Experiencing God Lesson 9

Week 6 part 1 

  1. God speaks through Prayer.
    1. God’s will and prayer.
      • We so often approach prayer as a laundry list things we need.
      • Prayer is not persuading God to do something he doesn’t want to do but rather submitting your own desires to his will.
      • But certain things will not happen without being prayed for. 
      • Why pray when we can worry. 
    2. Prayer is a relationship to a person. 
      • Prayer is two-way fellowship and communication with God.
      • You can’t have a love relationship with God without prayer. 
    3. Prayer and Holy Spirit 
      • As you pray. God will bring things to mind. 
        1.      This is the work of the Holy Spirit. 
      • It could be scripture – person – idea – sin or habit – hurt – problem.
      • This is a critical step.
      • God is showing you where he is at work. 
  2. What Happens When You Pray? 
    1. The Spirit of God 
      • The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit 
      • What is our spirit? (mind being) 
      • God’s is everything plus more. 
      • God’s Spirit has unlimited power. 
      • There is nothing that He cannot do. 
    2. That same power is available to us. 
      • Ephesians 3:20–21 (NLT) — 20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
      • You can’t imagine a prayer that comes close to what God wants to give you.
      • Only the Spirit of God knows what God is doing or purposing in your life.
      • Never be satisfied with less. 
      • We are asked this very tough question. 
        1. Are you experiencing what God intends for you, or are you experiencing only what you have asked for?
        2. I am so weak in this area. 
    3. Spiritual Concentration 
      • When we pray are we praying by faith or from rote memory 
      • This really taught me that pray is more than asking God for something and waiting for answer. Not really expecting an answer. 
      • What happens when we do this, God begins to work but we don’t recognize it as God but see it as a distraction. 
      • We don’t connect the dots. 
      • Instead use a spiritual concentration. 
      • Anticipate God to work, recognize God at work and make the adjusts needed to join him. 
    4. When God is silent 
      • It is something we will all experienced. 
      • A great biblical lesson comes from the story of Lazarus. (John 11:1-45) 
      • This is God preparing you for a greater revelation about Himself. 
      • What are two (3) possible reasons for God’s silence when you pray?
        1. There may be unconfessed sin.
        2. God is silent as He prepares to bring you to a deeper understanding of Himself.
        3. God’s silence is designed to bring you into a state of absolute dependence on and trust in God.
      • Whenever God is silent, continue doing the last thing God told you and watch and wait for a fresh encounter with Him.
      • Think about how we respond to God’s silent. 
      • Guilt – frustrated – impatient 
      • Or we can anticipate God to bring us into a deeper knowledge of Himself. 
    5. Deeper level 
      • ___________________________________________