LESSON 4 // HOW TO ASK GOD FOR YOUR NEEDS.… · LESSON 4 // HOW TO ASK GOD FOR YOUR NEEDS Prayer...

2
LESSON 4 // HOW TO ASK GOD FOR YOUR NEEDS Prayer is an important part of our spiritual growth. It’s the way we connect and communicate with God. Eective prayer leads us to our spiritual destiny and secures the blessings and help of God. After observing Jesus in a time of prayer, some of His disciples said to Him: “Lord, teach us to pray.” In response, Jesus taught what has come to be known as “The Lord’s Prayer.” This includes instructions to pray for and live in God’s rule and will, and then an exhortation to communicate our needs to God. Matthew 6:9-11 (NIV) This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread.” Concern over personal needs occupies much of our mental and emotional focus and energy. We all have legitimate needs that must be supplied for us to live and fulfill our responsibilities. The pressures of meeting these needs can be a source of great stress for us. Jesus taught us that it’s appropriate to pray for our needs. We are encouraged to tell God about our needs so we can release our cares about them to Him. Here’s four things to remember when we tell God about our needs. 1. See God as your source. When we pray for our needs, Jesus wants us to understand the true Source that can and will supply everything for us—our Heavenly Father through His Son. So often we look to other sources to meet our needs, like people, possessions and positions. But these provide only temporary satisfaction at best. Notice what Jesus taught the “woman at the well” about a better source to satisfy her “thirst”: John 4:13-15 (NIV) Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water In Christ we have a “a spring of water” that provides what we really need and what really satisfies— not just temporarily but eternally! 2. Believe in God’s abundance and goodness. It’s not enough to see God as your Source; you must also remember that He has an abundant, unlimited supply of resources. He wants us to pray with an “abundance mentality.”

Transcript of LESSON 4 // HOW TO ASK GOD FOR YOUR NEEDS.… · LESSON 4 // HOW TO ASK GOD FOR YOUR NEEDS Prayer...

Page 1: LESSON 4 // HOW TO ASK GOD FOR YOUR NEEDS.… · LESSON 4 // HOW TO ASK GOD FOR YOUR NEEDS Prayer is an important part of our spiritual growth. It’s the way we connect and communicate

LESSON 4 // HOW TO ASK GOD FOR YOUR NEEDS

Prayer is an important part of our spiritual growth. It’s the way we connect and communicate with God. Effective prayer leads us to our spiritual destiny and secures the blessings and help of God. After observing Jesus in a time of prayer, some of His disciples said to Him: “Lord, teach us to pray.” In response, Jesus taught what has come to be known as “The Lord’s Prayer.” This includes instructions to pray for and live in God’s rule and will, and then an exhortation to communicate our needs to God.

Matthew 6:9-11 (NIV) This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread.”

Concern over personal needs occupies much of our mental and emotional focus and energy. We all have legitimate needs that must be supplied for us to live and fulfill our responsibilities. The pressures of meeting these needs can be a source of great stress for us. Jesus taught us that it’s appropriate to pray for our needs. We are encouraged to tell God about our needs so we can release our cares about them to Him. Here’s four things to remember when we tell God about our needs. 1. See God as your source.

When we pray for our needs, Jesus wants us to understand the true Source that can and will supply everything for us—our Heavenly Father through His Son. So often we look to other sources to meet our needs, like people, possessions and positions. But these provide only temporary satisfaction at best. Notice what Jesus taught the “woman at the well” about a better source to satisfy her “thirst”:

John 4:13-15 (NIV) Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water

In Christ we have a “a spring of water” that provides what we really need and what really satisfies—not just temporarily but eternally!

2. Believe in God’s abundance and goodness.

It’s not enough to see God as your Source; you must also remember that He has an abundant, unlimited supply of resources. He wants us to pray with an “abundance mentality.”

Page 2: LESSON 4 // HOW TO ASK GOD FOR YOUR NEEDS.… · LESSON 4 // HOW TO ASK GOD FOR YOUR NEEDS Prayer is an important part of our spiritual growth. It’s the way we connect and communicate

church-redeemer.org // pray // lesson 4

Too often we approach God with a “poverty perspective.” But God’s supply never runs dry! When telling Him about your needs, believe in His greatness, His abundance, the bigness of His power.

2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV) And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

As we pray, we also need to rest in the fact that it’s God’s desire and pleasure to give to us as His children (Matthew 7:11). He’s delighted to meet our needs!

3. Trust God’s timing.

Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us today our daily bread.” This speaks of God’s timing in providing for us. Often His timing is not ours and we need to trust Him while we wait for His provision. This principle applies to every aspect of our life in Christ, as the Apostle Paul reminds us:

Galatians 6:9 (NLT) So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.

4. Pray practically.

The Lord’s Prayer is a “how to” teaching. It helps us pray in practical ways. From verse 11 we especially learn to:

• Focus on today. God wants to be your Source every day. He wants to supply what you need to live for Him and do His will today and you should pray with this in mind (Matthew 6:31-34).

• Be specific. Asking God for “daily bread” involves being specific in prayer. He wants you to ask specifically for the things you need. As the Apostle James puts it, “You do not have because you do not ask God” (James 4:2b).

Philippians 4:6 (TLB) Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank Him for His answers.

• Think of others. It’s important to note that praying for the provision of our needs is not a self-

focused prayer. “Give us today our daily bread” involves “us” and “our.” It implies a recognition and embrace of others and their needs as well as our own. It reminds us that we should always cultivate a heart to give out of God’s generous provision, more than a desire to get and keep for ourselves (Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8).

Discussion questions

1. Read John 4:13-15. What do you learn from these verses about the Source that will really satisfy your need? How should this make a difference in how you pray?

2. Read 2 Corinthians 9:8. Why is it so important to believe in God’s abundance and goodness as

you approach Him in prayer?

3. How do Philippians 4:6 and James 4:2b encourage you to be specific when you pray?