Prayer Series Study Guide: Week 3 Praying by Faith

Community Group Study Guide — Praying in Faith
Luke 18:35-43, Hebrews 11:6

Study Information:
Prayer is an expression of faith and trust in God. In prayer we not only express praise to God but we ask for him to work in ways that we are powerless. This kind of prayer requires faith. Faith is an expectation that we can depend on God, that his work is for our good and that he desires for us to seek him. The gospels are filled with many examples of people going to Jesus in faith for things they could not accomplish through their own efforts and Jesus rewarding their faith and trust. This is not a formulaic way to get God to do something for us, that is superstition and something Jesus warns against (Matthew 6:7). Likewise, praying in faith does not require us to shed all of our uncertainties or doubts (Mark 9:24). Instead praying in faith is an expression of dependent trust in God and is key to a regular practice of prayer. 

What is Faith?
Luke 18:35-43
There are at least three components to faith. First, faith includes knowledge. What we know influences what we trust and what we do, we see this component of faith when we talk about “the faith,” or an active understanding about the person and work of Christ. Second faith includes belief. This can be understood in terms of desire or dependence on God from the heart. And a third of faith is active trust. Christians should live like they actually depend on God in what we do and how we follow the teachings of Christ. To think of this from a practical standpoint, when you see a chair you know that it should hold your weight, you believe that it can support you and then you actually sit in the chair. Our understanding about God influences what we believe about him from the heart, if you think that God is unreliable, stingy or evil then you’re not going to look to him for help. If you believe that God has your good in mind, that he never changes and that he is trustworthy then you will end up bringing your prayers to him and live much of your life as if you depend on him. We can know God’s power, desire for him to work and trust that he will. 

There are many examples of faith fueled prayer in the gospels, let’s look at one from Luke 18:35-43. Jesus passed by the city of Jericho where a blind man had been begging. Upon hearing the crowd, the blind man asked what was going on and heard that Jesus was passing by. This man believed Jesus was the Son of David and cried out for mercy even when all those around him told him to stop. Jesus stopped and went near to the man and asked what he wanted. Many of us would think this man’s need would be obvious, but Jesus desired to have this man articulate his need. The blind man said “Lord, let me recover my sight.” Jesus responded that this man’s faith made him well. The crowds saw this and marveled. 

This pattern of healing happens throughout the gospels and often Jesus highlighted the person’s faith as the reason he healed them. Jesus desired to show his power and glory to the world and to actively roll back the power of sin and death, but he also desired to respond to faith. Faith in these circumstances is that knowledge of the power of Jesus and the dependent trust that he can and will respond to our needs. 

Prayer and Dependence on God
Hebrews 11:6
Prayer is an expression of faith and an opportunity to draw near to God as we ask him to work. The writer of Hebrews describes that faith draws us near to God. Hebrews 11:6 which says, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (ESV)” Are you aware of God, your need for him and believe that he rewards those who seek after him?

We’re never at a time or place where we do not need God, but our awareness of that need can go up or down throughout life based on how well things are going or how self-sufficient we think we are. Yet God often pushes us outside of our comfort zone and shows us how much we need him so that we will grow in trust. Earlier this year, as a church, we talked about praying for God to save 1000 people in our community and specifically praying for 10 people that were in our lives by name. We introduced this goal as something that we could never accomplish on our own, something we needed God to do. We have not seen 1000 people come to faith in Jesus yet, but we have seen a growing number of people exploring what faith in Jesus means, a growing interest in baptism and people coming to faith in Christ in our church body. Likewise, we’ve seen a growing interest in evangelism and discipleship as people continue to pray for those that God put on their heart. We’re excited about this season and that it is something we could not accomplish on our own! 

How does this relate to prayer?
First, do your prayers reflect a need to trust God to accomplish what you’re praying for? Jesus described this in the Lord’s prayer when he told us to pray for God’s kingdom to come. It is easy to live our lives without an active need for God, but what if we prayed more and more for God to accomplish things in our lives and this world that would really require him to show up? Parenting, work, discipleship and growing in holiness all require a strength we do not have. It is more than just technique or modification, it is heart change and praying in faith is a trust that God can do the hard work we cannot. 

Second, when you become aware of your needs, bring them to God in faith. It could be that you’re in a particularly hard season right now, so you’re acquainted with what it is like to depend on God for his daily grace and even though that is difficult that is good news. Though many of us struggle with relying on ourselves or thinking we are just a few quick fixes away from having things figured out. But that is only because we’re unaware of our actual need for God or all the ways he’s been at work behind the scenes.

Third, praying in faith involves praying big prayers. In practice, do you ever feel like there are things too big for even God to do? Do you hesitate to pray for people to change or for God to be at work in the world or in culture? Yet by faith we can pray for things that we feel powerless to change and trust that God’s will be done. 

Faith is drawing near to God, believing he rewards those who seek him and an active trust that God can do what we cannot.


At your community group:
Take 15-20 minutes to share about how God has been at work in your life, prayer concerns and pray for one another.

How did God speak to you through the scripture and the sermon this week? 

Discussion Questions:
Read Luke 18:35-43

How would you describe the role of faith to someone who is new to the idea of prayer?

In the Luke 18:35-43 passage, what was the man’s need, how did the crowd respond and what caused him to keep crying out to Jesus?

Hebrews 11:6 describes an aspect of faith as drawing near to God. How is drawing near to God a synonym for prayer? 

What challenges do you experience when it comes to praying in faith? Is it a lack of belief, a reliance on self or something else? What action steps can you do take week to pray in faith?