AWAKE MICRO PRAYER GROUPS
Start at your point of need.
Cultivating a life of prayer is born out of God the Father drawing you to HIMSELF. In John 6:44 Jesus says, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.” If you feel pulled toward God right now, know this is the Father’s pull. It isn’t from human origin or personal effort it comes from your Father.
The Psalms are often real and full of the cuts of life, the rub, the nagging troubles we can face and simultaneously it will rain down on your life promises unparalleled. David will write about a joy so overwhelming his self concern dropped off him like restrictive clothing to dance bare before God and all Israel. He will write about betrayal and frustration and in the midst of it confirm confidence in God. “Psalm prayer” is the language of life. If you don’t have your own words use the Psalms. It is a beautiful and resourceful prayer book.
PRAY THE PSALM 21 NIV
1The king rejoices in your strength, Lord.
How great is his joy in the victories you give!
2You have granted him his heart’s desire
and have not withheld the request of his lips.
3You came to greet him with rich blessings
and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
4He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
length of days, for ever and ever.
5Through the victories you gave, his glory is great;
you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.
6Surely you have granted him unending blessings
and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
7For the king trusts in the Lord;
through the unfailing love of the Most High
he will not be shaken.
8Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies;
your right hand will seize your foes.
9When you appear for battle,
you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
and his fire will consume them.
10You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
their posterity from mankind.
11Though they plot evil against you
and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed.
12You will make them turn their backs
when you aim at them with drawn bow.
13Be exalted in your strength, Lord;
we will sing and praise your might.
- Read the text slowly. Distill the text. To distill water you boil it with an empty glass vessel nestled inside the large stainless steel pot. The water rises and hits an ice cold lid, causing it to condense and fall back into the empty vessel. Let the text boil, ie steam the room. Let the text hit the cold of life ie the trials of your day and drip back into the transparent vessel. Pray Lord make me a vessel. In this process of becoming his vessel we need his words. 2 Timothy 2:20 A large house contains not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay. Some indeed are for honorable use, but others are for common use. You are so freaking valuable don’t you dare classify yourself as common. Ask for a pure heart as you enter into step two.
- Once we have read the word, rephrase it in our language. If in a small group talk about it. Ask what part of this is praise? What portion is instruction or warning? What part is confession? Are there emotions expressed I can relate to? Say it honest. If not much comes. Rest. Pause. Feel the LIGHT of Jesus resting on you. The Spirit of God leads us into truth, sometimes I just have to let him lead. My stubborn nature doesn’t help here.
- After meditation (points 1 and 2) you personalize and offer your custom prayer. Let your heart drip this living water back to God in your reply. Consider the timing of this word coming into your life. Why is God showing you this today?
