A Study on Prayer: [read Matthew 6:5-13]
Have you struggled with prayer? Does prayer seem like an exercise in eloquent speech that you just don't possess? Does prayer seem to you something reserved for the super spiritual or those called into the ministry of God?
What is prayer? Why do we pray? How are we to pray? Is there a specific formula? What about when we are disappointed with the results of our prayer time? Specifically what should we pray FOR as believers?
WHAT IS PRAYER?
Before looking at what prayer IS, let’s look at what prayer is NOT…
Prayer is not some mysterious practice that’s for only pastors and the super spiritual believer….
Prayer is not your ‘order form’ for God… God is not some sort of cosmic waiter waiting to meet and fulfill your whim and desire.
Prayer is not some spiritual formula or set of specific words that can conjure up God’s action… God will never be impressed because of our eloquence in prayer…
Prayer is simply our communication with God! Prayer is when we talk with God, but another aspect of prayer is when we clear out everything and we intentionally listen for God to speak to our hearts. How many of you have ever thought about that aspect of prayer… prayer is as much about listening for God’s voice as it is expressing ourselves to God.
Prayer is the free and unashamed expression of our soul to the God we profess as Lord and Savior of our life! Prayer should never be contrived and forced… When Christ is Savior and Lord of our life, God has promised that we can come to Him and bare our heart…
Prayer is can be a written prayer OR prayer can be a spontaneous, expression of the heart that is spoken by a believer! But the essence of what true prayer is to God is found in the hearts and attitudes of believers when they pray! Now while I fully believe anyone who prays should use their own words… prayer is more about OUR relationship and attitude of the heart toward God! Prayer is such a very personal action on our behalf in support and love for the God was serve…
Do you have trouble praying? Believe it or not, there are many believers who do… but if prayer is difficult for you… I want you to listen up tonight as I want to help all of us learn some very fundamental precepts about prayer and how when you apply these to your life, it makes prayer so much more real and satisfying in our hearts!
HOW ARE WE TO PRAY?
The first question on prayer that you may have is… “Is there a right ‘position’ for prayer?” Laying face down? Kneeling? Bowing? Standing? Is there a ‘correct’ position for prayer?
When we look at Scripture we come to the conclusion that there is really no one prescribed position for prayer, so we can rest assured that there is NO correct or incorrect posture for prayer.
The focus on these passages we are about to read is NOT the position in which they pray, but THAT they are praying… they reveal the importance of prayer, not the position in which we accomplish that prayer!
When we look into Scripture we find people prayed in all sorts of positions:
• - on their knees (1 Kings 8:45),
• - bowing (Exodus 4:31),
• - on their faces before God (2 Chronicles 20:18; Matthew 26:39), and
• - standing (1 Kings 8:22).
But preacher, what about when someone prays with their eyes OPEN… isn’t that disrespectful? In our culture we have come to associate closed eyes in prayer equals respect and reverence, but in reality there is nothing special about closing your eyes in prayer… other than for YOUR OWN sake.
Also I might ask you, how do YOU know these people’s eyes were open in prayer, unless yours were too? But seriously, we need to understand open or shut eyes have no serious affect on our prayer… let me go back to the fact that prayer is a personal experience and a matter of the heart!
• I believe you can pray with your eyes opened or closed…
• I believe you can pray either in quiet or out loud
We have all heard pastors and others pray prayers of great eloquence and use words that are beautiful and flowing… but is this necessary? Should I Use Eloquent Words in my prayer? (Thee, thou, thy… King James English)
My answer to you is that God created all language and understands FULLY whatever language you speak. Your prayers need not be wordy or impressive in speech. God hears NOT the words of your prayer but the heart of your prayer!
With that being said, prayer is very solemn act and should NEVER be treated in a flippant or disrespectful manner. So often we find ourselves praying without the reverence of heart that is required when we go before the throne of heaven. God is not looking for special words or any particular ORDER of words, but God is looking for the yearnings and submission of your heart!
Solomon tells us in Ecc 5:2…
Do not be quick with your mouth; do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. (NIV)
This reveals the solemn and grave nature of coming before the King of Kings… prayer is NOT for us to impress God or waste His time, but prayer is the open revelation of our heart to God, and seeking God’s face to adjust our own desires to come into line with His…
IS THERE A FORMULA FOR PRAYER?
If your question here is directed toward a set of words or phrases that somehow come together to be a prayer… and that they can be used by many people in many situations… Then I will have to say EMPHATICALLY NO there is not a formula for prayer!
However, if we look to our passage of Scripture tonight we can see that Jesus lays out… NOT a formula for prayer, but a template or guidelines for prayer! In the prayer Jesus sets forward here in this passage we see a model being put forth to which His disciples put into practice in their lives!
Jesus begins this pattern or template by a holy acknowledgement of who God is… Our FATHER in heaven, Hallowed by your name! A father is the creator of the family… God is creator of the universe… We must acknowledge Him in this manner… Jesus’ prayer also acknowledges God FIRST before any other aspect of the prayer! [Matt 6:33]
First acknowledge God… then Jesus continues… we must seek to be obedient servants OF God. Jesus said, “Your kingdom come, your will be done…” We are God’s kingdom here on this earth… His will works through His servants and we should pattern our obedience after that of the angels who obey without question in heaven!
Acknowledge God and seek to be obedient in your walk are the 1st 2 parts of the pattern, but Jesus continues: “Give us this day our daily bread” This is Jesus revealing that God’s desire is to sustain and provide for His own… The prayer asks for provision, but God has promised provision… this reveals the attitude of the heart of the one praying…
Another aspect of this verse is that John said, “…and forgive our trespasses or our debts...” This is Jesus speaking of the man with sin in his life and how God forgives sin, but God will not forgive the one who is unwilling to forgive others!
Then Jesus patterns the final part of this prayer after the love and character He has… “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Here Jesus acknowledges our downfall and frailty when it comes to sin… Jesus seeks to save and deliver when others may lead you down a path of unrighteous behavior…
I use this template, but it is not a requirement for prayer… it is merely a guide for how you pray and deals with some of the content of that the prayer .
What If I Don't Know How to Pray or what to pray FOR?
God has promised that the Holy Spirit will help you to prayer EVEN when you don't know how to pray or what to say... Read Romans 8:26-27 [NIV]
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
Prayer is not so much about HOW you do it because Scripture gives no specific instruction as to how prayer should be accomplished physically, but what I believe as a pastor is that prayer is all about WHY you are doing it… what is your motivation behind your prayer?
Why Should I Pray?
Well the first reason I can see for WHY we are to pray can be found in our own personal relationship with God. We need to realize and understand that God created humanity and God desires communion with His creation.
In the Garden of Eden, God communed physically with Adam and Eve, but when they sinned and were cast out, they were no longer able to commune physically, but that did not diminish God’s desire to commune with His creation.
It is God’s desire to commune with us and prayer is our way of communing with God… it is our way of speaking directly TO God. In short, prayer is something we can do that will develop our relationship with God. Can you imagine what it would be like in a marriage if we never spoke to our spouse… we court her, we marry her and we tell her we love her and then we stop speaking to her… what is she going to think/feel?
If we never speak to our spouse or never listen to anything our spouse might have to say to us, our marriage relationship will quickly deteriorate. It is the same way with God. Prayer—communicating with God—helps us grow closer and more intimately connected with God.
But there is another reason WHY we pray and it is that Jesus instructed us to pray. I find this to be the simplest of reasons… we pray out of obedience to Christ! We have to realize that prayer (communicating with Jesus) is a natural by-product of our obedience to Him!
Matthew 26:41
"Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak!" (NLT)
Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (NIV)
ARE THERE REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL PRAYER?
While there are no specific requirements on the physical act of prayer as to ‘how’ one prays, on their knees, flat on their face, bowing reverently or standing… with eyes open or with eyes shut… there ARE some necessary elements required for successful prayer to God.
First and foremost, a successful prayer is going to require: A humble heart! We all have read the verse in 2 Chronicles that speaks directly TO this requirement…
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (NIV)
The 2nd requirement for a successful prayer is an attitude of being sold out to Christ… an ‘all in’ attitude, not holding nothing back. Jeremiah knew this when he wrote in Jeremiah 29:13: You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (NIV)
A humble and committed heart is required, but the 3rd factor I see needed for successful prayer is the element of total faith in God.
Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (NIV)
This ‘faith’ is in God’s desire to see His will done, and your submission to that will! This is NOT a name it and claim it verse where if you have enough faith that God is going to grant EVERY wish of your heart! Remember… God is NOT a waiter or bartender waiting to take your order… He is holy, righteous and just and His desire is to see His plans and purposes accomplished…
When we enter into prayer, our hearts are to be in tune with God and His desires, and we have to have the attitude that God will mold us to His shape… to His purpose… giving our hearts a desire for His desires!
The fourth ‘requirement’ for successful prayer is something that takes great effort on our part, but does not COME from us! That requirement is righteousness! We are called to live righteous and holy lives, but we live in a broken and fallen world.
We are to strive to live according to God’s word and plan, but simply living out the plan of God does not make us righteous… our righteousness is found ONLY in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary.
In the book of James we can read in 5:16 - Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (NIV)
Finally, as I have already stated… a successful prayer is going to be a prayer that stems directly OUT from our personal relationship with God as a result of our submission and obedience to His calling.
1 John 3:22
And we will receive whatever we request because we obey him and do the things that please him. (NLT)
Psalm 34:17
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them…(NIV)
Psalm 91:15
He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. (NIV)
Now there are many time when I am praying that I think… Did God Hear and Answer my Prayer? Although his answer can often be NOT what we want to hear, we must understand that He DOES answer our prayer… Yes, God hears and answers prayer. Here are several examples of this promise from the Bible.
WHAT SHOULD WE PRAY FOR?
• Our relationship with God, to be free of sin, unencumbered by the world’s distractions
• Our relationship with each other, to be free of sin and free of strife between brothers and sisters in the Lord
• Our relationship with the world around us, to be free of sin, and to be focused on US being the light of Christ to those who do NOT know Him.
• Specific prayer requests of a spiritual need
•
WE DON’T GET WHAT WE PRAYED FOR – THEN WHAT?
As ALL of us know, there are times when our prayers are not answered… at least it is not answered with the answer we desire! But when we begin to search Scripture we can see that the Bible gives us numerous reasons or causes for what we may consider as a failure in our prayer:
Now I want you to know that these things are NOT pretty… you may NOT want to look at them with me, but they directly affect our communication with God! First we must look at our own life…
• Disobedience - Deuteronomy 1:45; 1 Samuel 14:37
• Secret Sin - Psalm 66:18
• Indifference - Proverbs 1:28
• Neglect of mercy - Proverbs 21:13
• Despising the Law - Proverbs 28:9
• Iniquity - Isaiah 59:2; Micah 3:4
• Stubbornness - Zechariah 7:13
• Instability or Doubt - James 1:6-7
• Self-indulgence - James 4:3
All of these things address our obedience and submission to God. However, there are sometimes when our prayers are refused because our prayer is NOT in accord with God's will… but it is a desire of our heart!
1 John 5:14
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. (NIV)
One final question about praying… WHERE should I Pray? Should it be alone or with others? Well Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing, meaning that we should be in an attitude of prayer at all times, so WHERE we pray is not so much the issue as THAT we are praying!
I believe God desires us to pray alone AND pray with others… We are hardwired to be in community with each other and the church is a community of believers coming together to worship and give PRAISE to Jesus… prayer is an intricate part of that worship process!
But God wants us to also, go into our prayer closets and bare our soul to Him in intimate confessional prayer… for our cleansing and for our growth and maturation as believers!
We must know that prayer is not anything magical… but prayer is an act you have been assigned by God to do… an act that many see as empty and hollow, but it is an act of supernatural power when done as prescribed by God’s word! So when you say, that ALL you can do is pray for someone… understand that is the grandest thing you could EVER do for them is to pray! Prayer is spiritual weightlifting and exercise… the more we do it, the stronger and more mature we become in our walk with Christ! Let us ALWAYS be praying!
