Key Takeaways

Prayer is God’s language – and the Holy Spirit teaches us how to speak it.

Prayer can sometimes feel intimidating, almost like another language. We want to experience real conversation with God, but we don’t know how. Prayer, however, isn’t a performance that requires the perfect words, it’s a relationship that requires surrender to God’s presence. When we immerse ourselves in prayer and make space for the Holy Spirit, he will teach us how to speak God’s language.

• Romans 8:26-29 – The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness, especially when we don’t know what or how to pray. We can trust that God is working everything together for the good of those who love him, while ultimately forming us to become more like his Son.
• Prayer can feel intimidating – We can often struggle to find the right words, but prayer isn’t about having the perfect vocabulary or sounding spiritual. It’s about communicating with God and becoming increasingly aware of his presence in our everyday lives.
• Fluency comes through immersion – Learning to pray can be like learning another language, we have to surround ourselves with it. We don’t learn to pray and then start praying; we learn to pray by praying. Prayer can be praying God’s Word, honestly telling him what we’re feeling, or simply remaining in his presence when we don’t have the words.
• The Holy Spirit – There will be moments when we simply don’t know what to pray. We don’t have to figure everything out before coming to God. The Holy Spirit meets us in our weakness, intercedes for us, and helps bring our hearts into alignment with God’s will.
• Power of Prayer – Prayer helps us experience God’s presence and have a relationship with him. It doesn’t guarantee that our circumstances will change. Instead, God often uses prayer to change us by shaping our desires, strengthening our trust, and forming us more into the image of Jesus.

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Pray

As you pray, thank God for his Holy Spirit. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you how to pray even when you don’t have the words.

Father God,

Thank you for not only sending your Son to save us but also sending us your Holy Spirit to help us directly connect to you through our prayers. I don’t always know what to pray but I thank you that you know and hear our prayers even without words through your spirit.

Help us to remember that we are never alone and can cry out to you anytime. When I am worried help me to remember that you work all things together for the good of those who love you.

God, I pray that others across Journey City will hear your invitation and begin to immerse themselves in your presence each day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Worship

Bring the worship set into your slot and spot this week and praise God for his Holy Spirit.

Thank God I’m Free – Elevation Rhythm

Bless God – Brooke Ligertwood

What a Beautiful Name – Hillsong Worship

Learn

This week, read through the scripture shared in the message and dive deeper into God’s word.

 But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. – Romans 8:26

• Scripture – Romans 8:26-29
• Scripture – Ephesians 2:18-22
• Read – Life in the Spirit: Adopted into Christ’s Family  a 5 day devotional
• Watch – Holy Spirit from Bible Project
• Listen –Romans 8 from Through the Word

Reflect

Reflect on these questions during your slot and spot/discussions with others.

Prayer isn’t a performance. You don’t have to have the “perfect words”. However, it can often feel so hard to begin when we feel like we don’t know the language.

• What has been your experience with prayer?
• What kind of words and language do you use most often when talking with God? Are there words or scriptures that resonate with you the most?
• What barriers do you feel block you from praying freely? Where do those barriers originate from?

Read Romans 8:26-29. We don’t always know what to pray for, but if we allow it, the Holy Spirit will teach us how to speak God’s language.

• How does knowing that the Holy Spirit can pray for us, even when we don’t have words, impact your faith and confidence in prayer?
• Consider some of your current worries. How are your feelings about them impacted by knowing that God works all things together for the good of those who love him?

The best way to learn any language is through immersion. You learn the language of prayer by praying.

• What do you do to learn the language of prayer? How do you immerse yourself in God’s presence?
• Who is someone that you believe is immersed in God’s presence and prays confidently? What can you learn from their example?
• Being immersed in prayer and God’s presence shapes us to be more like Jesus. How do you see this playing out in your life, or the lives of others?

Next Steps

You learn to pray by praying. Here are two steps you can take to immerse yourself in God’s presence and learn the language of prayer.

• • Every day this week, set aside a slot and spot – a time on your calendar, and a place you go alone – to read the Bible and pray.
  • Join us for Week of Prayer. We’ll praise God and pray for ourselves, the people we love, and those all across Journey City.

What’s one thing you learned from this message that you want to apply to your life this week? Share it in the comment section below.