16 Jan 2012

Your relationship with God Is your relationship with God up to date? 1. Do you have a fresh word from the Lord (from personal time with God) 2. Are you obeying everything He has said to you? 3. Are you misusing your authority in any way – a. In your family b. In your workplace c. In the SG 4. Is your thought life pure? 5. Have you lied about any of the above? (Above five pointers from John Maxwell’s book Partners in Prayer, with some editing on my part)

Relating with each other 1. How well do you know one another in the SG? 2. How accepting are you of one another? 3. How good are you all at setting & enforcing boundaries? 4. How practiced are you all at confronting in love? 5. Are your own needs being met? Or is there a need to be needed? PSALM 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.

Relationship with the needy member 1. What is your relationship like with the needy SG member? 2. How do the other SG members regard her? a. Does she have healthy relationships with them? b. Have you, or other SG members, confronted her on outstanding issues? If so, what has been her response? c. What is she like, really?

Praying for your member in need 1. Ask member if she wants prayer; 2. Check with her what she wants shared; 3. Disseminate amongst members; 4. Get updates as/when necessary; this encourages continued prayer. 5. When do you stop? a. When answer has come – thanksgiving; b. When members are tired; i. Suggest that she gets professional help; ii. Ask that she put her prayer item in the Wesley bulletin. iii. You can stop praying for a while – relinquish the whole matter to the Lord until He revives your heart again. c. When you sense God telling you to stop.

Ministering to one another 1. Lead by example. 2. Do the ONE THING: Listen to the person and her issue. Ask God what is the ONE THING He wants to do at this time. SKIT

Some things to note: 1. Presenting problem vs Real problem 2. Healing may not be immediate. 3. Encourage the person to continue seeking God for help and healing.

Other tips Let the person know what you sense God wants you to pray for at this time. If the person says Yes, proceed. If she insists on praying only her way, then pray generally, as she desires, and as honestly as you can. If you sense that you cannot pray the way she wants, then, you can say that you can’t pray it this way, so sorry. Then, suggest another way. If she still insists on her way, tell her you can’t agree with her, and suggest that she ask another person.

Matthew 18:19 "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.“ We need to balance being honest in our prayer, as well as being compassionate to a hurting human being. We need to balance integrity with compassion. Ultimately, she has to take responsibility for her own decisions.

Managing expectations Healing usually occurs “little by little” Encourage the person to walk out her healing Renew her mind Encourage herself by meditating on biblical truths Resisting temptation Asking for prayer when things get too overwhelming Your own expectations

May God bless you As you minister To the people In your small group