A People Empowered: The Personal, Empowering Presence of God (02.16.20)
Facilitator’s Note: Each week’s practice guide takes the principles from Sunday and tries to bring them into tangible practice.
Opening Prayer & Remembrance
After greeting everyone, open the meeting time with 3 minutes of silence to help you focus on interaction with God and one another.
Reflecting on the Sermon Scripture
Read Acts 2:1-13 and discuss:
- What stood out or surprised you in this passage from the Bible?
- What are the implications of the Spirit’s presence for the early Church? And how about for us as the present Church?
- This passage includes a call to repentance. What does your group feel called to repent of? Offer these prayers to God.
Practice: Releasing Control in Prayer
For the first disciples, speaking in tongues on the day of Pentecost required stepping out into the unknown with the Spirit. In preparation for this manifestation of the Spirit, we’ll practice stepping out and releasing control in prayer together. (Note: Praying in English, not speaking in tongues.)
As a group, take 10 minutes to pray aloud in English. Follow these simple guidelines that might stretch you into releasing control in prayer as a group:
- Allow no empty space between prayers, but instead fill any silence with vocalized, short prayers.
- Each person should make each prayer brief, no more than a sentence.
- Pray honestly from your heart, absolutely anything coming to your mind.
Discuss:
- How are you feeling after this practice?
- What was challenging or inspiring for you in this prayer time?
- In what ways did you feel like you released control while praying?
Closing Intercession
End by praying the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father, who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come; thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil,
For thine is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory
Forever and ever. Amen.
Optional Follow-Up
Practice praying in tongues in your personal prayer life, and then share about it with a friend. Try following these steps:
- Create space: slow down, setting aside a time and place.
- Ask God: express your eager desire.
- Give it a shot: even if you don’t know how or if it feels risky, try it.
- Practice: commit yourself to releasing control and developing this manifestation of the Spirit.
- Repeat: let this be a regular part of your life.