PRAYER CIRCLE
February 6, 2022
For the past 4 weeks we’ve been talking about prayer and we’re going to spend one more week on it, move into a message on love, then jump back to focus on one particular word in a passage and then move forward.
Have you ever been so busy you felt like you had no time to pray. To pray would almost feel like an inconvenience, a disruption in your day. I know that sounds heretical. We’d never do that - - - but sometimes I think we do.
As I was reading I came across an interesting story about a woman named Susanna Wesley. She only had 19 children. Two of whom were named Charles and John. These men grew to be the leaders and founders of the Methodist and Wesleyan churches. With 19 children running around, it wasn’t easy to get away to pray, so she would tell the kids, I’m going to pray, don’t bother me (unless there’s blood involved) and would put her apron over her head which took the focus away from the noise of the kids to the presence of God.
That’s a great story. Think about how often, if we pray, the TV is still on, the phone is on, the computer is in front of us. We leave lots of distractions before us, sometimes I think, so that we can be disturbed and then make an excuse to God about why we can’t spend more time with Him.
Martin Luther, the great protestant reformer said - - - “If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day. If I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.”
Two hours on normal days, and if it’s a busy day, he adds an hour of prayer!
These past weeks have been about helping us move closer to God. There’s no we can’t read the Word and talk to God in prayer. Yet, we struggle with this, and today I want to give you an entirely different way to come to God in prayer.
It’s called a prayer circle. There’s one in every bulletin. It’s about praying in 12 different ways for 1 hour. I know, 1 hour is so much time. I get it. And if you simply spend 1 minute on each of these 12, then you’ll be praying for 12 minutes, which may be a really long time for you. Even if it’s 30 seconds, that’s 6 minutes.
Now, it’s not just about the time, and yet in some ways it is. The longer you’re with someone the better you get to know them. The longer you’re with God, the better you get to know Him as well. So, while it’s not just quantity, to a degree it is, and quality matters as well.
This comes from a book by Dick Eastman called “The Hour That Changes the World.” I want to move through this prayer circle and give you some thoughts about each one and helpfully that helps you draw closer to Jesus. Because really that’s what this is all about.
Also, know that you can substitute one type of prayer for another. This isn’t the law, it’s just one more way to help us move closer to Jesus.
OK, so let’s get moving . . . we start the prayer with PRAISE.
When we think of praising God, Psalm 115:1 is a great start - -
1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! - Psalm 115:1
Praise is not directed to ourselves, but to God, as we praise Him for His constant love and faithfulness . . . and more.
Praise is the best way to start a prayer. Move away from yourself and your wants and needs and give God the praise and adoration. When we adore something, we are giving it worth and value. So, we esteem and revere God.
Think about so many of the Psalms which speak about praising God and praising life. We can come to God and praise God for who He is, for the hope you have in Him, His righteousness, His Word.
You can praise God for the gift of the Son and the Holy Spirit, for salvation and eternal life. Praise God for always being with you and never abandoning you. Praise God for His mercy and care. For the promise of His grace and forgiveness. We’re not limited in the ways we can praise God. That could go on and on.
OK, that’s the praise part. The next one is more difficult.
Eastman calls it WAITING.
Anyone like waiting in lines? Waiting in a traffic jam? We pray for patience, but we demand God to give it to us NOW, because, we’re just not patient. And if you’re not a patient person, then people who are patient drive you crazy.
The greatest scripture to remind us of the power of waiting is from Isaiah 40:31 –
31 They that WAIT upon the Lord shall renew their strength. - Isaiah 40:31
When we wait on the Lord, we’re silently surrendering our soul to God. That sounds pretty mystical and mysterious. If we admit it, it’s not easy to quiet our hearts, spirits and minds. Once we stop, we tend to day dream, but that’s not what this is. This is a time of silence. It’s allowing ourselves to become open to the power and presence of God.
Waiting is a form of worship as we silently tell God, “I love you!” It’s being alone with God. And maybe that’s the most important aspect of waiting. Being with God. Just you and God. It’s a time of building that relationship.
Psalm 46:10 reminds us Be still and know that I am God. - Psalm 46:10
It’s a reminder of what we’re supposed to do . . . be still. It’s the second part of that verse that rings out for us. When we’re still we can know God. Sometimes it’s a matter of slowing ourselves down so that we could intimately know God.
It’s hard to silence yourself and sometimes the way to do it, is to simply and softly whisper, ‘Father, I love you! Thank you, Lord! Lord come, fill my cup!’
The next part of the prayer circle is CONFESSION
It is just what is sounds like. Sometimes we may feel hopeless before God when we pray because we’re made aware of our sinfulness. Sometimes we believe we can’t be forgiven. But that’s so contrary to who God is. John tells us -
9 If you confess your sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive you of your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9
We can add other scripture where Jesus tells us --
17 God didn’t send the Son to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. - John 3:17
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1
It’s interesting that in the Greek, the word confess has a couple of meanings. One is to be in agreement with someone. So, when we confess, we are in agreement with God that we’ve messed up and sinned, and it leads to the second meaning, that we declare ourselves guilty. We agree with God we’re guilty of sin, and the goal is we will turn from our sin in the act of repentance.
Listen to David’s words in Psalm 51 - - -
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me
David cried out to God, cleanse me, take away my sin, yet, you, Lord are justified in your judgment of my sins. That’s a great way to come before God as we open our hearts to Him. It’s hard, but it’s freeing and liberating to know we can experience the power of God’s forgiveness.
Next on the prayer circle is SCRIPTURE PRAYING
This is a different type of prayer. Frankly, it’s one most people don’t really engage in. It’s using the Word of God in our prayers. It means we have to read scripture and we use that scripture to pray back to God. Sometimes it’s good to have the Bible open when we’re praying. That means you don’t have to have your eyes closed if you’re looking for a passage to pray back to God.
Maybe it’s something you read earlier that day. Or maybe it’s holding onto a passage for a period of time and praying it back to God. A couple of weeks ago I asked you to read Ephesians 3, verses 14-21. That could be a section that you read and jot down some thoughts and notes and pray it back to God. Asking God to reveal deeper truths in that passage. Asking God to help you understand or even to put that passage into action. It can happen with so many different scriptures and in different ways.
The writer of Hebrews tells us - - -
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. - Hebrews 4:12
It’s a reminder the word of God is living and active. The Word is alive and we can cultivate that in great ways when we believe that as well. So, as we pray, we take time to use scripture as part of our prayer.
Next is another different action in prayer called WATCHING
When Jesus was at Gethsemane praying, He said - - -
41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. - Matthew 26:41
In Greek, WATCH means to be awake, be alert, be on guard or vigilant. So, the call for us is to be alert during our time of prayer. It’s to set aside time to focus on being spiritually alert. Now, that may seem like common sense. Of course, but we do have a tendency to let our minds wander.
Yet, I belive the goal is to make sure we are in tune with the Holy Spirit, that it’s the Spirit who is guiding us. Of course, this should really be part of the entire prayer, not just a portion of it.
In Colossians 4, Paul wrote - -
2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Being watchful means we’re aware of the ways satan can lead us away from God in prayer. satan may get us thinking we don’t need to forgive or seek forgiveness. That it’s ok to hold grudges, to hold onto anger, not to serve, not to give an offering and more. He can lead us to think that God doesn’t care about our prayer time or even ourselves. So, we seek to put that behind us as we’re alert and vigilant for the way satan attacks us.
Next we come to INTERCESSION.
In 1 Timothy 2, Paul told Timothy - -
1 I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for ALL people - 1 Timothy 2:1
This is a time in the prayer when we pray for others. Maybe we have the prayer list from church, or we have our personal prayer list, names we’ve written down in a journal or on a piece of paper. We can even ask God to reveal others who need prayer. Names may come to you, and don’t dismiss those names because you never know what needs those people have. So pray for them.
Sometimes you will know someone has a need, but you aren’t sure what it is. Don’t worry about it, God knows what the need is. So don’t worry that you have a limited idea of their need. Simply lift them up to God in prayer. You can say, “Lord, I’m not sure what their need is, but I know they do have a need and I pray for your mercy, your grace, your peace, your power to fall upon them. Help their spirit to experience your Spirit.” That works well!!
Next we come to PETITION
This is where your prayer becomes more personal. It’s when you lift up your needs to God. It’s what Paul said in Philippians 4 - -
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
We also see it in the Lord’s Prayer as we ask God for our daily bread.
That’s such a great prescription for personal prayer. Let your requests, your petitions be made known to God, do it with thanksgiving, which is next on the prayer wheel, and you have the opportunity to experience the peace of God which is unexplainable, which guards your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
I believe when we make our petitions known to God, we aren’t wishy-washy about them, we’re confident and bold. We make those requests known to God. We go to His throne room and talk to our Father. We make these petitions, not for our personal gain or glory. That’s never the motivation behind this prayer.
Next we move into THANKSGIVING.
Sometimes thanksgiving and praise can overlap. But it’s at this point where we give thanks to God for our blessings. There’s so much we can be thankful for, even in the not so good times. When we give thanks, we’re thanking God for what He’s done for us.
When I’m thankful, I’m focusing on God’s faithfulness to me. I recognize it’s not about me, but it’s about God’s graciousness to me. In Philippians 4, we saw how we make our requests known to God with thanksgiving. Another passage is from Colossians 3 - - -
15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be THANKFUL.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with THANKFULNESS in your hearts to God.
17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving THANKS to God the Father through Him.
Three times we’re told to be thankful. We can give thanks for our spiritual blessings, material blessings, physical blessings and more. Nothing is off limits.
Next in the prayer circle is SINGING
Psalm 100 tells us - - -
1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing! - Psalm 100:1-2
Now this may be more difficult for some. Sometimes, you have a song in your head or in your heart. Sing it to the Lord. We give God thanks for His blessings, and we praise Him in song. It’s really a time of worship as we pray.
You can have a song in mind, or find one to sing. Singing is about honoring God. It can be a song of thanks, a song of joy, a song of God’s power and glory, it could be about a name of God. It can be for help and healing. It could just be a favorite song, or one from worship or the radio. You can even make up your own song.
It’s a time to follow up our moments of thanksgiving with a song or two of joy to the Lord. Sing a Christmas song or an Easter song. It doesn’t matter if it’s out of season - - - it’s more important to simply sing a song to celebrate God’s presence in your life. Take a passage of scripture and turn it into your own fight song.
We’re getting there. I know this seems like a lot, but it’s great to experiment with.
Next on the prayer circle is MEDITATION.
Joshua is told - -
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night - Joshua 1:8
and in Psalm 1, we’re told a man of God is one whose -
2 delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. - Psalm 1:2
Take a specific them from scripture and meditate on it. Dwell on it. This is not a mind emptying meditation, but it’s a filling of your mind and thinking, feeling, dwelling on who God is in your life.
The point of meditation is to stop and consider who God is. We’ve been praying and calling out to God in many different ways, and we seek to focus on God’s magnificence. We hold onto His power and majesty. We consider His works, His creation, His glory, His Son coming to live and die for us.
We can also focus on God’s victories in our life. We recall how God has come though on His promises. We see it in His word and in our lives. It’s allowing our minds to dwell on His promises. This is not a time where we are making requests, we’re really basking in the glory of who God is.
Our 11th prayer item is LISTENING.
In Ecclesiastes 5, Solomon tells us - -
2 Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. - Ecclesiastes 5:2
That’s not always an easy one either. We’ve just focused on God in meditation. We seek to hear a word from God. We seek to hear an answer to our prayers. To gain direction from God.
This is hard to do because we’re in a very noisy world. And it’s not something we’re very good at. So, I want to encourage you, if you struggle here, don’t give up. Don’t say it’s not worth it. We have to learn to quiet ourselves and try to listen to God through all the competing voices in the world.
You may even want to keep a journal next to you, because if you believe you hear from God, you might want to write down what He’s telling you.
We now come to our last section of the prayer circle and it’s back to PRAISE.
Psalm 48:1 says - - -
1 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised - Psalm 48:1
We’ve come full circle and we close our time with praise for God. We thank Him for the time we’ve had. We recognize God is God and we’re not. We praise God for His majesty and presence.
It can be more theological if you wish. Praising God for being all powerful, all knowing, all present, for calling you to Him, for sending His Son, Jesus to be your Lord and Savior and for calling you to be His child.
So, not a big splashy conclusion, other than to say this is adaptable for you in your life or situation. Maybe when you're struggling with prayer, this would be an opportunity to try something different as we've been doing the past few weeks. The hope is that all of us continue to draw closer to God as we experience His power and presence in our lives.
