Tuesday 9th March
Spiritual Disciplines
Week 3 - Prayer
Opening discussion about the practice
You can find all the information about the practice, and loads of resources relating to the sermon series at stthomas.church/disciplines.
This week we're doing the practice in small groups together. Here it is! Thank you to Bridgetown church, who wrote this.
1. Put away your phones or any other distractions, and get into a comfortable, but alert position.
2. Simply pray 'come, Holy Spirit, guide me as a pray.'
3. Pray through the Lordʼs prayer, like this…
“Our Father…”
Take a moment and think about the idea of God as your Father, with good intentions toward you. If you want, imagine God in your mindʼs eye. Picture his face. Make eye contact with him.
“In heaven…”
Take a moment to think about the idea that God is all around you. As you breathe in and out, imagine yourself breathing in and out more of the Holy Spirit.
“Hallowed by your name…”
Spend a few minutes just sitting with the Father in joyful, grateful, worship. You might want to sit in silence for a few moments. Or sing a chorus. Or rattle off a list of things youʼre grateful for. Or praise God with specific things you love about him.
If you are in a group, encourage people to make their expressions of praise and gratitude out loud, one at a time. (E.g. “Father, thank you for your kindness.” “Father, thank you for loving me.”)
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…”
Spend a few minutes asking for Godʼs will to be done in your city/church/community/life.
Think of specific things to pray for.
One at a time, spend time as a group verbally giving to God specific things in your life that youʼre wrestling with control over. A simple prayer of, “Your will be done in ______," is a great place to start.
“Give us each day our daily bread…”
Spend a few minutes praying for specific needs and wants in your life or that of your community.
This is also a great time to pray over specific people in the community who need something: a job, healing, wisdom to make a decision, etc.
If you are in a group, consider splitting into groups of 2-3 and having each person share one area of need in their life. After each person has shared, pray for one another, asking God to meet that need.
“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors…”
Spend a few minutes in quiet asking God for forgiveness for specific areas in your life, and releasing others to forgiveness.
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Spend a few minutes praying against temptation (the word can also be translated trouble) in your life.
Pray against specific sins…
Pray against any kind of evil - spiritual evil (demonic), human evil, natural evil, etc.
Pray against bad things in your life or community, and for Godʼs blessing - the divine flow of good things into your life and community.
4. Close in a prayer of gratitude to the Father for hearing you.
Prayer & community
Some questions off the back of this:
Is prayer a regular part of your life?
If yes - what do you still struggle with to do with prayer?
If no - what excites you about prayer?
Off the back of this - what are you going to do in response? Pray for each other to grow in prayer!
Closing prayer
Merciful Lord,
absolve your people from their offences
that through your bountiful goodness
we may all be delivered from the chains of those sins
which by our frailty we have committed;
grant this, heavenly Father,
for Jesus Christʼs sake, our blessed Lord and Saviour, who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
