The Problem With Prayer

There seems to be a problem with prayer. Well, not really with prayer but with our prayers. It’s not that we’ve filled them with the wrong words necessarily. It’s not because they aren’t eloquent enough or professional sounding enough. But there’s a problem with our prayers and it really needs addressing. 

This week at Living Word Galena we’ll be talking prayer and the problems we have with it. As we dive into a new series that’s all about prayer, we’ll start with where we are and then evaluate where God calls us to be. Then we’ll make some practical steps to hone in on the life God calls us to live in our prayer lives.

So to prepare for Sunday’s message consider your prayers. Here are a few guiding questions to get you thinking:

• What is the funniest thing you’ve ever heard someone pray?
• What’s the most selfish thing you’ve ever prayed?
• What keeps you from praying?
• What would happen if you really believed the things you prayed were possible?

This week we’re going to dive into a study of Ephesians 3 and James 5. We’re going to talk about the structure and formula for prayer that Paul uses time and time again in the bible.

One of the problems we’ll address with regards to prayer is that we pray too small! Think about it for a second, we pray to the God who created the sun, moon and stars, yet we settle for prayers like don’t let me be late or let me get a closer parking place. What if we prayed the things God was all about? What if we prayed things that we can’t answer or do on our own?

We read in Ephesians 1:3 – who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Since God has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing, then perhaps we need to stop asking him to simply bless us and start praying that he move us!

Take a moment and read Ephesians 3:14-21. Then think about your prayer life. How many of your prayers can God alone answer?