Attitudes for Effective Prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9-6-09
Our subject this morning is prayer. Do you have questions about prayer? What needs to happen so that our prayers get answered? What do we need to do differently? What are we doing right? What is the right way to pray? Let’s begin exploring those questions by listening in on a discussion concerning prayer. This discussion focused on posture to be taken during prayer.
It’s entitled “The Prayer of Cyrus Brown.”
“’The proper way for a man to pray,’ said Deacon Lamuel Keyes,
’and the only proper attitude is down upon his knees.’
’No, I should say the way to pray,’ said Reverend Doctor Wise,
’is standing straight with outstretched arms and rapt and upturned eyes.’
’Oh, no, no, no!” said Elder Sloe. ’Such posture is too proud.
A man should pray with eyes fast closed and head contritely bowed.’
’It seems to me his hands should be austerely clasped in front,
with both thumbs pointing toward the ground,’ said Reverend Doctor Blunt.
’Last year I fell in Hodkin’s well, head first,’ said Cyrus Brown.
’With both my heels a-stickin’ up, my head apointin’ down.
And I made a prayer right then and there, the best prayer I ever said,
the prayenist prayer I ever prayed was astandin’ on my head.’”
Have you had any experiences like Cyrus Brown? Have been in any situations where at least metaphorically your heels were a-stickin’ up, and your head was apointin’ down? I’ve done some of my best praying in positions like that. One of the most effective prayers Peter ever prayed was only three words, “Lord, save me!” Remember when the disciples were in a terrible storm. Their boat was about to sink. Then they saw Jesus walking on the water. Peter got out of the boat and started walking. But when he started looking at the waves he began sinking into the sea. That’s when he prayed that powerful prayer, “Lord, save me.” We know it worked because that’s exactly what Jesus did.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught about prayer. Probably the best known portion of that teaching was what we now call “The Lord’s Prayer.” Follow with me as we read Matt 6:9-13 "This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ (NIV)
I usually teach the Lord’s Prayer by focusing on the content of each verse outlined by Jesus. It begins with worship (“hallowed by thy name”). Then you assert kingdom authority (“thy will be done”). Then you make your petitions (“Give us this day our daily bread”). You ask for forgiveness of sin (“forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us”). You ask for protection against temptation (“Lead us not into temptation”). And finally you close with praise (“For Yours’ is the kingdom and the power and glory forever”). That is a very helpful way to teach The Lord’s Prayer and I affirm it this morning. How many of you were exposed to Larry Lea’s teaching on the Lord’s Prayer during the 1980’s. That’s the way Larry approached it and it was very useful. Most people think Larry originated that teaching; but I have read authors who wrote in the 1800’s who were saying essentially the same thing.
Today I want to approach the Lord’s Prayer from a different angle. I want us to see that in his teaching of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus is mostly talking about an attitude of the heart. God looks upon the heart; and Jesus is telling us what kind of mindset or orientation we should have when we pray. Six attitudes that facilitate effective prayer:
I. Acceptance (“Our Father in heaven”).
The most foundational aspect of prayer is relationship. It’s never about manipulating God by pushing just the right buttons to make things happen. It’s always about coming to your Heavenly Father and interacting with Him. Prayer is essentially a child talking to his or her daddy. John 1:12 “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Rom 8:15-17 “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
The first thing that must be established is our relationship with God. Have you been born of the Spirit? Have you surrendered your life to God and received the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ? If that has happened, then God’s Spirit confirms to your spirit that you’re a child of God. Have you been born again? If the answer is “yes” then approach God as your Heavenly Father.
For many people their concept of God is so distorted that it significantly hinders their prayer life. If you view God as this distant being who is mostly ticked off at you because you just don’t quite measure up, you’re going to have a hard time praying. Nobody wants to approach a being like that. But when you get a revelation of His acceptance of you as His child, then it’s easy to approach Him. Eph 1:4-8 “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will- 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”
The basis of God’s acceptance of you is not your performance but God’s grace. You are accepted “in Christ.” In Him you have been born into the family of God.
I want you to listen to this Love Letter from God that defines our relationship with the Father and get a feel of the acceptance that should fill our hearts as we approach God in prayer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKmdIdQg3Ks
Those are the thoughts that should fill our hearts as we approach God. Earthly fathers are not always good representatives of God. Sometimes that affects people’s concept of God. But our Heavenly Father is perfect in every way. He has nothing but good intentions toward us. It is His good pleasure to give Him the kingdom. We are not approaching a reluctant tyrant. We are approaching a loving Father who cares about our every need.
In no way inconsistent with this sense of intimacy and acceptance with God is the second attitude conducive to effective prayer.
II. Respect (“hallowed be your name”).
The intimacy we are granted by God in no way detracts from His greatness. Our sense of acceptance lets us know about God’s willingness to answer prayer. Our sense of respect reminds us of God’s unlimited ability to answer prayer. Our God is an awesome God. He rules in the heavens. He sits on the circle of the earth and does whatsoever He pleases.
God instructed Moses to build a Tabernacle in the wilderness for worship. There were three main components of that Tabernacle: the court where the animals were sacrificed, the Holy Place where the priests ministered, and the Holy of Holies where God’s manifest presence dwelt. Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies and He could do that only once a year. For a person to just brazenly walk into the Holy of Holies would mean immediate death. What was God teaching Israel? He was teaching them to respect who He is. He is the creator of the heavens and the earth. He is from everlasting to everlasting. Every breath we take is a gift from Him.
There is a difference between holy boldness (the liberty granted to a child of God by a loving Heavenly Father) verses a brazen disregard and disrespect toward God’s authority. Ananias and Sappharia lied to the Holy Spirit because they had no respect in their hearts toward God. Never lose your sense of awe about God. Look into the clouds overhead and realize that is but a tiny speck of His glory. Look into the telescope and realize you are not seeing the fullness of His vast creation but only a portion.
It is a humbling experience to consider the greatness of God. It helps us remember we were made from the dust of the earth. But out of that place of humility we can also know that God’s strength works in our behalf. Isa. 40:9-29 (read).
Listen to this clip and let it stir your heart to the attitude of respect conducive to effective prayer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myuwJr4M5v8
In Matt. 6:10 we have an attitude of
III. Commitment (your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven).
This is a pledge of allegiance to God’s kingdom. We’re totally dedicated to God’s purposes on earth. We want His will more than anything else. We have not approached God in order to get Him to buy into our plan. We have come to do His will. We are prayerfully wanting His agenda. The greatest demonstration of this attitude was in Jesus as He faced the cross. There in the Garden of Gethsemane the bloody sweat ran down his face as He agonized over the dark judgment awaiting him at Calvary. His death was like no other man’s death. In His death He carried the sin of the world. There He prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
The error most people make in prayer is right here. They see prayer as a way to get God to do what they want Him to do. This is completely backwards. Prayer is me committing myself to the will of the Father. Prayer is me partnering with God for the implementation of His will on the earth.
I will only buy into this if I really know that God always has my best interest in mind. I can embrace this attitude of commitment to the will of God if I really believe that His plan for me is the very best plan possible. Then prayer becomes a discovery of the will of God and an assertion for that will to be done.
Linked with this is an attitude of
IV. Trust (“Give us today our daily bread”).
Why ask for only today’s bread? Why not ask for at least this month’s bread? Because I’m going to be talking with Him tomorrow about tomorrow’s bread. I am willing to trust Him with tomorrow. I am willing to live in daily dependence upon Him.
Are we thinking that way in our prayers? Are we asking for Him to take care of us each day? Or do we expect a silo full of grain just in case He’s not there tomorrow. In this sermon Jesus explains Himself more fully. Matt 6:25-34
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ’What shall we eat?’ or ’What shall we drink?’ or ’What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Over and over in that passage Jesus is telling us to not worry. Worrying is counter-productive. That’s why Paul wrote in Phil 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
We are to cast all our care on God knowing that He cares for us. We are to trust Him for tomorrow and ask Him to meet our needs today.
Effective prayer also depends upon an attitude of:
V. Mercy (“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors”).
Am I carrying in my heart malice toward anyone? Have people done you wrong? I’m sure some have. The important thing is what you did with that offense. Have you found grace to let it go or are you still a captive to the offense? Are you still allowing that person to hinder your relationship with God? Are you allowing that offense to rob you of the joys of life?
Jesus gave special emphasis to this point at the end of the Lord’s Prayer. In Matt 6:14-15 He added, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” The problem is the condition of our hearts. If we have hardened ourselves and are unwilling to forgive others, we are not in a humble state to receive forgiveness. Earlier in this sermon Jesus had talked about loving our enemies, praying for those who persecute us, blessing those who curse us. None of that comes natural. We need God’s grace to empower us to do that. But His grace is sufficient. It all begins with a decision—not a feeling--a decision to leave any correction of the matter with God and get on with your life. Don’t just make a decision to forgive a particular offense; make a decision to forgive offense even before it happens. Make a life-long decision to be a forgiver. You may have to affirm that decision a thousand times; but don’t allow for the possibility of not forgiving others.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” I don’t know about you but I have needed quite a bit of mercy in my life. Even with my best efforts, I will probably need a lot in the future. If there is a link between me receiving mercy and me being merciful toward others, I want to be merciful. Amen? So this attitude of mercy toward others is foundational to our prayer life.
Finally, there is our attitude toward sin—an attitude of
VI. Purity (“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”).
I am wanting to live holy. I am wanting no allegiance with my enemy. In Ps 45:7 we have a Messianic prophesy concerning Jesus. “You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” To love righteousness is to hate wickedness and visa versa. Therefore, I nurture in my heart a love for God’s ways and a hatred toward any sin that dishonors Him. In Ps 66:18-19 David wrote, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; 19 but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.” There is a difference between falling into sin (getting tripped up by sin) verses cherishing sin in my heart. What are my intentions as I come to God in prayer? It’s difficult to pray effectively for provision while at the same time planning to rob a bank. That duplicity of heart undermines the prayer. Balaam is a person who lacked this attitude during prayer. He was a spiritual man and he prayed. But he also wanted to get as close to temptation as he could (Num. 22:12, 19-22). No, the proper orientation for prayer is coming to God wanting to please Him more than anything else.
There are two sides to this prayer “And lead us not into temptation.” First, there is the desire to live holy and not fall into temptation—not fall into sin. Second, there is a godly distrust in our own capacity to withstand temptation. “... let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” We’re not in a prideful, self-righteous state. We know that we stand by the grace of God and we’re asking for that grace to preserve us.
Conclusion
In addition to giving us an outline of what we should pray about daily, the Lord’s Prayer gives insight on the attitudes that must fill our hearts as we pray. We come to God with an attitude of
(1) Acceptance—an understanding of our relationship with the Father. We are coming to a loving Father who wants to meet our every need. “Our Father in heaven”
(2) Respect—our God is awesome. He is not only willing; but He is also able to meet our every need. “hallowed be your name”
(3) Commitment—we are committed to God’s agenda. We are not praying to get Him to buy into our agenda. We are here to cooperate with His will in every way we can. “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
(4) Trust—we trust Him with our future. We ask Him to meet our needs today knowing that He will faithfully take care of us tomorrow and the next day and the next. “Give us today our daily bread.”
(5) Mercy—we forgive those who have sinned against us. We do not come to God with hearts hardened by bitterness and resentment. We come leaving all vengeance in God’s hands and humbly asking His mercy toward us. “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
(6) Purity—our motive is to please God. We have no alliance with wickedness. We are not prideful and self-righteous. We know we could fail so we ask God to protect us from temptation toward sin. “13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Would you pray the Lord’s Prayer with me?
For FOOTNOTES/SOURCES & Audio go to www.GatewayNixa.org
Richard Tow
Gateway Foursquare Church
Nixa, Missouri
