Discussion Questions

David Bercot says Jesus gives “two things that we have to do” to tap into His power to produce fruit: pray and obey; how does that framing reshape what you assume “without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5) actually means in day-to-day Christian living? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot says we tap into Jesus’ power by praying and obeying. How does that change what “without Me you can do nothing” means in your everyday Christian life?

In Matthew 7:7–11, Jesus portrays the Father as eager to give “good things” to those who ask; how do you reconcile that generosity with Bercot’s claim that “God hears the prayers of the righteous, but He turns away from the wicked,” and what does that reveal about God’s character and priorities? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Jesus says the Father loves to give good things to people who ask. How do you fit that with the idea that God listens to the righteous but turns away from the wicked, and what does that show about what God cares about most?

Bercot argues that “millions…pray…for the power to live the Christian life” yet “never receive” because they don’t meet the condition “If you love Me, keep My commandments”; what examples (personal or observed) fit or challenge his diagnosis, and where do you think modern Christians most commonly try to separate asking from obeying? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot says many people pray for power to live right but don’t receive it because they won’t obey Jesus’ commands. What examples have you seen that support or challenge this, and where do Christians today most often try to ask God for help without obeying?

James 5:16 is quoted to emphasize that “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much”; what do you think Bercot wants you to conclude about prayer offered while knowingly disobeying, and how does that confront common evangelical instincts about “just pray anyway”? JumpstartAnother way to ask: James 5:16 says a righteous person’s prayer is powerful. What do you think Bercot is saying about praying while you know you are disobeying, and how does that challenge the idea of “just pray anyway”?

Bercot insists 1 Peter 1:22 is not about initial conversion but about born-again Christians: “You have purified your souls in obeying the truth”; what does it mean for ongoing obedience to “purify” a Christian’s soul, and how does that compare to popular teaching that mainly locates cleansing in a past moment rather than a present practice? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot says 1 Peter 1:22 is about Christians being purified by ongoing obedience. What could it mean for obedience to keep “cleaning” your soul over time, and how is that different from teaching that cleansing mostly happened once in the past?

The “riding a bike” analogy claims obedience and prayer work like balance and motion—each enabling the other; where do you see your own life stuck (unable to “balance” because you won’t “move,” or unable to “move” because you feel you lack “balance”), and what would “moving a little” look like in a specific neglected command? JumpstartAnother way to ask: The bike picture says prayer and obedience work together like moving and balancing. Where are you stuck—won’t obey so you don’t grow, or feel too unstable to obey—and what is one small step of obedience you could take in a command you’ve been ignoring?

Bercot describes a sequence: pray for power in a particular area, then “step out in faith, deny our flesh, and obey,” and that initial obedience makes future prayer more effective; what practical steps would you take to test whether this “victorious cycle” is real, and what would count as evidence that your prayers are “availing more”? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot says you pray for help, then obey, and that makes later prayers stronger. What simple steps could you try to see if this is true, and what would show you that your prayers are becoming more effective?

The chapter criticizes people who “add prayer to an otherwise ungodly, pleasure-driven life” and expect God “to do all of the work”; what specific modern Christian habits, entertainments, or lifestyle norms do you think Bercot would classify as “pleasure-driven,” and why would early Christians likely have found our assumptions about freedom and holiness strange? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot criticizes people who pray but still live mainly for fun and comfort. What common Christian habits or entertainments today might he call “pleasure-driven,” and why might early Christians be shocked by what we think is normal freedom and holiness?

William Law calls prayer plus disobedience “absurd,” “lip service,” or even “flagrant hypocrisy,” giving examples like praying while hoarding treasures or living in “foolish pleasures”; which of his examples lands most uncomfortably on your conscience, and how would changing the “common course” of your life need to look for your prayers to match their own “spirit”? JumpstartAnother way to ask: William Law says praying while disobeying is fake, like just giving God empty words. Which example hits you the hardest, and what would need to change in your usual daily life so your prayers match what you say you want?

When Bercot adds a third element—faith from Matthew 21:21–22—he says answered prayer strengthens faith, which strengthens prayer, which strengthens obedience; where do you most struggle with doubt in asking God for transformation, and how might a deliberate act of obedience be the “seed” that grows your faith rather than waiting for faith to feel strong first? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot adds that faith also affects answered prayer, obedience, and growth. Where do you most doubt God will change you, and what one act of obedience could you do now that might help your faith grow instead of waiting to feel more faith first?