How do I pray when I feel defeated?!

How do I pray when I feel defeated?!

In last night's online Bible study, we gained some solid instructions on how to cry out to the LORD in the middle of great devastation. 

In Psalm 74, Asaph describes and laments the tragic state of worship and the destroyed dwelling place of the Lord.

Psalm 74 is also labeled a "Maschil" or "Contemplation of Asaph."

This is a Song of Instruction, with the purpose of providing understanding.

So I believe that Asaph wrote this song of instruction to teach us how to call on the name of the LORD in the midst of despair and oppression.

When all seemed lost, Asaph made several powerful & urgent pleas to Heaven, to the Living God, Righteous King, and Great Shepherd, to ACT on behalf of His Sheep.

As you continue to meditate on Psalm 74, I want to encourage you to think of how this psalm also applies to us now, not only as the global state of the Church is under attack by the enemy, but also individually since our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.  

And I warn you, this psalm feels dark. Asaph feels utterly defeated.

But as one commentator said, "This is not a song of an atheist, but the wail of a believer." (Morgan)

In this psalm, Asaph demonstrates for us how to appeal to the heart of God through prayer and worship by calling on God to take 7 Actions on behalf of His sheep. (CATCH THE BIBLE STUDY REPLAY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE 7 PLEAS).

Psalm 74 is so relatable because we are living in a time where truth is twisted and everything we stand for as a people of God wants to be replaced with new ideology that rejects God's truth.

The challenge I posed to everyone last night was this:

Are we going to succumb to the current state of affairs or are we going to rise up like Asaph and make a powerful plea to Heaven for God, Our Creator, Our King, to restore order?!

As for me, challenge accepted.

*This was just the beginning of our online Bible study conversation this week. If you missed our online Bible study Zoom on Monday night, keep reading for how to get caught up!*

Did you miss Monday night's online Bible study?

• Register here to gain access to our online Bible study Zoom link, weekly PDF downloads, and reminder emails.
• Join me on Wednesday for the LUNCHTIME LIVE online Bible study recap at 12pm ET on Facebook or Instagram!

Do you have a login to our online learning portal?

All PDFs are now loaded to Soul of Worship Ministry's THE WORKSHOP! The Workshop is our online learning portal that holds all available resources for all online Bible study series we've ever done. Once you create a login, you are free to use any of the online Bible study materials for your own personal study or to use for leading others in small group Bible studies.

Also, by Thursday of every week, the Lunchtime LIVE recap video is also loaded into The Workshop! The goal is to have all online Bible study resources readily available in one place.

Want to learn more about the power of worship & praise?

The Worship: Are You Making a Sound? Book is an incredible Bible study resource to go really deep into the Word of God to understand the power we have in our sound as children of God. Grab a copy of the book here or enroll in our self-guided, video e-course, available now!

Keep on praising,

Sara-Marie & the Soul of Worship Ministry Team