Abide - Part 18: "One Necessary Thing"

The Holy Spirit wants to be an active and integral part of our day to day lives. However, we have a tendency to minimize Him to a doctrine instead of a person. If we are willing to embrace a relationship with Him, He wants to enhance and enrich our spiritual lives through His gifts, fruits, and an active relationship with God through Him, but we must be willing to be vulnerable and give ourselves over to His control. Key verses: Luke 11:1-13 and 10:38-42 1. In Luke 11:1, why do you think the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray? How does He answer them? 2. Why is it easy to focus on the Lord’s prayer as an outline for how to pray? What are we missing if we do that? 3. What is the significance of the story in verses 5-8 as it relates to the guideline He gave them for prayer? 5. What does it look like to pray with reckless, shameless persistence? Have you ever done that or experienced someone else doing it? How did that impact you or those around you? 6. What does the statement “there is a difference between earning and effort” mean as it relates to prayer? 6. Luke 11:9-10 is often quoted about prayer, but do you really trust that it is a true promise? How do you go beyond just asking? How have you seen this promise fulfilled? 7. Jake said, “don’t let the circumstance of a particular situation tell you who God is.” Why is it so easy to let situations define God’s character? How can you actively keep from falling into that temptation? 8. Feeling overwhelmed by life or situations can lead us to question God’s character, but why should it do the opposite? How can you shift your perspective to trust that He is in control instead of allowing circumstances to dictate your view on Him? 9. Revisit these questions with your group, maybe with a time of quiet reflection or a discussion together: - Are you open to the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit? - Are there gifts that He has already given you that maybe you haven’t been aware of, or aren’t consistently using? - Are there gifts you have been closed off to?