Have You Prayed About It?

By Christ Methodist Church Memphis

In Have You Prayed About It?, the Christ Church Teaching Team leads readers on a journey through the power and purpose of prayer. This resource explores foundational questions and addresses challenges like unanswered prayers and spiritual dryness. With practical advice, scriptural insights, and encouragement to pray boldly, this book empowers readers to align their hearts with God, deepen their faith, and experience the life-changing potential of communion with the Creator.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christ Methodist Church Memphis
• Release date: Jan 29, 2025
• ISBN: 9798230561576

Book preview

Christ Methodist Church Memphis Teaching Team

Have You Prayed About It?

From the basics to mountain-moving prayer.

First published by Christ Methodist Church Memphis Publishing Co. 2025

Copyright © 2025 by Christ Methodist Church Memphis Teaching Team

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®)

© 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.

ESV Text Edition: 2016

First edition

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Contents

Foreword

1. Establishing the Basics: What is Prayer?

2. Why Prayer Works

3. Why Doesn’t God Answer My Prayer?

4. The Lord’s Prayer

5. How to Hear God’s Voice and Follow His Will

6. The Keys To An Empowered Prayer Life

7. Accessing More of God

8. How to Move Mountains with Prayer

9. Give It To God

Epilogue

Notes

Foreword

Have You Prayed About It?

It’s estimated that we make more than 35,000 daily decisions, or roughly 2,000 per hour.¹ Most of those are unconscious and have become so ingrained in our daily routine that we don’t even notice them after a few seconds (like your decision to keep reading this book!).

For those conscious decisions, how many of them do you think you turn to the Lord in prayer about? Half? One-third? A dozen? Granted, it’s unnecessary to ask God whether we should order the burger or the chicken sandwich at lunch, but did we take time to express gratitude for the hands that prepared the food? The nutrients and nourishment it will provide? What about the simple ability to access the meal?

Charles Spurgeon said as Christians, we must become addicted to prayer.² That’s a peculiar statement, so let’s explore what that means. Does it mean a life tucked away in a monastery, devoted to closed eyes, clasped hands, and bended knees? What about a life constantly jolted into grinding halts so we can speak with God? Or is it a holistic approach that we can integrate into everyday life?

It’s easy to go to God for the big things in life and amid times of trials.

Moving your family across the country.

Mending broken marriages and tumultuous relationships.

Determining what your academic pursuits should be.

Facing a medical crisis and in desperate need of healing.

Those are just a few of the big things we could face, but what about the in-between? There’s much more time spent in the mundane, regular day-to-day life than there are such grandiose and momentous occasions that define our lives. We must recognize that the essential things in our lives are what we dedicate to our prayers. Yet how often do we take those things under our accord?

Deception comes in differing ways. Lies aren’t always fancy words dressed to appease you. If the Enemy doesn’t defeat you by coming as a devouring lion, he will try again as a deceiving serpent.

Satan is no fool; he’ll do whatever it takes to ruin your relationship with God. You don’t earn the title of Father of Lies and Master of Deception (John 8:44) by playing children’s games. He was at church this past Sunday, and he’ll be there this upcoming Sunday. He’s cunning and will make it appear that you’re doing the right thing but doing it without Christ. The first sign that we’ve already been deceived is the second we let our guard down and start thinking we might have things under control.

Psalm 78:41 shares how Israel sinned against God while wandering in the desert for 40 years. It says they "tempted God and limited the Holy One of Israel." They forgot the blessing of how they were freed from 400 years of slavery.

God’s wise and benevolent purposes are often frustrated because, like the Israelites, we limit God with our lack of trust. When we try to problem solve on our own, instead of prayer, we limit our reliance on God and His powers. That sounds simple, but for us to pray for discernment is no small task. It can make the difference between deception and deliberation.

As Christians, we have access to God’s wisdom, but this isn’t something we automatically possess. Instead, it’s something we must diligently seek repeatedly. With so much vying for our attention and seeking to distract, discourage, and dissuade, every Christian should be addicted to praying for spiritual discernment. This mindset comes when we pleadingly pray and set our focus on Scripture.

True faith involves exercising patience. Hebrews 6:12 tells us that whoever believes will not act hastily. An easy deception of the Enemy is when we unintentionally walk by sight and