How To Pray and Be Heard
Daniel 9 | Week 12
Pastor Josh
February 15, 2021

“How To Pray and Be Heard”

Big Idea:

God cares about the internal state of our heart, not the external masks we hide behind.

Bible - Daniel 9:1-2

  1. If you want to hear a Word from God, get into the Word of God.
  2. Even strong Christians need God’s Word.
  3. The Word of God is living and active, not dead and irrelevant.
  4. Hearing from God should lead to talking to God.

When We Pray - Daniel 9:3-23

  1. Start with the bad news…who we are.
  2. Move to the good news…who God is.
  3. Know that God hears your prayer and sends a Helper.
    • John 14:26; John 15:26

Big Idea:

Loving leadership is taking responsibility, even when you’re not at fault.
• Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1-2

The End Times - Daniel 9:24-27

Big Idea:

We are on the welcome committee, not the planning committee.

Discussion Questions:

Getting to Know Me

  1. When you pray, what do your prayers tend to focus on?
  2. Do you ever notice yourself only caring about external circumstances and not your internal posture? What are some of the things that might occur as a result of only considering external circumstances?

Into the Bible

  1. What do you think of the statement, “You need the Word of God more than the air you breathe”? Are you cultivating that level of desire for the Word of God? If not, what can you begin doing to practice a holy hunger for the Word?
  2. What were some new things you learned about the true nature of God from Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9?
  3. Have you ever noted the connection between Daniel 9 and Jeremiah 29:10-11? What do the verses in Jeremiah 29 reveal about the character of God in light of Israel’s rebellion?
  4. Why do you think Daniel took personal responsibility for the sins committed by Israel that he was completely uninvolved with? What does this teach us about Daniel’s leadership?
  5. Why did Gabriel call Daniel “highly esteemed”? What are the larger implications of a messenger of God calling a man “highly esteemed”?
  6. How does reading Daniel’s prayer in chapter 9 affect the way you think about your own prayer life?

Application

  1. What was your main takeaway from Pastor Josh’s sermon? How were you impacted/ encouraged? Did you have an “ah-ha” moment or realize something for the first time?
  2. In what ways do you need the Spirit to come in and sift the internal posture of your heart? In what ways do you need to shift your focus away from your external circumstances?
  3. What does the phrase, “Before God does something with us, he’s going to do something in us” mean to you? Why do you think it is important that God works with us in this way?
  4. In Daniel 9, God sent Gabriel to give Daniel insight and understanding regarding His Word. We, as believers, now have the Holy Spirit to do this same work in us. What do you need to start doing to tap into this power of revelation of God’s Word that the Spirit wants to give you?
  5. In his sermon, Pastor Josh said, “God has the power to help you flourish no matter where you’re at or what you’re going through.” What is one step you will take this week towards receiving the power of God to help you flourish, regardless of our current circumstances?