spirit and a willingness to act on His promptings, even if they seem unusual. Stories like that of Smith Wigglesworth remind us of the incredible fruit that can come from radical obedience to the Holy Spirit. [01:25:13]
4. Community in Prayer: Having a supportive community that leads us back to God in prayer is crucial. Just as Peter and John returned to their own people after facing persecution, we need friends who will encourage us to focus on God rather than just sympathizing with our struggles. This kind of community helps us stay grounded and focused on God's purposes. [54:15]
5. Practical Application: Engaging in worship-based, scripture-fed, and spirit-led prayer can transform our prayer life. By practicing this model, we experience the power and effectiveness of prayer that is aligned with God's will and guided by His Spirit. This approach not only enriches our personal prayer time but also equips us to intercede more effectively for others. [01:37:51]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[26:10] - Tithing and Generosity
[34:12] - Introduction to Prayer Series
[48:58] - Passionate Prayer and Evangelism
[56:13] - Community and Prayer
[58:58] - Three Points of Prayer
[01:10:29] - Worship-Based Prayer
[01:17:25] - Scripture-Fed Prayer
[01:25:13] - Spirit-Led Prayer
[01:37:51] - Practical Application of Prayer
[01:47:52] - Closing Worship
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Psalm 51: "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin." (Psalm 51:1-2)
2. Acts 4:23-31: "On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. 'Sovereign Lord,' they said, 'you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.'" (Acts 4:23-24)
3. Romans 8:26: "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans."
### Observation Questions
1. What is the significance of starting prayer with worship, as demonstrated in Acts 4:24? [58:58]
2. How did the early Christians use scripture to guide their prayers in Acts 4:25-26? [01:17:25]
3. What role does the Holy Spirit play in guiding our prayers according to Romans 8:26? [01:25:13]
4. How did the community support Peter and John after their release in Acts 4:23-24? [54:15]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it important to start our prayers with worship, and how does this shift our focus from our problems to God's greatness? [01:10:29]
2. How can using scripture to guide our prayers ensure that they are aligned with God's will and grounded in His promises? [01:17:25]
3. What does it mean to be open to the Holy Spirit's guidance during prayer, and how can this lead to powerful and unexpected outcomes? [01:25:13]
4. How does having a supportive community that leads us back to God in prayer help us stay focused on His purposes, even in difficult times? [54:15]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when starting your prayer with worship helped you shift your focus from your problems to God's greatness. How did it change your perspective? [01:10:29]
2. Think of a specific scripture that has guided your prayers in the past. How did it shape your requests and responses to God? [01:17:25]
3. Share an experience where you felt the Holy Spirit guiding you during prayer. How did you respond, and what was the outcome? [01:25:13]
4. Identify a friend or family member who has supported you in prayer during a difficult time. How did their support help you stay focused on God? [54:15]
5. How can you cultivate a habit of worship-based, scripture-fed, and spirit-led prayer in your daily life? What practical steps can you take this week to start this practice? [01:37:51]
6. Is there someone in your life who needs prayer support right now? How can you be a supportive community for them, leading them back to God in prayer? [54:15]
7. Reflect on the story of Smith Wigglesworth and his radical obedience to the Holy Spirit. How can you be more open to the Spirit's guidance in your own prayer life? [01:25:13]
Devotional
Day 1: Shifting Focus to God's Greatness
Starting our prayers with worship shifts our focus from our problems to God's greatness. By acknowledging His sovereignty and power, we build our faith and set the right tone for our prayers. This approach helps us see our issues in the light of God's ability to handle them, making our prayers more effective and faith-filled. Worship-based prayer is not just about singing songs or saying the right words; it’s about genuinely recognizing and honoring God's majesty and authority in our lives. When we begin our prayers by exalting God, we remind ourselves of His infinite power and love, which in turn strengthens our trust in Him.
Psalm 51 serves as a powerful model for worship-based prayer. In this Psalm, David begins by praising God for His mercy and goodness, setting a tone of reverence and humility. This act of worship prepares our hearts to engage more deeply with God, allowing us to approach Him with a spirit of gratitude and awe. By focusing on God's attributes, we can better align our hearts with His will and experience a more profound connection with Him. [01:10:29]
Psalm 51:1-2 (ESV): "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!"
Reflection: How can you start your prayer time today by focusing on God's greatness and attributes? Take a moment to praise Him for who He is before presenting your requests.
Day 2: Aligning Prayers with God's Will
Using scripture to guide our prayers ensures that they are aligned with God's will and grounded in His promises. This method not only enriches our prayer life but also deepens our understanding of God's Word. By allowing scripture to shape our requests and responses, we pray more effectively and in accordance with God's will. Scripture-fed prayer involves reading and meditating on God's Word, then using it as a foundation for our prayers. This practice helps us to internalize biblical truths and apply them to our specific situations.
Acts 4 provides an excellent example of scripture-fed prayer. The early Christians used scripture to guide their prayers, allowing God's Word to shape their requests and responses. By doing so, they ensured that their prayers were in line with God's will and promises. This approach not only strengthens our faith but also helps us to pray with greater confidence and assurance. When we pray according to God's Word, we can be certain that we are praying in alignment with His desires and purposes. [01:17:25]
Acts 4:24-26 (ESV): "And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, 'Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?'"
Reflection: Choose a passage of scripture that speaks to your current situation. How can you use this passage to guide your prayers today?
Day 3: Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit
Being open to the Holy Spirit's guidance during prayer can lead to powerful and unexpected outcomes. This requires sensitivity to the Spirit and a willingness to act on His promptings, even if they seem unusual. Stories like that of Smith Wigglesworth remind us of the incredible fruit that can come from radical obedience to the Holy Spirit. Spirit-led prayer involves being attentive to the Holy Spirit's voice and allowing Him to direct our prayers. This means being open to praying for people or situations that the Holy Spirit brings to our minds, even if they are not on our initial prayer list.
The story of Smith Wigglesworth illustrates the power of spirit-led prayer. His radical obedience to the Holy Spirit resulted in a ministry that bore incredible fruit. By being sensitive to the Holy Spirit's guidance, we can experience similar outcomes in our own prayer lives. This type of prayer requires a deep level of trust and a willingness to step out in faith, even when it feels uncomfortable or unexpected. When we allow the Holy Spirit to lead our prayers, we open ourselves up to experiencing God's power and presence in new and profound ways. [01:25:13]
Romans 8:26-27 (ESV): "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."
Reflection: Take a moment to quiet your mind and listen for the Holy Spirit's guidance. Is there someone or something that the Holy Spirit is prompting you to pray for today?
Day 4: The Power of a Prayerful Community
Having a supportive community that leads us back to God in prayer is crucial. Just as Peter and John returned to their own people after facing persecution, we need friends who will encourage us to focus on God rather than just sympathizing with our struggles. This kind of community helps us stay grounded and focused on God's purposes. A prayerful community provides the support and encouragement we need to persevere in our faith, especially during challenging times. It is essential to surround ourselves with people who will lift us up in prayer and remind us of God's promises.
In Acts 4, Peter and John returned to their community after facing persecution, and together they prayed for boldness and strength. This example highlights the importance of having a community that supports and encourages us in prayer. When we face difficulties, it is easy to become overwhelmed and lose sight of God's presence. However, a prayerful community can help us stay focused on God and His purposes, providing the strength and encouragement we need to persevere. [54:15]
Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
Reflection: Who in your life can you turn to for prayer support? How can you be a source of encouragement and prayer for someone else today?
Day 5: Transforming Prayer Life
Engaging in worship-based, scripture-fed, and spirit-led prayer can transform our prayer life. By practicing this model, we experience the power and effectiveness of prayer that is aligned with God's will and guided by His Spirit. This approach not only enriches our personal prayer time but also equips us to intercede more effectively for others. Transforming our prayer life involves incorporating these three aspects into our daily practice, allowing us to connect with God on a deeper level and experience His presence in new ways.
By engaging in worship-based, scripture-fed, and spirit-led prayer, we can experience a more profound and effective prayer life. This model helps us to align our prayers with God's will, deepen our understanding of His Word, and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's guidance. As we practice this approach, we will see a transformation in our prayer life, leading to a more intimate relationship with God and a greater impact in our intercessory prayers for others. [01:37:51]
Colossians 4:2 (ESV): "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."
Reflection: How can you incorporate worship-based, scripture-fed, and spirit-led prayer into your daily routine? What changes do you need to make to transform your prayer life starting today?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "If I vent to you and you take on my offense, you've done nothing for the two of us. This is a sidebar, but I'm going to say it. So, I have friends in ministry that take on offenses for other people when they haven't seen both sides. Every, every, every story has two sides. Right? And so, when they take on the offense of, of one or the other, all of a sudden, man, it's like, hold on, hold on. Because taking on someone else's offense can often be worse than the person offended themselves. Come on." [54:15]
2. "It's right here in my face, right? It seems like the biggest mountain that is in my life at the moment. I look at the financial issues and they seem to be right here and they seem to be looming large over everything else. But if I will stop and take a moment before I ever address the doctor's note or I ever address the financial issue and I back up and I look up and I just go, God, you know what? I just want to thank you because you are the creator of heaven. You are the creator of heavens and earth. Well, God, if you're the creator of heaven and earth, then I shouldn't have to worry about a measly little bill that I might not be able to see where the payment's coming from. But if you created everything and you own the cattle on a thousand hills and you own the hills too, then this bill is absolutely nothing to you. This doctor's note is minuscule to what you can do. And now all of a sudden, I've turned my attention to him. I've built my own faith by focusing on how great he is. And then I can move on." [01:10:29]
3. "I want to get better at this thing. Come on, somebody. I don't want to just be a novice prayer. I don't want to be a God is great, God is good, let us thank him for our food prayer. Right? I don't want to just be the guy that prays the simple prayers. Now, if you call me over for dinner, I want to be the guy that prays quick. Come on. Come on, because the guy that prays long don't get a second invitation. But in all other aspects of prayer, I don't want to be a novice prayer. I want to be one who knows the things of God." [37:46]
4. "If we had a good week, man, we come in. We come in with, you know, a bounce in our step. We're good to go. Music starts. We're up out of the seat. We come down to the front. You know, we're going to clap our hands. There's going to be a bounce. We're going to lift our hands. We're going to sing out loud. We're going to do what we need to do. Because, man, we've had a good week. We're going to praise the Lord. If we've not had a good week, oftentimes, we walk in and we just kind of slouch down in our seat. And we stand because everybody's standing. If we didn't stand, it would just look awkward. But I don't feel like standing, so I'm just... And everybody else is singing, but I'm just... You are my champion. Giants fall when you stand. Undefeated." [01:05:41]
5. "I want to know how to get in touch with, how to talk to God. But I also realize that there are people who are natural intercessors. That's what the church would call or the Bible would call. They're natural. They're just prayers. Right? They could. I've told you all about Elder Gloria Dean from our church in Charleston, South Carolina, when we were there. And Elder Gloria Dean, my God. She woke up, I think it was 3 a.m. every morning, and she prayed from 3 to 6 or something like that. And she said, that was my watch. She said God had told her years ago that was her watch. And until he changed it, that's what she was going to do. And so she would get up every night, and she'd pray from 3 to 6 a.m." [38:31]
### Quotes for Members
1. "Prayer should be worship-based, scripture-fed, spirit-led. Prayer should be worship-based, scripture-fed, and spirit-led. Let's start with worship-based. When they heard this, verse 24, they raised their voices together in prayer. Sovereign Lord, they said, you made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. They begin their prayer time by focusing on Him not them. Peter and John came in with a problem. They said, listen guys. Now I'm paraphrasing because they didn't tell us. I'm just paraphrasing off of their experience. They said, listen guys. We just got out of this meeting. All we did was heal this guy at the gate. We were going to pray. This guy was here. He asked for money. We healed him. No longer needs the money. He can make it. He's on money now, right? We thought we did good. Apparently, it violated what they thought was acceptable. They called us in and told us no longer preach in the name of Jesus. Here's how prayer meeting would have gone here. Let's pray about that if we took it to prayer. Number one. God, strike them dead. You laugh because you know it's true." [58:58]
2. "So do you see what they did? They took the scripture that they have just read in the public hearing. They took that and they applied it to their situation, what they were going through. Now notice, Peter and John had come in and said, Hey, listen, guys, this is what's going on. So they get into the reading. They get into the prayer meeting and they pull out Psalm 2, 1 through 2. Why do the nations rage and the people plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one. And they said, Lord, that kind of sounds like what we're going through. Lord, this is what's happening. And what they did was they allowed the scripture to guide the conversation. They could have just went straight into a request mode. we didn't do anything wrong. God, we shouldn't have gone through this. We shouldn't, we shouldn't. We're being publicly persecuted, oh God. No, no, no, no. They took it to his word and they allowed his word to guide the conversation." [01:16:59]
3. "And so we listen. We look at this and go, How can we be effective in prayer? And if I'm looking at this correctly, the first thing that I need to understand, and actually I think, as you'll see next week in the Lord's Prayer, I think you'll see that this is a model throughout. It starts and ends with him. It doesn't start with me. Because when it starts with me, I'm off track already. I am not the focus of my prayer. You are not even the focus of my prayer. While I pray for you on a daily basis, you are not the focus of my prayer. He is the focus of my prayer. So prayer should be worship-based. Psalm 103 and 1 says this. It says, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless his holy name. Do you see what the psalmist just did? He began by speaking to himself. Apparently he wasn't in the mood. Everybody's quiet now. Because the fact is, as we show up to church, and depending on what our week looks like, depends on if we're in the mood to worship or not." [01:04:14]
4. "Okay? So I would go, I praise you for your mercy. You didn't give me what I deserved. I deserved punishment. I deserved disease. I deserved eternal punishment. But God, you showed me mercy. Right? What am I doing? I'm allowing the scripture to guide the conversation. Okay? So then I would go, okay. How do I respond to his word? Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. cleanse me from the sin of. I'm not asking you to say it out loud, but every one of us in this room, we all struggle. We struggle with some type of sin, even if it's the sin of pride. Come on, right? And so I would, I would let his word guide me, cleanse me from my sin. God, I recognize that I fall short in so many areas. So God, I'm asking for you to cleanse me from the sin of pride. I'm asking for you to cleanse me from the sin of. You see what, you see what I'm doing? I'm letting his word guide the conversation. I'm letting his word guide the conversation. Prayer should be worship-based. Prayer should be scripture-fed. Third, and this one was interesting to me, that it came from a guy who theologically does not believe that the gifts are operational today. It should be spirit-led." [01:21:02]
5. "Lord, your word says that the blessing of the Lord makes one rich and he adds no sorrow to it. I could go through. But what this does is it makes it a little more intentional. It goes, you know what? We're going to take God's word we're not going to cherry pick it and put it on our situation. We're going to read his word and let his word speak to where we are. So, having said that, I'm going to be honest. There's not a lot I can preach on it being scripture led. But, I think we have our scripture fed. I think we just have to practice it. So, don't you turn with me to Psalm 51. Psalm 51. I didn't give you Psalm 51 because I want people to have it in front of them. not because we're going to pray Psalm 51. Okay? I'm going to read it. I'm going to start it because we're actually going to practice this whole thing together at the end. But, I want you to see what I'm what I'm talking about before we get there, okay? So if we started in Psalm 51, Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love, according to your great compassion. Blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sins. For I know my transgression and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight. So let's stop right there. So if I wanted to start this thing off, and I wanted to start, it's supposed to be worship-based, right? So I want to start that off. I would start off with his word, and I would go, okay. So Psalm 51, Have mercy on me, O God. I would pause right there because his mercy is great. I'd go, God, I thank you for your mercy. You have been so merciful to me. I recognize your mercy on my life when. And then I would, you see what I did? It's an on-ramp to prayer. God, I recognize it. That your mercy was operating in my situation when." [01:18:24]
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