Roadblocks that Hinder Our Prayer

Preached to: Middle School Students

Speaker: Pastor Amanda Hahn

Pastor Amanda delivered an interactive sermon to middle school students on the topic of overcoming roadblocks to a strong prayer life. She engaged the students with games and discussions, helping them identify common obstacles like anger, busyness, distractions, doubt, and forgetfulness that hinder their ability to pray. Using Matthew 26:36-46, she highlighted how even Jesus’ disciples struggled with staying focused in prayer. The students reflected on their personal challenges and were encouraged to confront these roadblocks by identifying them and seeking ways to overcome them. Pastor Amanda emphasized the importance of maintaining a regular prayer habit, even during good times, and offered the opportunity for students to deepen their relationship with God. The session concluded with prayer and a call for commitment, inviting those who don't yet know Jesus to make a personal decision to follow Him.

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• Dinner Table Discussion Guide

  1. Understanding Roadblocks in Prayer

     • Discussion Starter: What are some things that make it hard for you to pray?

     • Questions:

       • Can you identify any "roadblocks" from your daily life that Pastor Amanda mentioned? (here is her list: anger, busyness, distractions, doubt, excuses, forgetfulness, and good times.)

       • How do you think we can help each other overcome these roadblocks?

       • Why do you think it's important to pray, even when things are going well?

     2. Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

     • Discussion Starter: Let's talk about Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. (Matthew 26:36-46)

     • Questions:

       • How do you think Jesus felt when His disciples couldn’t stay awake and pray with Him?

       • Why do you think Jesus prayed even though He knew what was going to happen?

       • How can we stay focused on prayer, especially when we’re tired or distracted?

     3. Making Prayer a Habit

     • Discussion Starter: How often do you find yourself praying throughout the day?

     • Questions:

       • What are some ways we can make prayer a regular part of our daily routine?

       • Do you think it’s easier to pray when things are going well or when things are difficult? Why?

       • How can we remind each other to pray, even when we're busy?

     4. Overcoming Distractions in Prayer

     • Discussion Starter: What are some things that distract you when you try to pray?

     • Questions:

       • How can we create a better environment at home for prayer time?

       • What can we do when we start to feel distracted while praying?

       • Can you think of any strategies to help us focus more during our prayer times?

     5. The Importance of Community in Prayer

     • Discussion Starter: Why do you think it’s important to pray with others?

     • Questions:

       • How can praying with a partner, like Pastor Amanda suggested, help us overcome our roadblocks?

       • Have you ever felt encouraged by praying with someone else? What was that like?

       • How can we support each other as a family in our prayer lives?

• Sermon Outline

  • • Starter

      • Introduction of the topic: Overcoming roadblocks in prayer life.

      • Quick review and accountability for last week's devotion.

      • Icebreaker game: "This or That" to engage students and build rapport.

    • Message

      • Focus on common roadblocks that prevent effective prayer: anger, busyness, distractions, doubt, excuses, forgetfulness, and good times.

      • Bible reading: Matthew 26:36-46 - Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.

      • Discussion on the disciples' struggle to stay awake and pray.

    • Dig Deeper

      • Explanation of each roadblock and how it affects prayer life.

      • Encouragement to identify personal roadblocks.

    • Application

      • Activity: Students walk around the room to identify their personal roadblocks and initial them on posters.

      • Prayer partners: Students find a partner to pray for overcoming their identified roadblocks.

    • Conclusion

      • Final prayer and encouragement to commit to overcoming roadblocks.

      • Invitation to those who don't know Jesus to make a personal decision to follow Him.

• Scriptures

  Matthew 26:36-46 - The passage describes Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane while His disciples struggle to stay awake, highlighting the challenges of staying focused in prayer even in critical moments.