HEY PEOPLE 
So here’s a continuation of last week’s lesson.
RECAP:
Last week’s lesson, largely revolved around Mark 5: 25-34, the Leper who touched Jesus’ cloak , about Desperation and God’s help. And ends of the teaching abt Faith, Quotes the Heart of Matter from previous week “a conviction that Jesus can, a hope that he will and that God is real and that God is good” 
DAY TWO- THE POWER OF A TIMID PRAYER
 This lesson yo is for those youths who are still unsure of praying, who still say “huuuuuhhhh, why me?” when we ask them to pray : )

Opening Prayer!
The whole lesson is adapted from Mark 9: 14- 29
Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Impure Spirit
14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.
17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.

Lesson proper
a) The Power isn’t in the prayer, it’s in the one who hears it AKA JESUS : )

 Recap on desperation from last week
 Briefly highlight the desperation in V. 22
 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
 Read the top part of Pg 134,
 Summary of it:
 Basically the father of the son who is demon possessed is really desperate, being a father, it must really hurt him a lot, and his prayer, “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”, note the “If you can”, note that little doubt yet timidness in that sentence he said to Jesus.

Inconsistency in prayer (usually the case for most of them, us included at times) -- Life crisis - Pray with increased sincerity and honesty.
Well, this should be that case, do ask ur kids if they do the above steps. They do know that they can seek God for help in times of trouble but the question is if they do that all the time and if not, one can
1) recap the lessons previously on going to God for help in prayer, and
2) question what stops them from going to God.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.[a]
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
Proverbs 3: 5-8
Inconsistency in prayer (usually the case for most of them, us included at times) -- Life crisis - Pray with increased sincerity and honesty.
Back to topic.
Look at 1 Samuel 1: 10 – 11
10 In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly. 11 And she made a vow, saying, “LORD Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”
 Hannah’s story
 How the Lord closed her womb (v. 8)
 Need: to have a son
 Desperation.
 What did God do? God eventually gave her a son as promised : )
Psalm 17
Psalm 17
A prayer of David.
1 Hear me, LORD, my plea is just;
listen to my cry.
Hear my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.
2 Let my vindication come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.
3 Though you probe my heart,
though you examine me at night and test me,
you will find that I have planned no evil;
my mouth has not transgressed.
4 Though people tried to bribe me,
I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
through what your lips have commanded.
5 My steps have held to your paths;
my feet have not stumbled.
6 I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
7 Show me the wonders of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings
9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.
10 They close up their callous hearts,
and their mouths speak with arrogance.
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,
with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion hungry for prey,
like a fierce lion crouching in cover.
13 Rise up, LORD, confront them, bring them down;
with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, LORD,
from those of this world whose reward is in this life.
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
may their children gorge themselves on it,
and may there be leftovers for their little ones.
15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.
This Prayer focuses on 1) teaching your kid one possible prayer to pray when in desperation (v.1) and 2) through this prayer, acknowledge our neediness for God’s strength in our lives and 3) God’s strength! May we learn to pray like David : )
Romans 7: 24 – 25
Another prayer:
4 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature[d] a slave to the law of sin.
Extra on Prayer (if one feels your kids need that little extra!)
- Ecclesiastes 5:2
- Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few.

- Matthew 6: 5-14
- Prayer
- 5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
- 9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
- “‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,[a]
but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’
- 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Point:
Our prayers should not be flowery and to impress other people, because God will not be impressed with such. "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Assuredly, I say they have their reward. And when you pray do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words." The only reward someone who prays a prayer like this receives is the recognition he receives from men because God will not heed his prayer. We are also warned not to use vain repetitions, such as repeating something over and over. This type of prayer makes us a hypocrite because it is pretentious.
- Phil. 4:6
- 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
-
- 1 Peter 5:7
- 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Don’t know how to pray? ******** IMPT**********
So next time they cant tell you “but I don’t know what to pray” and you don’t have to give them the petrifying look.
Romans 8: 26 – 27
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
The Holy Spirit is making intercession for all believers because they do not know how to pray as they ought (Rom. 8:26). He takes our puny prayers and makes them eloquent before the Father!
b) Jesus Responds to our honesty and faith
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
v.24 shows the sincerity & honesty of the father, to overcome his unbelief/disbelief and let him have faith : )
Have faith!!
20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Matthew 17: 20
36 Overhearing[a] what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
Mark 5:36
REFOCUS: The power of Prayer! Is all in the Lord : )
29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.

The power of God
2 “This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is his name: 3 ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ – Jeremiah 33 : 2 – 3

Do Qn 4

14 “Sacrifice thank offerings to God,
fulfill your vows to the Most High,
15 and call on me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” – Psalm 50 : 15
This verse is to encourage your kids to seek God in prayer in times of crisis, can be one of the memory verses : )
18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
20 The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
Psalm 145: 18 – 19
Etc. verses: Phil 4: 6 – 7
1 john 5: 14- 15
Read PG 136 ending part on Jim Redmond. And Heart of Jesus.



*Disclaimer*
I think the main focus I placed on this lesson is more of God’s powerful role in prayer. Yep, it would also be good to focus on others aspects of this lesson whenever n wherever God brings your group to! :D

Apologies for the slightly slip-shorter lesson :S wrote the lesson but kinda exhausted to type it out esp during my off day :P

done by JJ