God's Protection Through Prayer Part I Series

Purpose: To alert us to our vulnerability to Satan's attacks.

Aim: I want the listener to see the importance of avoiding sin by relying on God's strength.

INTRODUCTION: The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing; (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NAU), but how is that possible? We have been learning how to do that here in this model prayer that Jesus gave us. The six requests that Jesus lists here should keep us busy praying.

In the first three requests we saw that we should be praying that God will be glorified by asking that God's name will be seen as holy, that God's Kingdom will come, and that we will do God's will.

The personal requests have to do with our daily physical needs: "give us this day our daily bread", our past failures to glorify God: "forgive us our debts" and our need to avoid future failures to glorify God: "And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil...." (NAU)

Before we look at this final request, let's begin by looking at:

► I. An Overview of this Prayer

► A. We must avoid fake prayers

► 1. Don't let your prayers be hypocritical

Matthew 6:5 "When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. (NAU)

The Pharisees looked at prayer as a way to exalt themselves. This can happen in private prayer as well as public prayer. If we feel satisfied about how good we are because we have prayed, then we haven't really prayed.

► 2. Don't let your prayers be repetitious

Matthew 6:7 "And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. (NAU)

God is not impressed with mindless repetition and mechanical praying.

Even the Lord's Prayer can be used in a mindless and mechanical way. Anything we have memorized can be easily repeated without focusing on the meaning of what we are saying.

► B. We must remember the purpose for prayer

► 1. Real prayer exalts God

Matthew 6:9--10 "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. (NAU)

Psalm 97:9 For You are the LORD Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods. (NAU) Real prayer displays a high opinion about God.

► 2. Real prayer humbles us

The petitions of this prayer remind us that we are totally and constantly dependent on God for everything.

John R. Stott "When we come to God in prayer, we do not come hypocritically like play actors seeking the applause of men, nor mechanically like pagan babblers, whose mind is not in their mutterings, but thoughtfully, humbly and trustfully like little children to their Father". [1]

1 Peter 5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, (NAU)

► C. We must remember to pray God's way

► 1. Ask for what God has already promised

We are told to pray: "give us this day our daily bread" and we are promised: And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19NAU)

We are told to pray: "forgive us our debts" and we are promised: For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. 17 But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children, (Psalm 103:11--14,17 NAU)

We are told to pray: "And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil" and we are promised: Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name. Let Your lovingkindness, O LORD, be upon us, According as we have hoped in You. (Psalm 33:20--22 NAU)

► 2. Ask believing God can answer

Matthew 7:8 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (NAU)

There are restrictions on what we can ask for, but it is like a fish complaining that it has been restricted to the Atlantic ocean.