If we were to pick anyone to teach
us how to pray, Jesus Christ would obviously be the wisest choice. If anyone
understood what prayer really was and how to use prayer effectively, Jesus
would be the Person we needed to talk to.
As we begin this study, let’s look
at the example that Jesus set for us.
Luke 5:16 (ESV) 16 But he would withdraw
to desolate places and pray.
While it is true that we can and should pray
wherever we are, we should also have a place to go to for those serious amounts
of prayer where we can have privacy and be able to focus on God without all of
the interruptions. Jesus would leave the crowds to make time to communicate
with God through prayer and so should we.
Luke 6:12-13 (ESV) 12 In these days he went
out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.
13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom
he named apostles:
Not only did Jesus go out
to the mountain to pray but notice two things about this section of scripture:
He prayed all night. all night he continued in
prayer to God
He spent a lot of time in prayer before attempting
to make the right decisions. 13 And when day came, he called
his disciples and chose from them twelve
Luke 11:1-4 (ESV) 1 Now Jesus was praying in
a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And
he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom
come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4 and forgive us our sins, for we
ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into
temptation.” [underlining added]
The disciples of Jesus has seen Him preach and teach,
they had seen Him do many miracles and they had seen Him heal the sick but yet,
they said “Lord, teach us to pray”. John the Baptist taught his disciples or
followers to pray and so did the other ‘rabbis’ or teachers but nobody could
have taught them about prayer like Jesus, amen?
In this passage, you see a parallel version of what
is recorded in Matthew 6:9 and following.
We will look at those verses in just a moment but before we do, here are
a couple of quotes about prayer that you may find to be very helpful…
·
“A
proper idea of prayer is, a pouring out of the soul unto God, as a free-will
offering, solemnly and eternally dedicated to him, accompanied with the most earnest
desire that it may know, love, and serve him alone. He that comes thus to God
will ever be heard and blessed. Prayer is the language of dependence; he who
prays not, is endeavoring to live independently of God:” - Adam Clarke's
Commentary
·
“Prayer
requires more of the heart than of the tongue.”
In
Matthew chapter 6, you see the word ‘when’ repeated several times showing us
that it is not a question of ‘if we do’ but ‘when we do’. Jesus didn’t say ‘If
you pray…’, He said ‘when you pray…’
Matthew 6:5-8 (ESV) 5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites.
For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners,
that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their
reward.
What is a ‘hypocrite’?—“a stage-player, who
acts under a mask, personating a character different from his own; a
counterfeit, one who would be thought to be different from what he really is.”
It is
important to emphasize here that Jesus is talking about having wrong motives
when praying in public. He is not saying that we shouldn’t be praying
corporately as well as individually. If he was, then he would be sinning in John
17 for example.
Jesus
is describing the Pharisees praying in such a way to be heard by the people
instead of being heard by god. They would put on a show using long repetitive
phrases trying to show how religious they were. Jesus also said that ‘they have received their reward’
and what was that reward? To be seen by others… and that’s it. When you pray,
would you rather be heard by God and have your prayers answered or be satisfied
with putting on a good show for others to see. Here is a quote from the Life
Application Bible, “There is a place for public prayer, but to pray only where
others will notice you indicates that your real audience is not God.”
6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray
to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward
you.
Don’t
lose the emotion in the transition between verse 5 and 6. Hypocrites pray the
wrong way but you are to pray the right way. When you pray the right
way, not only will your prayers be heard but you will be openly rewarded as
well. And what is this right way? ‘in
secret’.
What should we be praying
about? In addition to the topics listed in this passage, here are a few other
topics
WE ARE TO STAY CONNECTED TO GOD. 1
Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV) 17 pray without ceasing,
WE ARE TO PRAY WITH ENDURANCE AND
FAITH. Luke 18:1 (ESV) 1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they
ought always to pray and not lose heart.
WE ARE TO PRAY IN THE SPIRIT. 1
Corinthians 14:15 (ESV) 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I
will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing
with my mind also.
WE ARE TO BE LED BY THE SPIRIT IN
OUR PRAYERS. Romans 8:26 (ESV) 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our
weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit
himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
WE ARE TO PRAY FOR ALL THINGS. Philippians
4:6-7 (ESV) 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the
peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus.
WE ARE TO PRAY FOR OUR ENEMIES. Matthew
5:44 (ESV) 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who
persecute you,
WE ARE TO PRAY FOR DISCIPLE-MAKING
DISCIPLES. Matthew 9:37-38 (ESV) 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The
harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to
the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
‘do not heap up empty phrases …’ How
many times do we go on ‘auto-pilot’ when we pray? Such as...
1.
When
saying the blessing for your food?
2.
When praying
before you go to bed?
What
are ‘empty phrases’? Just saying the words you always say without thinking about
what you saying and without putting any emotion into those words. How would
your spouse like to hear you say this on a daily basis without any emotion, ‘Hi,
honey, I am home. How was your day? Can we eat now? Okay, thank you. Good
night.’?
Too
often, that is what we sound like when we pray. Not thinking about the words,
just saying something to count as a prayer so that we can move on from there.
This is why I suggest that before you start to pray that you ‘let the dust
settle’. Instead of rushing to that place to pray and still thinking about
everything you have to do today and who called you earlier, etc., stop for a
moment and focus in God like those old radios we used to have with the needle
that slid across the radio until it came to your favorite radio station.
Sometimes you would be close enough to hear the station but still have to
adjust the knob to get it just right. When praying, make sure you are focused
on God and thinking about what you are saying instead of just rambling.
Some
folks think that if they pray long enough, surely God will hear them. Here is a
quote I found about using repetitious words in prayer, "A frequent
repetition of awful and striking words may often be the result of earnestness
and fervor, but great length of prayer, which will of course involve much
sameness and idle repetition, naturally creates fatigue and carelessness in
the worshipper, and seems to suppose ignorance or inattention in the
Deity; a fault against which our Lord more particularly wishes to secure
them."
WHAT
CAN KEEP US FROM EMPTY REPETITION IN OUR PRAYERS? [FROM THE PREACHER’S OUTLINE
AND SERMON BIBLE]
1. A genuine heart: really knowing
God personally and having a moment by moment fellowship with Him all day long.
2. Thought and concentration:
really focusing upon what we are saying.
3. Desire for fellowship with God:
praying sincerely, really meaning it.
4. Preparation: preparing
ourselves for prayer by first meditating in God's Word.
REPETITION
IS NOT BAD WHEN IT IS DONE CORRECTLY.
JESUS DID IT. Matthew 26:44 (ESV) 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and
prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.
HOW ABOUT PSALM 136?
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before
you ask him.
“Prayer
is not designed to inform God, but to give man a sight of his misery; to humble
his heart, to excite his desire, to inflame his faith, to animate his hope, to
raise his soul from earth to heaven, and to put him in mind that THERE is his
Father, his country, and inheritance.”
God
knows what you need and He will take care of you. That’s why Jesus said, Matthew 6:31-33 (ESV) 31 Therefore do
not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What
shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your
heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
When you pray, be honest with God. He already knows everything about
you. He knows what you are feeling and what you need. Don’t try to hide your
feelings from God, He will recognize your dishonesty. Read the book of Psalms
and notice the many times that David or the other writers would be crying out
to God in one verse and bragging on His goodness the next verse. One minute,
David might ask something like, ‘God, why did You leave me here in this mess?’
and turn right around and say ‘Lord, I know that everything You do is right’.
If you have kids or grandkids, you know the joy of hearing them come to
you and ask for something. I say ‘joy’ because you see their trust in you, knowing
that you are able to take care of what they need. God wants to hear you pray.
Tell Him what you think and what you feel. But please make sure you approach
God the right way… not as your slave and not as your equal but as the one true
God. The Creator of all things and the Sustainer of life itself. The Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
We will pick up from here next
Wednesday night and you are definitely encouraged to come and join us as we
search the scriptures and find out what prayer really is and how our prayer
lives can be more powerful. In the meantime, here is a closing passage for you
to read and see the awesomeness of our God…
Isaiah 6:1-8 (ESV) 1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord
sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the
temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six
wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with
two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy,
holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the
whole earth is full of his glory!” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook
at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I
am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD
of hosts!” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having
in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold,
this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
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