The Purpose of Prayer

The Purpose of Prayer

• It’s not to inform or instruct God. The purpose of prayer is not to educate God on things He doesn’t know or instruct Him on what He should do.
• It’s to develop a relationship with God. The purpose of prayer is to develop a relationship with your heavenly Father.
• It enables you to see and pursue God’s plan. This relationship enables you to see His plan and gives you the strength to pursue it in faith.

Principles for Effective Prayer

1. Personal Communication

• Seek Seclusion: Don’t be like the hypocrites who pray to be seen by men. Instead, go into your room, shut your door, and pray to your Father in the secret place.
• Be Consistent: You need a time and a place to pray consistently. This consistent communication should be deep, private, and regular, like checking in with a loved one throughout the day.
• Pray Out Loud: Find a place where you can pray out loud , cry out to the Lord with your voice , and sing out loud to God.

2. Following the Framework

• Use the Lord’s Prayer as an outline, not vain repetition. The Lord’s prayer is a framework, not meant to be repeated word for word.
• Submit to God’s Will: Recognize that God is both a loving Father and a Holy God. Before making a request, submit to God’s will.
• Focus on Today: Ask God for your daily bread and needs to be met today. Do not worry about tomorrow.
• Seek Forgiveness: Ask for forgiveness for your sins, and forgive others who sin against you. If you don’t forgive others, your Father won’t forgive you.
• Ask for Deliverance: Pray for deliverance from temptation , because the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

3. Partnership in Prayer

• Confess and Pray for Healing: Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
• Heal Relationships: Praying together fervently and genuinely will heal your relationships faster than anything else.
• Pray with Confidence: If you ask anything according to His will, He hears you.

Icebreaker

1. When you hear the word “prayer,” what is the first image, thought, or feeling that comes to mind?

1. Personal Prayer

Scripture References:  Matthew 6:5–9

Brief Summary

The purpose of prayer is not to tell God what he doesn’t know or instruct him on what he should do, but it is easy to fall into that trap. Prayer is a crucial part of the Christian life, and we shouldn’t approach it in the wrong way. Believers should not be like the “hypocrites” who pray in public to “be seen by men”. Instead, believers should go into a private room, shut the door, and pray to their Father “in the secret place”. The Father knows what you need even before you ask Him. The relationship with God should be like a deep, private, and regular communication, similar to checking in with a loved one throughout the day.

Discussion Questions

1. Read Matthew 6:7–8. How does knowing that “your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” change how you approach prayer?
2. The text suggests that communication measures a relationship. How often do you feel you are communicating with God, and what does that reflect about your relationship with Him?

Application Questions

1. Is your prayer be spoken so that other people will hear or is it spoke for God alone?
2. What steps can you take this week to have deep, private conversations with God regularly and to check in with Him throughout the day?

2. Planning to Pray

Scripture References: Matthew 6:6; Psalms 142:1; Psalms 34:1

Brief Summary

Jesus’ instruction to pray begins with when you pray,” not if you pray, emphasizing that you need a time and a place to prayer consistently. Planning is necessary, which means going into your room and shutting your door to pray to your Father. This location should be one where you are able to pray out loud, cry out to the Lord, and make supplication with your voice, and also be able to sing out loud to God. The Father who sees in secret will reward you openly2.

Discussion Questions

1. Read Matthew 6:6. Why do you think Jesus emphasizes finding a “secret place” for prayer?
2. Psalms 142:1 and 34:1 mention praying and singing “with my voice” or having praise “continually be in my mouth”. What are the benefits of praying out loud?

Application Questions

1. Do you have a consistent time and a place to prayer? If not, what can you do this week to plan for it?
2. What type of place works best for you to be able to pray out loud and sing out loud to God?

3. Principles of Prayer

Scripture References: Matthew 6:9–15; Matthew 6:34; Philippians 4:6–7; Matthew 26:41

Brief Summary

The Lord’s Prayer is not meant to be repeated word for word; it is a framework. This framework includes key principles:

• Recognize God’s Dual Role: He is your Father and He is Holy. (“Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name”).
• Submit to His Will: Submit to God’s will, before you begin your petition. (“Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven”).
• Ask for Daily Needs: Ask God for your needs to be met today. (“Give us this day our daily bread”). Do not worry about tomorrow, for sufficient for the day is its own trouble. In everything by prayer and supplication (earnest request or petition), with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
• Ask for Forgiveness: Ask for forgiveness for your sins and ask for forgiveness for others sins against you. If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
• Ask for Deliverance: Ask for deliverance from temptation. (“And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one”). You must “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation”.
• Give Him Glory: Submit to God and give Him the Glory. (“For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen”).

Discussion Questions

1. Jesus gives us a framework, not words to be repeated in vain repetition. Which principle of the framework (Recognition, Submission, Needs, Forgiveness, Deliverance, Glory) do you find most helpful for structuring your prayer?
2. Philippians 4:6–7 tells us that making our requests known with thanksgiving brings the peace of God. How does thanksgiving connect our requests to peace?

Application Questions

1. Read Matthew 6:14–15. Do you need to ask for forgiveness for your sins, or ask for forgiveness for others sins against you?
2. Use the Lord’s Prayer as an outline for your next prayer. What is one specific thing you can pray for this week under the categories of “daily bread” (needs) and “deliverance from the evil one”?

4. Partnership in Prayer

Scripture References: James 5:16; 1 John 5:14–15

Brief Summary

Confessing your trespasses to one another, and praying for one another, leads to healing. The “effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much”. You should add Prayer to all of your relationships, especially in conflict (“trespasses”). Praying together fervently and genuinely will heal your relationships faster than anything else you could do. Our confidence is that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us , and we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. The ultimate purpose of prayer is to develop a relationship with your heavenly Father that will enable you to see His plan and give you the strength to pursue it in faith.

Discussion Questions

1. Read James 5:16. Why do you think praying for one another is linked to confessing your trespasses to one another?
2. The text suggests that praying together fervently “will heal your relationships faster than anything else”. In what ways is praying together different from praying alone about a relationship issue?

Application Questions

1. Identify one relationship where you need to add “Partnership in Prayer”, especially concerning a current conflict or “trespasses”. What is one specific thing you can confess or pray with them about this week?
2. The purpose of prayer is to gain strength to pursue God’s plan in faith. What is one area of your life where you need more of this strength, and how can prayer help you see His plan for it?

Day 1: Communication, Not Instruction

Scripture Reference: Matthew 6:7–8

Key Focus: Prayer is a relationship, not a ritual to educate or instruct God.

Reflection: It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking prayer is primarily about telling God what He should do or informing Him about things. Jesus taught that your Father already knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. The true purpose of prayer is to develop a relationship with your heavenly Father. Just as you desire deep, regular conversations with a loved one, God desires the same with you.

Application Question: If your prayer life is currently focused on telling God what to do, what is one immediate change you can make to focus more on listening and simply being present with Him?

Prayer Prompt: Father, forgive me for approaching prayer as a task or a list of demands. Help me to remember that You already know my needs. Shift my heart to desire communication with You above all else.

Day 2: The Secret Place

Scripture Reference: Matthew 6:6

Key Focus: Prayer requires planning and consistency in a private space.

Reflection: Jesus didn’t say, “If you pray,” but “when you pray,” stressing that you need a time and a place to prayer consistently. He instructed us to go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place. This secret place is for dedicated, personal time, unlike the hypocrites who pray to be seen by men. It should also be a place where you can freely pray out loud and sing out to God, making your supplication with your voice.

Application Question: What is a specific time and physical place you can commit to today to be your “secret place” for prayer this week?

Prayer Prompt: God, You deserve my dedicated time. Show me how to plan for prayer so it becomes consistent, not convenient. Help me to find a place where I can truly be alone with You and express myself fully, even out loud.

Day 3: Framework, Not Repetition

Scripture Reference: Matthew 6:9–13

Key Focus: Jesus gave us a framework to structure our conversation with God, avoiding “vain repetitions”.

Reflection: The Lord’s Prayer is not meant to be repeated word for word; it is a framework. It teaches the principles of prayer. It starts by establishing the proper attitude: recognizing who God is—our loving Father and a Holy God —and submitting to His will (“Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven” ). This framework reminds us that our primary petitions must align with His nature and plan before we ask for our needs or forgiveness.

Application Question: Reflecting on the opening lines (“Hallowed be Your name. Your will be done”), what does it mean for you to submit to God’s will before you present your petitions?

Prayer Prompt: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. I recognize You as Holy. I submit to Your will today, even before I ask for anything for myself. Help me to align my desires with Your kingdom plan.

Day 4: Daily Needs and Forgiveness

Scripture Reference: Matthew 6:11, 12, 34; Philippians 4:6–7

Key Focus: Prayer focuses on today’s needs and involves both receiving and giving forgiveness.

Reflection: Prayer helps us avoid anxiety. We ask only for daily bread , reminding ourselves not to worry about tomorrow, because sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Furthermore, prayer is where we ask for forgiveness for our sins. Crucially, this is linked to the forgiveness we extend to others: as we have forgiven those who sin against us. If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours. Making our earnest requests (supplication) with thanksgiving results in the peace of God.

Application Question: Is there anyone whose trespass against you you are holding onto? How is this lack of forgiveness hindering your relationship with God?

Prayer Prompt: Lord, give us this day our daily bread. I confess my sins and ask for Your forgiveness. I also forgive [name a person] for their trespasses against me. Guard my heart and mind with Your peace.

Day 5: Partnership and Power

Scripture Reference: James 5:16; 1 John 5:14–15

Key Focus: Prayer is a source of strength and is powerful when shared in partnership.

Reflection: Prayer is not meant to be solitary; we are called to confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. This partnership is especially vital during conflict (“trespasses”) , as praying together fervently and genuinely will heal your relationships faster than anything else. We have confidence that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. The outcome of this relationship is the strength to pursue His plan in faith.

Application Question: With whom can you commit to praying regularly this week to foster healing or pursue God’s plan together?

Prayer Prompt: Heavenly Father, thank You for the confidence that You hear me when I pray according to Your will. Give me the strength to pursue Your plan in faith. Bring a partner into my life with whom I can share fervent, healing prayer.