Pray, Part 4: Yield
March 23, 2025

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Message Review

Prayer isn’t just about talking to God; it’s also about surrendering to Him. Yielding in prayer means honestly bringing our emotions, desires, and struggles before God and trusting that His plan is better than our own. It’s about letting go of control, even when we don’t understand or agree with what’s happening. Surrender doesn’t mean giving up; it means trusting the One who knows and loves us best. It’s a choice to say, “Not what I want, but what do You want, God?” even when it’s complicated. True peace and transformation come when we stop striving to control outcomes and instead trust God with open hands and hearts.

Main Point: Ultimately, in prayer, God wants us to YIELD our will to His – Give Him our TRUST by laying down our Feelings, Desires, and Trust at Jesus’ feet.

Scripture References: Matthew 26:36-46; Matthew 6:9-13

Bible Study      

The focus Bible passage from the sermon was Matthew 26:36-46 Before going to the Sermon Discussion Questions, study the passage by reading through it together, then talk through it using the following Inductive Bible Study Method questions that follow:

  • Context: Discuss the context of this passage (Use the Bible Overview to learn the context)

  • Observation: What do you notice in this passage? What words or phrases stick out to you? And why?

  • Interpretation: What was Jesus’ original intent in this passage? What main point(s) was he trying to communicate, and why is that important?

  • Application: What is one key takeaway or insight you had from this passage? How can or should you apply it to your life?

  • Questions: What questions/tensions do you have from this passage that you want to discuss?

Discussion Questions

  • What were your initial thoughts or takeaways from the sermon?

  • When have you found it difficult to surrender control over a situation? What made it so hard?

  • How do you typically react when something in your life doesn’t go according to your plans?  Have you ever prayed for something and received an answer you didn’t want? How did you respond? 

  • Can you share when surrendering to God’s will led to unexpected peace or growth?

  • Read Matthew 6:10 as a group. What does it mean for God’s will to be done in your life? How does this verse challenge the way you usually pray?

  • Read Matthew 26:39 & 42 as a group. In both verses, Jesus’ prayer illustrates that surrender is not always immediate; it often involves ongoing submission.

    • Have you faced challenges in surrendering something to God? How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?

    • Jesus prayed with deep emotion but still chose to submit to God’s plan. How can we learn to pray honestly and willingly yield to God’s will, even when it’s painful or uncertain?

  • The message discussed bringing our feelings, desires, and trust to God. Which of these do you struggle with the most regarding prayer? Why do you think you struggle in this area?

  • Is there something you’ve been holding onto that you struggle to surrender to God? How might asking, “Not what do I want, but God, what do You want?” change your perspective or bring peace?

  • What is a practical way to incorporate yield as a regular part of your prayer life this week?

To watch or listen to Sunday’s sermon, visit our Sermons page.