Lord, Teach Us to Pray
LESSON TWO- Teacher Manual Sample

WHAT IS PRAYER?

Outline Slide- LESSON TWO A,B 16

A. People talk and listen to God in prayer.

Role Play: Ask the students to divide into pairs. Everyone should have one partner. Give the students 3 minutes to chat with each other. They can discuss anything. Monitor to be sure both partners have a chance to talk. When 3 minutes is finished, ask them the following questions:

1. When you were chatting, did you think about using perfect English signs?

2. Did one person talk, talk, talk, and other person say nothing?

3. Were you thinking about perfect posture - sitting straight and tall in your chair?

4. Were you looking around at other people?

5. Was it a boring conversation?

Prayer is the same as your chat time you just experienced. God wants to chat with you. When you pray you do not have to use perfect English, God understands your signs. Prayer is taking turns talking. God wants to have a turn to talk to you. You do not have to sit tall and straight when praying - be comfortable- you can pray anywhere. God is not looking around when you talk to Him - He is paying attention to you. Prayer is not boring. It is a satisfying and rewarding time with God.

1. You must “listen” in prayer.

Deaf do not listen with their ears, but they listen with their eyes, heart, and mind.

James 1:19a

“ My dear brothers and sisters, always be more willing to listen than to speak....”

John 10:27

“My sheep listen to My voice. I know them, and they follow Me.”

2. Prayer requires both talking and listening to God.

You have many thoughts you want to tell God. God has many thoughts He wants to tell you.

B. Prayer is the same as two people taking turns talking.

Psalm 17:6

“Every time I called to you, God, You answered me. So listen to me now.”

I Peter 3:12

“The Lord sees the good people (Christians), and the Lord listens to their prayers; but the Lord is against those people that do evil.”

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Outline Slide- LESSON TWO- C, 18

C. A person admits to God they are fully weak without Him.

Psalm 71:5-7a

“My Master, You are my hope. I have trusted You since I was a young boy. I depended on You even before I was born. I relied on You even in my mother’s body. I have always prayed to You. You are my source of strength.”

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We cannot do anything without God’s help. We depend on God for all we do.

Outline Slide- LESSON TWO- D,E 20

D. Prayer is the “breath to spiritual life”. Prayer is important to the spirit!

Our bodies need air to breathe and stay alive. The spirit needs every day prayer to grow. The spirit has power through fellowship with God.

E. Prayer Brings God’s Power and Authority

When you pray, God sends His power and His Authority (His Name). God uses His power to answer your prayer and satisfy your needs.

21 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

“We do live in the world. But we don’t fight in the same way that the world fights. We fight with weapons that are different from the weapons the world uses. Our weapons have POWER from God. These weapons can destroy (the enemy’s) strong places. We destroy (people’s) arguments. And we destroy every proud thing that raises itself against the knowledge of God. And we capture (catch) every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.”

God wants to pour out His Holy Spirit’s Anointing upon you. He wants His anointing to flow through you. The anointing is the flow of His power. When the anointing comes upon you and flows out of you, you can feel the awesome presence of the Holy Spirit. The words coming from your mouth/hands are not your words, but His words. (These words are in your language - although God does still give the gift of His Heavenly Language to people) The words come out of you in power and with authority. His anointing makes you a better preacher, a better teacher, a better singer. His power sets free those people in your presence. God wants to do this through you. He says, we have not, because we do not ask. (James 4:2b) Ask and it shall be given to you (Luke 11:9).

I know this experience as I have felt it myself. I never want to teach again without it, because without it, I am only giving a speech!

THOUGHT QUESTIONS:

· Are you talking & listening to God in your prayer time?

· Do you know you can do nothing without God’s help?

· Are you seeing God’s power and authority answer your prayers? 22

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: