Be With Me: Experiencing Jesus In Prayer

An Intentional Journey to Deepen Your Relationship with the Divine 

Week 6: Be With Me - Contending for Change 

Preperation:

Song: “Waymaker” Steffany Gretzinger & John Wilds 

You are here, Moving in our midst. I worship you. I worship you.

You are here, Working in this place. I worship you. I worship you.

Chorus: Way maker, Miracle worker, Promise keeper, Light in the darkness, My God, That is who you are. (Repeats)

You are here, Touching every heart, I worship you. I worship you.

You are here, Healing every heart. I worship you. I worship you.

You are here, Turning lives around. I worship you. I worship you.

You are here, Mending every heart. I worship you. I worship you.

Chorus

Even when I don't see it, You're working. Even when I don't feel it, You're working. You never stop, You never stop working. You never stop, You never stop working. (Repeats)

Chorus  

Scripture: Romans 8:16-25

“None of us will keep up a life of prayer unless we are prepared to change. We will either give it up or turn it into a little system that maintains the form of godliness but denies the power of it - which is the same thing as giving it up.” 

Richard Foster (from Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home)


Personal Practice:

Praying the Examen is a simple prayer brought to us by St. Ignatius Loyola that increases our mindfulness of the Spirit throughout the day. Get a 3x5 card and write out these 4 questions on it and post it by your bed. Imagine if you will, a closing conversation with God before you fall asleep. Before turning out the lights, let your mind wander back through the events of the day, mentally converse with Jesus about how it went.

  1. Where did I most sense God’s Presence today? Slowly review your day
  2. What moments am I most grateful for today?  Savor those gifts
  3.  Did I deny God’s Presence today? Express sorrow for sin, regrets and ask forgiveness
  4. What question/s do you hold before God in this season? Release yourself to God’s grace

Group Prayer:

Listening Prayer: “We tend to think of prayer as something we do in order to produce the results we believe are needed or, rather, to get God to produce the results… As a result, our prayer tends to be a shopping list of things to be accomplished, an attempt to manipulate the symptoms of our lives without really entering into a deep, vital, transforming relationship with God.” M. Robert Mulholland. 

As you take time to pray together create “double-spaced” prayer. As you pray through ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving & Supplication) set a timer for 1-2 minutes of silence before each movement. During that silence, invite Holy Spirit to speak and align your heart with God. Listen & ask what powerful characteristics you can adore in God? Then pray. What confession, both personal & corporate is needed today? Listen & obey. What thanksgiving is pertinent right now? Listen & let your heart spill forth with gratitude. What might the Spirit be prompting you to intercede for in this cultural moment? Listen then passionately intercede!


Download this resource here: BWM Week 6.pdf


Created by Beth Paz. The selections of multicultural worship are an invitation to remember the global nature of God in our prayers.

Photos courtesy of UNsplash.com. Spiritual Disciplines courtesy of “Spiritual Disciplines Handbook” by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, IVPress.