Use this quick lesson to help your youth ministry discover the importance of prayer.

Help students realize that God hears us when we pray.

Enjoy!

– Nick Diliberto, Ministry to Youth

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Youth Group Lesson on Prayer

DOWNLOAD THE PDF OF THIS LESSON

Use this quick lesson to help your youth ministry discover the importance of prayer.

Say: A couple of weeks ago while I was on a business trip, I was talking on my cell phone with my wife (yes, they do more than send text messages!).

I had just received some great news and was excited to share it with her.

Suddenly, I realized that she hadn’t said anything for several seconds.

I looked at my screen and it said that we still had a connection.

I said her name several times and waited for a response but did not get one.

I was frustrated because I was pretty sure that she was still on the line, but for some reason my conversation was only working one-way.

After hanging up and trying again, we were able to resume the conversation, but later I got to thinking about my experience and realized that prayer can sometimes feel the same way.

I know that God can hear me when I pray, but when His voice feels silent in my life, I sometimes wonder if the connection only works one-way.

Read 1 Kings 19:11-13

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain, ” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave…”

Say: In this story, Elijah was searching for God. First, he looked for Him in a windstorm, then a powerful fire, but God was not in either of those things.

This was a very significant experience for Elijah because God had established a pattern of appearing in these ways over hundreds of years when communicating with His people.

God appeared in a burning bush to Moses in Exodus 3 and in billows of smoke on Mt. Sinai in Exodus 19 with winds that shook the ground.

Despite these patterns, Elijah does not feel God’s presence until he hears the faintest of whispers.

Do you ever find yourself expecting God’s voice to come in windstorms and explosive fireworks?

I know that when I am desperately seeking God in prayer, I most often want to hear or see His response in very obvious, visible ways.

If I am sick, I pray for healing and want to feel better immediately.

If I need help with a problem, I want a clear solution.

If I am in emotional pain, I want God make the pain go away.

Sometimes, though, I feel the same way I did during my dropped call with my wife.

I talk to God in prayer and feel and see no change.

It is in those moments that I need to remember that God’s voice sometimes comes in a gentle whisper.

He doesn’t always work in dramatic ways.

Sometimes it is in the little things that God moves the most.

I might not feel healthy right away, but He may nudge me toward the help that I need.

A solution may not present itself to fix my problems, but He can use those problems to make me stronger.

The pain may not always go away immediately, but He sometimes uses that pain to remind of all that He has blessed me with.

These are just a few tangible ways that God speaks through a whisper.

How are you looking for God to respond to your prayers?

Maybe the connection hasn’t been lost.

Perhaps you are just not listening carefully enough.

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

How has God spoken or moved in your life in a way that seems like a powerful wind or fire?

How has God spoken or moved in your life in a way that seems like a gentle whisper?

What things in your life can make it difficult for you to hear God’s whisper?

Why do you think that God uses a whisper sometimes instead of a dramatic experience?

DOWNLOAD THE PDF OF THIS LESSON

End lesson.

Looking for youth ministry curriculum? Check out the…

ONE YEAR PASS – For one year save 93% on $1,440 worth of youth group lessons, Bible studies, games, events & more. Only available through March 28!

Want a another free lesson? Check out this… 

Youth Group Game on Prayer

14 Replies to “Youth Group Lesson – Prayer”

  1. Mary B.Brown
    • April 22, 2016

    Great lesson! Would love to have it.
    Mary brown

    Reply 1 Response
    1. Sam
      • August 2, 2019

      Can you send me address to your organization.i would like to purchase you youth study on prayer.I will send amount in money order.

      Reply 1 Response
      1. Nick Diliberto
        • August 2, 2019

        Sure, send it to

        Ministry to Youth LLC
        227 Cheron Dr
        Mandeville, LA 70448

        Reply
  2. Arslan Masih
    • July 12, 2016

    It is a great lessons specially for teenagers..

    Reply
  3. Betty Lockhart
    • September 11, 2016

    I am always looking for a real heart searching class on how teens learn to talk to God . I love what I have read in these topics and need more info to get more

    Reply 1 Response
    1. Nick Diliberto
      • September 13, 2016

      Betty, awesome, glad you like our stuff 🙂 Sign up for our email list so you can get our newest youth group lessons 🙂

      Reply
  4. Milly Kanasha
    • September 16, 2016

    I will be addressing some teens tomorrow evening and I found this very helpful not only for my lesson but for myself too. Thank you. I would be happy to receive more recent lessons.

    Reply 1 Response
    1. Nick Diliberto
      • September 20, 2016

      So awesome…you’re welcome!

      Reply
  5. Ericka
    • May 5, 2018

    Thank you for sharing these bible studies!! I teach middle schoolers and we recently got a few new kids who come from broken homes and know very little of God and the bible and these lessons are perfect for them as well as the other students who have been there for years. Thank you and God bless your ministry.

    Reply 1 Response
    1. Becky Forkel
      • May 8, 2018

      Wow! That’s really awesome. We’re so glad that you can use our lessons. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  6. Ericka
    • May 6, 2018

    When I view the lesson online, it shows the right scripture of 1 Kings 19, but when I download the lesson, it shows 1 Peter 2:9-10.

    Reply 1 Response
    1. Becky Forkel
      • May 8, 2018

      Hi Ericka. Thank you for taking the time to make us aware of the mistake. We will take care of it. 🙂

      Reply
  7. MaggieSayre
    • July 28, 2019

    Outstanding lesson for tweens and teens. I have found it difficult to find tween appropriate lessons they are either too childish or too adult. This was right on the money. Thanks

    Reply 1 Response
    1. Kristy Preston
      • July 29, 2019

      Hi Maggie,
      We are so glad to hear that you found this lesson so useful!

      Reply

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