HOW TO GET PRAYERS ANSWERED

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MEETING AGENDA

  1. OPENING PRAYER – Ask one person to open the meeting in prayer.
  2. GROWTH QUESTIONS – Ask everyone the Growth Questions.
  3. ATTENDANCE – Take attendance through the DG Attendance System.
  4. TODAY’S LESSON – Go over this week’s DG lesson.
  5. GIVING – Encourage everyone to give on the App.
  6. CLOSING PRAYER – Ask for prayer requests and pray.

GROWTH QUESTION #1

Who would like to share a highlight, praise report, or testimony from this week?

GROWTH QUESTION #2

What did you learn from this week’s sermon?

GROWTH QUESTION #3

What was your most important accomplishment this week?

TODAY’S PASSAGE:

Luke 1:11-20 (NLT) - 11 While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. 13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.” 18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” 19 Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20 But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS

 What’s something you’ve had to wait for that felt like it took
forever—but it was worth it in the end?

Step #1

 IT STARTS WITH ASKING!

Luke 1:13 (NLT) – “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son…”

  • Zechariah’s story begins with a simple but powerful reality: he had been praying (Luke 1:13).

  • Many people want outcomes God has promised but skip the first move: bringing it to God in prayer.

James 4:2 (NLT) – “…You don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.”

  • God responds to prayed prayers. Asking is not “bothering God”—it is obeying Him and putting your trust in Him.

  • Asking positions your heart to: admit your need (humility), depend on God (faith), and align with God’s will (submission). Prayer isn’t performance; it’s relationship!

Matthew 7:7–8 (NLT) – “Keep on asking, and you will receive…”

INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS

What’s something specific you can ask God for this week?

Step #2

YOU MUST BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE
RECEIVED IT!

Luke 1:18 (NLT) – Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

  • Zechariah received a clear word from God—but he struggled to accept it as true (Luke 1:18).
  • The issue wasn’t that he had a question; it was that his question came from unbelief rather than trust.
  • Doubt doesn’t just affect your feelings—it affects your faith-response. God calls us to receive by faith what He has spoken.
  • Faith doesn’t mean you deny reality; it means you trust God’s authority over reality.

Hebrews 11:1 (NLT) – “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for…”

  • Faith is choosing to treat God’s word as final—even while you’re still waiting.

Mark 11:24 (NLT) – “Believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS

 When you’re waiting on something, which one is usually
harder for you: asking God for it or believing He’ll do it? Why?

Step #3

 KEEP ON SPEAKING IT UNTIL YOU SEE IT!

Luke 1:20 (NLT) - But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

  • When Zechariah’s doubts threatened to overwhelm his faith, God responded by silencing him.
  • Preventing him from speaking any more doubt-filled words.
  • We must always speak faith-filled words, not doubt-filled ones!
  • We will never see a prayer answered while speaking doubt over it.
  • Remember that life and death are in the tongue!

Proverbs 18:21 (NLT) - The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

  • Our words will either water the seed of our prayers or destroy it.
  • Our Words must be in agreement with what the Lord has said, not what circumstances are saying.
  • We must resist doubt and build our faith. Faith grows while you're waiting!

Ephesians 4:29 (AMP) – Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak].

INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS

 When you’re under stress, what’s your default—do you
tend to talk faith or talk fear? What’s one phrase you could start saying that lines up with God’s promises?

CLOSING QUESTION

 Which step do you most need to strengthen right
now—asking, believing, or speaking—and what is one action you’ll take this week to practice it?

GIVING

Giving unleashes a harvest of blessings in our lives in direct proportion to the generosity we use to sow into the Kingdom of God and the lives of others.

2 Corinthians 9:6 (NLT)

Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.

Encourage everyone to give their tithes and offerings.

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PRAY

QUESTION #1

Who are you praying for to be saved?

QUESTION #2

Who can you invite to the next meeting?

QUESTION #3

What are your prayer requests?

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