Message Big Idea

Prayer is communicating with God about ourselves and others.

Scripture

Luke 11:1-4, Ephesians 6:18, Luke 18:1-8

Icebreaker

What’s a time your “Hail Mary” attempt paid off?

Opening Thought

For people who pray or believe in God, a lot of us tend to treat prayer as a last resort, something to do once everything else has failed. Or we see prayer negatively as bothering God or even bothering ourselves. How often do we consider prayer last, after we exhaust our other options? What could it look like to be open to considering prayer first?

Bible Discussion

1. Read Luke 11:1-4 (if you are familiar with the Lord’s Prayer – read it in a translation that’s different from what you usually read the Bible in). What stood out to you?
2. Read Luke 18:1-8, who could be the equivalent of the judge and the widow in your life?
3. Compare the two versions – the prayer of Jesus in Luke 11 and his parable in Luke 18 – what stands out to you about these two passages? What is surprising?

Life Application

4. Read the quote from Richard Foster: “All who have walked with God have viewed prayer as the main business of their lives.” What is the main business of your life? Where would you rank prayer?
5. What stops you from praying more often and more consistently?
6. Consider the A.C.T.S. prayer model, and discuss which letter comes easiest and hardest for you when praying:
   A – Adoration
   C – Confession
   T- Thanksgiving
   S – Supplication

Challenge

This week take a step in your prayer life, whether it’s joining the 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, taking The Prayer Course, or downloading the Inner Room Prayer App. Taking a practical step could also mean setting your alarm for a morning or evening prayer time and asking someone else to hold you accountable to pray at those times. We know that God will breakthrough when we ask…are we asking?