Start Small Pt. 3

Welcome to the third in our brand new podcast series, Start Small. Check out the audio and today's script down below!

Need to catch up? Check out Pt. 2 here or download our app for easy access to all of our amazing content at Pipeline!

Podcast Notes:

Hey family and welcome to part three of our weekly devotional Start Small, where we equip you with the tools you need to walk in the purpose God has for you, one step at a time. My name is Schmitty, and today we are talking about prayer.

Do you remember playing the recorder in elementary school? I do, for two reasons. One, I was really, really bad at it, and two, I had a great music teacher named Mrs. Davis. It’s amazing what difference a teacher who cares can make! One day as she was teaching my class how to stay on beat she said something I’ve never heard before. “Practice makes permanent.” Not practice make perfect, but practice makes permanent.

There’s a lot of wisdom in that. The way we practice a skill is the way we execute that skill when we need it the most, be it music, cooking, studying, and, yes, even praying. Though praying is as simple as talking to God, oftentimes in a new believer’s life prayer becomes our last resort and not our first go-to. We pray when and only when we need something. Don’t get me wrong, God wants to hear what’s on your heart, including any struggles you may have. Sometimes we forget, however, that praying is a conversation with God and forget to listen to what God has to say. It’s like talking to someone on a walkie-talkie and never taking your thumb off of the “push to talk” button. Sometimes it’s good just to be in the presence of the Lord and let Him speak in to our lives.

Jesus talks about prayer in Matthew chapter six. He says, ' “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! '

He then goes on to lead the Disciples in the Lord’s prayer, in Matthew 6:9. If you want to start praying, that is a great place to start.

If you’re like me, sometimes you need help knowing what to pray for or help getting started. Don’t worry if you need a guide – if Mrs. Davis ever taught me anything, it’s how valuable a teacher or guide can be in your life.

Here are two prayer models from Ralph Sigler’s 30 Days of Knowing God you can use to get started.

The first is called the ACTS Model. Take fifteen minutes to pray through this model on the days you need some direction:

A = Adoration. Praise and adore Jesus (2-4 min)
C = Confession. Confess and Surrender any sin that comes to mind. Ask for cleansing. (2-4 min)
T = Thanksgiving. Thank God for each blessing you can think of (2-4 min)
S = Supplication. Pray for your needs and the needs of others. (2-4 min)
Then spend the next 1-2 minutes in His presence and listening to Him.

If you are looking for an extended time of prayer, follow this model. If it helps, use this audio as a guide and pause it in between each section. This should take anywhere between 40-60 minutes.

1. Confession and Surrender. Turn your palms down, ready to drop what you are holding onto.
   1. Confess any wrong actions or attitudes you have had this week.
   2. Surrender any sin, worries, cares, concerns, fears.
   3. Surrender your possessions, finances, relationships, past, future.
   4. Surrender your responsibilities – Jesus gave us one responsibility in Matthew 6:33, it’s to seek His Kingdom and his righteousness.
   5. Continue turning over other parts of your life to the Lord.
2. Receive. Turn your palms up, ready to receive from your Father. Say to the Lord:
   1. I receive your forgiveness and cleansing.
   2. I receive your peace, love, joy, patience, and self-control.
   3. I receive your strength, your power, and the victory you have given me over sin.
   4. I receive your provision for all my needs and responsibilities.
   5. I receive your material and relational blessings.
   6. I receive the Holy spirit to live in me.
   7. I accept your pleasure in me as your child.
   8. Be still and receive:
      1. His promises
      2. The Fruit of the Spirit, per Galatians 5:22 – his way of relating
      3. The mind of Christ, per Ephesians 4:23 – His way of thinking
      4. The attitudes of Christ, per Philippians 2:5 – His words and actions
3. Thanksgiving
   1. Thank Him for things He has done for you
4. Praise
   1. Praise God for who He is and what He is like. A few Bible verses that can help you praise: Psalm 36:5-10, 66:1-8, 95:1-7, 96, 104; Revelation 4.
   2. Let your mind focus on God in His majesty and glory.
5. Intercession
   1. Pray for others. Remember the members of your church, pastors, family, friends, co-workers, and community.
6. Supplication
   1. Pray for yourself. Ask God to help you receive His love and to know more of the depth and reality of His love for you. Ask Him to work in areas of weakness in you that hinder you in being able to love others.
7. Listen
   1. Let God speak to you. God gave you an imagination to use for His glory! Picture Him there with you. He is with you, and you can often guide your mind to allow you to notice Him.
   2. Take a walk with Him. If you still have time, take a walk and invite Him to come with you. Enjoy this time with Him!

If you’ve followed this model, write down any impressions from your time with the Lord.

Again, these two models are just that, models. They are not the only ways to pray, but they are good starting points if you need direction.

Thank you, God bless you, and I will see you for our final lesson, Silence and Solitude.