Intentional Prayer, with Matt Williams

Locker Room - A Southland Christian Church Podcast

God’s heart is to move us toward the deeper places that strengthen our faith and trust in Him, and the main way that happens is through prayer.

Prayer can seem like a bit of a mystery. But in reality it's a conversation between our heart and the heart of God. Becoming intentional in our prayer life is something every man should lean into, because the stakes are too high if we don't.

Join us on this episode of Locker Room as Scott sits down with Matt Williams to talk about how we can be intentional with our prayer.

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Discussion Guide

Who was the first person you ever heard pray (E.g. family member, coach, teammate, character in a movie or TV show, etc.)? What do you remember about their prayer?

In your own words, what does it mean to pray? What’s the importance of prayer?

How would you describe your attitude towards prayer? Have you ever had a situation that drove you to pray earnestly to God? If so, what were the circumstances?

Read Matthew 6:5-8. The phrase “when you pray…” is repeated three times in this passage. This implies Jesus expects His followers to pray. Is prayer currently a priority in your life? Why or why not? What are some of the barriers or hurdles you’ve experienced with prayer? (E.g. comparison, distractions, guilt/shame, repetition, time constraints, etc.)

Read Luke 11:1-4. Although the disciples witnessed Jesus perform a number of miracles (E.g. calming storms, healing the sick, raising the dead, etc.), their only request is for Him to teach them how to pray. What are the implications for us regarding the significance of prayer? What else resonates with you about this specific prayer?

Read Nehemiah 1:4-11. Nehemiah’s prayer has a similar framework to the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:1-4 — God’s greatness, God’s promises, specific requests, and confession. Which of these components do you have the tendency to naturally pray? Which do you have the tendency to leave out?

Read Proverbs 8:32-36, John 10:14-15, and John 10:27. Prayer is intended to be a dialogue, not a monologue. In other words, our communication with God should include speaking as well as listening. Why is listening difficult in general and especially as it pertains to prayer? How can we become more effective listeners?

Read Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, and Hebrews 4:16. How should verses like these change our perspective and our approach to prayer?

At the end of the day, prayer is essentially having a conversation throughout the day with our Good Father. What are your 1-2 main takeaways from today’s episode?

Scott landed the discussion by sharing a story with a powerful illustration on prayer. Make it a priority this week to have a daily conversation with God in one of the empty seats around you.