Video Transcript: Lesson 8 Section 5
You may not have thought about the need to teach your students how to pray. But this is actually an important thing to think about. Even Jesus disciples asked him to teach them how to pray. Prayer is a spiritual discipline that will help your students mature. It is a way we both deepen our faith and support those around us. Let's read what Jesus says about Prayer in Matthew chapter six. And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room. Close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen, then your Father, who sees what is done in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Notice what Jesus says about the motivations and attitude we are to have toward prayer. First, prayer is not about impressing others. Our purpose is to seek God's involvement in the needs of mankind. Another principle we can draw from this passage is that we can be confident to approach God with our needs, because he knows about them. Before we even ask. However, we should still ask in a spirit of proper humility. We should not assume that God will intervene or answer our prayers in the ways we might expect. We should also remember that prayer is about more than making requests of God. Let's look at the next few verses of Matthew six, where Jesus teaches His disciples to pray. This is often called the Lord's Prayer. This, then, is how you should pray. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Notice how Jesus begins the prayer. He starts in a posture of worship. He affirms the truth that God is in control of all things, and allows that statement to direct the rest of the prayer. Jesus Prayer includes three types of needs. He prays for physical needs, relationships with others, and protection on our spiritual journey. In asking God to provide the day's bread. He shows that it is okay to pray for the routine physical needs in our lives. And the statement about forgiveness, Jesus addresses the need for reconciliation with those we may have broken relationships with. He makes it clear that repentance is the first step and that the ability to forgive comes from God. Finally, Jesus instructs us to pray for spiritual strength to resist temptations along our journey. In the circumstances that test our faith, we can pray for deliverance. Help your students understand that one of the primary ways they can grow in their faith is to seek God and his will through prayer. As they begin to practice the spiritual discipline of prayer, they will instinctively begin to pray for the people in their life whom they care about. One good way to encourage students to pray is to start with their own needs, and then move outwards from there. For example, they can start with themselves, then move to those around them, their family and friends. Then they can pray for people in their school, church and community. Finally, they can pray further outwards for their country and the world. Students can pray for the three types of needs. Jesus taught His disciples to pray for physical, relational, and spiritual. The goal is for teenagers to begin to pray for people they might not even be connected to through natural relationships. teaching youth to pray is primarily done by modeling prayer as leaders. Here are some ideas for modeling a life prayer to the students who are watching and learning from you. First, make prayer a priority in your individual life and time with God. We should also make prayer an important part of small group meetings. It's also essential that we understand and teach our students that prayer is more than just asking God for things. Prayer includes worship, and surrendering our lives and will to God. Finally, you can consider praying with individuals as a regular way of ending your time with them. Make prayer a natural and public worship as you engage with people and their needs. They can be short and simple, but still powerful, and follow the pattern Jesus gave for prayer. These are good ways to model a life of prayer. Now let's look at a few ideas that more directly create opportunities for students to put what they see into practice. You should begin or end each small group time with prayer for each member of the group. Ask your students to share specific prayer requests, then take turns praying for each other out loud. You could also assign secret prayer partners within the group. This more indirect approach can help students feel more free to share what's really going on in their lives. Have each person write down a need and give them out randomly. So
group members are praying for each other throughout the week. Finally, you might devote an entire night to prayer and worship. Focus prayer on the three ways Jesus taught us to pray for physical, relational, and spiritual needs. Either pray as a whole group or divide into smaller groups that feel more personal. As you engage in this important work of helping students form the spiritual discipline of prayer, remember that it is ultimately the Holy Spirit who will accomplish this in their lives. Now to Him who was able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power, that is at work within us. To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.