The Power of Your Prayers | Draw Near With Pastor Amy Groeschel

Draw Near Through Desperate Prayer and Dependence

Scripture References

• 1 Kings 18

Overview

God uses seasons of prolonged pain, waiting, and opposition to draw His children closer to Him. Through Hannah-like prayers of desperation and Elijah-like courage, we learn that every prayer matters because it deepens relationship, builds dependence, and realigns wandering hearts. The conversation traces Amy’s 12-year battle with chronic infection, Elijah’s fire on Mount Carmel, and practical checkpoints for turning back to God in prayer.

Main Points

1. Desperate Prayer Builds Intimacy (Hannah’s Pattern)

• Hannah’s story highlighted “knowing and depending on God through prayer.”
• Story: Amy described 12 years of chronic bladder and kidney infections—constant pain, antibiotic resistance, tears in doctors’ offices, and breakdowns when symptoms returned.
  • Illustration: “Not again. Not another round of antibiotics again.”
• In that long season she discovered:
  • God hears every cry; none are wasted.
  • Ongoing prayer cultivated deep dependence: “He was always at work doing an internal work in me of dependence upon Him.”
  • God eventually healed an “incurable” diagnosis, proving His faithfulness and prompting praise.

2. Trials Push Us Toward or Away From God

• Suffering often creates two trajectories: press in for comfort and revelation, or withdraw in disappointment.
• Craig noted many live in deceptive “in-between,” yet real outcomes are polar.
• Jesus’ reminder that “in this world you will have trouble” sets expectations; intimacy is optional, not trouble.

3. Elijah’s Courage and God’s Purpose (1 Kings 18)

• Elijah faced terrifying assignments yet trusted Yahweh as Provider (ravens, brook).
• Confidence grew from every provision and miracle, fueling boldness before Baal’s prophets.
• Amy read Elijah’s simple prayer (1 Kings 18) that revealed God’s intent:

  “Answer me, Lord, so these people will know you are God and are turning their hearts back again.”

• Fire from heaven was not spectacle—it exposed false gods and invited Israel to return.

4. Turning Hearts Back: From Part-Time to Full-Time Following

• Craig’s confession:

  “I’d become a full-time pastor and a part-time follower of Christ.”

• The same drift affects moms, entrepreneurs, hobbyists, and anyone scrolling endlessly; good things can displace God things.
• Knowing God is inseparable from following Him—crucifying self-driven desires and serving as His “servants,” like Elijah.

5. Practicing Dependence in Community

• Small-group challenge: honestly assess current prayer life.
• Discuss: “How does prayer impact the way you know and depend on God?”
• Don’t stop at discussion—cry out together; prayer itself forms dependence.

Key Truths

• Long seasons of pain are often God’s workshop for deeper dependence.
• Every prayer matters because relationship with God is formed in the conversation, not just in the outcome.
• Courage in public battles is fueled by private moments of provision and trust.
• God’s miracles are purposeful: to reveal Himself and turn wandering hearts back.
• It is possible to work for God yet drift from God; intimacy requires intentional return.

Response

• Evaluate any area where your heart has drifted—even to “good” pursuits—and turn back to God.
• Commit to honest, persistent prayer that expresses real need and trust.
• Remember and recount God’s past faithfulness to build courage for present trials.
• Serve God as His servant, not your own agenda, aligning every assignment with His purpose.
• Pray with others this week, not merely about them—dependence grows in shared desperation.

Closing

Amy and Craig urged listeners to move from knowing about God to knowing Him intimately. The invitation is clear: identify any distraction, repent, and pray with renewed dependence, trusting that God never wastes a trial but uses it to draw hearts near.

“Turn back, turn back. That’s His cry to us today.”

Resources

• Draw Near (free Bible study guide by Amy)