Learning to Live a Lifestyle of Prayer

This sermon explores the transformative power of developing a lifestyle of prayer rather than merely praying in moments of crisis. Drawing from Mark 9, where the disciples fail to cast out a demon and Jesus explains it requires prayer and fasting, the message emphasizes that prayer is fundamentally about dependency and trust in God, not intellectual certainty or proper technique. The sermon challenges the congregation to examine whether they truly believe prayer changes things, acknowledging the tension between belief and unbelief that most Christians experience. It presents prayer as the primary way Jesus lived in dependency on the Father, and if Jesus needed this lifestyle of prayer, how much more do we? The core message is that we reap today what we sowed yesterday—meaning the spiritual power and presence we experience in critical moments flows from the daily habits we've cultivated. The sermon culminates in a practical invitation to 21 days of prayer and fasting, emphasizing that becoming "a prayer" rather than someone who occasionally prays requires intentional practice and rhythm.