Prayer
Basics
for
Youth
(Lesson 7: How Should
We Pray?)
(A youth curriculum resource based on the book Prayer Basics:
The Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of Prayer and brought
to you by the National Prayer Center, a ministry of the
General Council of The
the Assemblies of God.)
National Prayer Center
Equipping the Church...
...Answering the Call
© 2009 by Gospel Publishing House, 1445 N. Boonville Ave., Springfield, Missouri 65802. All rights reserved. Permission to replicate for personal,
church and/or educational use only, may not be used for commercial intent. Electronic Edition published 2009 at www.prayer.ag.org
Prayer Basics For Youth
LESSON 7: Develop a Heart for God
STUDY TEXT:
Psalm 34:15; 103:13; Matthew 6:9; 7:7,8; Romans 8:26,27; Ephesians 3:12; 6:10-18;
Hebrews 11:1
OBJECTIVE:
WHAT is the point? G
od wants us to see prayer as something that comes from our hearts
and allows us to be ourselves whenever we pray.
WHY is it important? I f we try to “be someone else” when we pray, we’ll miss the kind
of heart-to-heart relationship God desires to have with us.
HOW should I respond? G o to God with humility and sincerity, don’t allow your prayer
life to become inconsistent or meaningless, and ask God to
show you His power when you pray.
KEY VERSE: Ephesians 6:18
Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
Getting Started
ACTIVITY: Breaking Barriers
Ask for three volunteers without describing what they will be doing. After securing the
volunteers, display three balloons containing dollar bills (you could also use another small
prize that can be placed inside an inflated balloon). Explain to the volunteers that they can
keep the dollar bills if they are able to extract them from the balloons within 30 seconds.
When the time is up, note the way in which each volunteer extracted the dollar bill. Discuss
the following questions:
• W
ould it have been easier to get volunteers if I had described what was
happening before they volunteered? Why? (Sometimes we’re a little hesitant
to jump into something when we don’t know how it will turn out. But almost anyone
would break a balloon for a free dollar.)
• W
hy didn’t the balloon stop them from getting the money? (The desire to get
what was inside the balloon was stronger than the barrier posed by the balloon. That’s
why they were willing to step on it, squish it, poke it with a key, or otherwise destroy
it.)
• W
hat are some obstacles that keep Christians from praying? How hard do
Christians work to overcome these obstacles? (Many different issues, problems,
and distractions can get in the way of prayer. Yet when we really start looking at them,
they’re small compared to the incredible value that prayer brings into our lives.)
EXPLAIN:
Explain that God intends prayer to be something that comes from our hearts and occupies
sincere, meaningful roles at the center of our lives. It’s easy to see the role we give prayer,
© 2009 by Gospel Publishing House, 1445 N. Boonville Ave., Springfield, Missouri 65802. All rights reserved. Permission to replicate for personal,
church and/or educational use only, may not be used for commercial intent. Electronic Edition published 2009 at www.prayer.ag.org
simply by looking at how we pray. Are we humble about prayer, or do we take God for
granted and treat prayer like a birthday or Christmas list? Are we confident when we pray,
or do we struggle to believe that God has earned our trust? Do we take prayer seriously,
or will we let it slide at the slightest distraction? And do we treat prayer like a collection
of religious words, or are we looking for power when we pray? How we answer these
questions will make a big difference in the kind of influence prayer holds in our lives.
Digging Deeper
1. Pray humble.
INVITE:
Ask students to describe a time when they met, talked to, or were in close proximity to
someone famous. Examples could include a professional athlete, a musician, or a politician.
Note that it isn’t necessary that they actually spoke with the person; they might have only
seen this person at a sporting event, concert, etc. Discuss the following questions:
• I f you met this person, how did you feel or respond during this meeting?
Why? (We often get nervous when meeting a famous person, even if we know they’re
nice, happy to meet us, and will not do anything to make us feel uncomfortable. Often
this is because there is a natural sense of respect or seriousness when meeting someone
of great importance.)
• W
hat are some of the “wrong things” you could say upon meeting a famous
person? Why would these statements or questions be wrong? (Examples
include: “You look better on TV”; you make a lot of money — can I have some?”;
“do you know [so and so]?” Such statements sound selfish or arrogant, as well as
thoughtless.)
• I f you were at a concert or sporting event, would you ever consider going up
on stage or down on the field to meet a famous person? Explain. (Note that no
matter how nice the person is, or how much you felt you deserve being able to meet
him or her, it would be disrespectful and arrogant to assume you could do this. There
are certain “formalities” that are proper to go through in these situations.)
ASK:
“Is it possible to be disrespectful in prayer? How so?” Explain that while God sees us as
children, and He values a close relationship with us, He still expects us to give the honor due
to Him when we go to prayer. We need to recognize who He is and who we are in relationship
to Him. We can always be sure we’re respectful when we remain humble in our prayers.
READ:
Have volunteers read the following verses, then talk about what each teaches us concerning
being humble when we pray.
• M
atthew 6:9 (We need to remember that God is holy when we pray. Before jumping
in with a long list of wants and needs, Jesus told us to recognize God for who He is: the
all-powerful Creator of the Universe who expects us to approach Him with an attitude
of worship and a sincere respect for His standards of holiness, goodness, and love. This
includes recognizing that we are sinful, and lost without His forgiveness.)
• P
salm 103:13 (“Fearing God” means recognizing God for who He is. We fear God by
respecting His plans for us, honoring His will, and humbling ourselves by making Him
the highest authority in our lives.)
© 2009 by Gospel Publishing House, 1445 N. Boonville Ave., Springfield, Missouri 65802. All rights reserved. Permission to replicate for personal,
church and/or educational use only, may not be used for commercial intent. Electronic Edition published 2009 at www.prayer.ag.org
DISCUSS:
Talk about why people might tend to jump right in with requests when they pray, even
making those requests the main part of their prayers. Then ask students to ponder how
their prayer lives will be affected when they take time for worship and focus in revering
God, even spending time quietly meditating on Him and listening for His voice rather than
asking Him to do something.
2. Be bold.
ACTIVITY: Have You Ever?
Have students answer the following “Have you ever...” questions, then discuss their responses.
Relate their answers to how boldness and confidence can impact the way we pray.
• H
ave you ever dreamed of doing something really big, but still haven’t acted
on that dream? What was it? (Confidence in prayer helps us trust God when we
sense Him telling us to do something we don’t think we can do, or could never do on
our own.)
• H
ave you ever cried in front of another person? (Some people feel really selfconscious about letting their emotions be seen. As a result, they only “open up” in front
of people they really trust and respect. That’s how God wants us to view Him when we
pray. We can trust and respect Him enough to have the confidence to open up in prayer.)
• H
ave you ever gotten in huge trouble for something you said, either because it
was a lie or because it was inappropriate? Explain. (Sometimes we try to get away
with saying something untrue, only to be caught in an embarrassing situation. Other times
there are things better left unsaid, even though we tend to say them once in awhile. The
great thing about prayer is that God knows our thoughts and our needs. We can’t lie to
God because He already knows the truth, and He won’t be shocked by anything we have
to say anyway. We can be totally confident when we pray, knowing that God is listening,
He cares, and He knows the future in ways we never could imagine.)
READ:
Have a volunteer read Ephesians 3:12, then encourage students to describe what it means
to approach God with “confidence.” Emphasize that this isn’t self-confidence on our part—it
doesn’t mean we feel as though we can kick down His door and declare, “I’m here, Lord,
and this is what I want to say!” Confidence means we don’t have to feel self-conscious,
afraid that God is rejecting us, looking down on us, or demanding that we prove our worthiness before He hears us. We’re confident, and we feel free to speak, because we know God
is listening, He loves us, and He cares about what we have to say.
DISCUSS:
Have students think of the one part of themselves that they are most self-conscious
about? It might be their unique laugh, a particular body part, or some quirk in their personality. Emphasize that everyone has these things, and invite brave volunteers to share
their responses. Then have them decide what friends or family members they can be
around and feel totally at ease about these things. (They don’t feel embarrassed to do
their snorty laugh or feel the need to hide their tendency to whine.) Talk about why they
feel at ease. Relate this to why we can completely be ourselves when we pray.
READ:
Have a volunteer read Hebrews 11:1.
© 2009 by Gospel Publishing House, 1445 N. Boonville Ave., Springfield, Missouri 65802. All rights reserved. Permission to replicate for personal,
church and/or educational use only, may not be used for commercial intent. Electronic Edition published 2009 at www.prayer.ag.org
ASK:
“How do you define the word ‘faith’?” (Note that there are a lot of ways Christians can
define faith. It’s faith that keeps us believing in spiritual reality when skeptics, peers, and even
people in authority insist that God does not exist. Faith helps us believe in God’s goodness and
the Bible’s promises when life seems hopeless. Faith is what leads us to put our own desires
aside to obey God. But in many ways, faith can be defined in one word: “trust.” We live as
Christians, and continue on God’s path for us, because we trust Him.)
PONDER:
Ask students to think of the three people they trust most in the world. Why do they trust these
people? How do they demonstrate that trust? How does trust affect their relationships with
these people? Discuss how trusting someone will change the kinds of conversations we have
with them.
EXPLAIN:
God wants us to be bold and confident when we pray. This attitude doesn’t come from anything
we’ve done. Spiritual “giants” have no more reason to approach God this way than people who just
started a relationship with Him—a great promise to those of us who struggle with self-confidence
or wonder how God could really want to listen to us. We can be confident because we trust God.
It’s a trust He deserves because He proved himself trustworthy the day He entered our lives.
3. Don’t let it slide.
ACTIVITY: Can You Wait?
Brainstorm with students several specific things they definitely do not like to wait to do.
Examples could include using the bathroom, eating, finding out their grade on an important
test, talking to their boyfriend/girlfriend, and getting their computer or cell phone fixed. Talk
about some reasons why they have to wait in these situations, as well as why it is hard to
wait. Finally, discuss some reasons why waiting can be a good thing.
EXPLAIN:
Note that waiting is one of the hardest parts of prayer. We might start building our prayer
lives with great intentions, only to struggle when it seems like nothing is happening. If we let
frustration take over, we’ll soon find ourselves letting prayer slide in favor of doing things that
seem to bring results.
DISCUSS:
Talk about some reasons why God might want us to be persistent when we pray, rather
than simply answering our requests right away. Note that there are times when we don’t
understand the big picture, so we’re unable to see God’s plans clearly. Yet we still need
to trust Him. There are other reasons, too: God wants us to grow in our trust of Him,
He wants us to learn patience, or we’re involved in spiritual battles we can’t even see.
Whatever the case, we can’t let what seems like the lack of an answer become an
excuse to get lax on prayer.
READ:
Have a student read Matthew 7:7,8. Talk about what these verses tell us concerning how
we should pray. Note that these words challenge us to make continuous effort: continue
asking, don’t stop seeking, and knock repeatedly. When we’re willing to put out this kind
of persistence, and be this patient, God’s answer will come.
© 2009 by Gospel Publishing House, 1445 N. Boonville Ave., Springfield, Missouri 65802. All rights reserved. Permission to replicate for personal,
church and/or educational use only, may not be used for commercial intent. Electronic Edition published 2009 at www.prayer.ag.org
ASK:
“What are some reasons it can be hard to stay persistent and wait for answers
when we pray?” (Some prayer needs are very intense, such as when a friend or loved
one is extremely ill. We might be facing a desperate situation ourselves, or feeling serious
anxiety about a decision. Times like these make prayer challenging, and even tempt us to
look elsewhere for answers.)
READ:
Have a student read Psalm 34:15.
EXPLAIN:
Emphasize that when patience becomes the most difficult, we need to keep in mind that
God has not forgotten about us. He does hear, He’s able to act, and He wants what is best
for us always. As we continue to pray, we can do so in the assurance that those prayers
are heard.
SHARE:
Invite students to talk about times when they’ve stayed persistent in prayer, waiting for God to
answer, and finally did see the answer come. You might also share such experiences from your
life. Talk about the rewards that come from this kind of faith, as well as some of the struggles
experienced while waiting. Was there ever a temptation to slack off when it came to prayer, or
to find another answer? How was that temptation overcome?
4. Look for the Power.
ACTIVITY: Not So Powerful
Ask for two or three volunteers to engage in “Noodle Wars,” during which they will battle one
another using foam noodles. (These can be found at a toy store or discount store.) Have the
rest of the class score the battle by awarding one point per strike for each contestant. When
finished, award a small prize to the winner. Then discuss the following questions:
• H
ow effective would foam noodles be in a real battle? Why? (Note that they
would be extremely ineffective, especially if the opponent had real weapons. They lack
any real power to accomplish anything, which would leave us to our own strength.
Such a scenario is a recipe for defeat.)
• W
hy do Christians need spiritual power in their lives? How do we get that
power? (We face real battles as we walk with God; our faith is tested, hard times come,
and we find ourselves in need of guidance. We will fail if we fight these battles using our
own strength and weapons. We need power, and it comes through prayer and reliance
on the Holy Spirit.)
OPTION: This activity can be adapted, at a lower cost, by displaying plastic forks and knives
as illustrations, then rewording the questions to fit. Please avoid actually having a battle using
plastic utensils, as someone could get injured.
READ:
Have a student read Ephesians 6:10-18, then discuss what these verses teach us about
being Christians. Explain that Christians are in constant battle with spiritual enemies. We
prepare for this battle by studying the Bible, building faith, and living out righteousness.
Yet the foundation of it all is seen in verse 18: We must make prayer the center of our
relationship with God.
© 2009 by Gospel Publishing House, 1445 N. Boonville Ave., Springfield, Missouri 65802. All rights reserved. Permission to replicate for personal,
church and/or educational use only, may not be used for commercial intent. Electronic Edition published 2009 at www.prayer.ag.org
DISCUSS:
Talk about specific battles teens might face today, and discuss how prayer can make a
difference in those battles. Examples include peer pressure, materialism, lust, secularism,
and temptation to experiment with astrology and the occult. Prayer keeps us focused on
God, listening for His direction, and in touch with the Holy Spirit. We need to “pray in the
Spirit,” which means we are led by the Holy Spirit when we pray.
READ:
Have a volunteer read Romans 8:26,27, then ask students what they think this verse refers
to when it says the Holy Spirit intercedes for us “with groans that words cannot express.”
EXPLAIN:
Note that sometimes prayer can be emotional. We hurt inside as we long to experience more
of God and receive all that He has planned for us, as well as focus on the intense needs we see
or experience. The Holy Spirit lives in us, and “groans” along with us as we pray. In times like
these, the Spirit often guides our prayers as well. As a result, there are many different ways we
find help to pray from the Holy Spirit.
INVITE:
Ask students if they’ve ever experienced a time when they felt the Holy Spirit helping them
to pray, perhaps by revealing something to them or giving them peace to express what was
on their hearts. This is a good opportunity to discuss how the baptism in the Holy Spirit can
enhance our prayer lives—bringing a stronger sense of God’s presence and power.
Making It Real
ACTIVITY: This Is Important
To illustrate the importance of prayer, discuss the following “what if” statements:
What if...you could talk to the president for 15 minutes? (Would you take advantage of
the opportunity? Why? What would you say?)
What if...you found out you had a serious illness? (How would you respond? How do
you think it would affect your relationship with God?)
What if...a friend who knew nothing about being a Christian asked you to describe
God? (What would you say? Where would you get your information?)
As you discuss, note that most people would jump at the chance to talk with a famous
or powerful person; we ought to be all the more excited to speak with God. Prayer is our
foundation for a strong walk with God and the first place to turn in hard times. Prayer also
helps mold our impression of and attitudes about God. Without prayer, we’re left to our
own thoughts, as well as the twisted ideas of a lost world.
MINISTRY ACTIVITY: Examine Ourselves
Challenge students to examine how their current prayer life impacts, or fails to impact, their
effectiveness during spiritual challenges. How much growth have they seen in accomplishing
God’s will for them, and how has the presence or absence of prayer made a difference? End
with a time of prayer, during which students can pray for one another, asking God to make
them stronger in prayer and more serious about their prayer lives.
© 2009 by Gospel Publishing House, 1445 N. Boonville Ave., Springfield, Missouri 65802. All rights reserved. Permission to replicate for personal,
church and/or educational use only, may not be used for commercial intent. Electronic Edition published 2009 at www.prayer.ag.org
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973,
1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.