A SIMPLE THEOLOGY OF PRAYER PART 1
Why Pray? (Understanding the Power and Purpose of Prayer)Lesson 3: Asking Why
You may never have considered how the story of the cleansing of the Temple relates to your prayer life and the prayer life of your church. Why would the Sovereign God, Creator of All Things, have connected this interesting story in the life of Christ with the prayer life of the Church?
Connecting the cleansing of the Temple to the fact that God named His house a house of prayer for all nations is a basic understanding of what God desires for His house today.
In this lesson you will:
• dig into the sovereignty of God and His desire to engage His people in the work of His kingdom through prayer by digging into the question, “Why pray?”
• understand the spiritual significance of the cleansing of the Temple by Jesus.
• discover why Jesus’ response to what was happening in the temple was not what you may have always thought.
• begin to dig deeper into understanding that prayer is ultimately about God’s presence with us, and about His desires being accomplished above and before our own.
Reading:
• Forgotten Power – (Chapter 2, pgs. 13-15)
• A Right Theology: https://www.harvestprayer.com/a-right-theology/
Video 3: Asking Why
Questions to Consider:
1. In Dave’s blog: A Right Theology, he says, “What will really transform our prayer lives is when we begin to believe what the Bible says about prayer.” Is this a place where you struggle in your prayer life? What Scriptures about prayer do you have difficulty believing? Why?
2. How does the fact that Jesus did not have a “sudden” fit of anger in the cleansing of the Temple change your perspective of that event?
3. Have you struggled to bring everything to the Father first like Jesus did? What would help you to stop before acting in your own flesh and seek the heart of God in any given situation you may face?
4. Do you agree with Dave’s contention that we, as believers, typically try to make prayer about us? If so, how would you go about changing your prayer life? If you don’t agree, explain.
5. Examine your current prayer life honestly and think about where you focus your prayers. Do most of your prayers fall into the “default” category: health needs or prayers focused on yourself, your family, friends and those you know? Or, do your prayers align themselves with the plans and purposes of God? How might knowing God’s purpose for prayer change the way you pray?
6. How does it make you feel to know that the Sovereign God, who created the universe, wants you to be actively involved in His plans and purposes on earth? Why do you think this is difficult for people to comprehend?
7. Why do you think it is sometimes difficult to do and say only what the Father tells you to, as Jesus practiced?
Watch Dave’s Summary Video (2-3 minutes)
Spend Time in Prayer
• Listening Prayer – (Click here for Audio)
• Group Leader Instructions Lessons 1-6 (Click for PDF)
• Instructions for Individual Prayer – Lessons 1-6 (Click for PDF)
Next Steps:
• Spend time this week asking God to show you how to cleanse your own temple – mentally, physically and spiritually. Sit quietly before Him, asking Him to show you how to be, and what to do. What do you sense God telling you do about your temple that He created? Will you obey?
• Consider reading this short blog and using the prayer points this week: 4 Prayers to Line Up with God’s Purposes
https://www.harvestprayer.com/4-payers-to-line-up-with-gods-purposes/
Supplemental Material for Lesson 3:
• A Theology of Prayer by Bubba Stahl
https://www.strategicrenewal.com/a-theology-of-prayer/
• Bringing Heaven to Earth by Dave Butts
https://www.harvestprayer.com/bringing-heaven-to-earth/
• Let God Make Up the Words by Dave Butts
https://www.harvestprayer.com/let-god-make-up-the-words/
• 5 Prayer Points for Your Best Kingdom Life by Kim Butts
https://www.harvestprayer.com/prayer-points-for-your-best-kingdom-life/
Optional Consultation/Question-Answer Session
With every PrayerU course, there is an option to have a one-hour Zoom session with your instructor(s). This is your opportunity to engage your instructor(s) on a personal level with either a question-answer session, a deeper level conversation about the course content, or both.
There is an additional cost for the consultation session and scheduling is subject to availability.