PRINCIPALS OF PRAYER
4/15/07
(Mat 6:5) And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
(Mat 6:6) But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
(Mat 6:7) But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
(Mat 6:8) Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
(Mat 6:9) After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
(Mat 6:10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
(Mat 6:11) Give us this day our daily bread.
(Mat 6:12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
(Mat 6:13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
(Mat 6:9) Our Father which art in heaven: Personal relationship like a Father and a son. People talk differently to one another than they do their Father or their son, there is nothing hidden between a Father and a son. there is respect between a Father and a son. God intends for the relationship to be personal and reverent. Jesus does not expect you to pray addressing him by every title like the Pharisees prayed, thinking they would be heard by their many words(v. 7)
Hallowed be thy name: Hallowed = to make holy
You could look at this a few different ways but this is the important part that we keep his name holy when we pray.
(Exo 20:7) Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Many times we pray without sincerity and we might as well not even pray because our motive is vain and wrong. The name of the Lord is holy let us not be seen before God using it just to use it, or like the Pharisees, praying just to pray or be seen. When you pray you do not have to chant or repeat repetitious words but speak to your Father with sincerity and honesty without fear but with all respect.
(Heb 4:16) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
(Mat 6:10) Thy kingdom come. Who’s kingdom? His not ours! Many times we get to busy trying to build our little empire on earth and we for get we are not here to stay, we are just passing through. Let us consider this when we pray.
(Joh 18:36) Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world:
John the baptist was the greatest example of the proper mindset for the child of God. He preached kingdom of God is at hand. He said, there is another coming greater than I.
(Mar 1:7) And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
We we pray let us consider The Kingdom of God and not our own agenda, not our wants and hopes and dreams, not to say we cant have some but let them be the reflection of our hearts desire for the kingdom of God and not our wicked wants of carnality.
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Christ himself prayed not my will, but your will be done.
(Mat 26:39) And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
(Mat 10:24) The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
Are we greater than Christ? If he did not seek his flesh, should we incline our selves to seek our carnality? If he was willing to crucify his flesh for the kingdom of God should we not make the same sacrifice?
Note: The petitions are six; the first three relate more expressly to God and his honor, the last three to our own concerns, both temporal and spiritual. This prayer teaches us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and that all other things shall be added.
We all have needs but remember according to v.8, God knows them before you even ask.
Illustration: Life is like a great mountain, we are at the bottom of the mountain looking up, we see a great journey and have know idea what lies before us and how we will overcome it.
God however is on top of the mountain, for he has already conquered the mountain and made the way for us. From our perspective looking up it looks impossible and we are not sure what we must do, but from Gods perspective on top he can see every path and every obstacle we will encounter. If we try to climb the mountain on our own intelligence we will surely be lost but if we will keep our eyes on the one who has already walked the way and stands at the top victoriously, and listen to the truth he cries down to us, for he sees everything before we do, then we can surely find the right way and make the right decisions.
(Mat 6:11) Give us this day our daily bread. (Dependence for Physical well being)
He said give it, not lend it, not sale it, but give it. We live by grace and not by anything we have done lest we have boast or confidence in our selves.
(Eph 2:8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
(Eph 2:9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.
We are dependent upon God not on our jobs, our government, not our fortune, or luck but God. Don ‘t pray for God to give you a good job so you can have bread, not for someone to come and give us our bread, but give us our daily bread. We worry to much about how God is going to give it, rather than just believing he is going to and it is none of our business how. He said daily because we are not to worry about tomorrow for it will take care of itself but today is the day you should pray for.
(Mat 6:34) Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
(Mat 6:12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.(dependence for our spiritual wellbeing)
Not debt as in money but debt as in wrong.
If I slap you I am indebt to you for I have robbed you of your due respect. If I lie to you, I am in debt to you, for I have robbed you of your right to the truth.
Do not expect to take advantage of your rights in the kingdom of God if you will rob others of theirs.
(Mat 6:14) For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
(Mat 6:15) But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will
your Father forgive your trespasses.
Salvation is of the heart and soul, do not pray with the wrong heart and a dirty soul. Prayer is the best time to take advantage of cleaning our heart.
(Mat 6:13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
I don’t think any of us think God would lead us into temptation, but this is saying more so, that God would help us not to encounter it and when we do, for him to deliver us from it.
Temptation takes place in the mind, for when you see, hear or feel something the decision point takes place in the mind and the product of that decision is deposited into the heart , so what you entertain in your mind will soon be the content of the heart.
Let us pray that God will sanctify our minds for many have been slain on the battlefield of the mind.
When you pray thing of these God given principals, because anybody can pray but few ever really talk to God.
