How to pray with others.

[wondering star]

I class myself as a New Christian , I was saved in 2002 but after about a year I backslide and now and back in my relationship with Jesus since 15th April 2011. I Have learnt more in last few months than I knew in all my previous live. I am attending Church twice on sunday and on wednesday which I really enjoy and look forward to .

The Church I am going to is small, some services only 15-20 people and everyone is really nice and I feel I really eblong.

The Church have prayer meetings almost every day, ( I have never went ) and also some home group meetings. I went to a home group last week and was panicing in case it was expected for everyone to pray in group. There were only 7 people there. This did not happen, the leader asked one to open with prayer and another to end so that was ok.

On Saturday I went to another home meeting, the ladie who's house I was in knows my fears about praying in front of others so she knew not to ask me.

I am going to another house meeting on friday and have started to feel panic again, I do not wnat to cmoe out openly and say to everyone, " don't ask me to pray as I can't" I listen to the others and the words just flow, they know what to say, they have been doing it for years.

When I pray alone I am ok, I can pray, praise, give thanks, ask for prayer for others , I sometimes get suck but I know the Lord understands.

How do I handle it if the situation arrises when I am asked to pray??? I would like to go to the prayer meetings, to be there, for the fellowship, to listen and give my support but am scared I will be expected to join in .

 

[singpeace]

I suggest picking out one or two of the Apostle Paul's prayers and practicing praying them out loud at home. Before each Bible study or prayer group, ask the Holy Spirit to calm your nerves and to give you peace.

If your heart is right; as I'm sure it is, then it's possible to say only a few words, but it will be enough. God is the one who matters; not the opinions of others. 365 times in Scripture, God said, "Do not fear." It is a commandment.

His Word also says in Hebrews 4:16, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."


Here are some of Paul's prayers in the Contemporary English Translation:

Ephesians 1:17-18
17. I ask the Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God. 18. My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and that you will understand the hope that was given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all of God's people.

Ephesians 3:14-21
14. I kneel in prayer to the Father. 15. All beings in heaven and on earth receive their life from him. 16. God is wonderful and glorious. I pray that his Spirit will make you become strong followers 17. and that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. Stand firm and be deeply rooted in his love. 18. I pray that you and all of God's people will understand what is called wide or long or high or deep. 19. I want you to know all about Christ's love, although it is too wonderful to be measured. Then your lives will be filled with all that God is. 20-21. I pray that Christ Jesus and the church will forever bring praise to God. His power at work in us can do far more than we dare ask or imagine. Amen.

 

[wondering star]

I suggest picking out one or two of the Apostle Paul's prayers and practicing praying them out loud at home. Before each Bible study or prayer group, ask the Holy Spirit to calm your nerves and to give you peace.

If your heart is right; as I'm sure it is, then it's possible to say only a few words, but it will be enough. God is the one who matters; not the opinions of others. 365 times in Scripture, God said, "Do not fear." It is a commandment.

His Word also says in Hebrews 4:16, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."


Here are some of Paul's prayers in the Contemporary English Translation:

Ephesians 1:17-18
17. I ask the Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God. 18. My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and that you will understand the hope that was given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all of God's people.

Ephesians 3:14-21
14. I kneel in prayer to the Father. 15. All beings in heaven and on earth receive their life from him. 16. God is wonderful and glorious. I pray that his Spirit will make you become strong followers 17. and that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. Stand firm and be deeply rooted in his love. 18. I pray that you and all of God's people will understand what is called wide or long or high or deep. 19. I want you to know all about Christ's love, although it is too wonderful to be measured. Then your lives will be filled with all that God is. 20-21. I pray that Christ Jesus and the church will forever bring praise to God. His power at work in us can do far more than we dare ask or imagine. Amen.

thanks for reply


I guess I am just scared of appearing foolish in front of others.

 

[Aibrean]

I don't like praying out loud either. I'd rather talk to God in private silence. Most people understand if you don't like to pray publicly.

 

[paul1149]

I guess I am just scared of appearing foolish in front of others.

Hi WS,

You'll get over it. No need to rush yourself, either. In God's good time He'll put something in your heart that, in love, you'll want to share with the group, and love will prevail.

It sounds like you have a really good church. Lots of prayer, multiple services, home groups. Excellent. If this group continues to seek the Lord, expect major miracles and breakthroughs.

I suggest you give the freely-available book Prayer : Conversing With God — by Rosalind Rinker a read. It's about one young woman's difficulty praying aloud, and how the Lord led her to overcome it quickly. And about how she went on to discover powerful group prayer dynamics.

 

[LilLamb219]

Practicing ahead of time is good advice...make sure you do it out loud when you do practice though!!!!

The more you hear other peoples' prayers, the more you'll be able to form your own when in a group too. Unless theirs are not formed well.

My pastor does the best prayers at the drop of a hat. But he's done them for years and knows what to include. He has an awesome memory for names, so he can include names when needed too and I'm so in awe of the way he just rolls through a prayer. I'm not so gifted. But that's okay. I don't care what others think

 

[eachallberg]

the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. (Psalm 37:11)

It is ok to feel like a fool especially for Christ.
(1 Corinthians 4:10).

It is written...

The Lord's prayer is how we should pray.

When we pray, we go to our room and close the door.
&
We shouldnt be pious by making lengthy prayers in public.

You have your spiritual gifts and they have theirs (1 Corinthians 12).

Peace.

 

[heron]

In God's good time He'll put something in your heart that, in love, you'll want to share with the group, and love will prevail.

Another idea for practicing -- go to the Psalms, and read them out loud like prayers. Or use a hymnal the same way, praying into what you sing. Or read. Jesus suggested the Lord's prayer as a tried-and-true format.

When I joined my church as a kid, the teachers broke down the Lord's prayer into categories, and that helped me -- glorifying God, penitence, protection, provision, gratefulness...

It is always helpful to thank God for things He has already done; besides pure gratefulness, it builds everyone's faith that He can do more.

Other than that, say what's on your heart and assume it will be different than other people's concerns. We are all meant to be different.

 

[wondering star]

thank you everyone for your replies, I know when the time is right I will be able to do this , hopefully will not be for a long time


thanks again

 

[oi_antz]

thank you everyone for your replies, I know when the time is right I will be able to do this , hopefully will not be for a long time


thanks again

I think you should practice by going to some of the prayer forums and typing your heartfelt wishes to God. Then as you get more confident about speaking to God from the heart you may feel confident to pray vocally in public. I know that often many people would love to do the honors, which is the opposite of how you feel at the moment. I think with practice and knowing that God will accept what your heart is saying then you will have more confidence. Have a look through the prayer forums and see if you feel led to pray to someone, here's a link:

Prayer Requests - Christian Forums

May I just pray for you now:

Dear Lord Jesus, we thank you for the gift of faith that you have given us and we are eager to show our appreciation by praising you with every chance we get. Lord we come before you today to ask for healing upon the heart of our sister wondering star who is struggling with confidence to pray to you openly in the presence of others. Lord we know that sometimes our mouth stumble but we know what is written about praying, that all we need do is open our mouth and the spirit will speak, for you know our heart before we speak. Heavenly Father, we hand the matter to you and ask that you will build our sister's confidence, give her the opportunities to pray and guide her mouth as she speaks. Thank you Lord, you are such a wonderful Master, so full of love and compassion and also so great. Praise you Lord, amen.

Keep the following verse in mind as you prepare to pray, and when you pray, give a brief thought to what you will say, keep it concise and potent, don't babble on and on. Remember, it is the heart's wishes that are heard, not the duration of the prayer.

Matthew 6
7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!

 

[wondering star]

hi everyone, just a update

When I went to the home group last week the leader asked me would I open the meeting in prayer................I politely refused and he said " it's ok I do not like doing it either" , he was trying to cover my embarresment which I am greatful for lol

I did apoligise afterwards and explained I was not being rude just not confident enough to pray in front of others.

Yesterday after Church the lady who's house the meeting was in last week asked would I not like to attend some prayer meetings in Church and added " you will not have to pray if you do not want to to but being there and listening to others and praying silently may help you " She understood

I have decided to go ............TODAY. I rang the lady who invited me to make sure she is still going today, only about 6 or 8 people go to lunch time prayer meeting so did not want to go alone, will be ok once I go a few times .

I am feeling so happy about the way my life with Jesus is going, I have learnt more and understand more in 10 weeks than I learnt in last 46 years. Sorry if that does not make sense but I knew things but did not understand them. I am not afraid to ask others, just still afraid to Pray in front of others .

thanks again for your replies

 

[heron]

That's great!
I should mention that there are churches where prayers are pre-printed and said in unison, which keeps people from feeling subject to criticism. A friend of mine went to a service that was completely silent. But avoidance isn't usually the best way to deal with something.

Growth requires some growing pains. But like reaching a certain height, once you're there it might not seem like work.

It's natural to be cautious of what to say when there appear to be rules. Once you learn expectations -- or better, feel comfortable speaking with God on your own -- then the reasons behind the caution will dissolve.

 

[wondering star]

That's great!
I should mention that there are churches where prayers are pre-printed and said in unison, which keeps people from feeling subject to criticism. A friend of mine went to a service that was completely silent. But avoidance isn't usually the best way to deal with something.

Growth requires some growing pains. But like reaching a certain height, once you're there it might not seem like work.

It's natural to be cautious of what to say when there appear to be rules. Once you learn expectations -- or better, feel comfortable speaking with God on your own -- then the reasons behind the caution will dissolve.

thanks for your reply

I really enjoyed the prayer time, we had about 15 minutes of fellowship before, just sitting talking. I must admit I was nervous but met the Pastor in car park on way in so that helped.

I will go again and with time hopefully will take part but just sitting listening to others pray gave me so much.

 

[heron]

I love knowing that others care about prayer and each other enough to do that. It sounds like your found a warm environment, and some great people devoted to God. What a treasure!

 

[wondering star]

I love knowing that others care about prayer and each other enough to do that. It sounds like your found a warm environment, and some great people devoted to God. What a treasure!

Yes I really think I have found my " home" I did go to this Church in 2002 when I was first Saved but not regularly. I definetly did not have the same fellowship that I have this time but that could have been me . When I decided to start going back to Church it was the only place I wanted to go so it must have been the right place.

 

[ltanhi]

I had ever been in the same situation like yours in Vietnam when I started to join the youth group of my church. Remember that time, we were sitting together with a light from some candles and praying. We sat in silence and some of my friends started to pray. What they prayed are very simple like praises, asking the forgiveness, praying for poor people they met on that day....I admired them alots, and I never thought that I could do the same.

However, after some joining times, I could start pray out loud by an event I met on the street, an accident. I saw a woman lied down unconsciously. What I could do that time was to pray silently with God. I asked Him to help the lady... My feeling was not good when I came to the group. The accident was in my mind, and I started praying out loud. I talked to God what I saw, then what I felt after that. I praised HIm to save me a blessing day to come to the group, and I commended the lady's sould to GOD. I told him that I believed He would save the lady. Then I ended with a song (in Vietnamese) like "I rely on God, my life is saved by Him..."

Thanks for the event of that day to make me more confident to pray out loud in the group, and also to tell my friends about my GOD.

Something sharing to you and God love You...

 

[wondering star]

I had ever been in the same situation like yours in Vietnam when I started to join the youth group of my church. Remember that time, we were sitting together with a light from some candles and praying. We sat in silence and some of my friends started to pray. What they prayed are very simple like praises, asking the forgiveness, praying for poor people they met on that day....I admired them alots, and I never thought that I could do the same.

However, after some joining times, I could start pray out loud by an event I met on the street, an accident. I saw a woman lied down unconsciously. What I could do that time was to pray silently with God. I asked Him to help the lady... My feeling was not good when I came to the group. The accident was in my mind, and I started praying out loud. I talked to God what I saw, then what I felt after that. I praised HIm to save me a blessing day to come to the group, and I commended the lady's sould to GOD. I told him that I believed He would save the lady. Then I ended with a song (in Vietnamese) like "I rely on God, my life is saved by Him..."

Thanks for the event of that day to make me more confident to pray out loud in the group, and also to tell my friends about my GOD.

Something sharing to you and God love You...

thank you so much for sharing that with me

 

[heron]

I definetly did not have the same fellowship that I have this time but that could have been me . When I decided to start going back to Church it was the only place I wanted to go so it must have been the right place.

Churches change continually -- fellowships shift as people come and go, and learn new things, experience suffering and joy. It's not always the right timing. I'm glad it is now!

I also find that people have completely different experiences simultaneously. In the same building, a parent might be elated with worship and fellowship, while their child is in a Sunday school room with a stern teacher; a teen frustrated with their peers or adoring their youth leaders; elderly who have lost their voice and respect in the church...lay ministers who are rising up to fill in on sermons and teach classes. The church can be great and detrimental at the same time, so when you find a good thing, nab it! And protect the goodness in it.