What is the difference between a surrender prayer and a dependent prayer?

Pastor Ken says a surrender prayer is “God, I give up, I can’t fix this, so can you?” A dependent prayer says “I trust you anyway,” even if it never gets fixed. He describes one as desperation and the other as devotion, one as reactive and the other as relational, and he doesn’t say surrender prayers are bad.

What is a “Netflix prayer life”?

It’s Pastor Ken’s picture of consumer-style prayer: you pick what you feel like today, whatever you want or need, and expect God to provide it. Dependent prayer says instead, “I am nothing without you,” no matter the health, finances, or relationships around you. He puts it as wanting miracles without maturity and revival without realignment.

What did the early church do while waiting for the Holy Spirit?

According to Acts 1, the disciples went back to the upper room in Jerusalem and were constantly in prayer together. They also prayed for God to show them who should replace Judas, and cast lots to choose Matthias. Pastor Ken says he isn’t suggesting casting lots today now that we have the Holy Spirit; the point is that they depended on God’s will.

How do I trust God when I’m afraid or things feel out of control?

Pastor Ken points to Matthew 10, where Jesus tells his followers not to be afraid, noting that not one sparrow falls outside the Father’s care and that even the hairs on your head are numbered. Jesus says you are worth more than many sparrows. His encouragement is to pray dependent prayers and trust God to use hard situations in his timing.